Instagram carousels are an underrated way to make money. Most people think you need brand deals or a huge following to earn from Instagram, but that’s not true! Even with zero followers, you can make money from Instagram carousels by using the right strategies.
In this article, I’ll show you how to earn from Instagram carousels without relying on brand deals—using methods that most people don’t talk about! 🚀
Why Instagram Carousels?
Carousels (multi-image posts) perform better than single-image posts because they keep people engaged longer, increasing your reach. They are perfect for:
✅ Storytelling – People love reading engaging stories.
✅ Step-by-Step Guides – Tutorials and tips work best in carousels.
✅ Educational Content – Finance, marketing, fitness, and self-improvement perform well.
✅ Visual Infographics – Easy-to-digest, shareable content spreads fast.
Since carousels get 3X more engagement than regular posts, they can help you grow fast and monetize effectively.
5 Ways to Earn from Instagram Carousels Without Brand Deals
1. Sell Digital Products (E-books, Templates, Notion Docs)
You don’t need a physical product to make money. Carousels work great for selling digital products like:
- E-books (Guides on Instagram growth, finance, business, etc.)
- Canva templates (Instagram post templates, pitch decks, resume templates)
- Notion templates (Habit trackers, budget planners, content calendars)
How to Sell Using Carousels:
1️⃣ Create a carousel with a free tip or preview from your digital product.
2️⃣ At the end of the carousel, add a Call-to-Action (CTA) like:
“Want the full guide? Get my e-book for just ₹499! Link in bio.”
3️⃣ Sell on Gumroad, Payhip, or your own website.
💰 Earnings Potential: If you sell a ₹499 e-book and 100 people buy, that’s ₹49,900 just from one carousel!
🔹 Example:
A fitness creator starts posting home workout carousels with step-by-step exercises. After growing to 5,000 followers, they launch a 30-day Home Workout Guide for ₹799. Since their carousels already provide free value, people trust them and buy the guide. Within a month, they sell 150 copies, making ₹1,19,850 in passive income.
2. Offer a Paid Newsletter or Subscription
If your carousels provide valuable insights, you can charge for exclusive content through a paid newsletter or a Close Friends subscription.
How to Monetize:
1️⃣ Create free carousels that share useful insights (e.g., business tips, Instagram hacks, or self-improvement guides).
2️⃣ At the end, add a CTA:
“Want more exclusive strategies? Join my paid newsletter for ₹199/month!”
3️⃣ Use Substack, Patreon, or Buy Me a Coffee to accept payments.
💰 Earnings Potential: With just 500 subscribers at ₹199/month, you make ₹99,500/month!
🔹 Example:
A finance creator posts stock market tips and investment strategies in carousels. To monetize, they start a ₹399/month paid newsletter where they give in-depth investment analysis. After 3 months, they attract 800 paying subscribers, making ₹3.2 lakh per month!
3. Sell Carousel Creation as a Service
Most businesses struggle to create engaging Instagram carousels. If you know how to design high-quality carousels, you can sell them as a service!
How to Start:
1️⃣ Create a portfolio of carousels in Canva, Figma, or Photoshop.
2️⃣ Post sample carousels on Instagram and add:
“Need eye-catching Instagram carousels? DM me for custom designs!”
3️⃣ Offer packages like:
✅ 5 carousels for ₹5,000
✅ 10 carousels for ₹9,000
✅ Monthly content plan for ₹20,000+
💰 Earnings Potential: With just 5 clients paying ₹10,000/month, you make ₹50,000/month!
🔹 Example:
A graphic designer creates carousel posts for small businesses and content creators. After landing their first 3 clients (charging ₹8,000 each for 10 carousels), they grow their business through word of mouth and Instagram DMs. Within 6 months, they are making ₹1.2 lakh per month.
4. Affiliate Marketing (Without Showing Products!)
Affiliate marketing is not just for reels and stories—you can also do it with carousels! Instead of promoting products directly, create educational carousels that naturally lead to an affiliate link.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Choose a niche (finance, books, fitness, tech, online courses).
2️⃣ Create carousels that provide value, like:
- “5 Best Books to Build Wealth” (Add affiliate links to books)
- “Best Online Courses for Digital Marketing” (Link to Udemy courses)
- “Top Budgeting Apps to Save Money” (Link to app referrals)
3️⃣ Add a CTA at the end:
“Check the link in bio for my favorite resources!”
💰 Earnings Potential: If 100 people buy a ₹1,000 course and you get a 30% commission, that’s ₹30,000 from one post!
🔹 Example:
A self-improvement influencer posts carousel summaries of best-selling books like Atomic Habits and Rich Dad Poor Dad. They use Amazon Affiliate links in their bio. Since their audience loves self-improvement, they sell 300 books per month, earning ₹70,000/month in affiliate commissions.
5. Drive Traffic to a Freelance Service or Online Course
Instagram carousels are a great way to bring clients to your freelance service or online course. If you’re skilled in:
✅ Copywriting
✅ Graphic Design
✅ Social Media Marketing
✅ Website Development
✅ Language Learning
You can use carousels to attract clients and sell your services!
How to Get Clients Using Carousels:
1️⃣ Post educational carousels related to your niche (e.g., “5 Copywriting Hacks to Boost Sales”).
2️⃣ Add a CTA:
“Need help with copywriting? DM me for 1:1 coaching!”
3️⃣ Offer one-on-one services or sell an online course.
💰 Earnings Potential: If 5 clients pay ₹10,000/month, that’s ₹50,000/month!
🔹 Example:
A content strategist shares Instagram growth tips in carousels. After 2 months, they start offering coaching calls for ₹5,000 each. Within 4 months, they have 15 clients per month, making ₹75,000 monthly from coaching alone.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need brand deals to make money on Instagram! Carousels are an easy, low-competition way to build an audience and earn money.
Recap – 5 Ways to Make Money from Carousels:
✅ Sell Digital Products (₹10k–₹5 lakh/month)
✅ Offer a Paid Newsletter (₹99k+/month)
✅ Sell Carousel Design Services (₹50k–₹2 lakh/month)
✅ Do Affiliate Marketing (₹30k+/month)
✅ Drive Traffic to Your Freelance Business (₹50k+/month)
Which method are you going to try first? 🚀
