Tiktok is a great platform to show off your work! It’s got the perfect combination of millions of active users and high-quality content. If you’re an artist, post a few videos on Tiktok to build your audience and gain exposure. Here are some ideas for artists on Tiktok:

Behind the scenes

You can give us a glimpse of your life behind the scenes.

We want to see more than just your art, but also the process that went into making it. Show us what you do behind the scenes, and we’ll be impressed.

Perhaps you’ve got an interesting workspace that helps inspire your work, or maybe you like to show off some of your tools for creating art in progress—it doesn’t matter if it’s messy or organized if it’s functional for you! Your process might include anything from putting together new materials (like wood) to writing down ideas and building out from there.

Materials

This is an obvious one, but worth mentioning. If you’re an artist, or even just someone who enjoys creating things, show your audience what materials you use to create your art! It’s almost like the ultimate realism in a sense—showing people how their favorite artists go about their craft can be so satisfying and educational for them. For example, if I had been able to see how Michelangelo used his tools while painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling, I might have been more interested in becoming a sculptor myself (instead of becoming a marketer). Plus, it gives viewers something to look forward to seeing as they scroll through their feed—and it may even spark some creativity within themselves!

The process

Show the steps of your process from start to finish. For example, if you draw a landscape, show the outline and then color in the details. If you’re an abstract painter, show how you start with a color and then add more shapes to make it interesting. You may choose to show what materials you use for your art (e.g., pencils or paint).

Display the final product. This is where people can see what they’ll get when they buy a piece of your art! Make sure it’s something that looks good as a poster or wall hanging so that people feel like they actually want to hang it up somewhere in their house or office space.

Time lapses

Time lapses are visual representations of how long it takes to complete a task. For example, you can use a time-lapse video to show the transformation of your workspace over the course of a week.

When you’re starting out, it is best to use a simple camera and tripod. If you want more control over the quality of your time-lapse, you can use an app like Hyperlapse or Framelapse to record your creative process and then speed up the footage in post-editing. These apps have built-in stabilization features so that even if there’s some shaking while taking pictures, they will still be smooth and high-quality when played back at normal speed.

Time lapses can be used in different ways. You can show how your drawing changes with every stroke of a pencil or pen, or you could show what happens when you’re painting one part of a canvas after another.

Your workspace

Take a look at your workspace. Are you feeling inspired? Do you recognize the materials lying around?

If so, then this is an obvious choice for TikTok. Why not show off the tools of your trade? Whether it’s wood, clay or paint—the process behind those materials can be just as interesting as what they create. We love seeing how artists work their magic and how different ideas come together to make something beautiful and unique.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a new platform to share your visual art, Tiktok has a lot of potential. It’s easy to use and has a large audience full of people who are interested in seeing what goes on behind the scenes. You can use it to post behind-the-scenes videos or even highlight your process as an artist!

The post Why Visual Artists Should Be Using TikTok appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

Losing followers can be tough. It’s hard to know why the numbers are down, but it’s even harder to bounce back from the loss when you don’t know what happened in the first place. But there is a silver lining here: sometimes losing followers can be a good thing! If your follower count is dropping because of bots or ghost followers or if you’re switching up your content, loosing some followers isn’t necessarily bad news. In fact, it might be just what you need to get back on track and engage with new audiences who are interested in what you have to say.

The quality of your followers is more important than the quantity.

If you’re worried that losing followers is a sign of an imminent social media apocalypse, take some comfort in the fact that quality always trumps quantity.

The quality of your followers is more important than the quantity. This can be measured by a variety of factors:

• How many people follow your account?
• What kind of content do they engage with?
• How often are they engaging with it and how much do they engage with it?
• Are those engagements positive or negative in nature (i.e., likes and comments versus shares)?
• Do people who aren’t following you know about what you have to offer (brand awareness)?

You may have issues with bots following you.

As mentioned above, the standard way to check if you have fake followers is by looking at your Instagram analytics. If you notice an increase in the number of people who are following you or just see that many people are unfollowing you, then it may be time for a little investigating. And it’s not just bots that can cause this issue—bots can also be used to boost your follower count and show more engagement than your audience actually deserves.

If this happens to you, don’t worry too much! We’ll cover how to get rid of them below.

You may have a ghost follower problem.

Ghost followers are accounts that have been inactive for a long time. These follower accounts can be problematic, as they can skew your follower count and even have spammy comments on your posts. The best way to get rid of them is by unfollowing them.

You may lose followers for switching up your content.

You might also see a drop in followers after switching up your content or posting different things. If you’re no longer posting about the things that your followers are interested in, they may decide to stop following you. On the flip side, if you start posting about new topics and get good engagement on these posts, this will encourage people who like what you’re doing to stick around.

Loosing followers isn’t always bad, and in fact could be a good thing if those lost followers are either non-human or not interested in your content

Let’s say you’ve been working hard on your social media strategy, but suddenly your follower count starts to drop. You start to panic. Have you done something wrong? Should you just give up?

Well, maybe not. In fact, losing followers doesn’t always mean that your content isn’t resonating with people—it could also mean that they didn’t click the follow button in the first place because they’re not interested in what you’re posting! That’s why it’s important not to focus on follower growth alone; try looking at engagement rate instead.

Conclusion

I know that it can be frustrating to lose followers, especially when you have worked hard to build up a social media presence. But if you are losing followers because they don’t resonate with your content, then maybe it’s time to reevaluate what kind of account you want to run.

The post Why loosing social media followers isn’t always a bad thing appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

If you’re an artist, Instagram is the perfect place to share your latest work, connect with a supportive community, and gain new fans. But if you’re not sure how to get started making videos (or have only made one or two), I’ve got good news: you don’t have to be an expert filmmaker! All it takes is some creativity and inspiration from other artists who have been at this game for years. That’s why I’ve put together this list of nine content ideas for visual artists on Instagram—each one based on what works for me (and others). They range from simple tips (“Shout out to people in my community”) all the way up to more advanced techniques such as creating an “art tip” series with short videos showing viewers how they can improve their own craft by following along with these step-by-step demonstrations. But regardless of your skill level or comfort level with video technology (or lack thereof), there’s something here that everyone can learn from!

1. How-To Videos

How-to videos are the most popular type of video content for many reasons. They’re easy to follow, helpful for those who are struggling with the same problems you once did, and easy to make.

When making a how-to video, there are two main things to keep in mind: what you’re going to be talking about and how you’re going to talk about it. If it’s your first time making a video like this or even just the first few times making something similar then figuring out what exactly you want your audience members (or viewers) to walk away with is important because that’s what they’ll remember most. And when thinking about how you’ll do this make sure not only does each step have an understandable explanation but also make sure that each step has its own visual element so that there isn’t too much text on the screen at once!

2. Stories from the Studio

Stories from the Studio are an easy way to add personality to your Instagram. They’re a great way to connect with your audience, and they can be as simple as showing off your studio setup or as involved as showing how you work and what inspires you. You can do this by posting photos of projects in progress, works in progress (like sketches), finished pieces of art, or even just the tools and supplies that help you create.

3. Art Tips and Tricks

You can tell your audience how to make their art better with this type of content. Show them how to use different materials, mediums, tools or techniques to create a unique look. If you paint or draw with watercolors, maybe you show them how you create an illustration for a children’s book using that technique. Maybe it’s just something as simple as showing them what brushes you use when creating digital paintings in Photoshop.

4. Artist Q&A

This is a good way to show off your personality and also get some feedback from your followers. You can ask the audience questions about themselves, or you can ask them what they want to see from you.

Ask: What do you want to know about me?

Possible Answers: How long have I been painting? Why did I choose this subject matter? Where do I find inspiration for my work? Which other artists inspire me? What do I like most about being an artist/painter/photographer/etc.? What should I paint next (and why)?”

5. Community shout outs

Shout-outs are a great way to show your community that you appreciate them. If you have a lot of followers, this can be especially effective for getting new followers and growing your audience. You can also use this space to include the artists who inspire you or people that helped contribute to the success of your work.

Shout-outs are similar to giving kudos in person, but they’re less personal so they’re more accessible than if you were actually saying it out loud or writing them into an email (which most people don’t do anymore). You’ll also be able to find those shout-outs easily when searching through Instagram because it will list everything under one hashtag with no need for further explanation like “#shoutout” or “#shoutouts” which means less time spent hunting through comments while still being able to see something important without having go back through all previous posts from each artist involved as well as other content creators who may have been mentioned during those conversations over time.

6. Product Unboxing, Review or Demo

If you’re a visual artist, there’s no better way to show off your work than through the lens of a well-made Instagram Reel. Unboxing videos have become so popular that there are now literally dozens of YouTube channels dedicated to them. Check out @unboxtherapy for some inspiration!

In addition to unboxing and review videos, it’s also possible—and common practice—to create individualized product demos for each item in your shop. For example, if you sell handcrafted jewelry on Etsy or at craft fairs, you could make an individualized demo video showing how to wear the piece and where it would be worn best.

7. What I’m Doing Right Now, or Day in the Life

This is a great way to showcase your creative process, whatever that may look like. If you’re working on a new series, capture images of the pieces as they progress from start to finish. If you are at the point in your career where you have finished work that is available for purchase, include images from your studio wall or from shows where it was displayed.

If you’re a hobbyist and not making any money off of your craft, share photos of things that inspire you or remind of the joys art brings into your life (or just plain make fun stuff).

8. Showcase Your Own Art, Posting a New Piece Every Few Days

This is a simple way to build an Instagram following. Posting a new piece of art every few days, or even once each week, will help you showcase your work and get people interested in your style. If you have multiple pieces that are similar in style and medium, consider posting them all together as one collection. For example, if you’re painting with oils on canvas but also do sculpture work with clay and wire—showcase those different styles all at once!

This strategy works best when combined with other strategies like posting interesting process shots or making behind-the-scenes videos.

Conclusion

We hope this list has helped you get some ideas for your own Instagram reel videos. Remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect or polished, it just needs to be honest and authentic. Our goal is always to connect with people on an emotional level and make them feel like they know us personally (or at least get a good chuckle). We hope you can use our tips as a starting point for creating your own content!

The post Instagram Reels Content Ideas for Visual Artists appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

“I’m not a sales person”

This is a common misconception. You are not selling your art, you’re simply sharing and promoting it. The difference between selling and sharing is often in the mindset of the artist.

The best way to change your mindset about marketing is by reminding yourself that it’s not about you as an artist or what you have to say; it’s all about the audience receiving something from you that will aid them in their journey toward making art or becoming more creative themselves.

There are many examples of artists who hated marketing their work at first but eventually saw its value, including Pablo Picasso, who said: “I do not seek, I find.”

“It’s just so awkward”

Artists don’t like to talk about themselves. It feels awkward for them to do so, and they don’t want to be seen as greedy or unappreciative of their work. The irony is that by not marketing their art, artists are actually being unappreciative of it.

The solution? Make marketing your art part of your creative process. Promote your latest piece in a blog post on an artist website, or tweet out pictures from the studio when you’re working on something new! If you can’t bear the thought of talking about yourself, ask someone else close to you (like a friend or partner) if they’d be willing to help out with social media posts and other forms of promotion so that marketing doesn’t feel like such a chore for you.

“I just want to make art and not think about it after that!”

When you’re trying to create art, you’re in a very vulnerable state. You need space and time to focus on your creative process without distraction. You want to put everything into the work itself and not be pulled away by things like marketing or sales.

Artists often feel overwhelmed by “the business” aspect of their work—it can be difficult for them to figure out how best to promote themselves and their art, especially if they haven’t been trained on these skills yet (which many haven’t). This is one reason why many artists choose self-publishing: they enjoy the freedom it provides them with when it comes down to promoting their books independently rather than handing this responsibility over exclusively to a publisher or agent who may or may not have any knowledge about how best promote an author’s book online today.

For some creators, this feeling of being overwhelmed by “the business” goes beyond just creating content—and extends into other areas like making sure there are systems in place so that someone else could take over if something happened unexpectedly during production or distribution processes that could leave everyone involved at risk financially if something went wrong!

“I don’t want to be pushy or aggressive.”

This is a common fear of artists. They don’t want to be pushy or aggressive, because they don’t want to seem like they’re just trying to make a sale. But being authentic is important in marketing your art and yourself as an artist, so it’s important that you find the right balance between being pushy and aggressive, and being personable. You need to be able to sell your art without sounding like you’re just selling “the product.” Instead, focus on who you are as an artist and how your work reflects that identity.

An artist’s identity is important and being an artist is usually not compatible with being an aggressive salesperson.

When you’re an artist, your identity is important. You need to be able to separate yourself from your art so that you can make the most of it. Artists are not salespeople; they have something more important to offer than just a few minutes of entertainment for someone who isn’t interested in it. Your art should speak for itself and have a message that resonates with whoever sees it—it shouldn’t feel like a generic advertisement trying to get someone’s attention (if only because the person who made it would probably be offended by that).

Being an artist does not mean being an aggressive salesperson who forces their work on people indiscriminately, but many artists think they do because they see themselves as having something valuable or meaningful enough that other people should want to buy into it or learn more about it. This perception makes them want to share their work with everyone they meet—and while this may seem like a good idea at first glance, if you’re always pushing yourself on others without taking time away from creating new works or engaging with those who already appreciate what you create, then there’s no room left over for growth or community building!

Want to learn more? Check out this amazing guide by Porch titled “How to Build Your Online Presence as an Artist”.

The post 5 Reasons Why Artists Hate Marketing Their Art appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

You can’t explain it, but suddenly your lives seem to intersect in this weird way. And there’s something really magical about that.

That’s how we felt when we listened to jsin’s music.

It’s music that makes you feel as if you’re on a journey with someone else. It’s reassuring, it’s comforting, and it’s also not afraid to make a statement about the times we live in.

You may have heard of jsin if you live in Toronto—he’s been making big waves in the city lately with his debut album Surrender. But even if you don’t live here, it’s time for you to get familiar.

jsin is a musician, and like many artists and creative entrepreneurs, he’s spent years trying to make it as a musician. But as a performer, he knows that building an audience is all about connection.

So jsin got to work creating social media accounts for his music, but he quickly found that posting on social media had become a chore. He was trying to post at random times throughout the day, whichever stories came to him first, and it wasn’t working.

After tirelessly working on his new EP, jsin wanted to release his music out into the world in a meaningful way. He pulled together music videos, lined up a few media interviews and started working with a major publicist in the music industry. He reached out to The Social Media Artist team for help to manage his Instagram as it was the platform that was the most effective for him and his music.

Problem

jsin wanted to reach more fans through social media and maximize his visibility on Instagram. The visualization of his brand was already in place, but he required help in developing a strategy that would communicate the right messages and reach the right audiences.

The challenges jsin faced included:

• Creating a social media strategy for Instagram that included posting for stories, IG reels and posts.
• Creating a brand identity on Instagram that matched jsin’s existing music brand.
• Finding the balance between personal and promotional posts to keep audiences engaged.
• Learning how to manage Instagram independent of a marketing agency.

Solution

Our work with jsin started by establishing his brand voice. It was important that his brand would feel like it fit jsin’s unique way of connecting with the world. We used Canva templates to help maintain consistency for his feed—but we also researched the kinds of hashtags that were trending in the music scene in Toronto. This allowed us to help jsin grow his following by joining in on conversations already taking place among musicians and fans.

We helped him create a posting schedule that would help him grow his audience in a more intentional way. Instead of scrambling to come up with posts on the fly, we came up with a plan together and created content that he could use each week. Our strategies incorporated ideas and images from jsin’s own life so that the posts felt authentic to who he is and what his music represents. We also focused on building trust with his followers by encouraging him to show more of himself behind the scenes—we’re talking childhood posts, mental health awareness and personal stories.

We made sure that each post on Instagram had a distinct purpose: meditative lyrics videos featured jsin’s songs playing over soothing video backgrounds, while we encouraged his followers to play games with him on his stories. In this way, he was able to connect directly with his audience—and it helped him become known as an artist who cared about other people.

Results

• Engagement increased by 536.1%!
• Followers resonated with jsin’s personal posts and shared their own stories with him
• A clear content plan including a content calendar with ideas for Instagram posts and stories as well as video and image templates that jsin can continue to use to connect with his fan base!

Now, jsin has an engaged audience of fans who are excited about his music and are ready for more! Here’s what he had to say about working with us:

“My main challenge was figuring out what/when to post. Lara helped me out with putting a plan together for the month and even created content that was published as per the plan. Lara was curious, thoughtful and thorough in getting to know me as an artist, giving me content ideas to build on and always making sure I was happy with it. Easy and a pleasure to work with.” 

jsin, Musician

We are so excited to see what the future holds for jsin! He is a talented artist who is passionate about connecting with his audiences. We have had an amazing time working with him and we can’t wait to hear his new album. Check him out here.

Sometimes as an artist, you may not have the funds to work with a marketing agency – and that’s okay! As long as you have a plan in place and a bit of time each week, you can manage your social media on your own. Let us help you strategize, create templates and take the heavy work off you so you know exactly what to post on social. We’d love to help, tell us about your art here.

The post Case Study: How We Helped A Musician Reach More Fans Online appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

What do you love most about the Canadian Winter? Maybe you’re a fan of curling up in a cozy blanket with a book and a hot chocolate… or what about walking through gently falling snow with your fingers slowly freezing as they clutch a refreshingly cold ice cream cone?

No? So you can see how an ice cream store might have a problem here. How do you drive more customers to an Ice Cream Shop in the winter? At the Social Media Artist, we’re a bunch of very outside-the-cone creative thinkers, so we came up with two unique solutions to warm people up to the idea of eating frozen desserts in the cold weather. First, we went visual and turned their Instagram grid into a game. Then, we went experiential and had an ice cream photoshoot in the snow.

Problem:

How do you drive more customers to an Ice Cream Shop in the winter?

Solution One: Gamify It.

• We created a holiday themed campaign to roll out over the month of December
• We gamified the experience of visiting the Ice Cream Shop’s Instagram page by creating a holiday advent calendar with a new post going up every day. Each post included a short video with a door opening. Behind some of the doors were jokes, while some of them had an announcement for a new giveaway contest followers could enter by commenting on the post. This provided a reason for their Instagram audience to keep going back for more!

Results:

• Consumer engagements and profile views soared, as the Instagram audience was excited to check the grid for a new door to open each day, and would comment and tag friends in order to enter the draw on prize days. Before, the client was getting an average of 11 profile visits each day, and after the campaign we saw this increase to an average of 24 visits per day with their engagement rate increasing by 82%.
• We tagged the winners on Instagram Stories, and they shared these posts to their own networks which increased followers by 5% as more people found out about the Advent calendar campaign. A direct message with an image of a redeemable coupon was also sent to the winner, and this was the message they were to show at the shop to claim their prize.
• Prizes included coupons for BOGO desserts, cake for two, and free ice cream, so winners were encouraged to bring friends along when they claimed their prize. This drove consumer traffic to the store, which created more opportunities for social media posts as winners would post their very Instagrammable desserts and tag the shop to say thank you.

Solution Two: Steer into the Cold.

• We came up with a catchy hashtag and created a series of posts about how a “true Canadian” still eats ice cream in the snow, and challenged followers to embrace the cold and tag us in their photos
• We planned a photoshoot where the models wore summer clothes while posing in the snow with the client’s ice cream and branding. As a team of artists, we were able to round up a diverse group of models, performers, and dancers, and had a successful winter photoshoot that included both snowball fights and sundresses!

Results:

• This campaign launched in February, which was usually a very quiet month at the Ice Cream Shop with less user-generated content to share. These photos provided the client with shareable content of customers enjoying the product and interacting with the brand, so their Instagram feed stayed current and populated with faces during the slower season.
• We tagged the models in the new posts, and they were quick to share the posts to their own networks and talk about their experience at the unique photoshoot. This increased engagement and followers, and generated buzz around the campaign and the brand. We also provided each of the models with a few professional photos from their individual shoots so they could post and tag the Ice Cream Shop on their own pages.

The post Case Study: Ice Cream Shop appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

Follow other accounts in your niche, or related to the topic of your film.

This will help you to find potential customers and fans. Is your film an indie horror? Why not try following accounts that post horror films. For example you can use hashtags like #horrorr or #indiehorrofilm to make it easier for people who are interested in the same genre of filmmaking as you

Comment and like photos from other users who have followed you back .

This is a very powerful way of “paying it forward”. Just be sure to comment on photos that are relevant and posts which resonate with you. You don’t want to spam someone’s feed, just like every single post they put up!

Like other people’s images in your niche or related topics – do not copy paste captions!

Include your film title as a hashtag in all of your posts to form a branded film hashtag

Stay on top of your hashtag game!

Hashtag tags are popular online and in social media. They are a great way to keep track of all the content you post, as well as find new people who might enjoy what you have to offer or want to promote their own work with similar interests.

Instagram has millions of users, so by tagging posts that relate your film, it can help gain more exposure for your filmmaking skills.

Always include #yourfilmtitle in every post in order to build hype. Whenever someone looks up that hashtag, all of your posts will appear – this is great for brand awareness!

Some examples of other hashtags one could use include #horrorr or #indiehorrofilm if they make films specifically about horror movies. Someone else may prefer something like #filmmakingtips if they cover filmmaking tips and tricks on Instagram. The main thing is being creative when coming up with your hashtags. It is a good idea to mix up at least five different hashtags in each post so that people have some variety when viewing your content. For example: #filmtitle, #filmmaking #behindthescenes #actorlife #filmgenre

Connect with other filmmakers on Instagram by following their accounts and commenting on their photos.

Connecting with other filmmakers is important for building your network in person and online. Send them private messages if they don’t respond – most of the time it’s just because they’re busy working away at the editing suite!

You can also use a platform like Instafollow to help you find and follow back other filmmakers.

Create a plan for posting

Decide what type of content to post (videos vs pictures) when you want to post it, how many times per day you want to post it, etc.

Following a proper plan will help you stay on top of your online marketing.

Know your audience and what type of content they like to see

This can be as simple as scrolling through other Instagram accounts related to filmmaking, or following hashtags that are popular in the filmmaking industry.

Post your film’s trailer on Instagram as well! You could even post the full-length version of your movie if it is just too long for a quick, short video clip. Your followers will appreciate being able to watch something

Include photos from filming, behind-the-scenes shots, and stills from the trailer 

Be creative with the type of content you post on your Instagram account. If you’re constantly selling your film, your audience may lose interest. Instead, try posting a couple of photos about filmmaking, or a behind-the-scenes shot for your next Instagram account.

It’s okay to post promotional content on your Instagram profile too! But be sure that you don’t overdo it and annoy people with constant self-promotional posts. Instead, try posting one or two promotions per month – just enough to keep followers interested in the latest updates from you but not so much as they feel like they’re being spammed by advertisements. Offer discounts occasionally; give away free tickets/downloads every now and then to encourage followers who are interested but can’t afford them at the moment.

Engage your followers

Engage with followers by liking their posts, commenting on them, or even sending them a direct message asking what they thought about your film. Share their posts if you enjoyed them.

Eventually, your followers will reciprocate and interact with yours in a cycle of mutual liking and commenting that can give your feed some life outside of the promotional content.

Follow influencers and film distributors

Find and follow other filmmaking accounts on Instagram, as well as the account of your film distributor. When you post a new photo or video clip from your project, tag them so they can like and comment for promotion purposes.

Look at what’s trending in filmmaking

Be aware of what is going viral within the filmmaking community to see if there are any trends that could be applied to promote your work. For example, one popular hashtag/meme right now seems to be #FilmmakerProblems which allows people who face similar challenges (such as not having enough budget for a dream shot) feel less alone while also providing an easy way for others to reach out with support; it might make sense to use this hashtag when promoting your narrative films.

Keep your content fresh

One final tip is to keep your content fresh. It might be tempting to throw in a bunch of pictures from the same event or shoot, but it’s important that you’re also sharing photos with people who haven’t seen them before and are likely more engaged because they don’t know what will come next. Experiment with different themes for each post—perhaps one day you’ll share filmmaking-related quotes about filmmaking, another time could be highlighting talented crew members on your team, then maybe doing a photo essay series on the making of an individual scene. The possibilities are endless! Finally: outside promotion is key to success as well; make sure you have social media handles displayed at any screenings where possible so viewers can follow along on their own devices

The post 10 Easy Ways to Use Instagram for Filmmakers appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

We designed a new Instagram layout for them, positioning posts with inspiring quotes, upcoming events, and staff profiles into a beautiful pattern of brand colours, matching graphics, and a consistent clean aesthetic. We received glowing feedback from staff, and after a few months, their followers would also comment on posts to say how much they loved the graphics and inspiring content! On Facebook, we shared similar content, but added in links to relevant articles, events, and news reports. We started to see more engagements, comments, and shares as the client’s followers began to trust them as a reputable source for content that they could share with their own friends and family.

This company was particularly concerned about their rating on Google reviews. As a Healthcare Centre that often received very emotionally charged patient interactions, they were worried that their Google reviews did not reflect their company accurately. Patients that had a negative experience were more likely to write a review because they were looking for a space to complain, and they drowned out the patients who had posted positive reviews.

Here’s how our team took on the challenge:

Problem:

A healthcare centre was looking to build followers and engage their clients through social media in order to foster an online community and improve Google reviews.

Solution:

• Our team created a consistent Instagram grid aesthetic that boosted the professional image of the company.
• We shared posts from the surrounding health care community on both Facebook and Instagram to create relationships and build followers.
• We reached out to past clients for their personal success stories and testimonials, and we shared this content as graphics and longer videos to tell their story journey.
• These past clients were also encouraged to share their positive experience on Google reviews.

Results:

• Organically building a community of supportive followers around this healthcare centre inspired genuine supportive comments and reviews, and we observed a continued increase in followers each month on their social media platforms.
• Creating the personal patient journey videos generated excitement among the healthcare centre’s followers to contribute and receive them as a keepsake of their journey. They would comment on each other’s videos and share them with their family and friends by reposting the video on their own social media platforms. These videos helped past and present patients feel seen and recognized during their own healthcare journeys. 
• After 2 years of consistent posting, their followers increased by 64% on Facebook, and their Instagram following quadrupled in size, growing from an almost brand new account to over 1000 followers who engage at an average rate of 8% per post. 
• The Healthcare Centre received more positive reviews and their Google rating improved by one full star.

The Social Media Artist Team has been working closely with this client for over 2 years and is consistently pouring in ideas for posts, writing passionate captions and creating new designs and videos that visually represent the Healthcare Centre’s unique brand story. Building engagements through sharing patient journey videos and testimonials have not only improved their Google rating, but have uniquely brought their followers together in a community of past, present, and future patients of the Healthcare Centre. Their social media platforms have become a place for staff and patients to connect and support each other on their unique journeys.

The post Case Study: Social Media for Healthcare appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

By Meredith Wolting: Meredith is a graphic designer and content creator at The Social Media Artist. She is a freelance artist who works throughout Toronto, designing sets, props, and costumes for theatre and film. See her work at www.meredithwolting.com

If you’ve lost work during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be unsure of what your future as an artist is going to look like. Sure, you’ve been working on some stuff just for fun, but what about making an income? How do you keep advertising your services when you aren’t working in your regular way? We’ve put together a list of ways for you to keep your social media presence fresh to help you generate business.

1. Play with Social Platforms

There are so many different options to keep your audience engaged through regular posts, ephemeral content (stories) and videos. Create a Poll for your audience to vote on. Would your followers rather see a daytime or night time look makeup tutorial? Start a Tik Tok account to make videos with other dancers or singers. Do a trivia game about your performance experience by using the Quiz button on Instagram Stories. Give your followers a studio tour through a series of images or a short video. Do a “Day in the Life” Instagram Story series about how you stay creative in quarantine.

2. Go LIVE

Hype it up. Announce your Facebook or Instagram Live a few days in advance and tell your audience to comment their questions or suggestions of what they’d like to see. If you’re doing a virtual concert, ask them what songs they’d like to hear you perform. For a live drawing session, ask them to vote on a character for you to create fan art of.

3. Collaborate

Which artists inspire you? Team up with another artist and enhance both of your work with a collaboration. Recently, I had a writer connect with me asking for graphics to go with her recorded poetry slam. I made some simple animations out of the words and we ended up creating a lyric video. Collaborate with someone who has different skills than you do, so you’ll both have something fresh to share and can advertise for each other.

4. Mix it up

Combine your different skills. Are you a painter who likes to write? Do a simple painting and hand letter some inspiring words on top of it. Have you been doing some epic #QuarantineCooking? Make a special dish and see how your plate presentation skills can enhance the flavours visually. Transport your audience to another land through photography paired with a soundscape you’ve created. This is a great way to stand out from your competitors and reach a wider audience by appealing to fans of art forms.

5. Contests

Have you ever done a giveaway? It’s a great way to get your followers excited about your work with an incentive! Encourage your audience to share your work and tag their friends for an entry into a contest to win something created by you. Maybe you’ll write a silly song for the winner, draw a caricature of them, or send them a gift certificate to use for your services when it’s safe to book in person sessions again.

6. Show Previous Work.

Bring back #ThrowbackThursday and show off something you’re really proud of from the beginning of your career. Start an #artpostponed series where you share something about a project you started before COVID-19 shut things down. What was it becoming? I’ve noticed that my own audience loves to see process photos, because it makes them feel like they’re going on the creative journey with me and it encourages them to come back later to see the finished piece.

7. Shout Out Another Creative.

We’ve all been affected by COVID-19 one way or another. Give a fellow artist a social media shout out! Tag them and share your favourite piece of theirs, and tell your audience why you appreciate this artist so much. Maybe they’ll do the same for you!

8. Offer Virtual Classes.

You’ve got skills, and people would love to learn from you. Figure out how virtual classes could work for you and start advertising your services!

Some artform specific ideas to get you started:

Actors: start a podcast in which you read a chapter of a novel for each episode, do a live script reading with other actors, record a monologue, or record a video call with a scene partner

Musicians: livestream a concert from your living room, record songs with other artists, or record a song on your own by layering harmonies and instruments over yourself.

Visual artists: host a virtual art show or drawing class, announce a sale or a special offer for your work, or create a new graphic advertising your services.

Dancers: host a live dance class, get creative on Tik Tok, or start a series of technique tutorial videos showing how to do specific moves.

Filmmakers: write a screenplay that actors can self-tape their scenes for and then piece it all together, write a monologue and have an actor record it to share on their platforms, or shoot a short film on your own.

Photographers: advertise virtual photoshoots! You can take photos via video chat by instructing your client where to place lights and how to pose.

Writers: share excerpts of previously published work, share a teaser of something coming or something they can buy, or do a live reading of something you’re particularly proud of.

The world may be on pause, but art never stops. The best way to keep marketing yourself during these uncertain times is to keep sharing your work! Your social media audience and potential clients won’t forget you if they see that you are still committed to your craft, even in the darkest of times. Thank you for being an inspiring light of creativity!

The post 8 Ways to Market Yourself as an Artist During a Pandemic appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.

No stranger to growing pains, the relatively new app featured major controversies along its road to success.  Back in 2019, Tik Tok was accused of censoring pro-Hong Kong protest videos, and banning LGBTQ content. It was even investigated by the Foreign Investment Committee in the U.S., which investigated whether the app posed a threat to its citizens.

Despite being faced with harsh skepticism in the last couple of years, the app has managed to continue growing, with popular accounts from likes of many celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Marshmellow, and Jason Derulo. Whether it be rehearsing a new dance challenge or creating lip-sync videos, it’s become a notable recognized pass time and continues to grow in its user base. This is especially true during the time of lockdown. It has grown in record numbers, surpassing 200 million downloads for its first quarter of 2020. Given the reliance on mobile devices during these challenging times, it comes as no surprise that content creation would also fall into the mix. It has largely expanded its userbase to include Millennials, Gen X and even Boomers, who are at the forefront of all the social media action. This is slated to continue far into 2020, perhaps capturing a market share it would have otherwise been missed out on.

There are a few key differentiators that make this social media platform stand out from the rest. Firstly, the editing process is crystal clear. Unlike other software or even social platforms whereby, video editing isn’t the most affordable or the learning curve is steep. Tik Tok completely removed these barriers, allowing users to edit videos with ease. Secondly, the largest differentiator is the closely monitored algorithm that allows it to produce a dashboard that features the latest content that has been uploaded to the platform irrespective of who the user follows. This means that a user does not have to have hundreds or even thousands of follows to go viral. This key differentiator is what provides this app an edge

The largest differentiator is the closely monitored algorithm that allows it to produce a dashboard that features the latest content that has been uploaded to the platform irrespective of who the user follows.

Despite the challenging environment, Tik Tok has seen incredible gains in the past few months. Its social media footprint continues to grow, and potentially morph into a social media giant – something very few in the industry may have predicted.   Will Tik Tok continue to reach audiences beyond Gen Z after the pandemic is over? How will advertisers fit into the picture and will allowing sponsored content change the nature of the platform? Only time will tell, for now, we see huge potential.

Guest blog by Gia Gill. Gia is an experienced marketing communications professional based in Toronto.

The post The Rise of Tik Tok in the Age of Quarantine appeared first on Social Media Marketing for Creatives.