Why am I not selling on Instagram?
Have you been dedicating loads of time to Instagram, but not getting the art sales you should be? You’ve been watching as other artists are selling out of new releases, while you are struggling to sell even a few? You are not alone.
While Instagram is an excellent tool for building relationships and gaining exposure, it shouldn't be your main sales channel. In this article, we'll explore why artists shouldn't rely on Instagram for sales, how it can be downright dangerous to base an art business only on Insta, and why building an email list will secure your art career.
Why Instagram Isn't Enough
Firstly, Instagram is an algorithm-driven platform, which means that not all of your followers will see your posts. It is currently estimated that only 6% of your followers see your posts. This is tiny! So many of us are spending way too long focusing on content that so few people actually see.
Only 6% of your Instagram followers see your posts. (WHAT!?!)
Secondly, Instagram is not set up as an e-commerce platform. While it allows you to showcase your work and drive traffic to your website, the platform is not designed to handle transactions. You have to set it up the right way to have it well integrated, and this isn’t easy for everyone.
Why is Instagram dangerous to base your art business on?
It’s a tough call, but I will talk about this until the cows come home. Instagram is not your long term technology-friend. Now, Instagram is great, but remember, it is a free tool and Insta can change the rules of engagement on you at any time, including shutting down you account with no return. Have you ever seen people who used to have over 100K followers, they did something Instagram thought was wrong (and artists do this all of the time, because often we are at the edge on social, political, human issues), and then their account was cancelled. There is no one to appeal to. Those people simply had to start again. From scratch.
Yes. Your account can be closed down. Just. Like. That. And you have no control over it. Suddenly, you have no access to your following that you invested SO much time to create.
Also, relying solely on Instagram means that you're at the mercy of the platform's ever-changing algorithms and policies. Dancing in reels anyone? A change in the algorithm or a policy update can significantly impact your reach and sales, leaving you vulnerable to sudden drops in engagement and revenue, and trying to figure out how it next wants you to perform (literally).
Not great, right?
But imagine if you used Instagram to get email subscribers? Now, that would be a very different story.
You could invite them all to join your new account and you would be back in no time.
But there are so many more reasons to focus on building your email list…
Why You Should Focus on Building an Email List
Building an email list is the best way for artists to build a loyal following of potential and actual art buyers. By collecting the email addresses of your audience, you can communicate with them directly and build a relationship based on trust and mutual interest.
Best of all, this is an asset that you own, and cannot be suddenly deleted. Unless of course you do that yourself. [Lesson learned: regularly back up your email list. Seriously. You will thank me.]
With an email list, you have full control over your communication and can send messages and offers directly to your subscribers. This direct line of communication means that you're not dependent on a third-party platform like Instagram to reach your audience. Plus, email marketing has been shown to have a higher conversion rate than social media marketing, meaning that you're more likely to make sales through email than through Instagram. The average open rate for an email by an artist is 41%. I’ve created emails that had a 75% open rate. That is impossible to achieve on social platforms.
A benchmark for how many people you should have in your list can differ by niche. Right now, most product companies are saying that for every 1 person on their email list, they make $1 per month in sales. So to make $10,000 in sales per month, product based companies need about 10,000 people on their email list. The good news is, art is different. We can have WAY less people on our list to be earning more.
Here is my #1 big secret
Include people on your email list who love what you do and are prepared to share with with their audience too. For example, if you create art focused on nature, you could invite people who run nature focused groups to your email list and encourage them to share what you do. I share more about how to do this really well in The Full Time Artist Formula.
Tips for Building an Email List
Offer something of value: Offer a free download, a desktop wallpaper with your art, run a competition, a free giveaway, access to events, first access to your art releases, or exclusive content in exchange for your audience's email addresses.
Make it easy to sign up: Add a sign-up form to your website and social media channels to make it easy for people to join your list. If you only have one link in your Instagram bio, make it your sign up link.
Consistency is key: Send regular emails to your list to keep them engaged and interested in your work. Include images of your art, studio shots, process videos and ensure there is a ‘click to action’ in every email.
Personalize your messages: Use your subscribers' names and personalize your messages to build a relationship based on trust and connection.
Don't be spammy: Be respectful of your subscribers' inboxes and don't bombard them with too many emails or sales pitches. You want to be giving them value 80-90% of the time and selling only 10-20% of the time.
Stop dancing for Instagram. Grow your email list instead.
While Instagram can be a valuable tool for building your brand and gaining exposure, and is a useful part of an artists marketing strategy, building an email list is what actually gets you sales. This is because it allows you to communicate directly with your audience and build a relationship over the long term. Importantly, it is your most important sales asset in your business.
Imagine if suddenly you couldn’t access your Instagram account. What would you do?
What if suddenly Instagram started charging you to send DMs to your followers? It’s the way lots of social media is making their income, including LinkedIn (Sales Navigator on LinkedIn costs $900 per year to search and message people). So I would be expecting it to happen. Would you be stuck?
If you were to take action on one thing to help your art business today, this is it.
So, stop dancing for Mark Zuckerberg (but keep dancing for yourself!) and start building that email list today. Take back control of your art business!
Want to know more about building your email list?
We do a deep dive into getting an email list full of your Ideal Art Buyers in The Full Time Artist Formula: 7 Steps to Quitting Your Day Job and Pursuing Your Passion.
Are you an artist looking to turn your passion into a full-time career? This art business course provides you with the formula you need to transition from a part-time artist to a full-time professional. This online course includes what actually works and leaves out the time wasting stuff that will keep you in your day job for longer than necessary.