Get the Scoop on Instagram Subscriptions

Tell Me All About It

Users of Instagram can now click on a special Subscribe button to pay a monthly subscription fee to their fave creators. In return, they get a deluxe purple Subscriber badge next to their Instagram account name, so they can show off their support in comments and DMs. The badges also indicate to all of your IG followers that you have Subscribers - and might create a little FOMO, which will probably get you even more Subscribers!

What do your Subscribers get from this subscription model besides some bling? Plenty! Creators can create exclusive content specifically for their Subscribers, offering sub-only highlight posts, Stories, and exclusive Lives (live streams) only for Subscribers, that show up with a purple ring around them to match those purple Sub badges. 

To find their special Subscriber content, Subs can click on the crown badge on the profile page of creators they’re subscribed to, to browse the catalog of Subscriber-only content created just for them. 

Subscriber-only chats are also available for creators to use, so that they can host AMAs, share project updates, or even just hang for a little casual conversation with their Instagram Subs (up to 30 Subscribers at once - they can hop into your Subs-only chat via a “Join Chat” sticker you post on your Instagram Story.) 

How Does the Pricing Work?

Each content creator sets up their own Subscription pricing on their Instagram Professional Dashboard. You can set the monthly price for your Subscribers (Set Up Subscriptions > Agree to Terms > Set Your Price > Publish > Create to enable Subscriptions), and once you hit a minimum balance of $5 (U.S. - the minimums are different for other countries), you’ll be paid out by Instagram once a month. You can find your earnings/payouts in the “Payouts” section of your Dashboard.

“But how much is an Instagram Subscription then?” you ask. That’s up to you! Instagram allows you to set your Instagram Subscription price at any one of the Instagram Subscription Tiers: 99¢, $1.99, $2.99, $4.99, $9.99, $19.99, $49.99 and $99.00. But we’d advise not attempting the last one until you’re a mega-Instagrammer, unless your entire Followers list is confirmed Big Spenders. 

For the creator, IG Subs become another revenue stream! And you can keep it that way by offering exclusive content for your Instagram Subscribers on a regular basis. Putting your posts on a schedule helps too (ie “Bonus Content for Subs Every Wednesday!”) so your biggest supporters stay hyped and stick around. Keeping your Instagram Subscription cost at a reasonable price point (which you can estimate based on how many Followers you have) can also encourage more people to subscribe to you on Instagram.

Am I Allowed to Offer Instagram Subscriptions?

Instagram Subscriptions are a feature that’s only available for Creator and Business accounts on Instagram, so make sure that your account is switched to one of those two categories. Subscriptions are then available to creators who are over 18 years old; have at least 10K followers; meet Instagram’s content standards and partner monetization policies (ongoing); and live in an eligible country. Subscription-enable accounts must also create a minimum of one post per month to stay eligible.

You can then request to enable Instagram Subscriptions, setting them up through your Professional Dashboard. From there, you can view your Subscriber list, see new Subscribers arriving, check out your earnings - and kick out any Subscribers who become troublemakers.

Tips to Get More Instagram Subs!

Be Creative with Your Subscribers-Only Content

Giving your Subs early previews of your posts is a good way to start. But how can you be really creative with the content you’re providing your Instagram Subscribers? 

Try to really think out of the box - things like short trivia games, a mini-IRL walk bringing your Subs along, debuting a new tune you’ve learned or letting them in on an event announcement ahead of time - these are the kinds of bonuses that will make your Subs feel like they’re paying to get something special, not just more of your usual posts. 

Make Your IG Subscription Fee Worth It

This kind of goes along with “Be Creative” - are your Subscription offerings equal to (or better than!) the monthly price your Subscribers are paying? Try to be objective and think about how much exclusivity and behind-the-scenes content you’d personally enjoy at your Subs price point. Then make your content really worth their support, so they continue subscribing from month to month because they don’t want to miss out on something great.

Collaborate with Other Creators

Bringing in other creators for exclusive content that only your Subs can see is a great way to encourage more Subscribers. Even if you’ve got something planned with a fellow creator for your main channel, film something completely separate as a “bonus clip” only for your Subscribers. 

You can work with another creator in your niche, or completely go out of the box and bring in someone unexpected that will really generate the hype!

Promote Your Subscriptions

Don’t just assume your Instagram followers know that you have Subscriptions available. Talk Subs up in some of your posts, and put a CTA (call to action) in to encourage people to check Subscriptions out.

You can even switch on special Subscriber promotions (check Instagram for details), including a “cancellation promo” that offers your Subs a free month if they try to cancel. Be your own best promotional person where your Subs and your Instagram account are concerned!

Fire Up Those Subscriptions!

Start thinking about the kind of IG content that makes you unique, and then leverage that to start bringing in those Instagram Subscriptions! There are so many benefits to Instagram subscriptions, even beyond the increased revenue.

They’ll encourage you to explore creating different types of content. They’ll add some extra exclusivity to your Instagram account. And - most importantly - they’re another cog in the wheel of building your online community, helping your fans really feel like they’re part of your content creation journey!