Aesthetic is everything in this day and age, and Instagram is a major reason for this. Since its inception in 2010, Instagram has become the go-to social media network where users of all ages and interests can browse and share beautifully-curated content via videos and imagery. As a visual medium, it’s the ideal digital space for artists to gain exposure and promote their work. In this blog post, we’re going to cover some simple yet effective tips for disseminating your artwork via Instagram.
1. Your Bio is A Canvas
Let’s start simple. When people navigate to your Instagram page, your bio is the first thing they’ll see (along with any highlights you’ve created and three of your most recent photos). It serves as precious real estate where you can introduce yourself and establish the narrative of your page. It is precious, valuable real estate—and should be treated as such. As the only place on Instagram to share a clickable link, it’s best to include a link to your website in your bio. Most users use URL shorteners like bit.ly to keep their links short and sweet (long links look spammy and can turn users off from wanting to view the rest of your profile). Your bio should also include a clear and concise bit of text that lets users know what you’re all about. For example:
Jane Smith
Artist
Passionate Painter - Conscious Creator – Good Vibes Only
Check out my website! ¯
*Insert link to your website*
And remember to have fun with it! Feel free to add an emoji or two to keep things playful (but only if that’s the vibe you’re going for!).
2. Your Posts are Works of Art
Considering Instagram is a visual medium, this one is a biggie. You’ll want to make sure any photos or videos you post are clear and of the highest quality. Remember, Instagram is a place to share visuals that are captivating and beautiful, so post content that grabs user-attention and engages people to start a conversation. Many of our artists here at AmFab share progress photos or time lapses of their artwork so that their audience can follow along their artwork’s journey from start to finish. We think this is a marvelous idea, as it shows their followers the creative process and makes them feel included. We also recommend sharing photos of yourself as the artist and imagery of yourself hard at work on your latest creations— people love to see a creative genius at work!
With each post, you’re also going to want to make sure to include captions that engage your followers and encourage them to like, comment, and share your content. Instagram’s algorithm looks favorably upon posts with lots of action—so make it happen! Prompt comments by asking questions like, “If this painting could talk, what would it say? Let me know in the comments below!”
3. Hashtags are Your Friend
Hashtags are crucial for building a following and promoting your artwork, so make sure you’re including them in your post captions. You’ll want to use hashtags that are relevant to each specific post and will put that post in front of the right audience. For instance, don’t use “#artsandcrafts” if you’re trying to promote your work to high-end galleries.
To start, venture over to AmFab’s Instagram and have a look at some of our posts. Feel free to use some of our hashtags as a foundation or a springboard to other common art-related hashtags (follow us @amfabarts).
4. Quality First, Frequency Second
If you want to win at Instagram, post-frequency is super important—but only if you’re sharing high-quality content! Posting consistently on Instagram increases your overall reach and gets your artwork in front of more eyes, but you’ll want to make sure you’re posting quality content for this to be beneficial. Posting every day is great, but if you’re content is subpar, consistency will work against you. We recommend posting on a daily basis, but no more than three times per day and spreading posts at least a few hours apart if publishing more than once per day.
5. Shameless Plugs
Last but not least, don’t be afraid to use your Instagram to promote any upcoming events you’re participating in. Instagram is a social network, after all! A shameless plug will help spread the word, promote your artwork, and draw more people to your show.
For more tips and tricks on how to promote your artwork, take a look at how our artists at the American Fabric Arts Building use their Instagram page to show off their work! If you’re looking for a place to set up your art studio, you can apply for space at AmFab here.