Photo: Tim Gouw
6. Vary the images you post.
Seeing the same type of images can be monotonous to your audience. Add some variety to your feed by changing what you post. It doesn’t have to be drastic—in fact, it’s best if it’s not. But if you’re always posting pictures of your finished paintings, why not show the work in progress? Or, give us a behind-the-scenes peek at your studio? Post still images and video content for even more variety—and if you’re not camera shy, try Instagram Live!
7. Be consistent with your posting.
Whether you post three times a day or a just few times a week, be consistent about it. But if the moment arrives and you feel like there’s nothing worthwhile to share, that’s okay. Skip posting—it happens. We all want quality over quantity.
Photo: louis amal
8. Be open to experimentation.
Instagram offers many different ways to use it, but not all of it will apply to you. When you try something new, take careful note of how it performed on your account. Did the post of your work-in-progress get a lot of likes? Did people comment on it? If it got few likes and no comments, take note of that. If you continue to post things like that and they continue to get only a little traction, consider a new strategy. On the flipside, if it looks a particular type of post gets a lot of engagement, take that as a sign you should share more of that.
9. Let your authentic voice shine.
No one likes to feel like they’re being sold to. When talking to your audience, write authentic captions that speak to who you are—even if you’re trying to sell them something. Be relatable and let your followers get to know you. You don’t have to share your deepest secrets with them, but letting someone know a bit about your life can go a long way. They’ll feel invested in who you are and support you because they not only like your product but like you, too.
10. Don’t buy followers.
This is just a waste of your money. The ultimate goal is to have an engaged following, no matter how small it might be, and these purchased users won’t be interested in anything more than upping your following count.
And finally, remember that one approach does not fit all. Every account has different followers with different behaviors. The important thing to remember is to pay attention to what gets a lot of engagement (likes and comments) and what doesn’t. But above all, look at Instagram as a way to have fun and engage with fans of your work!
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