I have played around with instagram and have got to the stage where I am posting photos and have followers. BUT I really not sure about the etiquette and how to promote my shop to the wider population. Everything so far is through trial and error. Any help or tips would be very welcome. Thanks
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I’m in the same position as you. I’ve been on Instagram for ages and I still don’t understand how to get my posts seen by a wider audience. I have about 500 followers - mainly the same people that follow me on Facebook. I try to use appropriate hash tags for my products but I don’t really get many views. My sales are good, because the customers I do have keep coming back for more, but the reach of my posts is very poor, even though I put a lot of time and effort into the photographs. I would like some advice too on how to reach more people.
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Fingers crossed we get some help.
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I think some people successfully use advertising for ‘bought’ views and followers on Instagram (just like Facebook) but it’s not a great strategy. Personally, I’ve found that the only way to have a meaningful presence there is to engage with others and be active as a reader as well as a poster.
I’ve found that it’s a great place for building a supportive community of likeminded makers and for discovering lots of really interesting new makers and artists who all help each other, but you do have to invest your time in making and building those connections.
One effective way to get started could be to take part in the Folksy Friday weekly post. I try to do this as often as possible, but not as often as I’d like as it does take some time to do. You might want to follow the #folksyfriday hashtag on Instagram first to get a feel for the posts and interact with them to build your community up and then when you’re ready to post your own, there are some instructions here about how to do it: What is Folksy Friday and how can I join in?
The Instagram algorithm does seem to have become much more like Facebook since they took it over and if your profile isn’t achieving regular interaction with other profiles, you will drop out of their view, so interacting regularly really is key.
Giveaways do always attract interest, but they do seem to be the one night stands of social media, so not really what you’re looking for! 
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@thecrimsonrabbit thank you so much for taking the time to write this. It is really useful info. I also found this blog if anyone is interested.
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I like IG because you can get really creative with the hashtags in order to connect with different interest groups and communities - but it does take time reading posts and checking out lots of existing hashtags in order to find ones that might work well for your products. I don’t give it as much time as it probably needs, although I do try to do a Folksy Friday board each week and find new shops I haven’t favourited before - I follow the ones I’ve included on the board and hope they’ll follow me back (or maybe even include me in a FF board of their own) and I’m slowly building up followers that way. Whether or not they turn into customers is quite another matter but I’m a big believer in organic networking! I try to post 2/3 my own stuff (and interleave it with the occasional photo of local scenery or something I’ve cooked) and 1/3 cross-promotion of other people’s, mostly through Folksy Friday boards. I also found my local Folksy group (Folksy Southwest) very welcoming and helpful, I was a featured seller of theirs and they often pick up my posts and share them via their stories, so it’s worth figuring out who your local group are and getting in touch with them on IG.
Oh and I agree with Debbie that giveaways are a flash in the pan - you can get a lot of interest but it’s mostly transient. People love getting something for nothing but it doesn’t often translate into coming back and purchasing! I do a weekly ‘destash’ giveaway on my Facebook business page to cheer up people’s Monday mornings - giveaways only really work if you can make them a regular thing (I’ve got a backlog of stuff from a studio clearout so I just put up a random batch each week and do a draw the following week to decide who gets it) but tbh unless you’ve got things you really just want to get shot of, giveaways don’t make much business sense although they do generate lots of goodwill!
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Thank you @LooneySpoons
I have been added to my local folksy group. It’s knowing the etiquette too about what is expected of you eg. Folksy Friday boards.
I think my difficulty is knowing which hashtags to use.
Figuring out the etiquette and promotion game can be a bit tricky, but you’re definitely on the right track by experimenting and learning through trial and error. One tip I’d suggest is to engage authentically with your followers – respond to comments, ask questions in your captions, and share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your shop. As for expanding your reach, have you considered using strategies like collaborating with influencers or utilizing relevant hashtags? By the way, have you thought of the. Cheapest Followers, Likes & Views? I’m curious about its effectiveness. Keep up the great work, and remember, it’s all about connecting with your audience in a meaningful way!
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Thank you @IanPoole I have kept going with Instagram and things are starting to look better. I’ve posted a couple of reels which were great and Folksy have been great when tagged. Still probably not hitting the right mark with the tags . Linking it to Facebook is great too but it links to my personal account instead for my business page…something to try and work out another time.
I found joining in with a community like @thesmallbizshareandsocial really helped. They’re a group of fellow makers, supporting and showcasing makers all for free.
I also recommend a bit of purposeful stalking of other accounts, whose style and approach appeals to you. It’s not about copying them, or getting sucked into the comparison trap. rather it’s about trying to work out what works well for them, and trying it out in your own way.
I do some maker spotlight posts on my blog and social which anyone is welcome to do. Just send me a message and we’ll chat.
Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be video if you don’t want it to be 
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