How to Make Money on Social Media: If I Was Starting From Scratch, Here’s Exactly What I Would Do
- Emily Richards
- 52 minutes ago
- 7 min read
A Step-by-Step Guide to Quitting Your Job and Making a Real Salary from Social Media
Before we start, a little credibility so you know this isn’t theory.
I have 95,000+ followers on Instagram and over 100,000 across platforms. In my first year treating this like a real business, I made $50,000 in profit. Year two, I’m on track for $100,000.
I’ve secured single contracts for over $18,000 and often get paid to travel, showcase new gear, and stay in cool hotels and Airbnbs.
No viral lottery ticket. No secret industry hookup.Just strategy, consistency, and learning fast.
If I had to start from zero today, here’s exactly what I would do.
Side Note: Want personalized advice and 1 on 1 coaching? I'd LOVE to hop on a call with you! Just drop me a quick line here or emily@adventurefamdam.com
First: Understand This Isn’t a “Get Rich Quick” Strategy
The title says “day by day.”
Reality? This is a 12–24 month compounding game for most people. Probably more.
You’re building an asset. Not gambling on a viral moment.
If your goal is to quit your job, don’t expect to do it overnight. But you can build while maintaining security. You can commit a few focused hours a week.
I built our page during the 1–2 hour nap my daughter took every day. I committed to one post per nap. After a few years, I was getting paid.
Don’t quit on viral optimism.
Now let’s build this the right way.
Day 1: Define Your Niche
The goal at first is growth, which means you need followers.
People follow accounts that:
• Teach them something
• Inspire them
• Entertain them
Your first job is to discover what you love, what you’re good at, and what you won’t get sick of talking about long-term.
Your niche can be nuanced. It can be “fitness… but fitness as a mom of three.” It’s actually ideal to niche your niche. Get as specific as humanly possible about what you represent.
For me, it was Family Adventure Travel. We moved into an RV full-time, so it was obvious. My themes have evolved, but I’ve never strayed far from that foundation.
Make a list of what you love. Narrow it down. Get specific. Or just pick a place to start and refine as you find your flow.
Clarity comes through action.
Day 2: Make the Accounts (And Build a Real Brand)
Name:
It can be your real name or a snappy brand name. Either works, unless your name is extremely hard to spell or remember.
You want something sticky. Something that, when someone thinks “I saw this one person say this…” they can find you again.
Profile Picture:
Use a real photo of a person.
Not a logo. Not an AI image (please not an AI image).
People follow people. If you’re uncomfortable showing your face, use a photo from behind or even your pet. But make it human.
There are "faceless" accounts but I fear with the rise of AI people don't trust them as much anymore and I doubt brands want to work with faceless accounts as much. But you do you boo.
Sign Up for All Platforms:
When I started, I focused only on Instagram. That was one of my biggest regrets.
While it was good to master one platform, I could have easily cross-posted and grown elsewhere without much extra effort.
If I started over, I’d immediately create:
Crossposting builds compounding growth across platforms without multiplying your workload.
Start Building an Owned Audience Immediately
Social media is rented land. Email is property you own.
Even 10 emails per week compounds into leverage.
Brands love creators with:
• Engaged audiences
• Multi-platform presence
• Owned distribution
You do not want 100k followers and zero direct contact with them.
Pro Tip:
If you’re comfortable, use your personal account or any account that already has followers. Starting with even a small audience helps.
People hesitate to follow accounts with zero followers.
If you’re not comfortable with friends and family seeing your content yet, starting from zero is fine. But eventually, you’ll need to get comfortable being seen.
It may feel cringey at first. It’s your business. If they love you, they’ll support you.
Day 3: Get Filming
People ask me what I use to film.
Honestly? My iPhone.
Over time I added tools like an Insta360, a drone, gopro, mini microphones, and a tripod. But you don’t need more than what you already have. (here is my very small list of tools that I actually own and use)
I'd invest in a cheap $17ish tripod to start, you can do so much more with a simple tripod and its really so inexpensive.
Instagram cares about ideas more than production quality.
Start capturing everything that inspires you. This is B-roll. Clips and images you can layer into any video later.
Organize it into folders on your phone.
Get Inspired
Follow creators who inspire you and share a similar message.
Study their top performing posts. What hooks did they use? What format? What topic?
Then create your own version.
Trends perform well. If you see a trend repeated across creators, try it in your own voice. The algorithm favors familiarity, but originality keeps people.
Make a list of ideas. Film them.
You might be bad at first. It doesn’t matter. Keep going.
If you prefer scripting, use a teleprompter tool.
You’ll learn the tricks over time.
Content Pillars
If I were starting again, I’d immediately choose 3–4 content pillars and rotate intentionally.
For example:
• Education
• Story
• Relatable / humor
• Proof / results
• Lifestyle / behind the scenes
This prevents burnout and creates structure.
Growth is not random. It’s structured experimentation.
Day 4: Populate Your Page Strategically
You won’t reach the world on day one. That’s fine.
But you need enough content on your page so that when someone lands there, they understand who you are.
No one follows an account with one blurry photo of an iguana (unless thats your weird little niche and then, who knows, weird is honestly a good thing on socials!).
Aim for at least 6 strong posts that clearly communicate:
• Who you are
• What you stand for
• What value people will get
I focus heavily on Reels because they bring me the most reach. But some creators thrive on carousel posts.
Experiment with both.
Creating Posts
Reels / Video: Instagram’s built-in editor is powerful and free. It integrates with trending audio. It’s more than enough.
Carousels: Images with text often outperform plain photos. They create value and encourage scrolling.
Canva, even the free version, works great.
Track Data from Day 1
Google Sheets is your friend.
Every week track
:• Follower growth
• Saves
• Shares
• Watch time
• Hooks that performed best
Most creators operate emotionally.
You need to operate analytically.
The algorithm rewards retention and shares more than views.
Treat it like a business before brands ever pay you.
Day 5: Find Friends and ENGAGE
Not your real-life friends.
Other creators in your niche.
Find people doing similar work. Engage genuinely. Comment thoughtfully. Send messages. Build relationships.
Not only will others see your comments and discover you, but creators often reciprocate engagement, increasing reach.
Building community can lead to:
• Meetups
• Live events
• Job referrals
• Collaborations
Also build depth with your audience.
Share:
• Failures
• Lessons
• Unpopular opinions
• Behind-the-scenes struggles
Surface level content grows. Depth builds loyalty.
Day 6–365: Turn on Growth Mode
You now have:
• A content-rich page
• Creator relationships
• A clear mission
Set a goal. 1,000 followers? 5,000? 50,000? 100,000?
Reverse engineer it.
Create consistently. Analyze what works. Repeat.
Put yourself everywhere.
Join creator databases. Add your brand to LinkedIn. Be discoverable.
Visibility creates opportunity.
Year 2: Turn on Monetization
You don’t have to wait until year two. Some monetize earlier. Some later.
I was late.
I didn’t start my page to make money. I wanted community. But when I hit 40,000 followers, brands started reaching out.
I had no idea what to charge.
You do. Because you’re reading this.
Assets You’ll Need
• Marketing deck with stats and capabilities
• Rate card with services and pricing
• Professional email address in your bio
• Website (even simple)
• Portfolio of your best work
If you’re ambitious, blog and collect emails. More leverage. More monetization options.
What to Charge
This was hard for me.
I started at $100 per 10,000 followers. My first ad was $400.
Was it underpriced? Yes.Was it necessary to build experience? Also yes.
Then I raised rates every time.
$500
$600
$800
Now I charge $2,000 per Instagram Reel plus extra for:
• Stories
• Usage rights
• Crossposting
• Whitelisting
• Extended licensing
I may still be undercharging.
Raise your rates as your skill, results, and demand increase.
Understand This Before Monetizing
Learn:
• Contracts
• Usage rights
• Payment terms (Net 30 vs upfront)• LLC considerations
• Taxes
• Invoicing systems
Creators who understand business win long term.
If I Structured This for Maximum Impact
Instead of “days,” think in phases.
Phase 1: Foundation Niche. Positioning. Setup. Content pillars.
Phase 2: Growth Engine Content system. Engagement. Data tracking. Batching. Email list.
Phase 3: Monetization Machine Digital products. Affiliate income. UGC. Brand deals. Pricing. Systems.
That framing is sustainable. Not overnight hype.
If I had to start from zero?
I’d follow this roadmap.
Because I’ve watched it work.
From zero…To 95,000+ on Instagram.
100,000+ across platforms.
$50,000 profit in year one.
On track for $100,000 in year two.
Not magic.
Momentum.
And momentum is built daily.
Want personalized advice and 1-on-1 coaching? I’d love to hop on a call with you. Send a message or email me at emily@adventurefamdam.com.
Extra Credit: Making Money Without a Following (UGC)
Once you get good at filming, consider UGC, user-generated content.
This is where you create videos for brands that do not get posted to your account. You make the ad, sell it to the brand, and they run it on their own page or as paid ads.
I’ve made anywhere from $150 to $1,000 per video doing UGC.
It’s a great way to:
• Fill income gaps
• Practice video and editing skills
• Build a portfolio
• Generate cash while growing your own platform
More on this coming soon.
