After brokering over 100 deals over my 5+ years as a leading Instagram account broker, I‘ve honed an analytical pricing process accounting for all facets driving account valuations. This comprehensive guide will arm you with expert insights to optimize your Instagram sale.
Why Engagement Matters More Than Followers Alone
Many sellers fixate purely on follower counts for pricing. Yet the key indicator of value is your audience authenticity and commercial viability.
An account with 100k fake bot followers is worthless to brands for promotions. Conversely, a tight-knit 10k community with 80% USA engagement can be highly influential and monetizable.
As I covered in my previous post analyzing sample accounts, metrics like engagement rates, audience quality, growth velocity and niche carry heavier weight, enhanced by an OG username.
In fact, Micro-influencer accounts with under 100k active followers drive ENGAGEMENT RATES OF 7.5% ON AVERAGE PER INDUSTRY DATA, HIGHER THAN LARGER ACCOUNTS. Thus, engagement multipliers should be factored into pricing alongside followers.
Benchmark Pricing for Your Niche and Size
Beyond generalized pricing tables, more precise valuation requires carefully benchmarking against recently sold accounts in your specific niche and size range.
For example, 50-100k meme accounts typically sell from $400-800 now due to market saturation. Yet fast growing 20-50k financial advice accounts fetch $800-1,500 thanks to better monetization.
I track sale prices across niches to guide clients using hands-on data. The table below illustrates average sold prices over the past 6 months for different account types and sizes:
| Account Type & Size | Avg. Sale Price |
|---|---|
| 10-30k Memes | $250-$500 |
| 10-30k Beauty | $300-$800 |
| 30-60k Finance | $700-$1,200 |
| 60-100k Gaming | $500-$1,000 |
| 60-100k Fashion | $800-$1,500 |
| 30-60k Fitness | $500-$1,000 |
| 60-100k Dogs | $1,000-$2,000 |
| 500-700k General | $3,000-$4,500 |
Pricing highly correlates to monetization potential. For example, an account in the lucrative finance space has greater opportunity to earn from promotions and funnels.
Calculating Your Instagram Account Value
Now I‘ll walk through my proprietary process for appraising your Instagram account‘s value. Grab your key account metrics, and follow along!
Step 1: Gather Core Statistics
- Followers Count
- Average Likes Per Post: Past 30 Posts
- Average Comments Per Post: Past 30 Posts
- Top 5 Countries By Followers
- Monthly Follower Growth Rate
Step 2: Compute Engagement Metrics
- Like ER = Avg Likes / Followers
- Comment ER = Avg Comments / Followers
- Total ER = Like ER + Comment ER
Step 3: Identify Comparables
- Search sold accounts in your niche & size bucket.
- Compare engagement rates, locations, growth velocity.
Step 4: Factor in Special Variables
- Assess niche demand and monetization pathways
- Score username quality and memorability
- Analyze follower authenticity via audit tools
Step 5: Establish Price Range
- Compute base value from averages of comparables
- Apply multipliers for engagement and growth exceeding benchmarks
- Adjust for username and audience quality factors
Step 6: Validate With Sensitivity Tables
- Vary input assumptions above and below expected
- Model bear, base, bull cases for different scenarios
- Set justifiable ceiling and floor limits
Step 7: Pressure Test Pricing
- Craft pitch deck summarizing key statistics
- Reach out to known buyers to gauge reactions at set price
- Be prepared to negotiate if required
And voila! By quantifying your account‘s engagement, momentum and commercial viability supplemented with industry pricing knowledge, you can scientifically benchmark and justify the ideal value for your prized Instagram asset sale!
Maximizing Your Instagram Sale Price
Now that you can calculate your account‘s worth, let‘s ensure you extract the maximum value during sale negotiations!
Research Opportunistic Buyers
Buyers have different purposes for purchases driving willingness-to-pay:
- Advertisers want engagement & conversions
- Agencies desire clients and scale
- Influencers seek clout and branding
- Investors prioritize monetization path
Target the highest potential buyers for your account proactively. An fitness app may pay more than a general social media agency for an active health community.
Craft an Appealing Pitch Deck
Create a polished sales deck highlighting your top content, engaged posts, demographic splits and growth charts. Demonstrate immense opportunities to instantly expand buyer‘s reach and revenues.
Broker the Best Offer
Weigh proposals from multiple qualified buyers rather than taking the first bid. Negotiate firmly but fairly to maximize your price.
Safeguard Against Fraud
Too many sellers get scammed by fake buyers misappropriating deposits and disappearing. Never ever hand over your login credentials upfront! Follow established account transfer protocols.
If selling independently seems daunting, my full-service brokering manages this entire sales process smoothly from valuation through closing for my clients every day. My extensive buyer network pays premium fair value prices quickly with ironclad safeguards guaranteeing you receive full payment.
In Closing
Selling your prized Instagram account is complex, but thoroughly understanding what drives valuations is the first step. Applying the methodology outlined above helps analyze your account‘s monetary worth holistically beyond just vanity metrics.
If you need any help assessing your account‘s value or selling it for top dollar, don‘t hesitate to reach out. With over $2.5M in account sale transactions facilitated, I‘m always happy to chat!
