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#070: Instagram Advice for Artists

For independent artists, Instagram is more than just a social media platform— it's a powerful tool to grow your audience, find professional opportunities, and increase art sales.

In this week’s article, we explore essential strategies for leveraging Instagram to its fullest potential to make the most of your valuable time so you can focus more on making art instead of just marketing it.

From following key accounts to staying updated with the latest features, we'll provide you with actionable tips to enhance your visibility and engagement on the platform.

Let’s talk about it.

1️⃣ Get ahead by staying up to date

While much of the advice you’ll read in this article is actionable, adaptable, and relatively evergreen— remember that changes can happen in social media overnight!

Instagram has changed a lot since it first debuted in 2010. Many creators make the mistake of doing what they’ve always done on the app 1, 5, or even 10 years ago. If you’re an artist and you want to grow on Instagram, here are the top 3 Instagram accounts you NEED to follow to be in the know:

1. @Instagram

If it feels a little “Meta”, it’s because it is. The @Instagram account is a great source for inspiration, updates, and current events directly from the brand. If there are any big changes from Instagram, this is one of the best sources for it.

2. @Creators

The bio says it all: The Creators Guide to Instagram… For Creators! Your approach to your content strategy on Instagram will be just as unique as your creative practice. The @Creators account is an amazing source of information on how to use Instagram to tell your story and share your work in new and exciting ways.

3. @Mosseri

Adam Mosseri is the Head of Instagram, and his account is perhaps one of the most valuable pages for any content creator on Instagram to follow!

He regularly shares straightforward, easy-to-understand news and updates to Instagram's various product features and how you can make the most of them. He welcomes and responds to Q&A directly on his page, and even interviews content creators about their experience on Instagram while pointing out specific examples of why he admires their work.

2️⃣ Make Instagram’s Features Work For You

Instagram has no shortage of features that you can use to your benefit. Here’s a list of some of the more prominent, useful ones that you can utilize. Don’t forget - it’s not just about what tool you use on Instagram, but how you use it. Always strive to find ways to constantly introduce you, your art, and how clients and customers can work or buy from you!

Instagram has no shortage of features that you can use to your benefit. Here’s a list of some of the more prominent, useful ones that you can utilize. Don’t forget - it’s not just about what tool you use on Instagram, but how you use it. Always strive to find ways to constantly introduce you, your art, and how clients and customers can work or buy from you!

1. Your Instagram Bio

An artist bio is one of, if not the most effective marketing tool you have at your disposal. Your artist bio is often the first piece of information available to both current and prospective collectors, and the challenge with Instagram is communicating as much about yourself within Instagram’s 150-character limit.

Many artists find ways to share details such as what kind of artist they are, their identity, their current role or workplace, previous clients, and how to contact them for collaborations or sales.

It sounds like a lot, but it’s not impossible! Take a peek at how Saphera Peters says that much in a small space:

Instagram biographies also come with the option to add Links to your Bio! Use these to share a link to your HUG Artist Profile, your shop, your professional resume, or previous partnerships you're proud of.

2. Reels

Instagram Reels debuted back in August 2020, which are short-form video content that you can upload into the app or create natively through Instagram’s various video editing tools. It’s important to note that Instagram often prioritizes Reels in their algorithm, so it’s a great way to get your art in front of new people.

There are a lot of ways artists can share their work and talk to their audience with Instagram Reels, such as sharing work-in-progress videos, giving tutorials, or having conversations about what kind of art you’re making and why you think it’d be special to somebody.

One of the best ways to get inspired for what kind of reel to make is to watch a lot of them! Think about what kind of videos you enjoy, and what kind of content gets you to keep watching, and find a way to recreate a similar video in a way that is original and true to you.

Content creation is a lot like art— we might use similar mediums, but the way you tell your story is unique to you. In the reel below, Saphera Peters shares a work-in-progress reel that features herself, and her workspace, and gives little glimpses of what she’s creating that leave the viewer waiting until she reveals the full illustration at the end!

sapherapeters

View more on Instagram

3. Carousels

The original Instagram used to allow for a single image per post, but those days are long behind us. Instagram Carousels allow for up to 10 static images in a single post, which you can view as 10 different opportunities to share portions or varieties of your artwork.

For example, see how Saphera uses a single carousel to showcase 8 different works of art from the same collection:

4. Instagram Stories

   Instagram Stories allow you to share content that disappears to the public 24 hours after posting but stays in your personal archive forever.

   It’s a low-stakes, low-commitment way to share your work and start DM conversations with your followers. Utilize your stories to share when you’ve made new posts, fleeting glimpses, and sneak peeks at your work, or a look into your daily life.

   

   Artist Laura El gives playful commentary on her Stories

5. Direct messages

One of the benefits of direct messages is that they’re direct. It allows your followers to easily communicate and build a relationship with you.

The benefit of a follower who is messaging you is that they’re much more likely to go from passive admirers to active collectors. So don’t be shy!

3️⃣ Get Analytical With Instagram Insights

Do you have a “Professional” Instagram account?

There are two different kinds of Instagram accounts: personal and professional. The benefit of a professional Instagram account is that it comes with expanded tools to help you connect with your new and existing audiences more readily:

• Insights

• Professional Dashboard

• Contact Button

• Creator Studio

Use Insights to get critical of your content.

It’s important to explore and experiment with new content strategies, new ways to share your art, and new ways to start conversations with collectors… but it’s also important to treat your time wisely!

Instagram Insights allows you to see how many people your content has reached, and what kind of posts are working best for you. If your Insights show that a certain kind of post got more followers and engagement, do more of what works and less of what doesn’t!

To navigate to your Insights, simply access your Instagram Settings and scroll down to “For professionals”, then select the 📊 Insights tab.

Closing Thoughts

As you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of Instagram, remember that your creativity and adaptability are your greatest strengths. By staying informed and utilizing Instagram's diverse features, you can build a genuine connection with your audience and transform followers into loyal collectors.

Success on Instagram is about more than just posting pics— it's about telling your story, engaging with your community, and continuously refining your approach based on feedback and insights. Embrace the journey, keep trying new things, and watch both your artistic community and sales grow.

Want more marketing advice? 
Check out HUG’s most popular free resource, our Artist Marketing Handbook, which will guide you through crafting the perfect Artist Bio, how to pitch yourself effectively, and more.

Artist Grants and Opportunities

• 🏆  $10,000 Grand Prize for Artists & Designers: The Onchain Foundation is seeking artists to design their upcoming membership collection. 10 artists will be awarded $500 each, with 1 artist receiving a $10,000 commission to complete the collection.

• 💸 $1000 to 7 Lucky Artists: The Moonbeam Foundation is giving away grants to creators they’re spotlighting in an upcoming collection.

• 📖 Publication Opportunity & Artist Grant: ARCHIV3 is seeking to spotlight digital artists and innovators to spotlight.

• 🖼️ Exhibit Your AI Art in Berlin: The Marketplace Conference is seeking art to share with 500 founders, investors, and corporations at their upcoming event in Germany.

• 💰 HUG is giving away $12,000 USD annually in artist grants in support of emerging artists.

This Week’s Art Drops

Did you know that these are just 8 of hundreds of art drops on HUG? Get a full list of this week’s art drops from HUG here.