Getting Started on Instagram: A Guide for Artists and Makers

A simple guide to Instagram for artists and makers

Instagram can be a wonderful platform for artists and makers to showcase their work, connect with like-minded people, find new customers and sell work too. But if you’re new to Instagram or don’t feel very “tech-savvy”, it can be quite overwhelming. Don’t worry! We’ve put together this ‘Getting Started’ guide to explain the basics and help you take your first steps towards using Instagram to share your handmade creations.

Why Instagram?

Instagram is a visual platform, perfect for artists, designers and makers. It’s all about images, videos and creativity, making it an ideal space to share your art or craft and show what makes your work unique. Plus it’s really popular, with millions of UK users. People visit Instagram to be inspired, entertained and even to shop, so being active on here can help you find people who appreciate your craft and will hopefully want to follow you, support you and buy your work.

The secret to Instagram is understanding that this is a social media platform – with the emphasis on “social”. So to make it work, you need to:

1. Create content people find interesting, inspiring or entertaining.
2. Engage with people: reply to comments and messages on your own posts – and comment, save and share other people’s posts.

Focus on these fundamentals and you’ll be well on the way to getting your work seen, while also building a community that appreciates your craft.

Instagram Basics

Instagram is a particularly good platform for artists and makers because it prioritises engaging visuals like photos and videos. On Instagram, you create a profile and then upload either photos or videos to share with your followers. These are called Posts. Each post can include a caption, hashtags, collaborators and location tags, making it easier for others to find. Users can interact with posts by liking, commenting and sharing, which helps increase visibility.

The Instagram Grid is the main part of your profile where all your permanent posts (photos and videos) are displayed in a grid-like format. This is often the first place visitors see when they come to your profile, and it visually represents your brand or style. It’s made up of square (or rectangular) tiles that show a snapshot of each post you’ve made, arranged in rows of three. Artists and makers often use the grid to create a cohesive look that showcases their portfolio or products.

Reels and Stories are accessed in different areas of Instagram:

• Reels are short engaging videos. They appear both in your main feed and on a separate Reels tab on your profile (a small film clapperboard icon).
• Stories are temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours. They appear as small circular icons at the top of the Instagram app screen. Stories are will disappear unless you save them as “Highlights” on your profile, in which case they will show up as round highlights at the top of your profile.

Your Instagram Feed shows posts from accounts you follow, alongside adverts and recommended posts Instagram thinks you might like based on your previous behaviour.

The Explore page showcases new and trending content. Being featured here can help content reach a wider audience.

Direct Messages (DMs) allow for private conversations between users and can be a useful way of connecting with customers, other makers and people in the craft sector.

Setting Up Your Profile

If you’re new to Instagram, start by setting up a profile that clearly represents your brand. Use a professional-looking photo of yourself as your profile picture. People like buying from people, so although you can also use your logo as your profile picture, a picture of you is often more engaging and helps people feel connected to you.

Write a short bio that tells people who you are and what kind of work you create. You can now add multiple links in your profile, so make sure you include a link to your Folksy shop, alongside other important links – for example, a sign-up page for your mailing list, if you have one.

Here’s an example bio:
“Textile artist in the Scottish Highlands | Inspired by nature 🌿 | Visit my Folksy shop ⬇️”

It’s okay to keep it simple and straightforward.

What Should You Post?

While traditional posts (where you share a single square image) are a great starting point, features like Reels, Carousels, Stories and DMs can make a big difference in how effectively you reach new audiences and convert followers into customers. Each serves a unique purpose and appears in a different part of Instagram. The basic principle always remains the same though: to create content that is interesting and engaging.

Here are some ideas of different types of content to share:

1. Your Finished Work – Share high-quality photos of your latest piece. Don’t just post a picture though, add a few lines about what inspired the piece or the materials you used etc.

2. Behind-the-Scenes Shots – Give your followers a peek into your studio or workspace. Show your setup, tools and materials to bring people into your creative world.

3. Process Videos and Reels – Film short clips while you’re working on a piece. Then edit them together using Instagram’s in-app tools to create a making-of video/reel. Add trending audio to maximise its reach.

4. Your Story or Something That Inspires You – Create a post about yourself as an artist or maker. Share why you started creating, what inspires your work and what being a maker means to you. People love getting to know the person behind the art.

5. Materials and Tools – Highlight the materials you use, such as specific yarn, pigments, paper or clay. Talk about why you choose them and how they affect your work.

6. Work in Progress (WIP) – Don’t wait for a piece to be finished – post photos or videos showing your work at different stages. Maybe ask your followers to guess what it might become or what colours you should add.

7. Something People Can Relate To – Is there something specific you’ve experienced that other artists or makers will be able to relate to? Perhaps something that’s gone wrong or a tricky craft fair situation that will be familiar to other stallholders? Honesty and humour can be fantastic ways to connect with people.

8. Customer Testimonials – If someone has bought your work and sent you a photo of them either wearing it or in their home, repost it (with their permission) and add a thank-you note. Testimonials are a great way to build trust and showcase your happy customers.

9. Local Markets and Shows – If you’re exhibiting at a craft fair, visiting a market or going to a private view of an exhibition document your experience, and tag your location. This can be a good way to build a local following, as well as increasing footfall at your events.

10. Calls to Action – In between all the other posts that build a picture of who you are, encourage your followers to take an action, whether that’s buying something, favouriting your shop or joining your mailing list.

11. Packaging – Show how you package your orders or film yourself getting ready to send something to a new home. Include any personal touches like handwritten notes that highlight the special attention and care you give each customer as a small creative business.

12. Tutorials and How-To Content – You don’t have to give away your whole process or tell everyone all your secrets, but people do love tutorials! So consider sharing snippets of a process or a top tip – perhaps show a particular embroidery stitch or how to layer watercolours.

13. Call for Commissions or Deadline for Personalised Order – Announce when you’re open for commissions and explain the process. Share past commissions to show potential customers what they can expect. Likewise, if you offer personalised products and have a set deadline for last orders for Christmas, for example, tell people.

Mixing up these types of content will keep your Instagram feed engaging and give followers a deeper insight into your work and creative process.

Why Use Instagram Stories?

Stories are temporary posts (lasting 24 hours) that appear at the top of your followers’ feed. They’re a great way to show more informal content like work in progress, your daily routine or short snippets of your process. Even if you’re not comfortable posting every day, consider using Stories for these reasons:

• Stay Visible: Stories help keep you “top of mind” for your audience because they appear at the top of the app.
• Show the Person Behind the Art: Followers love getting a peek into your creative world – showing a bit of your workspace or what inspires you makes your feed feel more personal.
• You Can Play & Experiment: Because Stories disappear, they’re a good place to play around with new ideas without worrying about how your grid looks and whether a post fits into your brand’s aesthetic.
• Highlight Important Moments: Stories can be saved to your profile as “Highlights,” allowing people to view them even after they disappear. Use Highlights to organise content like FAQs, collections or upcoming craft fairs.
• Add Links, Polls and Stickers: You can add links to particular products, add a Countdown Timer to a product launch, use Polls to gather customer feedback on new ideas, answer people’s questions – and so much more!

What are Hashtags and Do I Need To Use Them?

Hashtags are keywords or phrases that help categorise content. For example, if you are a potter, using hashtags like #HandmadeCeramics #UKPotter or #Folksy could helps your posts show up in search results when people look for those terms or click on a hashtag. They used to be crucial for getting seen, but the way hashtags are used on Instagram is constantly changing, so we recommend keeping up with the latest advice from Instagram here.

Help! What are Reels?

Reels are short, engaging videos (currently reels can be up to 3 minutes long, but if you record within Instagram reels, you can only record up to 90 seconds) that you can use to share everything from your creative process to a tour of your studio or local village. Although it’s not confirmed whether or not the Instagram algorithm favours reels, they are undoubtedly a powerful tool for reaching new customers.

Tips for Using Reels:

• Show Your Process: People love seeing how things are made. Even a short video of the finishing touches on a piece can be captivating.
• Use Trending Audio: Keep an ear out for trending music or sound clips. Adding popular audio to your Reels can help them reach a wider audience. How to find and use Trending Audio on Instagram
• Incorporate Text and Captions: Lots of people watch Reels without sound, so adding text overlays or captions can make your content more accessible and engaging.

By posting Reels regularly (perhaps aim for once a week or every fortnight?) you can attract a new audience of potential customers and increase the chances of them exploring your profile and then your Folksy shop 😊

Use DMs to Build Relationships

Direct Messages (DMs) are your opportunity to build genuine connections with followers and potential customers. Many people may feel more comfortable reaching out via DMs to ask questions before committing to a purchase, so being approachable and responsive is key. How to send someone a Direct Message on Instagram.

Best Practices for Using DMs:

• A quick response shows builds trust.
• Make sure your responses are clear, concise, professional and friendly.
• If someone leaves a really positive comment on one of your posts or shows particular interest in one of your pieces, it’s ok to send them a DM to thank them for their kind words. A personal message can go a long way to building relationships.
• If you’re running a special offer, you could send a DM to those people who have previously shown interest in a specific piece to say something like: “Hi [Name], just a quick heads-up – I’m running a special on my ceramics this week. I remember you liked my [name of the piece], so I thought I should let you know… just in case.”
• Never be pushy. The aim is to build genuine relationships with people who are interested in what you make.

Final Thoughts

Instagram is a valuable tool for all artists and makers who want to reach new customers, build their community and increase sales. Getting started on Instagram doesn’t have to be daunting. Begin by exploring the platform, following other artists for inspiration, and experimenting with different kinds of content. Over time, you’ll find your own rhythm and learn what works for you. Remember, the key is to create interesting content and engage with other users. Think of it like a conversation where you’re listening to other people, reacting to their stories, and talking to them about what you do too.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments. We’re here to help. Good luck and happy posting! 😊

When you’re ready to go more in-depth, watch our ‘How To Ace Instagram’ webinar with professional photographer and social media manager Georgia de Lotz – free for Folksy Plus members. Or if you’d like tailored help, Georgia is offering an online ‘1:1 Instagram Power Hour‘ to Folksy Plus members for just £100, where you can talk through your Instagram account, get ideas and create a content plan together. Details for both the webinar and the online session are available on your Folksy Plus Events page – https://folksy.com/dashboard/plus-account/events