Should I send direct messages to people who follow me on Instagram?

Absolutely—sending a direct message to every new follower is a powerful technique that doesn’t scale, making it perfect for artists building their business. When someone follows you, click through to their profile, learn a bit about them from their photos, and send them a personalized message. Thank them for following and ask a genuine question, such as what about your art convinced them to follow you. Many people won’t respond, but that’s fine—you’re building relationships with those who do. These conversations can blossom over time, with followers becoming commenters, then engaged fans, and eventually buyers. It takes work, but it’s incredibly effective for starting real human connections.

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Asked by an artist growing their social media presence · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2017-06-12