How to sell artwork on instagram
How To Start Selling Art On Instagram Successfully (Tips for 2023)
How To Start Selling Art On Instagram Successfully (Tips for 2023)
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Perhaps you associate Instagram with sharing cute snaps of your dog, or your fancy brunch at some high-end cafe, but in the last few years the social media platform has become capable of so much more, especially in commercial avenues. As with anything that gains popularity, someone will always find a way to make money from it. This explains the strong emphasis on shopping that Instagram has placed through their more recent app developments. In this post, you’ll find the best practises for selling your art on Instagram; all as a way of using social media as an additional income stream.
Why sell art on Instagram?
I’m sure we don’t need to emphasise the growing popularity of social media in the 21st century. But just in case you were sceptical about the benefits of selling art on Instagram, here are some statistics from Hootsuite that confirm the rise in commercial activity:
Instagram has over 1 billion users per month.
81% of which use the app to research products and services.
130 million users tap on shopping posts a month.
50% of people on Instagram have visited a website to make a purchase after seeing a product or service.
Do I need a business licence to sell art on Instagram?
A business license is not required to start selling art on Instagram. However, you need to keep a couple of things in mind before you start. Instagram has requirements and policies that you must follow in order for your Instagram Shopping request to be accepted. One of their rules includes demonstrating business trustworthiness which can be easily shown via a business licence. So although a licence isn’t explicitly mentioned in Instagrams requirements, it does make sense to have one.
Is it free to sell art on Instagram?
One of the perks of selling art on Instagram is its low costs! Creating a Professional account and posting content is completely free and easy. There can be costs when you want to delve into paid advertisement, however we recommend sticking to the basic tips mentioned in this article at first, just to get your art business up and running.
Can I sell art on instagram without a website?
The short answer is yes, although we do recommend having your own website for ease and professionalism. US businesses and customers have the option to ‘check out’ without leaving Instagram so a website isn’t necessarily needed in this case. Anywhere outside of the US will require an external commerce site that can Instagram shopping links to in order for a customer to proceed with a purchase. So an individual website isn’t a necessity, but your work must be listed on a selling platform that Instagram can connect and send customers to.
It’s easy to have your own professional site these days. There are many artist website builders on the market to help you get started. Once up and running, you can link these sites to your Instagram and vice versa.
Putting your art for sale on your Instagram profile
There are two main ways to sell your art products from using Instagram, either directly through the sites ‘Shop’ feature, or by sending your followers to an external online shop.
In 2019 Instagram introduced a new, dedicated ‘Shop’ feature that many businesses had been eagerly anticipating. Before this, items could only be advertised through Stories and Posts, where the customer would be directed to the brands website link in order to view their products. Although this method is still widely used, the ‘Shop’ feature launched the social media network into the commercial realm and subsequently brought smaller businesses with it.
Important to note: At this current time, only eligible businesses in the US can make transactional sales through the ‘checkout’ feature within Instagram itself, but the ‘Shop’ feature remains available as a separate product listing technique for everyone else.
It’s said the feature is in the works for UK Instagram users and businesses, with PYMNTS.com reporting in-app testing back in June 2021.
Regardless of what features are available to you and your art business, uploading your products within the specialised ‘Shop’ section makes the shopping experience for customers a lot clearer, easier and more enjoyable.
How to start a business and begin selling art on Instagram
Before you set up
Firstly, make sure that your art business is suitable for Instagram and complies with their requirements and guidelines.
You will require your own website domain containing product listings that can be directly purchased on your site. This is how Instagram verifies that you have items to sell, as well as providing the links to the listings on Instagram, where your followers will be guided to (if you’re outside the US). Services like Shopify allow for catalogues to easily sync over to your Instagram shop.
Something to consider if you want to save yourself time and effort!
Switch to a Professional Account
If you haven’t already, switch to a Professional Account. You can do this by going to ‘Settings’, select ‘Account’ and scrolling down to find ‘Switch account type’. From here you can choose from a ‘Business’ or ‘Creator’ account and assign a category that will appear on your profile, for example, ‘Artist’.
Set up a Business Facebook Page
You will also need a Facebook Page and Facebook Business Manager, as Facebook owns Instagram. With these services you will be able to set up your shop using Commerce Manager, which this step by step guide explains in more detail.
Add your products
From the Commerce Manager you’ll add all your products. You can upload them directly from a spreadsheet or easily add them manually. You’ll include all the necessary information such as artwork title, size, descriptions, price and images of the work.
Be sure to remember to update this product catalogue when something sells or becomes unavailable from your website as it doesn’t automatically adjust stock levels.
Choose where to send your customers to ‘checkout’
This can expand the shopping potential to Facebook, which is another avenue of selling that can be explored for selling your art products. This step is when you choose where your customers ‘checkout’, whether it be in-app (US only), on Commerce sites like Shopify or another website where you already sell your art, like your own art website or marketplace like Etsy.
Wait for Instagram to approve your new shop
Once you’ve gone through the straight-forward process in Commerce Manager and added a product catalogue, your new art business can be submitted to Instagram for review. This may take a few days to be approved, so be on the lookout for the notification!
Turn on Instagram Shopping and add Product Tags to your feed posts
Once approved, the ‘Instagram Shopping’ feature can be turned on via the app settings.
You now have the ability to use product tags within Posts and Stories to direct customers from their normal instagram feed to your individual product pages. This is a great way to easily integrate advertising and product placement into your day to day posting.
Tips and best practises for selling art on Instagram
And just like that, your Instagram shop is all set up! All that’s left to do is to begin generating attention to your work and ultimately, making sales! Lets think of your Instagram feed as an in person store. If you’re walking past somewhere that seems unorganised and dull you’re not very likely to go in and buy something – Instagram feeds work the same way! Below are some simple tips to draw attention to your page and make that art sell!
Write a clear ‘Bio’
This will be one of the first things a potential customer will read when they click on your profile. So, make sure to include some basic information about your business, for example: where you’re based, what you sell and if you currently have a sale on.
You only have 150 characters to get all the important facts covered, so no waffling!
Example Bio: Miniature acrylic paintings specially crafted in East London, sale on!
Have consistent high quality images
This point is fundamental to selling online; it even helps the most tired looking jumper sell on Ebay! The product image needs to be in focus and taken in a well lit space, with a clear, simple background. You can decorate the space that the image is taken in but make sure the product you’re trying to sell is still the focal point of the image. Too many distractions can be overwhelming and off putting.
A lot of visual marketing material you see on Instagram has 99% of the time been altered in a photo editing software. If this is something that you feel necessary, by all means go ahead. But be careful of editing the image too much. The product you’re selling should still be accurately represented; there is already enough false advertisement out there!
Take a look at our resources page containing an abundance of online courses relevant to learning new creative skills, such as an Adobe Photoshop course from Skillshare.
You could use this if you needed to sharpen up your editing abilities before uploading photos to Instagram!
Determine your branding and aesthetic
Pick a theme, and stick to it! In order to create a brand and an aesthetic that people will remember, you must be consistent. It must also be relevant to the artwork you’re trying to sell. For example, if your product is blue ceramics inspired by the sea, a branding idea could involve a photoshoot on a beach or a logo of a wave. Keep the colours the same throughout so when someone glances at the overview of your page, they understand what the products are about. With businesses on Instagram, you want to be creating a visual identity that people recognise and remember, especially when the product you’re selling is visual and artistic in itself.
Take advantage of Instagram Reels and Stories
The recent rise of fellow social media network ‘Tiktok’ has seen a massive shift towards short video content, with Instagram utilising the trend through their ‘Reels’.
This addition to Instagram allows users to create 15-60 second video clips accompanied by music which can then be shared on Stories, Explore feed or the Reels tab. For an introduction into this fairly new feature, check out this informative video below by LaterBlog, walking you through each step on how to find, produce and post Reels content, which ultimately could lead to helping you gain more sales.
Creators, especially small businesses and artists, have noticed the way in which the Instagram algorithm favours Reels content over the standard photo posting content that we are so accustomed to. Instagram Reels and Tiktok alike are seeing huge amounts of engagement as they’re fast-paced and fun, giving viewers a new, personal perspective on branded content that started to feel slightly robotic. Themes that appear to be quite popular within business video content include packaging orders, making a product, small business hacks and behind the scenes processes.
Tag products in your Reels
But wait, that’s not all Instagram Reels has to offer! The shoppable ‘product tagging’ feature we discussed earlier is also available to use within your Reel videos.
Viewers can tap directly on the ‘View Products’ button to be shown exactly what item is for sale and it’s subsequent Instagram shopping link. Showcasing your art products on Instagram has never been easier!
Write engaging captions
This is a chance to express your personality in a way that imagery cannot! Even the fastest scrollers will still quickly skim over your captions, so use this space to your advantage. We also advise using location tags to generate more traffic to your post! Sharing stories, jokes, experiences and asking direct questions are all proven ways to build a community with your following, making them feel as though they have a connection with the individual behind the screen.
This standard caption structure may help formulate your ideas but feel free to switch it up! You don’t want your writing to become repetitive and boring; engagement is the key to success here.
Do Hashtag research
Yes, hashtags are not completely redundant and still hold importance if you’re wanting to reach a certain target audience, especially in the online art world.
Instagram allows you to ‘follow’ hashtag collections which means images will appear on your feed from people you don’t follow, increasing your overall reach and gaining new followers. You can add hashtags at the end of your caption (see caption structure above) or in a follow up comment if you want them to be hidden from your main bulk of text.
How do you find the best, relevant hashtags? All of the information you need is readily available on Instagram itself. Take a look at what other successful art shops are using and on what type of posts. Typing in a hashtag will also bring up other related areas that people are searching and using which can be a good way of expanding your hashtag collection.
What are the best hashtags for selling art on instagram?
The best hashtags are dependent on what is currently trending and what suits your particular post. But we’ve gathered some standard hashtags for artists currently selling on Instagram:
#craft #artforyourhome #sellingart #artshopping #artshop #handmade #supportsmallbusiness #supportartists #buyfromartists
If done strategically, choosing the right hashtags can get your content seen in front of thousands of people.
Take advantage of Insights on Instagram
With your Professional Instagram account comes a tool called ‘Insights’. As well as many other features, Insights grants you access to the performance statistics of your hashtags. It may be useful to compare what posts gained more attention and the difference in hashtags used. You can find out more about Instagram Insights in detail from this Hubspot article.
Tag art sharing pages and submit to organisations
What better way to get eyes on your art than by being shared by other accounts! These dedicated art sharing pages usually have a larger following of people who are purely interested in discovering something new and inspiring, so the payoff in terms of followers and engagement is for the most part, pretty substantial.
Like the sound of this? Well you’re in the right place! Simply tag us at #darkyellowdot to be featured on our Instagram page and have your art shared amongst a lovely bunch of like-minded creatives.
Join the community and follow us at @darkyellowdot while you’re there, we’d love to have you.
Post regularly
You’ve definitely heard of this one before, but before you move on, let us explain! Posting regularly and consistently can really make the difference between no engagement and high engagement, so this tip is really not to be overlooked. It makes sense too; an account that doesn’t post doesn’t have the content for followers to interact with in the first place. We recommend trying to post once a day on your main feed whilst dropping frequent Stories here and there to keep people interested.
Engage with other usersWhen you’re not posting content, browse Instagram and interact with the other creators on the platform! Leave positive comments, answer polls, share their work, and follow people. The bigger the community you build, the better. These people are then more likely to engage with your work in return.
This is a given if you want to drive sales through your artwork. Instagram allows you to display a link at the top of your profile just underneath the bio section so definitely utilise this space with your shop link or website. It will be the first place a customer looks if they want to explore your work further and potentially make a purchase.
Use your story highlights to promote your artWe’ve mentioned Instagram Stories already, but have you heard of Story Highlights? On the app, these highlights appear as labelled circles underneath your profile information, essentially acting as curated folders of your previous Stories. Stories usually only last for 24 hours but through this feature, your Stories can be documented for as long as you wish.
As they’re situated at the top of a profile, Highlights seem to attract a high level of views from people interacting with an account for the first time.
They can be an ideal way to convey what your art is about whilst also providing a dedicated space for someone who may want to know more about a certain topic. For example, you could have a Highlights called ‘FAQ’s’, holding all the key information a customer could want to know in one neat, easy to find location.
Add testimonials and customer comments
This tip can also stand as another potential Highlights topic that we’ve just covered above. Like with any business, reviews play a very crucial role in ensuring your shop is trustworthy and successful. Posting customer comments reassures a potential shopper that your art is worth their money which can be vital in making a sale. Try resharing a photo of a happy customer with their art in situ to inspire others to want a piece of your creativity!
Have a flash sale or giveaway
Offers and freebies will always, without fail, draw people in. As well as your classic ‘sale’ type offers, we recommend trying a giveaway to really boost your Instagram reach and engagement.
This is a good way of gaining attention before you begin selling art on Instagram. You may have seen these before on your own social feeds but if not, this is usually what they consist of:
A prize or product that people can buy from your store, selected to be part of a giveaway where a randomizer generates a winner from a list of entries. Entry conditions vary upon each giveaway and is completely up to the person running it, but usually they involve liking the post, tagging a friend in the comments and maybe even resharing it on their Story. The good thing about a giveaway is that it’s completely free to enter and the account running the competition can end up gaining a lot of traction online as it draws attention through the sharing. It can be a really good way of building up excitement as you approach a new release of products, or have just opened your shop!
What are the do’s and don’ts for selling art on Instagram?
Instagram is a pretty flexible platform and there’s no rule to tell creators what to do (other than Instagrams general policies that is).
However, we’ve put together a list of Instagram do’s and don’ts if you want to gain success through your art account and shop.
NEED MORE ADVICE?ARTICLES TO HELP:
Tips For Selling Your Art Online (Beginners Guide)
How To Sell More Art With Your Writing
Simple Formulas For Pricing Your Artwork
SITES TO HELP:Instagram Help Centre
Facebook Commerce Manager Help
Hootsuite Instagram Statistics
COURSES TO HELP:Pricing Your Work by Peggy Dean
Grow Your First 1000 Followers On Instagram
If you found this article useful, share it around to help other people start selling art on Instagram! You can also sign up to the mailing list to be updated on more posts like this. And if you have any unanswered questions, drop us a message on our Instagram or Twitter (@darkyellowdot) and we’ll do our best to help out!
Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to share your art with us by submitting your work or tag #darkyellowdot on Instagram @darkyellowdot
How To Sell Art On Instagram In 2023: The Basics
Do you wish you could sell your art for money?
If you’re like most independent artists, it’s quite possible that knowing where to find customers is what’s holding you back.
By reading our previous post about selling art online, you already know that you can gain several clients by using your Artist Page on Facebook.
This method works.
You can benefit the most, however, if you sell your art on multiple social networks.
Doing this helps you in many ways.
- You’ll have more locations online where customers can discover and buy your artwork.
- You won’t jeopardize your income from putting all of your eggs into one basket, such as Facebook or Pinterest.
- You’ll also have an easy way to earn extra money by sharing your artwork that’s listed for sale on Displate.
Overall, you’ll become a more profitable artist because you’ll essentially own multiple streams of income!
It’s exactly why you need to learn how to sell art on Instagram.
If you’re a talented artist with an eye for design, you can get started with ease.
As a matter of fact, you can learn to sell art on Instagram by following a 3-step process:
- Create Your Artist Page on Instagram
- Build Your Following
- Promote Your Art
That’s really all there is to it.
By you, following this simple roadmap, people on Instagram will have an easy way to discover your brand, including any artwork you wish to sell them. As a result, you’ll eventually begin to make consistent sales and become a wealthier independent artist.
Are you ready to learn how to sell your art on Instagram?
We’ll show you how to do it right now step-by-step, and give you lots of other helpful advice.
As hinted from above, the first step to selling your art on Instagram is to create an Artist Page.
Instagram’s entire platform is pre-designed to help you snap, share, and showcase beautiful looking images, like your artwork, for example.
Because of this, Instagram has made it very convenient for you to learn how to create an Artist Page from pure scratch.
Note: The instructions below will show you how to create an Artist Page from scratch by adding a new personal account on Instagram. By following these instructions, your current personal account nor any other accounts you have on Instagram will be affected.
If you want to use your current personal account as your Artist Page on Instagram instead, you can skip to the next section of this article titled “1. Brand Your Artist Page” to resume your reading.
- Open the Instagram application on your mobile device.
- Click your current profile icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, next to the heart symbol.
- Click on your account name in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
- Click “+ Add Account.”
- At the bottom of the next screen, click where it reads “Don’t have an account? Sign up.”
- Click “Email” and enter an email address you want to associate with your Artist Page. Then click “Next.”
- Enter your name and create a password.
- Click “Continue Without Syncing Contacts.” This step is very important. Remember: you’re creating an Artist Page to build a strong customer base. This excludes your friends, family, or any of your other previous contacts.
Do NOT sync your contacts. - Instagram will now show you a welcome message. Click “Change Username.”
- Enter an appropriate username to represent your Artist Page. We recommend you choose something professional. To do this, simply use your first and last name, then add the word “Studio” or “Designs” or “Art” at the end. Click “Next.”
- Add a profile photo. This should be a photograph of you, the artist. Click “Next” when done.
- Instagram will give you the opportunity to find Facebook friends to follow on Instagram. So if you already have an Artist Page on Facebook, feel free to click “Connect to Facebook” and choose whoever you want to follow. In most cases though, you should just click “Skip.”
- The next screen will prompt you to remember your password. Click “OK” or “Skip” to finish setting up your Artist Page.
- Begin adding images of your artwork to your Artist Page whenever you’re ready.
Congratulations!
If you followed the steps above, you will have successfully created your Artist Page on Instagram.
Now… here’s a tiny checklist of three other things you can do to immediately to improve the effectiveness of your Artist Page.
To create a memorable brand as an artist on Instagram, it often helps if you upload artwork that revolves around a particular niche or theme. You can do this by uploading artworks that express consistency in:
- style
- mood
- subject matter
- color scheme
- period of time
- and more
If done correctly, you’ll create a clever-looking Artist Page that’ll magnify your brand as a professional artist, as well as your talent.
Write a short and catchy description of who you are and what your Artist Page is about. This will add valuable character to your brand. You can also simply write in your bio, “Follow my page if you like my art,” or something to that effect.
Feel free to be more creative.
Instagram will let you add a link to the top your Artist Page and make it visible for potential customers to see.
When someone clicks it, Instagram will send them to an external website where they can instantly buy your art for sale.
The external website can be your professional website or shop (if you have one).
If you don’t have your own website, then don’t worry.
Regardless of how you decide to set up your Artist Page, completing those three small tasks will make it a lot easier for you to sell your art using Instagram.
Indeed, while Instagram is a marketplace, you must not forget that it is primarily a social network.
Therefore, the biggest key to selling your art on Instagram isn’t about making your Artist Page look pretty and presentable…
It’s actually about building relationships with lots of new people on Instagram.
The reason is simple: the more people who know about you, the more opportunities you will have to sell your artwork and grow your career as an artist.
As it turns out, one of the best ways for you to build relationships, connect with people, and consistently reach them on Instagram… is to build a large list of dedicated followers.
While this may sound like a tall order to request of you, getting lots of followers as an artist on Instagram is a lot easier to accomplish than you might imagine.
Below we will provide you with some cool and simple strategies that’ll start you on the right path.
Instagram is largely about sharing beautiful looking images. So in a way, artists get an unfair (but awesome) advantage over other groups of people on Instagram when it comes to building a following quickly. However, you can’t sit idle and expect to gain a lot of followers. Instagram doesn’t work this way. Instead, you must take an active approach to attract people to visit and follow your Artist Page.
Here’s a list of four things that you can do to get followers on Instagram if you’re an artist:
Silent people are never heard.
The same goes for artists on Instagram who doesn’t regularly post and share images on their artwork. By posting images of your artwork every day, you’ll not only build a following on Instagram, but you’ll also become part of your followers’ everyday lives. By creating this type of close and long-term relationship, you’ll be selling your art with ease in no time at all. Of course, you’ll want to use a couple of tags and hashtags to make your effort worthwhile.
Applying tags and hashtags to your posts is a simple yet clever way to get your Artist Page lots of new exposure, and ultimately, a bigger following. You can include the names of people, places, or things or any word you want. Other people who engage with that tag or hashtag will stumble upon your post and may decide to follow your Artist Page. The key to your success with tags and hashtags is to find out which ones work best for you. This will require trial and error and some extra analysis on your part. By targeting the right ones at the right time, you’ll feel like you’ve hit the jackpot in terms of being able to grow your following.
The best part is you can use the same successful tags and hashtags over and over again because you’ll secretly know they already work!
Another cool way to build your following on Instagram is to hashtag us (@Displate) in some of your posts that feature your artwork. Not only will our team see it — we might even share it!
Simply chatting with people is a fantastic way to gain more followers on Instagram. You can do this by engaging with people in the comments of your posts (and other people’s posts, too!). From time to time, your comments will spark someone’s curiosity in who you are and what your Artist Page is all about, and they’ll be enticed to follow you!
Donate your art to people, businesses, or charities with an Instagram page for a chance to have your artwork seen by their exclusive group of followers. This is easy to do with a direct message. Simply tell them who you are and that you want to send them a free print of your artwork. Then ask them if they would be interested in featuring the artwork and tagging you on their channel.
Be prepared to hear no, or no response at all from some people. However, you’ll be surprised at how many businesses and charities will take your offer! If you contact the right Instagram pages, your page could grow exponentially overnight.
The final step to selling your art on Instagram is learning how to promote your art on Instagram.
So you’ve created an Artist Page. You know how to build a following. And since over 60% of people use Instagram daily, it’s safe to say that most of your followers will see your posts (if you post on a consistent basis).
To turn your followers into customers, you only need a solid art promotional strategy to showcase the art you want to sell. There are several ways to do this, but we’ll stick to showing you only some of the most reliable art promotions so you have the most success.
To compel someone to buy your artwork on Instagram, they have to find value in it. One way for you to increase the value of your artwork and command a higher than average price is to show people on Instagram all the work you put into being an artist.
Doing this is as simple as showing them the beginning, middle, and final stages of the artwork and designs you create. You can accomplish these progress promotions with photos, videos, and especially Instagram stories. When people see how much talent and dedication you have, they’ll see just how valuable your artwork truly is.
Sharing your artwork with the world is a natural thing to want to do, especially when you’ve just completed a new work of art that you’re proud of. Coincidentally, this is also a perfect opportunity to promote it on Instagram. When you do, it’ll excite your customer base and increase their desire to share or buy your artwork.
The first two promotions have led your followers up to this exact point: the sales promotion. Unlike the previous promotions, this one will require you be more direct about letting people know that your art is for sale. All you need to do is post a photo of the specific piece of art you want to sell and add a caption that reads: “DM to purchase” or “This art is for sale.
Contact me to buy!”
On the other hand, if you want people to buy your art directly from your own website or from Displate, simply write in your photo’s caption: “Buy this art now! Link in bio.” Of course, you’ll want to make sure the link actually sends them to a sales page where they can buy the artwork they saw featured in the sales promotion. In fact, using the correct link in your bio section is imperative.
As you’ve just learned, you can sell your art on Instagram by doing three basic things:
Create an Artist Page. Build a following. Promote your art.
However, there is a fourth hidden step that you shouldn’t overlook: Be patient.
Your success as an artist on Instagram will happen, but it likely won’t happen overnight.
Just like every other artist on the social network, you’ll have to learn a lot of things through trial and error before you find out exactly what your followers want to see and what generates sales.
Although you’ve just been provided a clear road map to follow to help you sell your art on Instagram, it’s important for you to take the knowledge you’ve learned from this article and customize it to fit your specific goals. For your career as an artist, it’s the ultimate next step forward.
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How To Sell Art on Facebook: The Basics
Is it possible for an artist to build a business on Instagram
I started an Instagram account dedicated to art six months ago. I haven't picked up a colored pencil in a year, so I signed up for drawing lessons with a local artist. The classes gave results, and it seemed to me that I drew the best work. I had never had an Instagram account before – not even a personal one – so it was completely new territory for me.
My desire to show my work to the world was reinforced by the success of my artist friends on this platform, and I decided to give it a try. In addition, there are many websites on the Internet that scream that Instagram is very important for creative people. Do you want your work to be seen? Forget galleries and exhibitions; all you need is a beautiful picture, a poetic description and lots of hashtags.
Of course I didn't have false expectations. I did not plan to become the next Banksy, but I believed that I could collect a few followers and sell a couple of paintings.
Unfortunately, even these low expectations did not come true. After a few weeks on the platform, I realized that Instagram is like a school. Either you will prosper or hide in the shadows. Instagram is either your best friend or your worst enemy. And for me it was the last.
Photo: Unsplash
It's Important to Find a Niche
I noticed almost immediately that the audience adored niche artists.
People with a certain style were popular. If you drew with colored pencil, all of your photographs should be with colored pencil work. If you are a digital artist, your profile must be filled with digital works.
Of course, it is possible to combine several styles and gather a huge audience, but it is much more difficult. People love consistency.
I think the reason why many artists choose a niche and stick to it is because of saturation. When you know that millions of other people are also trying to get attention for their work, the market quickly becomes crowded. If you want to stand out, you have to give people a reason to follow you.
This was a big problem for me. I'm into everything. One minute I'm discussing homophobia, the next I'm writing an article about the difference between a latte and a cappuccino. I do the same with art. I love to experiment, it's fun, but I end up with a messy profile. My subscribers are like playing the lottery - and never know what to expect from me tomorrow.
Irregular posting will kill you
The more photos you post, the more followers you get. It's not bad; it just creates additional difficulties for artists, since it can take them several days or weeks to complete one work.
On average, I spend a lot of time on one painting. And since I don't spend more than two hours a day with a pencil in my hand, I don't post on Instagram regularly. Subscribers see my work in the feed about once every two weeks.
Photo: Unsplash
It would be different if I spent six hours a day on art, but I can't. Drawing is my hobby, not my job. Therefore, if you cannot devote almost all the time to your account on the platform and regularly generate new content, you will not be able to create a large audience.
New followers keep unfollowing
What makes me really sad on Instagram is the way people interact with the platform.
Everyone is obsessed with the number of followers. I noticed that people have come up with a way to increase this number, and it annoys me insanely. Here is a typical situation that can happen.
I'll post a photo of the latest work. It will have an interesting title and I will add hashtags to increase its visibility. Within 24 hours, 20-30 likes will appear under the post, four people will subscribe to me. If I like their accounts, I will follow them back.
The next day I notice that two people have already unfollowed me. Obviously, they were not interested in my work, they just wanted me to subscribe to them in return. It kind of reminds me of gossip in school. People pretend to like you, but as soon as you turn away, they start talking about you.
This phenomenon is not so noticeable if you have thousands of followers, but if you are followed by 50-60 people, it is frustrating.
Everyone wants to advertise you for money
Since joining Instagram, I have received at least three messages from different accounts offering to advertise.
As soon as it happened, I was excited. The account from which they wrote to me was successful, and it seemed to me that advertising from them would greatly play into my hands.
Photo: Unsplash
All my joy vanished when the offer was asked to pay $15 for the service. The amount is not so great, but something told me that this is not the best idea. The same thing happened afterwards.
People offering promotion for money are not new to Instagram, but they thrive because many users are obsessed with the number of followers.
Instagram can be your best friend
I understand that after reading this article you may think that I am trying to discourage you from joining Instagram, but I am not.
It's my own fault that I didn't succeed. I didn’t devote enough time to my account and didn’t try to solve the problems of the platform. In fact, every artist can succeed on Instagram - and here's what you need to do.
Post photos often
If you post pictures every day or every other day, you will find your audience. Of course, this is unlikely to happen quickly, but the main thing is not to give up and generate content regularly.
Interact with other artists
I didn't try to fit into the creative community. I did not communicate with other artists, and they did not communicate with me. Like, comment and subscribe to the pages of your colleagues to be seen.
Do what people like
If people don't like your work, you won't get far. Find a certain style and stick to it. And you will be noticed.
Instagram is neither good nor bad for artists - it's all up to you. The lack of effort on my part has made the platform an enemy for me, but if you take the lessons from this article, you will succeed.
Source.
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Content
- 1 How to manage the artist's Instagram
- 2 Promotion of the artist on Instagram
- 3 Creativity on Instagram: important points
- 4 How to make money as an artist on Instagram
- 5 How to sell paintings on Instagram
If you are a creative person, create and do it well, you should learn how to make money on it.
This can be done using Instagram. This is a convenient and at the same time effective platform where it is not difficult to demonstrate a portfolio, collect feedback, and interact with the target audience.
Here you can negotiate cooperation and find fans of your work. In this article, we will take a detailed look at how to promote your creativity on Instagram in order to earn and gain recognition.
How to run an artist's Instagram
The beginning of successful Instagram and advertising is quality content. Therefore, it is worth taking pictures and videotaping what you are doing. Show the results, but don't forget to show the creation process as well.
Don't forget to analyze competitors and follow the trends on Instagram in 2021. This will help you constantly improve your content.
But the basis for attracting attention is a competent presentation. With this in mind, you will be able to clearly present your expertise in the field, get the opportunity to implement certain projects.
Promotion of the artist on Instagram
When you have prepared a small amount of content - photos and videos of your masterpieces, you can start promoting on Instagram. To see the return from the first days, follow this instruction:
- Choose the name of the account.
If you are working under a pseudonym, use it. If not, sign with your own name or some unusual phrase.
Keep in mind that for successful promotion it will be better if your nickname is easy to read, understandable and memorable. At the same time, remember that changing the name of your Instagram account is undesirable.
- Create an Instagram account.
Verify your phone number and email address to secure your account. So the likelihood that you will be hacked will be lower, and in which case you can easily recover your password. For better security, you can enable two-factor authentication.
By the way, if you already use Instagram, you can not create a new account, but use an existing one.
But at the same time, the page that is selected for promotion should be aesthetic, harmonious and visually attractive.
- Account maintenance.
Start your page by posting photos or videos daily in posts and stories. It is necessary not only to show the work, but also to talk about yourself and your work.
Be open to the audience. Communicate with subscribers: ask questions, answer comments, thank you for your interest.
- Collaborate with other people.
It doesn't matter what field you work in - photographing, drawing or doing handmade things. In any case, there are many options for whom you can gift your work. But at the same time, ask to mark your account in the photo with a gift.
This will serve as an advertisement for you on Instagram or other social networks. In essence, people will publish a post with a gift and leave links to your page - then most likely you will get new subscribers. Among them will be new customers.
- Invest in advertising.
To get a lot of clients and earn money, you need to show your creativity to a lot of people. A certain percentage of them will need services or they will want to buy your finished work.
- Use official targeted advertising from Instagram (Instagram Ads).
- Make paid posts in creative publics.
- Advertise with bloggers with your target audience.
- Participate in creative marathons that will attract new followers.
- Order ads on various sites and direct customers to your site.
Creativity on Instagram: important points
If you want to achieve success, win recognition, earn money on creativity on Instagram, it is important to follow a few rules:
- pay attention to developing your talent and additional necessary skills;
- put the quality of work in the first place, use only durable materials, tools, equipment;
- do not underestimate the importance of advertising because it brings you customers, which makes it possible to do what you love in a comfortable environment;
- be responsible, try to comply with the agreed terms of cooperation, do not promise the impossible;
- learn to communicate with people and make connections, as this will help you get everything you need to develop.
These tips are just a guideline. They are presented to make it easier for you to find customers. But your priorities should be based on principles that reflect your outlook on life.
How to make money as an artist on Instagram
If you are a talented person, you can not only earn by selling works and fulfilling orders, but also receive money for training and mentoring. Use your Instagram account to post tutorial videos, helpful instructions, and tips. Also run free or paid marathons where you share your secret tricks.
When you teach, you show your expertise. Thanks to this, you can already attract new followers.
Also, if you're a master at what you do, but don't want to take on commissions and only do projects that you love, mentoring will be an opportunity to support yourself.
With a well-thought-out marketing approach, you can earn much more from training than just selling or doing work.
How to sell paintings on Instagram
For a decent income from creativity, it is important to be not only a talented person, but also to understand marketing. For example, on Instagram itself, many brands, even small companies, use creative products for promotion, so you can collaborate with them.
Do not only what you want and do best. Think about where your skill can be used in a business environment.
Pay attention to who has the ability to pay for your creations as much as they really cost. Consider all possible options for applying creativity, develop in pleasant directions.
If marketing and negotiation are not to your liking, there is an alternative. You can find a marketer, a manager with whom you can agree on cooperation.
For example, a specialist will receive a certain percentage of the payment for the transaction, and you will just do the work you love.
