We have never, ever, ever fantasised about reaching 1 million Instagram followers.
We’re lying.
The all-elusive M remains the holy grail, not just for us, but for every creator and influencer out there.
So, what happens when you reach 1 million Instagram followers in India?
No, Instagram doesn’t personally send you a crown with your initials engraved into it.
No, you don’t get a plaque like the one YouTube sends.
But, your life as a creator does completely change.
Instagram doesn’t give direct payouts for reaching follower milestones, but crossing the million mark opens other doors for you. Think: celebrity status, brand partnerships, and marketing teams dying to work with you.
1. More brands will want to work with you
You don’t have to seek brands or create content for freebies. No, no, that ship has sailed. You’ll be quoting the price now. Payments rise significantly as you move from the micro-influencer category to the macro-influencer category. But the jump is massive as you enter the mega-influencer category, i.e., reach 1 million + followers.
2. Bump up earning potential even more
Another thing that happens after you reach a million followers on Instagram is new ways to earn. How, you ask?
3. Creating Sponsored Content
Young and budding creators collaborate with bands. Mega-creators do sponsored content. It’s similar to your normal content, but you plug the sponsor’s name somewhere. We see sponsored posts on YouTube. So that’s a good way to get paid and not come off as advertising, either.
4. Make exclusive clubs with membership fees
One of the coolest ways to generate revenue with your millions of followers on Instagram is by nurturing your community. As a creator and an influencer, there are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes. These BTS (no, not the band, chill) are interesting for everyone to see, so you can create exclusive clubs that have a membership fee.
The club gets access to unfiltered content, bonus tips and tricks, or special Instagram live sessions. You can do a lot with this, but remain genuine and consider this community building rather than just focusing on the money.
5. Licence your content and charge usage fee
You can be a content creator that makes funny content that later becomes meme material. Or you can be a tech reviewer that provides value-based brand suggestions to consumers.
In both cases, you can actually sell these types of videos as licensed content. You can give usage rights to specific brands, and since you have a huge following, you can expect a hefty pay cheque in return. Licensing usage can run for long periods of time, and as you grow, your content demand will grow with you.
6. Become an Instagram consultant
Getting a million followers on any platform is not an easy feat.
If it were easy, everyone would do it, right?
So, if you have reached the coveted M, you must be doing something right.
Spill the beans and help other creators or brands reach the same heights by becoming an Instagram Strategist and Consultant. Sell your knowledge by hosting webinars, week-long workshops, or courses on learning platforms.
7. Dabble in affiliate marketing and promotions
Once you have a strong following, affiliate marketing can be a serious revenue stream and the biggest source. And if you have a million followers on Instagram? Imagine cash eye emojis circling over your head every day.
Caveats to earning after reaching 1 million Instagram followers
When brands choose to work with a mega creator, follower count is not the only criterion. Factors like account impressions and engagements play a significant and crucial role.
A small creator with only a couple of thousand followers, with a high engagement rate, will always outshine a mega creator with really low engagement rates.
Call it Instagram’s algorithmic magic or just simple ROIs, it is what it is. So the game is yours to play as a creator. While you may be no Virat Kholi, who can charge crores for one post on Instagram, you are certainly the only you.
In a gist?
The only thing that changes when you get a million + followers is leverage. Albeit tough to generate, it is possible when you produce quality content consistently.
Haven’t downloaded DYT yet and set your creator growth on track? Snap up the app!
If you have nurtured a healthy community, you can expect a decent-to-moderate-income stream. So keep at the grind and keep doing your thng, and at each step of the way, when you feel a bit overwhelmed with the creator’s life – we are just a click away!
