Instagram is currently testing new tools to make it easier for the platform's creators to earn money using the service.

Instagram is now testing affiliate shops, which is a feature that it first showed during the Creator Week event in June, and a dedicated "partnership" inbox.

Instagram is also working on an affiliate program for both creators and influencers, and it will have a Partnership Program similar to YouTube's for a creator or influencer to qualify.

Instagram Tools for Creators

The affiliate shops are an extension of Facebook's current shopping features, which are already widely available, according to Engadget.

However, the latest version of the storefronts allows Instagram creators to connect to products that are already part of their affiliate arrangements.

Creators will earn commission fees when their followers purchase products from these shops, though the exact terms of these arrangements have not been detailed yet.

Also Read: Instagram to Let Creators and Influencers Make Money on IGTV Using Ads Like YouTube Revenue Features

The company stated that for now, the shopping feature would only be available to creators who are a part of that affiliate program.

Instagram is also currently testing new inbox features that will make it easier for brands to connect with creators for sponsorships. Instagram DMs will get a partnership's section just to get messages straight from brands.

The social media platform says it will give the messages priority placement, allowing them to skip the requests section where important incoming messages are sometimes lost.

Separately, the social media app is working on tools that can match brands with creators who are looking for sponsorships. With the tools, the creators can identify brands they are interested in working with from the app.

The brands would be able to browse creators who fit their needs based on different factors like gender, age, and follower count.

The tools are still in their early stages, and with only a couple of companies and creators participating, it still needs time to develop, according to News Chant.

However, the company has signaled that such features could expand. Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that Instagram is planning a branded content marketplace that can help enable a bigger creator middle class. 

Instagram's Other Features for Creators

Instagram rolled out features last week that allows creators to collaborate with one another, make use of music on Reels, and raise funds, according to TechCrunch.

The company also made the Instagram desktop more usable, as users can now post both pictures and videos using the web browser version.

The company had previously tested the feature earlier this year, but it was not widely available. It became available to all Instagram users on Oct. 21. The other new features will drop throughout next week.

One of the most notable features that were added was Collabs.

Instagram allows creators to co-author both Reels and Feed posts. Creators can invite another account to be a collaborator from the tagging screen on the platform.

If the other person accepts the invitation, both of the accounts will appear in the post or the Reels header, and the content will be shared with both creators.

Even though Instagram had only announced the feature last week, a lot of Instagram users had already seen the feature in the app before the announcement, as the company did a small-scale global test of Collabs back in July.

Related Article: Instagram Reportedly Offering Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to Popular TikTok Users to Use Reels; App to Raise $200 Million, Creator Fund

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster