<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nPost Regularly and Consistently<\/h2>\n
Creating a reliable schedule for your content can feel overwhelming, especially if you have a full time job and other responsibilities in your life. Posting consistently lets your audience know that you are active and invested in your Spreadshop<\/a>. It also makes you more likely to beat the beast that can be the Instagram algorithm.<\/p>\n Depending on which site you go to for information, they\u2019ll recommend posting at least once a day or at certain times for optimal engagement. Just because a site tells you 10 a.m. on Tuesdays is the best time to post, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that will be a good time for your followers. You should have an idea of what they respond to based on what posts get the most likes and comments, and what times of the day those little affirmative actions are coming in.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have the time to go into Instagram and post individually, social calendar services like Hootsuite<\/a> or Sprout<\/a> make it easy for you to link your Instagram – and even other socials like Twitter and Facebook – to schedule posts anytime of day for weeks in advance and get ahead of the Instagram algorithm. I\u2019ve used them in the past and found them to be really beneficial and easy to work with.<\/p>\n But before you go out mapping a whole social schedule, maybe try to keep posting like you normally do for a few days to see what your followers are responding to, and if that’s changed since you last checked. You can schedule out posts to your heart\u2019s content, but it won\u2019t make much of a dent unless your content is bold, beautiful and represents YOU.<\/p>\n Showing people what the merch in your shop looks like is the most effective way to drive sales, but how you go about doing it determines where the Instagram algorithm puts your post on peoples\u2019 feeds. It\u2019s not enough to lay a shirt on a table and snap a photo anymore – you have to bring another element into play. That can include using graphic design, or putting yourself in the literal picture.<\/p>\n Not everyone\u2019s a design pro, I know I\u2019m certainly not. I can handle basic Photoshop stuff. But services like Canva<\/a> are easy to use and can impact the presence of designs you\u2019ve put so much time into. Upload images of merch items like t-shirts and water bottles and add different backgrounds, filters, and graphic elements that reflect the colors or theme of your shop. You\u2019re not only creating a brand identity in the process, but making sure your posts stand out on your profile to future followers.<\/p>\n Instagram has fancier features like Stories and Reels now, but don\u2019t forget to take advantage of standards like carousels and videos. Carousels are when you put 2+ photos within a post that people can swipe through. Analyzing their own social analytics, Hootsuite<\/a> found that when they did carousel posts, they got 3.1 times more engagement than regular posts.<\/p>\n Video content regularly gets more engagement than static social images, and they don\u2019t have to be as polished or professional. They can be a great way to check in with your audience and let them know about your Spreadshop updates, sales, or just what\u2019s going on in your life.<\/p>\n Showing your face to your followers lets people feel more connected to you, and is great for promotion. It makes your merch feel accessible by seeing it on a real person, like Twitch streamer, DrGRIZLY. People want to feel connected to the person they\u2019re supporting, especially if you\u2019re a content creator like a Youtuber or other social personality.<\/p>\n Creating the kind of content I talked about before is the by-the-numbers type of posting you\u2019ll do on a more daily basis. But it’s important not to get too comfortable in your own little bubble and to keep a pulse on what is going out there in the world and in your own community.<\/p>\n This can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Maybe it\u2019s Pride Month and you put out LGBTQ merch to raise awareness and support. Or it\u2019s the Holiday season and you want to feature festive creations that just dropped on your Spreadshop. It can even be something as small as hopping on Twitch to play a trending game while rocking your merch.<\/p>\n Continue to follow these trends and relevant topics with the hashtags you use to optimize the Instagram algorithm. If people are searching about this thing, they\u2019re obviously interested and would follow that up by purchasing merch that speaks to it. I would limit my hashtag usage between 10 to 12 max so as to not overwhelm potential customers.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t feel you have to go out of your way to follow every trending hashtag, though. Make sure it\u2019s relevant to you and the niche community you have created with your shop. So, design that merch and snap those photos when it matters most to you. People will sense it’s coming from a good place.<\/p>\n Bite-sized, video-driven content is the way of the future as far as socials go. No one has enough time to read paragraphs of text about the origins of your shop on an Instagram post. It feels impersonal and detached. You need to figure out how to break that kind of text up in a more engaging medium.<\/p>\n Instagram Stories have an incredible reach. Sometimes, I don\u2019t even scroll through my feed, I just swipe through the first 20 or so stories at the top of the app. And maybe not so surprisingly, Hootsuite reported that 62% of users were more interested and inclined to buy a product after seeing it in Instagram Stories.<\/p>\n Just like the carousel feature for posts, Stories allow you to do just that: tell a story. For example, you can make one that says \u201cAbout us\u201d, followed by a series of stories that each talk about a detail in your shop\u2019s history.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also important to note that you can directly share regular posts as Stories, which is a great work around if the Instagram algorithm is continuing to affect the placement of posts on your followers\u2019 feeds.<\/p>\n What are essentially the Tik Tok of Instagram, Reels are a fresh and fun way to jump in on the conversation. Play around with popular songs and video trends. Wear your merch while you do it, and show a different side of your personality.<\/p>\n Using a relevant song or trend in your video will put more eyeballs on your shop, and potentially expose you to a different type of audience than you would\u2019ve normally interacted with. It can\u2019t hurt to put yourself out there and use these tools to unlock your creativity and master an important area of the Instagram algorithm.<\/p>\n You\u2019re saying a lot on Instagram through regular posts, stories, and reels – but are you doing enough listening?<\/p>\n Content sharing is important, yes, but you need to communicate with your followers and overall community to generate an unseen, yet essential value. People need to know there is an interested party on the other end. Respond and like comments in a prompt fashion, and engage them in a way that is relatable to them. Are they also interested in hockey like you are? Ask them what their favorite team is, keep the conversation going.<\/p>\n If they see you\u2019re engaged, they might be more likely to check out your shop and whatever other projects you have going on.<\/p>\n Engage with other industry professionals or even other Spreadshop users that speak to your interests. Things don\u2019t have to be competitive, they can be collaborative.<\/p>\n And if someone is wearing your merch and tags you in it – SHARE IT! That’s free promotion for you and proves to your audience that you\u2019re a reliable and reputable seller. Use it in an Instagram Story, or in a regular post that will forever live on your profile. You can even embed the image into the About Us area of your Spreadshop<\/a>.<\/p>\n Interacting with your followers and other accounts is only going to be beneficial to you and your shop.<\/p>\n Be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Selling Merch on Instagram for even more great tips!<\/p>\n Sell Merch on Instagram: The Ultimate Guide<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nCreate Shareable Images Showcasing You and Your Merch<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nBe Aware of the World Around You<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nUse Stories and Reels to Your Advantage<\/h2>\n
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoin the Conversation<\/h2>\n
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