How I Make Money on Instagram Using AI Agents (Step-by-Step)

Want to make money online without constantly posting to Instagram or managing content manually?

In this blog post, I’m going to show you how I use AI agents and automation to create, schedule, and post high-engagement content on Instagram — all without lifting a finger after setup. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re an experienced creator looking to streamline your workflow, this guide breaks down a proven system that uses ChatGPT, Airtable, AWS S3, and the Facebook Graph API to generate content, post it automatically, and even monetize it using affiliate marketing and digital products.

Let’s walk through how to set it up, step by step, and how you can start building digital income streams today using AI.

What This Strategy Is All About

At the core of this system is the idea of automation and ownership.

Instead of creating every post manually, I built a system where:

  • Keywords are pulled from real search data
  • Images are auto-generated using AI (with embedded captions and watermarks)
  • Captions are written using prompts customized for SEO and engagement
  • Posts are uploaded to Instagram using Facebook’s API
  • Monetization happens via embedded affiliate links or repurposed PLR products

It’s a platform-proof, hands-off content engine that runs every 12 hours — and the best part is, you can use it in almost any niche.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Step 1 – Set Up Your Keyword Research System

I use Ahrefs’ Keyword Generator (free version) to collect long-tail keyword phrases like “can dogs eat garbanzo beans?” Then I copy them into a Google Sheet, clean the data, and paste them into Airtable, where I track metadata like upload status, captions, and image links.

Step 2 – Prepare Your Instagram Business Setup

You’ll need:

  • An Instagram Professional Account
  • A linked Facebook Page
  • Permissions configured through Facebook Developer settings

Without this, your automation will fail. I learned this the hard way!

Step 3 – Automate Image Creation with AI

I use Image 1 (the new high-resolution model) to generate Instagram images. The prompt includes:

  • A cute animal (e.g., puppy)
  • The seed keyword (e.g., “garbanzo beans”)
  • Overlay text (the question, like “Can Dogs Eat Garbanzo Beans?”)
  • A watermark (“Owned by Cat Cats Cats”) to protect against content theft

Step 4 – Convert, Store, and Link Your Image

After the image is generated, it’s in base64 format. I use n8n to:

  • Convert base64 to binary
  • Upload it to AWS S3 (Amazon’s cloud storage)
  • Retrieve a public URL to use in the final Instagram post

Step 5 – Auto-Generate Captions with AI

Using a well-crafted prompt, I ask ChatGPT to:

  • Answer the question clearly
  • Stay under 2,200 characters
  • Write for a 5th-grade reading level
  • Include relevant small/medium hashtags for SEO and visibility

Step 6 – Post Automatically to Instagram

With the Facebook Graph API, I:

  • Build the post with the image and caption
  • Trigger the actual upload to Instagram
  • Update the Airtable record to mark it as “uploaded”

This entire workflow runs every 12 hours on autopilot.

Want to skip the tech headaches and get my ready-to-use AI content automation system?

👉 Join the Platform-Proof Profits Membership and get everything you need to start earning with AI and automation.

How This Makes You Money

Here’s how this hands-off system turns into real income:

  • Affiliate Marketing: Add relevant links (e.g., dog treats, books, tools) to the captions or bio
  • PLR Digital Products: Buy and resell dog-related PLR eBooks or create your own products with ChatGPT
  • Lead Generation: Offer a freebie (like a dog-safe foods checklist) in exchange for email sign-ups
  • Repurposing: Upload images and captions to TikTok, Pinterest, or a blog to extend your reach

This strategy saves time, scales effortlessly, and allows you to focus on growing digital assets that pay you while you sleep.

Final Thoughts + What to Do Next

With this AI-powered automation system, you can:

  • Post consistently without burning out
  • Monetize with affiliate links or digital products
  • Build niche authority on Instagram with zero manual work

This is perfect for anyone looking to create platform-proof income with AI — even if you’re brand new.

Now that you’ve seen the full system, it’s time to take action.

➡️ Start with Airtable, connect your Facebook/Instagram accounts, and run your first post.
💬 And if you want the full system done for you, remember:

👉 Join the Platform-Proof Profits Membership