There are loads of articles and videos about how to grow your Instagram following, but that doesn't directly correlate to getting more work. In this video, I go over how I use Instagram to get booked for ad campaigns.
Social media is not a requirement for commercial photographers. Nevertheless, it is low cost and low energy to use, so unless you are working seven days a week, then you don't really have that much of an excuse to not engage with the platform. As far as I am concerned, Instagram is the best online tool for commercial photographers who are looking to shoot big campaigns. That is not to say that you shouldn't be on LinkedIn too, but this is where I see the biggest return on my time investment.
In the video, I talk about how I attract art buyers, creative directors, and direct clients through the use of my grid and my stories while explaining how to utilize these two main tools that the app offers. I also talk about how to target specific people rather than just looking for general and mass success, which really isn't of much use in our industry.
Unfortunately, this approach takes far more time than simply adding a few thousand followers from the public to your profile, but the generated income from it once you do get noticed by the right people is huge. Outside of showing my book, I would say that this is the single biggest marketing tool that I have for getting new clients or reminding old clients that I still exist and that they should book me.
Got me at the cat mention. Half joking. I've appreciated your forthrightness for some time and this is again an excellent example - thank you.
Cat, with a lot (a lot!) of rescue cats 🤭😁😻
Haha thanks :)
Instagram would be great if you did not need an "Electronic Fly Swatter" to keep the "bots" away. There are sooooo many people on there looking to scam people I feel like I walked into a swamp of mosquitoes.
yeah I have noticed a wave of this recently.