How To Use Instagram Stories: Growth Secrets For Creative Businesses & Artists
Ever wondered how you can use Instagram Stories as a a creative business? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
Instagram Stories currently has over 400 million daily users and if that statistic doesn’t knock your socks off, I don’t know what will.
How To Use Instagram Stories: A Step-By-Step Guide For Small Businesses And Creatives
That being said, there is a lot of opportunity with Instagram Stories to reach out to your ideal customers and encourage them to visit your studio, come to your workshop, or order artwork from your online store.
Whatever type of creative business you have, you can use Instagram Stories in an authentic way to increase brand awareness and even increase your sales.
Today I’m going to give you five key tips for using Instagram Stories as a creative so that you can get the best return on investment.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Always Be Authentic On Instagram Stories
The reason why Instagram decided to create Instagram Stories was to allow us all an opportunity to share our less polished videos and images with our Instagram followers.
Don’t think you need to have everything perfect before you share an Instagram Story, or else you may never get around to it!
As a busy business owner, this should come as a delight to you. Now all you need to do is work up the courage to get on camera and share your daily small business shenanigans with your audience.
But what should you share on Instagram Stories as a Small Business? Here are some quick ideas:
● Share what you’re working on (new artwork, an upcoming workshop)
● Share a quick snippet of why you decided to start your art business
● Introduce yourself to your Instagram followers
Make a graphic in Canva to announce your new post.
Take a screenshot on your phone
For example if you do web design, take a screenshot of one of your website projects that are in the works.
2. Be Consistent With Posting, Schedule In Advance
There are a few ways that you can be consistent with Instagram Stories as a creative. You could…
1. Set up an alarm on your phone to remind you to share stories
2. Bulk film vertical content and schedule it in advance using an app like Plann, or Facebook Studio/Planner.
3. Work content creation into your daily routine
3. Use Hashtags To Reach New Audiences For Your Artwork
One of the simplest ways to make sure you are reaching new audiences with your Instagram Stories content is to use hashtags in your Instagram Stories.
(Also, make sure your Instagram profile is public, not private!)
If you’d like to be super sneaky and become an Instagram pro you can make your hashtags invisible in Instagram Stories so that no-one even knows that they are there.
Sneaky sneaky! Here’s a quick tutorial to help you.
4. Use Location Stickers
If you are a location-based creative business (like a brick-and-mortar studio or shop) you’ll find it really useful to use location stickers to make sure that when your content is getting great engagement you are likely to be picked up in your local Instagram Story.
Fun Fact: Did you know that on the explore tab there are local Instagram Stories that are creating using the highest performing content from people who are using location stickers?
5. Try Instagram Live Videos To Talk About Your Art
Finally, if you’d really like to get the attention of your Instagram followers as a creative you should definitely give Instagram Live Videos a try.
You can promote your Instagram Live video in advance and let your followers know by way of an Instagram feed post, in an email newsletter a day or so before you intend to go live… the key thing here is that you let people know what time you’ll be going live on Instagram!
During that Live Video you could do a Q&A about your artwork, services or art business as whole or you could take the time to introduce a new product to your Instagram audience.
Be creative, be authentic, and get the most out of Instagram Stories as a creative.
Additional Thoughts On Instagram Stories
As a creative business it is crucial that you use all elements of the Social Media networks that you are using to promote your artwork and services.
Instagram Stories is a great way to increase brand awareness, customer retention and it’ll also help you to prepare for future opportunities where you may need to get on camera - hello PR!
Have any questions about Instagram Stories? Join our marketing group for visual artists here or sign up for our tips for visual artists here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mackayla Paul is an Instagram Marketing Specialist from Australia who is most known for her work with the Australian Circular Fashion Conference. Mackayla’s work has been featured in magazines such as Spa+Clinic and Fashion Observer Magazine.
