I don’t know about you but I absolutely LOVE Instagram.
The colorful spreads, quotes, fun feeds and interesting photos so many of us use our creative eye to capture. It’s truly a rainbow of wonders.
Instagram is also currently the fastest growing social media network, so if you ask me that truly says A LOT!
As a small business owner and handmade designer, I have found Instagram to be the most beneficial social media platform that I use. Many may not agree with me of course and I wouldn’t consider myself a social media expert, but as an artist Instagram gives me the ability to focus on the actual art of what I design. It allows me to present a photo that captures the handmade piece I craft in an interesting form that I believe will call attention to my followers instead of getting caught up in the description.
Today I’m going to share some of my Instagram tips and how I feel you can benefit from this social media platform as well.
Create a Beautiful Feed That Fits Your Brand
I personally feel that this one tip seals the deal! Your feed should reflect your brand, art or whatever goal you have set out to accomplish via social media.
Here’s some food for thought, when you visit a new Instagram account for the very first time what do you do? I’m guessing you give the feed a quick sweep to see if it’s visually appealing to you. And guess what? That’s what most people do and if your feed is all over the place and it doesn’t have a cohesive flow to it, the chances of someone hitting follow are slim to none.
You want your feed to be appealing to the eye. It should flow. You want pretty images that call attention to details. For example, if you tend to post bold colors and bright, colorful pictures your feed should have that overall feel and that should be your rule of thumb for your Instagram postings. If your brand holds a lot of soft shades, delicate details, soft branding, etc. then your feed should be filled with a lot of posts that have a white background, light colors and soft palettes.
Here’s a little photography tip: Purchase a couple white poster boards from your local craft shop. This super inexpensive board will not only work as a light reflector but it will also work as a great backdrop for flat lay photos, listing photos, etc.
Stay Away From White Border Photos
Yes, sometimes a photo surrounded by a white border to give that “matte frame” look is pretty. But on Instagram IT’S NOT!!! Adding that white border frame really destroys the cohesive feel you want your feed to hold. If you have a photo that doesn’t fit the square frame on Instagram, simply press the little circle on the lower left hand side of your phone screen, the button has these symbols on it < >. That will zoom your photo out, keeping it’s original format without cutting anything out but still holds the Instagram square frame when your feed is viewed as a whole. When people click on the actual photo and it opens it will be viewed in its original entity and nothing on the photo will be cut out. This is a great option for photographers so that the quality of their photo isn’t compromised and it keeps its original horizontal or vertical frame layout.
Edit Your Photos Before Posting
I’m sorry to break it to you, but no one wants to look at a poor quality photo. Think about it, are you drawn to looking at photos if they’re dark, distorted or have poor lighting? Of course not!
Many people are also under the impression that you have to own a fancy, expensive camera to take these photos and that’s absolutely not true. I have a DSLR camera and I only use it to take product photos for my shop. All of my other photos are taken with my phone. How do I pull that one off? Apps, apps, apps! There are so many great apps that you can download to your phone that will help you edit your photos to create a beautiful image that can be posted to all of your social media.
Try some of these Apps:
- PicTapGo
- ABM – A Beautiful Mess
- ColorStory
- PS Touch
- Afterlight
Respond to Comments and Questions
No one likes to be ignored!
Be sure to respond to all comments and questions on your photos. It’s not only common courtesy but also it also builds relationships and followers. Plus your followers will LOVE interacting with you as it gives them the opportunity to relate with you.
Always Use Hashtags
Hashtags are AWESOME and incredibly valuable if you ask me.
Hashtags give you the opportunity to make your content viewable by anyone with an interest in your hashtag even if they’re not one of your followers on social media.
Hashtags are also your best bet for growing a fast following on Instagram. Seriously give it a try you won’t be disappointed.
Here are some great #hastags to use if you’re an Etsy Seller:
- #Etsy
- #Handmade
- #MakersGonnaMake
- #CraftCurator
- #EtsySeller
- #EtsyFinds
- #ShopEtsy
- #SupportSmallBusiness
- #EtsyUSA
- #EtsyHunter
- #BuyHandmade
- #EtsyStore
Resist the Urge to Post Things That Don’t Relate
I know, I know that photo is so pretty or that joke is so funny. But guess what? It has nothing to do with your brand. So don’t post it!! You want to feed to have an esthetic about it. Posting random things to your feed will only turn followers away.
Always remember my number one rule that we reviewed above, create a beautiful feed that fits your brand. Your feed should reflect your brand, art or whatever goal you have set out to accomplish via social media.
Repost Content that Fits Your Feed Esthetic
Share and repost images from others you follow. It’s great to share other peoples content. Just be sure to only repost images that fit your own feed esthetic and also be sure to credit the photo back to the person whom you are sharing their photo.
Sharing is caring!!
Some really helpful tips you can truly benefit from when it comes to mastering Instagram!
Do you have a tip or two you can offer? We would love to hear about it.