Do You Need Instagram Subscriptions? Everything You Need to Know

If you’re looking for ways to grow a loyal Instagram following, it’s worth it to incorporate Instagram Subscriptions into your marketing strategy. This tool gives you numerous features to help you connect more directly with your audience.

Learn all about the IG subscription model and how you can drive subscriptions with this guide from Ignite Visibility’s Social Media Manager, Katya Shakarian.

What You’ll Learn:

• Instagram Subscriptions: The Basics
• How Much Can You Charge for Content
• Instagram Subscriptions: Pros and Cons
• How to Set Up Instagram Subscriptions
• Instagram Subscriptions: Requirements and Restrictions
• What Kind of Subscriber-Only Content Should You Create to Keep Followers Engaged?
• Instagram Subscription FAQs

Our Expert’s Insight on Instagram Subscriptions

When building a social media presence, engagement is everything. It’s not enough to grow followers and attract views for your videos—you should also try to keep those followers consistently engaged and connected, which is where Instagram subscriptions can help.

While Instagram subscriptions started out as something of a trend in social media marketing, it’s now one of the best ways to both monetize content and keep your audiences hooked. I think IG subscriptions are ultimately invaluable in helping you build a brand community and get the most from your Instagram video marketing efforts.

As Instagram continues to change and evolve its subscription model, it’s important to know what creators and subscribers get with it. Knowing how to attract subscriptions and take full advantage of them could elevate your social media strategy in many ways.

 

Everything You Need to Know About Subscriptions on Instagram

Using Instagram Subscriptions, creators can establish connections with audiences. It’s also a way to earn revenue from subscribers.  Answers to all your burning questions about IG subscriptions await!

What Are Instagram Subscriptions?

Instagram Subscriptions are a tool for creators who make a living on Instagram. Initially, they were only available in the U.S. Meta broadened their availability in mid-2023.

The framework enables creators to earn a recurring monthly income in exchange for exclusive content with their most engaged followers.

There are several IG subscription features content types, including:

• Subscriber Lives: Content creators can use subscriptions to showcase Instagram Lives to subscribers. These are live streams that drive more engagement with audiences. They appear in users’ feeds with a purple ring around them to set them apart from other content.
• Subscriber Stories: Creators produce stories just for their subscribers. Additionally, you can use interactive story stickers with your top followers. Like lives, stories also appear with a purple ring around them to distinguish them in people’s feeds.
• Subscriber Badges: These appear next to subscribers’ comments and messages so creators can quickly identify these people. It makes it easy to engage with them personally with thanks, shoutouts, or other recognition. The Instagram subscription badge is purple and shows up next to the person’s username.
• Subscriber Posts: These are posts that only subscribers can access. 
• Subscriber Reels: These are reels exclusive to subscribers. 
• Subscriber Chats: Another type of Instagram-exclusive content is subscriber chat, which allows you to privately message as many as 30 subscribers simultaneously, which is great for bringing them together and sharing updates or ideas.
• Subscriber Social Channels: Creators can establish multiple exclusive channels for subscribers with a limit of 250 participants. 
• Subscriber Broadcast Channels: These are a public, one-to-many messaging tool that creators can launch to engage with followers at scale. Creators use these for updates and pools. 
• Subscriber Home: By going to the crown tab in your Instagram profile, your followers can access this hub for all Instagram subscription content in a convenient centralized catalog.
• Subscriber Promotions: Encourage more people to pay for a subscription on Instagram or retain existing subscribers with promotions, which allow you to offer a 50% discount on a subscription for the next five subscribers. If subscribers attempt to cancel, the offer will turn into a free month.

How Do Instagram Subscriptions Work?

It works like any subscription you would create for content. Followers pay creators a monthly charge. It’s an in-app purchase for a user.

Instagram must make a creator “eligible” before creating a subscription. The option appears on the Professional Dashboard. If you don’t see it, you can apply for it.

Here are a few basic steps for enabling Instagram subscriptions:

1.  Determine Eligibility. According to Instagram, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Reside in one of the eligible countries
• Have a minimum of 10K followers
• Adhere to Instagram subscription rules, including the platform’s Content Monetization Policies and Partner Monetization Policies

2. Receive an Invite and Set Up Subscriptions. You can enable subscriptions via Instagram’s Professional Dashboard and tap “Subscriptions” to view your list of subscribers.

3. Manage Subscribers. Take all types of actions to manage subscribers, from restricting and blocking to removing and reporting. You also have access to numerous tools to view earnings, cancellations, and new subscribers.

As a subscriber, you would see the Subscribe button at the top of a profile. You’d then click it and make the in-app purchase, which will recur monthly.

Why Should You Use Instagram Subscriptions? Who’s Subscribing?

An Instagram Subscription can be a lot of work, so is it worth it? If you have a loyal following and the time to develop content regularly and monetize it, you can be successful. 

Subscriptions on Instagram are ideal for developing strong connections with people you regularly interact with on the app. If that fits your brand, and you have the capacity, it could be worthwhile. Instagram is a great platform to do this because it’s the top social site for building relationships, according to a Meta-commissioned Ipsos study.

Additionally, Instagram has other user attributes that create a wide reach. Users spend over 30 minutes a day on the site. They’re looking for inspiration, products, knowledge, and connection as they scroll. With over 2 billion active monthly users that fall into all demographics, your niche audience is very likely on the app. 

Who’s watching these? Often, it’s people who want to learn from creators and believe there is value in exclusive content. A lot of times it relates to a goal, like training for the next Ironman or mastering cake decorating. 

There’s a niche for everything on Instagram, and if you have the eyes and ears of those within an industry, hobby, or other pursuit, IG Subscriptions could be lucrative.

Who Should Use Instagram Subscriptions?

The goal of Instagram Subscriptions is to help content creators earn money. Beyond monetization, creators can expand their brand and build a community. If you want to build a community and make money with a private Instagram account that connects directly with followers, you’ll likely benefit from IG subscription services.

A few of the key features available through subscriptions on Instagram include:

• More predictable revenue: Users can create consistency in their income. Growing subscribers keeps revenue increasing each month.
• Audience support: Content creators can foster a community, and the exclusivity angle is a way to reward them for contributing to your channel.
• Expanding your brand: As your subscription numbers increase, so does your brand’s visibility. What you start on Instagram can enable you to become an influencer and expert on an even bigger stage.  
• Testing content ideas: Before you go broad, you can test-run different types of content. See how your loyalist followers react before you make it part of your regular cycle.

How Much Can You Charge for Exclusive Content

For subscribers, costs vary depending on what creators set, and they can do so. Most are $0.99, $1.99, $2.99, $4.99, or $9.99. Some may charge as much as $19.99, $49.99, and $99.99. These are monthly charges.

At this time, Instagram pays in U.S. dollars (USD) for all in-app purchases, including IG subscriptions.

Instagram states that 100% of the revenue subscribers pay goes to creators during Instagram Live, minus any applicable taxes or fees. It also notes that Google and Apple deduct 30% of all in-app purchases, but Instagram doesn’t receive a portion.

When deciding how much to charge your audiences at each Instagram subscription tier, consider the following key factors:

• Your audience size and niche—the more exclusive, the more you might want to charge
• The quality of your content and the value you bring to subscribers
• What your competitors charge
• Content types, such as lower-tier Q&As and polls, middle-tier tutorials and live streams, and premium-tier personalized content like courses and coaching

What Kind of Subscriber-Only Content Should You Create to Keep Followers Engaged?

You produce lots of content types to connect with subscribers. It depends on what your expertise is and what followers want to see. Here are some examples:

• Coaching: Business, social media, and life coaches often offer private coaching to subscribers. This will encourage more people to subscribe if they like your services. You can also learn from your experience to continue improving these skills.
• Private classes: Creators can teach many skills they specialize in to educate audiences, including art, dancing, fitness, photography, cooking, or crafts. 
• Behind-the-scenes looks: Whether you’re an individual content creator or part of a team, behind-the-scenes footage appeals to audiences. You could show you and your crew setting up through time-lapse footage. This could be ‌ impressive if you develop unique and elaborate set pieces. 
• Ask Me Anything events: Host candid Q&As for followers where they can ask you anything. It showcases authenticity and genuineness, which audiences crave.
• Webinars: Using live streams, you can hold webinars to cover a specific topic in your industry in depth, potentially including interviews with experts in your industry or on your team for Q&A sessions and invaluable advice.
• Chat discussions: The private chat feature could also be a great way to bring up to 30 people into a single chat to discuss a potential topic, such as an industry-related issue that might attract many opinions. Creating a real discussion will further imbue a sense of community among your subscribers.

Instagram Subscriptions: Pros and Cons

So, what are the pros and cons of IG Subscriptions for creators and subscribers?

Pros for Creators

• You can increase online revenue in a way that’s predictable and doesn’t include extra fees. Just consider some success stories from popular creators like @fuji_an, who managed to attract over 24K subscribers in less than six months thanks to her affordable $0.49/month subscriber fee, which yields around $10K every month.
  
• Keeping followers engaged with exclusivity can deepen connections.
• It can drive traffic to your website with links in Instagram content for more monetization opportunities.
• Maximize engagement among users with a range of Instagram-exclusive content, including lives, reels, private chats, stories, polls, AMAs, discussions, and much more to harness the power of video marketing.
• Rapidly grow your community while you make money with a private Instagram account, establishing stronger relationships with followers and more loyal customers.

Pros for Subscribers

• You’ll have access to exclusive content and give your favorite people a reason to keep making more.
• You can support people that inspire you and learn from them.
• It’s nice to be part of a special community.

Cons for Creators

• It’s easy to get burned out with so many content requirements beyond your standard stories, which may leave little time to focus on other initiatives.
• You can’t use the content in exclusives in other channels.
• The Apple and Google fees take a bit out of your revenue.

Cons for Subscribers

• You may experience follower fatigue if you subscribe to and follow many people, which could be overwhelming and not beneficial.
• Content may not drop in quality and frequency, meaning you’re getting little for your investment.
• Monthly fees add up, and you may find it too expensive over time.

How to Set Up Subscriptions on Instagram: The Logistics

The IG Subscription feature is easy to set up. Here are the steps:

1. Open the professional dashboard on Instagram. Check to see if “Set up subscriptions” is present. If not, you’ll need to apply.

   

2. Click the “Set up subscriptions” button to enter the onboarding flow.
3. Tap “Next.”
4. Read through the terms and agree to them.
5. Enter your business information.

   

6. Add a way to get paid.

   

7. Set the monthly price.
8. Hit “Publish” and then “Create.”

After you set up Instagram Subscriptions, your Instagram followers will receive a notification within three days. It will let users know they can subscribe to access more benefits. This will help boost subscriptions and your earnings.

Instagram Subscription Requirements and Restrictions

From the creator’s standpoint, you must meet these requirements:

• Comply with IG Community Guidelines.
• Adhere to IG Content Monetization Policies.
• Be 18+ years old.
• Have 10K followers or more.
• Live in an eligible country.

Review all eligibility requirements here.

How Can You Get More Subscribers?

Adding more subscribers means more revenue. You’ll need a specific strategy for this outside of how you gain followers. Here are some tips:

• Publish a promo video: introduce and hype your subscription offering.
• Turn on offers in your dashboard: Instagram gives you these options—the next five people who subscribe receive 50% off or a free month to get started. Put these in your promo content.
• Encourage current subscribers to bring their friends: If they do, you could give them a shoutout or another perk.
• Be consistent with content and ensure it’s relevant: Good content will earn you more subscribers.
• Create a content preview: This would show followers what they can expect if they subscribe.
• Go live when possible: Whether through live videos or chat sessions, continually connect with your audiences through live content that interacts with subscribers in real time. This kind of interaction will show that you value your subscribers’ input and communication, keeping them loyal.
• Offer personalized content: Use content like coaching, courses, and discussions to make your subscribers feel even more exclusive and heard. This kind of content will go a long way in boosting and maintaining engagement among audiences.

Instagram Subscription FAQs

1. What distinguishes Instagram Subscriptions from other platform monetization strategies?

You control the content and set the price. Also, if you’re asking, “How much does Instagram take from subscriptions,” the answer is that Instagram doesn’t take a portion of your revenue. Additionally, you can easily manage all subscribers, who stand out on the platform with an Instagram subscription badge.

2. How do Instagram Subscriptions impact overall engagement and follower count?

IG Subscriptions allow for deeper connections with your most engaged followers. It should increase it, and as your subscribers interact with you, their followers and friends will notice, which could increase your numbers.

3. How does Instagram’s algorithm treat subscriber-only content?

The Instagram algorithm doesn’t apply to subscriber-only content. Subscribers get alerts when exclusive content is available.  

4. Are there specific industries or niches that benefit more from Instagram Subscriptions?

Instagram Subscriptions can work for many types of brands. The key is that the content has to deliver value to an audience. There is much variety in high-performing creators. A niche can be a winning formula if you are an expert or well-known in an area that few people have knowledge of but want to learn about.

5. What are the best practices for promoting subscriber-only content?

Instagram recommends using Subscriber Chats often as a “megaphone to share updates and social chat.” They also say engagement with subscribers by prioritizing their comments works well. Another tip they give is to survey subscribers to see what they want.

6. How do Instagram Subscriptions affect influencer partnerships and collaborations?

If you have partnerships and collaborations, they can be part of subscriber-only content. You could tease a preview to all followers to prompt them to subscribe. It would need to be a special collab with promo codes or another incentive.

7. What countries can you get Instagram subscribers in?

Creators must be in the countries listed above. Instagram states that subscribers can be anywhere except Cuba, Iran, Ukraine, North Korea, and Syria.

8. How do you get paid?

You can set up different payment options, including direct deposit to a bank account or through a PayPal account.

9. How do you cancel an IG subscription?

You might also wonder how to cancel an IG subscription as a subscriber. You can easily do so by visiting the creator’s profile within the IG app, tapping “Subscribed,” tapping “Manage,” and cancelling the subscription on Instagram via the Details page. Then, confirm the cancellation.

Build a Social Media Marketing Strategy with Instagram

We’ve just covered all you need to know about Instagram Subscriptions. Now, it’s time to think about how social media is working for your company. Do you want more engagement, website traffic, and revenue? Our experts can help with many other ways to leverage Instagram including Instagram for business.

When you trust Ignite Visibility with social media marketing on Instagram, you’ll get:

• Targeted marketing to help build a following
• An appropriately tiered subscription model that attracts subscribers
• Content management to develop and curate high-quality exclusive content
  And more!

We can support your brand in many ways to ensure Instagram and social media deliver results. Contact us today to chat.