Do you use Instagram?

[andidanie]

I recently started an IG page for my business, but I only manage to post about 1 image a week. (That's more often than I post to my personal IG account). My friends & family aren't that active on it, so it's pretty slow to get it going.

How often do you post?

And how do you get more followers???

If you don't use it, why not?

[NorthStarPapercraft]

I do have a shop instagram account - I post around 3x/week, give or take. I don't have a ton of followers yet - I've only bee up for a few weeks - but as far as I can figure, the secret to instagram is hashtags. I think you can have something ridiculous like 20 per post? I usually have 5-8 - a few that go with every post like #papercraft and #quillingart, and then a few that are specific to the content of the image. When I get a new follower, I like to look at their profile/feed to try and figure out which hashtag brought them to my post.

[KilnMasterPottery]

The max # of hashtags in IG is 30. However it is frowned upon to use them all. Just make sure they are all appropriate. I use about 10 per post, post about 5 times a week and now I have almost as many followers as postings. It also helps to notice and use tags people in your business are using. In mine somebody started the hashtag #mugshotmonday and now it is a way to find ceramic artists and galleries.

[andidanie]

I'm so bad with hashtags, I usually only have 3-4. I can never think of anything that doesn't sound idiotic, or ones that actually seem like they'd be useful.

That's a great tip about finding industry related tags. I'll research those.

If you all want to share your pages, I'm happy to follow :)

Mine is just andidaniedesigns

[ALittleUnwound]

The least annoying way to use hashtags is to put them as the first comment. So, post the photo (I always post with hashtags so I can autoshare to twitter / tumblr, then go in and edit the post to delete those hashtags...) then use your hashtags as the first comment...then, as people comment, the hashtags are no longer visible and don't spam up your actual photo.

[littlechampart]

I have instagram for the shop, but I'm not very consistent with it. Definitely use a lot of hashtags - I read an article recently that said 10+ hashtags is the best practice on instagram (or at least to get the most interaction).
I always use #etsy #handmade #madeinusa #shopsmall #smallbusiness and those seem to get good responses. Plus things that are related to what I'm posting

There are a lot of people who seem to find a lot of success on instagram, especially when there are threads about it in the main forums here. I'm not sure what they do to be so successful, but I wish I could figure it out!

I know when I post photos that are edited to be brighter and better, they get more likes/comments than straight from the camera ones. There are photo editing tools right in instagram that I use to make it easy :)

Totally forgot about Tumblr, thanks for the reminder, Desirea! Set that one up ages ago and only use it to look at funny memes, and not to post anything.

Right now I'm just getting fed up with all the "get more followers" accounts that have been spamming me the past week. Guess that means I'm getting noticed? haha

[KiyiKiyi]

I love Instagram! I'm @kiyikiyicosmetics :) I have a small notebook of hashtags. I write down good ones that I find and then just look in my notebook when I'm tagging. It makes it so much easier!

[HipViolet]

I have had pretty good luck with IG with both my baby bibs (@HipViolet) and my vintage shot (@WillaMaeVintage) - there is a LOT of vintage buying/selling going on over at IG in case you're interested!

I try to post on IG every day but I have figured out that I get the most interaction if I post between 5-8pm which is also my busiest time with my family. I REALLY wish IG would let you schedule posts like FB does! But until then I do a few during the day and as many as I can at night.

Hashtags really can get you more followers and interactions. I agree with the above, if I use #etsy #handmade #shoplocal, etc. then I get many more likes or favorites. At first I tried to stay away from really popular hashtags because I wanted to catch a smaller audience who were looking for something specific but that backfired, now I go with both really broad hashtags and also more specific. I usually put them right in my original post but I like the idea of doing them in the first comment so they aren't so obnoxious :)

Other ways to get more followers are to pay to have a feature by some big IG accounts that cater to handmade. I did HelloImHandmade a few months ago. It was only $15 and got me 50+ new QUALITY followers in one day. You can also participate in giveaways and promotions but I am not a fan of them - I feel like about 80% of people who follow for a giveaway unfollow shortly after. Plus I don't really like giveaways clogging my newsfeed and tend to unfollow business that do a lot of them. Just my two cents!

Best of luck!
jesi

[FfigysDesigns]

I have no idea what Instagram is because, not owning a smartphone, I can't open an account. I can't even begin to imagine why anyone would set up a social media platform that cannot be accessed from a computer..............

[andidanie]

Shirley, I didn't even realize you couldn't post images to IG from a desktop. (I can access it, see my feed, like photos and comment on them, but I don't see anywhere to post an image.) That is odd...

Jesi, do yo have any luck with giveaways?

[NorthStarPapercraft]

Part of Instagram's angle is that they want to be the "in the moment" platform, and posting from your desktop is counter to that goal. That's also why there's no scheduled posting and no re-gramming from within the app. (I'm kind of surprised they let you post from your phone's image gallery at all rather than only allowing the camera function.)

[Former_Member]

You can post images to Instagram from your PC. Here's a post I did on another thread after doing some research:


While doing research to see if using my PC for Instagram was possible, I came across an article that discussed 5 different methods of using Instagram via a PC. Do a Google search on the following:

1. Instagrille
2. Webstagram
3. Webbygram
4. Bluestacks
5. Using your Instagram Web Profile to access via your PC

[andidanie]

Thanks for the hashtag tips, everyone. I started a list that of general ones that I can use with most posts, and that made a huge difference. When I started this thread I had 18 followers, now I have 34.

[melbean]

I do have Instagram and I am confident it has brought me some sales. Love it! I do however need to separate my personal and shop accounts.

[FriskyFish]

I have one but have no idea what I'm doing there. Post maybe 2-3X per week. I've gotten followers by doing giveaways and sponsoring challenges, but since I have no idea how to incorporate it all, I'm not sure how to get any leverage out of it. I definitely need help in the IG department

[DreamyPatternsShop]

I love Instagram! It's a positive place.. Have been there for a while but I feel I'm just now getting the hang of it! I use Latergram.me to schedule posts from my desktop which will later show up on my phone ready to be posted!

I'm here: www.instagram.com/lilyrazz

And I'm having a giveaway! ^_^ The link is here if you would like to join!
https://instagram.com/p/7YReorKbMN/?taken-by=lilyrazz

[Former_Member]

So... does anyone actually get any sales from Instagram? or is it another flash in the pan techno thing? Twitter was big for awhile but I never did get a sale from it...

[andidanie]

I haven't gotten a sale from either one yet (Twitter or IG).

[KiyiKiyi]

I get sales all the time from Instagram. Many, many more than I've ever had from FB. You really have to work your hashtags to target your audience though.

[KelleenKreations]

Some of the hashtags that I use are #etsyfinds #etsyseller #etsyshop! If you post with @makersvillage, #etsyvillage, or #etsyscout- they might repost your item on their feed! I just started doing using them but havent shown up yet! I haven't gotten a sale from instagram yet either! Maybe some day!

[PrairiePrimitives]

I've been trying to get the hang of Instagram for more than a year now, but think I may be starting to catch on!

Should be thanking the people who like my pics OR interacting with them ... and if so, how?

How do you get sales from Instagram? So far I've just been saying "Available in my Etsy shop!" There's a link to my shop at the top of my Instagram account. Do people know to look at the top of the account for a possible link? If someone wanted to buy something directly on Instagram, and they left a comment about that, would I get a notification or email or anything ... or do I have to keep going back and looking at all my posted photos to see if there's a message for me?

[KelleenKreations]

Tana if someone leaves a comment on one of your post you should get notified from instagram. I wouldn't say "available in my etsy shop" instead I would say "if you want to purchase link is in profile!" That way they know to look for your link. With the other saying I wouldn't know how to find your link, and people want it as easy as possible to find! If you want to interact with people I would try following some of the ones that followed you, comment on some of the posts from people you are following, if you get comments on your post thank the people! Hope that helps some!

[LiftYourFork]

I use it. I have THREE freakin accounts hahahah. I'm normally signed into my fitness account and that's my most active. I post about 7-10 times a week on there. Only 1 out of every 10 or more posts is actual product.

I know this sounds like the opposite of what most people say, but I find hashtags are mostly empty. If you tag stuff #etsy the only people who will probably find you are other sellers... not buyers. I usually use a few on my posts (I used to use dozens).. they get you a ton of likes, but not much interaction.

Common hashtags even lead to the problem of people using web programs to AUTO comment on those tags. You see accounts with 50k followers and they only follow 10 people? It's because they set up auto commenting. So, for example if I put #fitfam on a post, I will get a few comments like "fantastic!" "great!" or #recipe gets "looks delicious!" or "yumm!"... those people haven't even looked at your stuff and did not type that comment. They do auto comments in order to make you think they do, so you go follow/check them out. A computer program does it for them.

Honestly, interaction is the best way I've gotten followers. You can add as many hashtags as you want and you may get a few followers but if you don't follow them back instantly, they leave pretty quick. I search for hashtags and leave real comments on things, like a few photos, then move on. Or find an account similar to me that I enjoy, and see whos commenting on it and interact with them. It gets more return interaction than empty likes. I've never told someone who likes a necklace to go buy it. I reply and hold an actual conversation, or go to their page and interact there.

It's time consuming... but worth it. I'm coming up on close to 1000 followers now (which, yes I know isn't many), and have had a few sales. Plus, people who have purchased from me find me on instagram after and tag me in photos of their jewelry, which is even better! I use a repost app to repost their photo, with their name attached and they love getting the attention if they're a tiny account.

[Orchiada]

I love instagram, I don't have a ton of followers but a good amount of organically grown followers (ones that are real and not one of those "click here to gain more followers" junk, lol).

I find that interaction, regular posting and following others that have similar content as you or content you really like has been helpful. I try to use good hashtags also, I probably use on average between 5-12, I could try to use more I know. I also try to post regularly. My goal is to post once a day. I don't always meet that goal. I also follow a couple of account that do a follow friday where you get to meet other great artists and you tag them and like their posts and comment and usually I get really really good results, and it helps me to see other talent and allows me to share my talent with them.

I have not yet done a giveaway but see others that do them and have awesome results, my goal is to do a giveaway when I reach my 200 follower mark, as a thank you to my followers!

[PrairiePrimitives]

Thanks Kelleen! Someone made an actual comment the other day, but that was to call my item CREEPY ... when that was not my intent at all. :-(

I've noticed that it's mostly the same people who like item after item.