Instagram for Creative Businesses

Does your Instagram content keep you up at night? Do you stare at the ceiling stressing over what you should post the next day? If so, look no further than this blog because I’m sharing all of my Instagram secrets with you today so that you can go from #stressed to #blessed! (…couldn’t help myself with that one, please don’t judge me too hard! )

What should you post as a creative business on Intsagram?

— Showcase Your Work —

Use instagram as your portfolio! If you’re a creative business owner, a lot of your work might be more visual, so Instagram is the perfect place to post images of your work (and do so for free!).

— Behind the Scenes —

Draw your audience in and allow them to connect with you through behind the scenes snippets. Whether it’s on your stories or on your feed, people want to see the work that goes in to whatever it is that you do or create. Allow them to be a part of the process by pulling back that curtain a little and letting them in! Showing your process is also a great way to educate your audience on your craft and how it is that you do what you do (nope, envelopes don’t just calligraphy themselves!).

Some ideas on what to post for #bts content:

• A video of you in action creating work

• Before and after photos

• A photo of your workspace

• Packaging orders

• Photos of your team

— Educate Your Audience —

Use your content to educate your followers on what it is that you do and how you can help them. Just because someone is following you, doesn’t necessarily mean they know or understand what you offer, so every once in a while post some content that reminds them what your services are and why they might need you! You can also use IG posts and stories to show your expertise in your field. Consumers are more likely to invest in you when they’re under the impression that you know your stuff because they’ll feel more comfortable with the return on their investment when they’re hiring an expert.

Ideas on what to post to educate your audience:

• Explanation of your packages

• Clear definition of who your ideal customer is / who you serve

• Your work in action

• Testimonials

• Tips that your audience can use (or that make them want to work with you)

— Personal —

Whether it’s showing your face or sharing some behind the scenes of your day, be sure to sprinkle in some personal posts on your stories and feed. Your audience wants to connect with the person behind the brand. Don’t forget, customers make purchases when they have the “know, like and trust factor,” so give them some content that allows them to get to know you, like you and trust you!

Ideas on how to mix in personal content on your business account:

• Introduce yourself

• Share your story

• Behind the scenes of your day

• Your likes and dislikes

Planning out your Instagram posts:

I use Planoly to plan out my grid. I like this app because you can drag images around and visually curate your feed. You can also create and save hashtag categories, so gone are the days when I would type in 30 hashtags every time I posted. Now, I have hashtags saved for things like “wedding signage,” “stationery,” and “business resources.”

I draft all of my captions in Google docs and then copy and paste them into Planoly so I can add the hashtags in.

I try to plan out my posts a week in advance. Some weeks I live up to this and some I don’t, but I usually have a general idea of what I want to talk about in any given week. That being said, as much as I’m a planner, I like to leave room for spontaneous posts. Maybe I’m working on something really cool that I want to show my audience or I just got new photos in from a wedding. I like to save room for the unplanned because I think that helps your content feel authentic and real.

How often should you post on Instagram?

I truly don’t think there’s an answer to this question. Some people swear by posting every single day, others think you should post multiple times a day, and others say just a few times a week. The most important thing to remember is that consistency is key. Instagram rewards those who are consistently showing up on their feeds and in stories and are engaging with others.

For me, I’ve found that my posts perform best when I space them out. I’ve had the most success posting about every other day and I usually take weekends off. If I have a post that’s performing super well, like still getting a ton of engagement a day or two after I post it, I might hold off one extra day before I post new content.

The most important thing to remember when using Instagram is to stay true to YOU. If you don’t feel like posting one day or one week, don’t. If you want to post something different than what you had planned, do it! Show up as your true and authentic self and you’ll find your real supporters.

How to make Instagram work for your business?

While it’s great to build up an audience and engagement on Instagram, likes and follows aren’t going to build your business on their own. As a creative entrepreneur, you should use Instagram to drive your ideal customers to your business to further engage and purchase! What’s the best way to accomplish this? Include calls-to-action (known as CTAs) in your Instagram posts, stories, and bio! A call-to-action is a prompt directing your audience to do something such as “read more on my blog,” “subscribe to my newsletter for updates,” or “DM me to discuss your project.” Most calls-to-action will drive your potential customers to your website or ecommerce shop, but you can also ask them to reach out to you directly via email, phone, or direct message. Include calls-to-action with your content—the more relevant, the better! If you post about an invitation suite, your CTA can say something like “Looking for custom invites? DM me and let’s bring your vision to life!”

I hope these Insta tips help you feel more confident about using Instagram to grow your creative business! Feel free to email me or DM me anytime with your creative business questions!