People out there are earning $7000 to $8000 in a week — with reels.
Yep, that’s true. We’ll share a real case study with you in this very post.
But before we do that, we need you to be with us on the same page.
So, what are reels?
Reels are essentially short-form, full-screen videos. These can be 90 seconds long. They can be entertaining, educational, or motivational — you name it.
And majority internet users spend about 45 minutes each day scrolling reels.
So, clearly reels are a popular content type. Meaning, content creators can cash this demand to make some extra money.
In this post, we’ll share how you can get paid for reels on Instagram and Facebook as well as how much you can get paid for these reels.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Does Facebook & Instagram pay for reels?
Unfortunately, Instagram no longer pay for reels. In late 2021, Instagram had launched ‘Reels for bonus’ program where creators could enroll and earn money for their most viewed reels. But in March 2023, Meta ended this program.
Facebook, however, still pays for reels or what you call video and audio content. But it’s only for ‘live videos’ or past lives videos. The platform does not exclusively pay for reels, but it does pay for live video or audio content under the program ‘Facebook Stars’.
How much does Facebook & Instagram pay for reels?
As mentioned earlier, Instagram no longer pays for reels. However, you can earn with reels via brand sponsorships or through email lists (which we’ll share in a bit).
With Instagram reels, the potential of earning is as high as $7000 – $8000 per week as mentioned earlier. Video creators who earn via brand sponsorships also make millions. If they have a good following, they can earn anywhere between $3000 – $10,000 per sponsored post. If there are 10 sponsored posts per month, they’re making a million!
Facebook pays $0.01 (or one cent) for every star you receive on your live videos. Unfortunately, Facebook content creators haven’t shared how much they have earned with Facebook stars – but we do know that creators become eligible for the payout when they earn at least 10,000 stars. This is equivalent to $100 in terms of money. Also, Facebook collects 30% of the total revenue generated via Facebook stars. So, if you have earned $100, you will receive $70 in your bank account.
Some notable figures from Facebook earning are:
- Wasil Daoud earned $9,380 directly from Facebook (including Stars) from January to October 2023. (Source)
- Morgann Book earned over $93,000 from Facebook payments (including Stars) between September 2022 and July 2023. (Source)
- Nuseir Yassin of Nas Daily reported monthly earnings between $60,000 and $70,000 from several Facebook accounts in 2022. (Source)
Guide to Monetization: How can I get paid for reels on Instagram & Facebook?
So, one way to monetize Facebook reels is to use Facebook Stars program. The two alternate way to monetize Facebook and Instagram reels are:
- Build an email list
- Do a sponsored post
Sponsored post is simple. You get approached by a brand, you set a deal with them, promote their product/service in your reel content, and get paid for that content as well as the commissions you make per sale. It works the same as YouTube brand sponsorships, so read more in detail here: How much does brand sponsorship pay youtubers?
If brands are not approaching you, you can pitch them. How to do that? Read the post we linked above, it has some easy to follow steps!☝️
Now, let’s focus on the alternate, clever way of getting paid for reels on Instagram and Facebook….
Overview
Greg Kononenko’s Instagram income is the case study we’ll be learning from. He runs multiple niche pages on Instagram, including:
- Make money online
- Investment
- Relationship advice
With these three pages, he’s able to make decent money ($7000+ per week). So, we’ll break down his strategy for you step by step to make it easier for you to follow. If you prefer video format, watch his video instead (and bookmark this post for reference!).
Step 1: Understand the Strategy
You need to have 3 key components for this method to work:
- Content
- Email List
- Monetization
The content is essentially the reels you post on Instagram. You’ll have to come up with creative reel ideas.
The email list is something you will build with the help of content. How so?
Here are the steps Greg follows:
↳ Posts a reel with an instant CTA (i.e., asking people to comment ‘Let’s go Greg’)
↳ Those who comment receive an automated reply on the comment and a DM, which directs them to the link in Greg’s bio
↳ The link in Greg’s bio is a landing page that offers a lead magnet, compelling people to leave their email address and allowing Greg to build an email list.
So, summing up, what do you have to do?
- Post a reel with a CTA
- Automate a DM and direct them to your lead magnet to collect email
Once you have that email list, strategically sell your product/service to them.
Step 2: How to create content?
First, choose a niche.
Ideally, you should choose something you have a lot of experience in. It need not be technical. It can be about:
- Relationships
- Gardening
- Home maintenance
- Parenting
- Online education
- Local travel
The more specific you are with your niche idea, the better. For example, you can be specific like 5-minute recipes. It’s cooking related but it’s specific and in-demand.
Some types of videos that are doing well for YouTube and YouTube shorts could do well for Instagram and Facebook reels too. Here’s a guide for niche ideas: 5+ Super Easy YouTube Channel Ideas From Home
Once you’ve settled for a niche, go to google.com and enter your keyword. Follow the top 3-4 Instagram accounts in that niche.
When you do this, your explore page will show lots of reels and posts relevant to those three pages. In this way, your explore feed will be full of reel ideas.
Take inspiration from these and create short-form content.
The interesting thing here is you don’t need to be in the video. You can capture a b-roll (it’s popular these days). Or you can use a template with image in the background and text on the front or in the caption.
If you don’t know how to create a template, feel free to drop us a message. We’d be happy to take care of that for you!
Step 3: Build an email list.
As mentioned earlier, you need to automate the DM process or you’ll be spending half of your day manually replying to the messages.
Greg recommends using a tool called ChatFuel. This software allows you to automate actions on social media and website, such as sending automatic messages.
You can use this tool to send a DM to anyone who leaves a comment on your reel.
Back when Greg filmed the video, ChatFuel offered a free plan. Now, it doesn’t. So, you might want to consider some free alternatives of ChatFuel:
These tools offer a free plan that you can use to get started. But eventually, you will have to to set some amount aside for these minor expenses.
Step 4: Monetize the Email List
The DM you sent should lead the person to your lead magnet. They will give you their email in order to get a copy of the lead magnet.
It could be free:
- Step by step guide to do something
- A checklist
- Short free course
- Free access to a book
- A trial video edit (like we do it here, hehe 😅)
Once you have their email, you begin you email sequence.
An email sequence is a series of emails that you sent to warm lead to convince them to buy your product/service.
To automate this mechanism, Greg recommends using ConvertKit. It offers a free plan of upto 10,000 subscribers and should be enough for anyone getting started.
Note that some people might buy from you immediately.
But for most of them, you will have to “nurture” them.
If you do not know how to nurture a lead, we highly recommend reading this guide:
7 Step Guide to Get a Strategic Marketing Edge for Building a Longer Lasting Sustainable Business
And that’s it!
The better your email sequence, the more conversions you will achieve and the more money you will make.
The key to making more money is good copy. If your reel content, landing page (with the lead magnet), and the email sequence is not written in a compelling way —- this method won’t work out for you.
How to get paid for reels via Brand Sponsorships?
Like we mentioned earlier, our guide to YouTube brand sponsorships outlines in detail how video creators get attract brand sponsorships with short-form or long form content.
Here’s the link again:
But if you haven’t got the time to read it all, we’ll summarize it for you.
To get paid for reels through brand sponsorships, focus on building a niche audience that aligns with potential brands. For example, if you want to attract Ulta Beauty, Maybelline, or Sephora — you need to be posting on eye make up or skin care routine. Something along those lines, you know?
↳ Create high-quality, engaging content that showcases your unique style and personality.
↳ Regularly interact with your followers to boost engagement, as brands look for creators with active communities.
↳ Pitch directly to brands or sign up for influencer platforms where sponsorship opportunities are posted.
↳ When contacting brands, present a media kit highlighting your follower demographics, engagement rates, and past successful collaborations.
In all these steps, remember consistency, authenticity, and showcasing how your content aligns with the brand’s values are key to securing sponsorships.
End Note
Well, that’s how you can make money with Instagram reels and Facebook reels. We hope this post answered your question. If there are any more concerns or queries on the same topic, feel free to send us a message at todd@editvideo.io or send us a DM on our Instagram: @editvideo.io
