As in-app purchasing continues to grow, Instagram has announced even more ways for personal brands and influencers—what the platform calls creators—to earn a living through social media.

This is good news for jewelers that sell their wares online, as the updates make it even easier for them to get products in front of new and current followers. Hot tip: Whether you have a personal account or a professional account, you can switch to a creator account on Instagram by following these directions.

In its recent announcement, Instagram noted the ways in which Instagram already supports creators: It gives them the ability to partner with brands, sell merchandise, earn money from supporters, and earn a portion of revenue from ads that run against their video content. Currently only select creators can tag products from the brands they work with, or use Shops if they have their own product line, but the platform is seeking to expand that function to more users.

In the months to come, Instagram will test a native affiliate tool that will allow creators to discover new products available on checkout (Instagram’s in-app purchasing model), share them with their followers, and earn commissions for the purchases they drive. This doesn’t mean much for independent businesses looking to promote their own products, but it does give them the opportunity to get their goods in front of the influencers that can recommend them.

The big news for independent designers and brands wanting to sell their own merchandise, however, is that Instagram has declared it’s making it easier to add an existing shop or open a new shop on their profile.

Those who already have their own product lines can now link their shop to their personal profile, as well as to their business profile, allowing them to display their products directly to followers and fans. This feature is active now.

Creators will also be able to set up a new shop and announce new product launches to their followers by connecting with one of Instagram’s merchandise partners—Bravado/UMG, Fanjoy, Represent, and Spring—with the feature said to be available by the end of this year.

Instagram creators are also eligible to access Badges Milestone, a program that allows them to earn additional payout when they meet certain achievements, like going Live with another account. That function is active now.

Instagram promises to announce more ways to help creators achieve their personal and business goals—while having the ability to earn a payout—on its app in the coming months.

(Instagram logo via Instagram)

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