HOW TO START GAINING A FOLLOWING FOR YOUR ART ON INSTAGRAM

I've been on Instagram for YEARS. It also took me YEARS to figure out how to leverage it to help my audience grow. Being an artist is quite a lot of work - especially when you have to do your own marketing. Here are some ways I've slowly gained an audience, but also gained friendships along the way.

BE YOURSELF

Okay, before you roll your eyes at me, it's true. Be yourself. If you start pretending to be something you are not - people can see right through that. Start with that from the very beginning. Those that follow you will do so because, well, of you.

I often was afraid that my awkwardness would be hindering my social media following. The oppose happened - people could relate to what I had to say, how I showed up, and I gained regular collectors.

YOU WILL SUCK AT FIRST - AND THATS OKAY

No one is going to be critiquing you on your feed posts, story posts, or even your reels now. Just show up. You will gain confidence in time. I had to practice so much before I felt comfortable talking on my stories, making videos, and now reels for my art practice. All this takes practice. No one naturally knows how to edit, perform, and post. Just keep practicing and soon you will gain a nice groove of confidence. Posting will be like nothing.

STICK TO A REGULAR POSTING ROUTINE

Whether it's once a day or once a week, again, just show up. Take photos throughout your process; videos, text, etc. Jot down ideas on paper. Creating this habit will help you keep a presence online. Remember to always keep challenging yourself as well, it's a slow build. Nothing was build in a day, a week, or even a month. Time is on your side. Don't stress.

RESEARCH HASHTAGS & SWITCH THEM UP

To be honest - they are important, but not at the same time. Post relevant hashtags in the first comment on your post. Look at how the hashtags are performing on other posts before you use it in yours. Don't get too caught up if a post is performing well or not based on the hashtags purely. Its all a game of chance.

CONNECT WITH OTHER ARTISTS

Like actually like, comment, message other artists in your field. This is a great way to build a following as well and share ideas. Once you do that - branch out into different art mediums than your own. You'll gain inspiration and new friends in the process. Expanding the field is super important - and it's a slow step in attracting your ideal audience.

I hope these small tips help you with your journey! If you have any questions at all - the best place to reach me is on instagram @thealtereddiary

Much love and art,

Jaqualine | The Altered Diary