Affiliate marketing and Instagram are a perfect match, especially for influencers or bloggers in the lifestyle niche. The bite-sized, totally visual nature of Instagram makes it ideal for lifestyle bloggers to leverage their affiliate marketing networks to earn extra cash.
The market for lifestyle products is enormous. Experts project that the industry will be worth an estimated $6 trillion by 2025! However, as a lifestyle blogger, the scope of the market can become overwhelming. In most circles, "lifestyle" can include everything from skincare, beauty and travel to exercise, supplements and fashion.
This is why you should take the time to research your target audience to see which products and services they are most likely to be interested in. According to Admitad ConvertSocial, a platform that helps influencers monetize social media traffic, finding your niche is the foundation of figuring out which products or services you can sell best on Instagram. Once you know which products and services are a good fit, you can start building brand relationships and making the most of your affiliate links.
If you're not sure where to start, here are a few of the most highly sought categories of products for lifestyle bloggers to promote on Instagram.
1. Beauty (Skincare and Cosmetics)
The Instagram beauty market is huge, and it is consistently ranked as one of the highest-interest lifestyle niches on Instagram. In fact, the average beauty influencer has over 430,000 followers. This should not come as much of a surprise, however, because a recent study showed that about 42 percent of people in the 18-to-24 age bracket look to social media for beauty inspiration.
With over 500 million hits on the beauty hashtag, Instagram lifestyle influencers of all genders have the ability to make a splash in the beauty niche. This is especially true for bloggers that can find a micro-niche that suits their personality. Examples here could be natural products, vegan or cruelty-free makeup or skincare for a specific skin type.
2. Pets
Did you know that 78 percent of current pet owners acquired their furry friends during the pandemic? This has not only expanded the pet industry but has also shaped how owners care for their pets. As most people are heading back to the office or leaving the house more, they have begun to spend more on their pets.
On average, about 66 percent of pet owners admitted to spending more than normal on their pets to help them adjust to being left alone more often. In addition, younger pet owners (18-25) also splash out on pricier foods, pet clothes, birthday treats and enrichment toys.
This, along with the fact that this demographic is also willing to pay for services like dog walkers, pet daycare, behavior training and pet ancestry tracing, means that lifestyle influencers have a willing audience for affiliate marketing.
3. Health and Fitness
According to Instagram's 2022 trend report, holistic wellness is something that users continue to be extremely interested in. The trend here goes beyond just simple exercises and juice cleanses, though. People are looking for authentic influencers and bloggers who can recommend products and services to support their physical, mental and emotional health.
This gives lifestyle bloggers a lot of space to work for affiliate marketing. Users surveyed by Instagram noted that they are looking for digital experiences that help them on their overall wellness journeys. This includes fostering creative interests like painting, creating music, dancing and drawing. It also includes home décor and organization strategies to create that cozy, "oasis" feeling.
Of course, traditional health and fitness avenues are still incredibly popular. Despite the fact that the pandemic appears to be winding down in most regions, home fitness is still a huge industry. Experts estimate that the global health and wellness market is worth over $3.3 trillion, and it is projected to grow to over $4.2 billion by 2027.
These numbers prove that, even though the market might seem saturated already, there is still room for lifestyle influencers to make their mark. Instagram users are constantly seeking out workout inspiration, fitness routines, healthy living hacks and information about diet and nutrition.
Another evergreen aspect of the health and fitness sphere is workout apparel and accessories. The fashion niche of fitness alone is projected to grow to be worth $221.3 billion by 2026. There is clear, consistent interest, so lifestyle bloggers can absolutely capitalize on this through affiliate marketing programs.
The key to monetization here is finding a corner of the market that aligns with your image. There is no doubt that there are brands within the health and wellness sphere that would pair perfectly with your personality and appeal to your followers. The best affiliate marketing programs, like ConvertSocial, give creators a simple catalog to search through so that finding and utilizing brand links is as easy as possible.
4. Food
"Food Instagram" is consistently one of the most popular niches on the platform. Food-related hashtags are used more than 250 million times every month, and food-lovers are scrolling Instagram as many as 18 times every day.
Users love finding new restaurants through influencers because they feel more connected to them. The same goes for lifestyle bloggers who recommend recipes, cooking hacks, kitchen tools or helpful tips for ordering takeout.
Even if your personal brand isn't centered around food, it's definitely worth investing some time into finding ways to monetize the niche! There are always popular food challenges floating around on Instagram, and it's easy to find a trending food-related hashtag that you can participate in.
Your Unique Lifestyle is What Sells Best
For lifestyle bloggers, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Travel, music, parenting, fitness, food, fashion- there are so many niches that fall under the lifestyle umbrella that it can be hard to narrow your focus.
However, one of the best ways to figure out what sells best is to look at your own lifestyle! What are your passions and interests? What are the themes of the content you post? Followers crave authenticity, so if they can sense your passion, they are going to be interested in what you have to say and trust your product recommendations.
Affiliate marketing is a simple, straightforward way to align yourself with the brands that resonate most with your followers. Platforms like ConvertSocial and Amazon Associates make it easier than ever to earn income from products that are related to the content you're already creating.
The average Instagram user spends just under an hour a day scrolling through content. Your followers are interested in your life and willing to spend their cash on recommendations they can trust. All you have to do is put the links in front of them!
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