On Instagram, we all have the same template, the same functionality for the most part, so it can feel impossible to stand out. That's why you have a website and one link on your profile that goes to it. It's that URL where you can get hired, sell products, and actually make money from your art so why are you leaving it behind?
Stop putting all your time into a platform you have no control over. The day of my apparel launch was the day that Instagram was down and I still managed to sell out of products because I had my newsletter as a backup.
If you have time to post on Instagram, you can easily take that same piece of art and add it to your portfolio. Or you could start an art blog by hitting copy and paste on your caption to add to your site. It's really that easy.
Remember, it's your website where you can showcase your work in the best light with plenty of content to help you sell your services. It's the place where you can look expensive and professional so it can sell things for you while you sleep.
You use social media to build your audience, but it's your newsletter and website that will help turn those followers into paying customers.
Book a coaching session now so I can walk you through a custom website design strategy that will help you get paid for your art. I want to help you increase sales for your shop, get more client inquiries, and build up a newsletter that will help it all happen.
MY PROCESS FOR GETTING MORE TRAFFIC AND SALES FROM MY ART
Even though Instagram shouldn't be the only thing you use to promote your art business, for me it's the cornerstone of everything. So when I start a new art project, the first place I turn to post it is Instagram.
I use a social media scheduling app called Later that helps me plan out my content so I can visually place each of my art pieces and photography for the next two weeks. That way I can strategize where each piece will look best in my feed while making sure I don't have too many promotions in a row so I don't burden my following.
I believe in an 80/20 rule where 80% of my content is for free to help attract an audience and only 20% is promotional so my audience doesn't feel like I'm are asking too much of them.
Instagram is where everything starts, and then I just simply copy and paste to other platforms from there.
With the exception of most lifestyle photos and reposts, every time I post on Instagram, I also post to my website. This helps my blog page mimic my feed so when people land there from Instagram or other channels everything is still in the same order so it's easier to find what they are looking for without diving into my navigation menu.
When I post a new blog post on my Squarespace website, I just use my art as the featured image to then copy and paste the caption. Sometimes I'll add more content to what I'm talking about to bring more value to my audience, but for the most part, my blog is quite literally my Instagram page.
Then at the bottom of each blog post is a call to action to sign up for my newsletter so people can get an email every time I post. You know how following on Instagram was supposed to work but now you're lucky if you can get 2% of the audience to even see your work on Instagram. Gahhh!
Anyways, once that post is on my website, I go into Mailchimp and copy and paste everything again into a newsletter email. That way no matter what nonsense the Instagram algorithm throws at me, my most loyal fans still get a notification that I've made something new whether it's a new piece, product, or important brand announcement.
As the cherry on top, after my Instagram post, blog post, and newsletter post is scheduled to go out on the same day, I copy and paste again to all social accounts all linking back to my website the day that post goes live. Yeah, it's all just putting your stuff in more places, but with an actual strategy in mind when you do it.
Now I know this all sounds like a lot, but remember it’s just copy and paste. I’m still trying to get this process down myself and often times have my other social channels playing catch up to my website and Instagram schedule, but at least I’m trying and you should give it a go yourself.
The final push on the day everything posts
Then when it comes the day that everything posts, I make sure that I do an extra push of my new content on Instagram Stories and that I have a call to action on the bottom of my Instagram post to either subscribe to my newsletter or to visit my website to get even more info on that post.
See how perfect everything lines up when you do this? Your fans are happy because they get to actually follow you as you make cool stuff. Your email open rate will most likely be higher than your engagement rate on Instagram anyway, so why are you so focused on a platform that doesn't even give you the best chance to get noticed? Spread that awesome content around a little, I bet more people will see it.