Instagram Subscriptions were recently announced by Meta through an official blog. Through this, the social media platform is bringing a new monetisation feature for content creators to the platform. However, the subscription option is not exactly a new feature per se since it has already been initiated on Facebook back in 2020 to help creators build a sustainable business model through the support of their followers and communities.
Also read: Instagram chronological feed: how to change your Instagram feed to chronological setting
Buoyed by the success of subscriptions on Facebook, Meta is now bringing the same to its photo and video sharing platform. Creators will now be able to share exclusive content and benefits with their subscribers for a nominal monthly subscription price. Followers who subscribe to a creator will receive an exclusive subscriber badge, live stories, and more. Here’s what you need to know about the new Instagram monetisation feature for creators.
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What is Instagram Subscription?
Users in India can now subscribe to some content creators on Instagram
As mentioned before, Instagram Subscription is the extension of Facebook Subscription to the photo and video sharing platform. According to the official Instagram blog, the paid subscription plans are being tested with a select few content creators and influencers in the US. This allows them to charge their followers a monthly fee for exclusive content, live videos, and stories. Followers who pay the monthly fee and subscribe to their favourite content creators will receive a purple crown badge, which is shown next to their username when interacting with the creator.
What are Instagram Subscription prices in India?
Instagram Subscription plans in India reportedly start at Rs 89 per month
While the Instagram subscription is only restricted to a few content creators in the US, the plans have been spotted in India with several pricing tiers from some content creators in local currency. First shared by Twitter user @salman_memon_7, the screenshots reveal several pricing tiers for different creators. At the time of writing this article, we were able to verify one of the creator’s subscription plans with an option to pay via both Google Play Store and App Store in-app purchases.
The screenshots shared by Memon have revealed three tiers in India – Rs 89, Rs 440, and Rs 890 per month. While testing the subscription feature, we were not provided with any option to select the subscription amount. This means that the creator will be deciding the amount that their followers will have to pay. Irrespective of what amount the creator charges, the benefits of subscription will be same for all.
What are the benefits of Instagram subscription plans?
As you can see in the screenshot above, those who subscribe to a creator will get a purple crown subscriber badge next to their username. This badge will be displayed whenever you interact with the creator through DM or comments on their posts. They will also have access to subscribers-only Instagram stories that the creator might post. Lastly, subscribers will be able to engage directly with the creator in real-time when they host a subscribers-only Instagram Live.
How to subscribe to your favourite content creator on Instagram?
Subscribing to your favourite content creator is pretty simple. You can head to the profile of the creator and directly subscribe from there. However, at this point, only a handful of US creators are eligible for offering subscriptions to their followers. Below are the steps to subscribe to an Instagram creator or influencer.
- Open Instagram on your smartphone
- Go to the creator’s profile page
- You should see a Subscribe button on the page
- Click on the button
- You’ll be shown the monthly subscription fee set by the creator
- Click on the blue Subscribe button
- You’ll now be asked to complete the transaction through Google Play or App Store depending on the phone
- Complete the transaction to start your monthly subscription
Who is eligible for Instagram Subscription plans?
Anyone can subscribe to their favourite content creator on Instagram. However, only a handful of creators are provided with the access to the subscription feature at the time of this writing. Below is the list of creators who already have access to Instagram Subscriptions according to the official blog.
- @alanchikinchow
- @sedona._
- @alizakelly
- @kelseylynncook
- @elliottnorris
- @jordanchiles
- @jackjerry
- @bunnymichael
- @donalleniii
- @lonnieiiv