With Instagram now topping over 300 million users worldwide, there has never been a better time for artists, artisans and designers to harness the power of the hashtag and create global brand awareness. We looked to some of our favourite Instagram gurus to get the low-down on how we can all get a piece of that Insta pie.
Melissa Dunn, a partner at Jennifer Bett Communications and the brains behind Brooklyn-based label Brother Vellies’ social media strategy.
‘Ultimately, if you are aiming to grow your business, it has to be the product you are selling and pushing. While I think the designer’s story and mission is a big draw for a lot of brands, your story will not be sitting on the shelf alongside your goods. So, while the story might have great appeal I believe that to really grow a brand the support has to be for the product!
Social media has been a great enabler for creatives. It’s refreshing to be able to put something out there so easily on a platform that can reach millions of people. The trick really becomes monetizing your social media following – ask is that possible? And are your followers really going to develop into your regular customer base? We have made some great relationships through social media, particularly internationally. Social media is also helpful to drive our customers to our local retailers as well. I can post about Merchants on Long and all of our SA followers will be able to shop locally. Prior to social media it was harder to get that information out.
My top five tips:
1. Post high quality photos, nobody likes a blurry image…
2. Inject your personality.
3. Everyone loves a real-time update.
4. Art direction! Remember that everything you put is a reflection of your brand.
5. Don’t drown yourself in hashtags.
Yes, hashtags are everything. But more than two is too many. I’m a quality over quantity person when it comes to social media. I’d rather have 200 likes on a photo of someone wearing our shoes because the people loved the shoes, than 400 likes on the photo because I hashtagged the name of the celebrity wearing them. But that’s just me. And I know there are a lot of people that think differently on that topic!
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Tatiana Etienne, artist and design entrepreneur
“Social media is a proper art in itself, the art of seducing while selling a concept. But, be consistent. Don’t make it about you, there are enough selfies out there. Have a theme and a colour code for your Instagram profile and stick to it. Make it not only inspiring, but also aspiring and follow the right people. Since the very beginning my social media has been intriguing many. No one could really tell what I was promoting, but I was getting constant compliments on the aesthetic of my account. I get daily emails with the magic question “who are you?” This usually makes me smile, as I never answer. My work is not about me, but my art.”
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