Instagram is one of the best places on the internet to get your work seen by the masses, and yet every artist I know hates it.
The constant algorithm changes, random feeds and the fact that it can be extremely time consuming, all amounts to a platform that feels like it takes more than it gives.
I completely understand the frustration with trying to be seen on Instagram, I've been there. It feels like you're shouting into a crowd of a million people and being noticed by maybe one or two at best. You spend hours filming videos, editing reels together, taking pictures, writing captions and for what? Maybe 2 likes from family and friends and a comment section full of spam bots?
But what if you could use Instagram in a way that served a real purpose in your marketing, simply by experimenting with out-of-the-box approaches and going against the generic Instagram marketing advice online?
To help give you a fresh look at using Instagram to market your art, here are 5 ways you could look to use Instagram to showcase your work and attract the right buyers:
- Use Instagram as your own personal gallery space - don't bother with making reels or behind the scenes content if it feels draining to you. Instead use your Instagram feed as your gallery, your portfolio, show your actual work and make it the main and only focus. See an example of this on Gemma Koomen's Instagram account.
- Use Instagram to show the development of your work - on the opposite end of the spectrum from the above, document the creation of each piece of work from beginning to end in just one post. On average people only flick through 2-5 carousel images, so you don't need a huge bank of content, just images from the key stages of the works development, or set up an overhead tripod and every 45-60 minutes hit record for 2-3 minutes to get video content for a reel. An excellent example of this can be found on SmallWhiteMonster's Instagram page.
- Use Instagram to tell the deeper stories behind your work - use your feed to not only showcase your work, but also go into detail about what inspired it and what story it tells. This helps people feel like they have a greater understanding of not just the work, but also you as an artist. Morvern Graham of Morvern Studios is great and visual storytelling through imagery and video.
- Use Instagram to showcase your work but also your personality - if you don't mind being in front of the camera and actually quite like content creation, then don't be afraid to post more personal, non-art related content. People will be happy to see you enjoying your work and seeing the passion and enthusiasm behind the pieces they may end up buying from you. A great example of an artist content creator is Brooke Cormier who I've been watching for years now.
- Use Instagram to highlight technique and details - simulate what most art lovers do when they visit a gallery, get up close and personal. If you pride yourself on technique or hide hidden little details in your work like the old master oil painters used to, then include extreme close up images of those details so people can experience them digitally.
Don't forget, no matter how you choose to use Instagram to showcase your art, always make sure it's clear and obvious how someone can buy a piece, work with you or request a commission. All marketing is pointless if you don't blatantly tell people how to buy from you.
Good luck with your Instagram experiments and remember that you can change your feed at any point. Don't feel like you have to choose one approach and stick with it forever. Have fun with it. See what works and what doesn't and don't take a lack of likes or comments personally. Just because someone hasn't interacted doesn't mean your work hasn't had an impact on them in some way.
Speak soon,
