Instagram for Female Artists on creating spiritual art, just 2 simple strategies

Hello friends,

Welcome back to my blog. Hope you all are well!

I am writing to you from my dining/working table in my little studio here in Auckland. It is a cold morning and I am a little bit under the weather. So I am planning to stay at home all day. Well, I did go out for a walk to see the sunrise and decided that was all the fresh air I need for the cold day lol.

So, Instagram has been a pretty big part of my business since forever. I have at least 3 or 4 instagram accounts for different purposes. One was my personal and old art account @sierra.illustration - most of my commission jobs came from this one. Others are a community i run and a shared art account with my bestie. My main one which is @innerbeautybysierra is for my business Inner Beauty By Sierra. I created this one in 2021, actually I recycled it from my old account of posting unfinished art and odd projects. Anyway, this one is the one I put in the most effort and kinda have some strategies along the way. Later on, I realise there are 2 strategies that keeps working quite well for me.

Today, I will share with you my story with @innerbeautybysierra that goes from 2k to 14k+ in 3 months. In 2021, this account I run was slowly getting some love from strangers to get up to 2k or so. VERY SLOWLY. As I was also figuring things out for my business. I didnt really know my art style yet. I wanted to make an impact and resonate with people through my art but it took me a long long time to find out how to connect with online audience of absolute strangers.

• First strategy: narrow down my target audience and really focus on them.
  

At the beginning of my art journey, I know that I want to create art that speaks to women: spiritual women - awaken ones, perhaps through yoga and meditation informative art. My account gets a little attention from this range of audience. But it was still too broad. I have learn that when we try to create something for everyone, it becomes nothing for anyone. It just wasn't specific enough.

So, I really narrow it down to create art & message for women like me. Whatever I write and draw - the message is for myself firstly to deal with all of my struggles either past or present struggles. And my audience is women that around my age, maybe a little younger or a little older. And it started to work. What I love the most is actually not the number of followers but the messages that people DM me on their opinions, similar experiences or simply just to say how much they love my art/messages. That when I know it works.

• Second strategy: consistency through showing your projects & process ( one at a time)
  

Consistency is another key factor. Just look at any successful business, either your local nail salon or favourite restaurant. For me, I would not come back to a restaurant if their service or food is not consistent. I just don't know what to expect and that is like gambling with my time and money. I would not recommend that service to friends neither. The opposite will go to good and consistent service. Same to online platform like instagram.

How to be consistent is how to be yourself firstly. If you try to be something you are not, the next time won't be the same as the first time. It will reveal itself somehow. It is great to pursue an aesthetic approach but if it is something you have to really set up 90%, only 10% natural effort then it won't be sustainable. I have learned this from my old art account. I was too fixed on one colour palette, it wasn't even my most favourite one. It was the trendy boho stuff. I couldn't keep up obviously. So, be true to yourself. It is okay to have a colourful feed. Whatever it is that most natural to you will also be more sustainable.

I post almost everyday. Because I enjoy it. When I feel tired, or don't feel like social media, I don't post. There are times when I only post 1 -2 per week and recycled my old posts. And that was totally fine. It doesn't hurt my engagement with the audience or the instagram algorithm (whatever that is, I don't know and never try to learn the algorithm - I d rather spend that time onto creating good art). Step back when you feel like it is too much. Instagram could affect us emotionally for sure. We could bite into that habit of always seeking for approval for our art or our decisions. Social media is not the best place to hangout all day so do it wisely for your mental wellness. Remember that everything you truly need would come from within, not the outside world.

The other important thing that helps me be consistent with my content is to have a project and share it with the world. Share the process, share the test, the product, the art, anything you want to share. MY PROJECT IS CREATING MY ORACLE DECK. So I post a new art every 2-3 days that was part of the deck. I post the process, some inspirational pictures, things that inspired me. The 2nd artwork I created for my deck was the tipping point when my instagram took off. Because my oracle deck is created for my audience so it speaks to them. And the project keeps me going, keeps my audience participating in being part of my journey. It is fun and fulfilling! Then 14k+ followers happened like a bonus for what is already a fun journey for me.

And that were the 2 simple strategies when it comes to Instagram for me, someone who draws and writes on the subject of spiritual practices & spiritual development.

I hope that helps.

Love,

Sierra