Jackie's Instagram Guide: From 150 to 15k in under a year - how I use Instagram to connect with and grow my audience

Hello! My name is Jackie and I run a small art business selling physical art (small glass duck figurines) in Seattle. One of the most valuable tools in growing my art business has been Instagram, which has allowed me to connect with people all over the world who love my art as much as I do. It brings me joy to share my craft with them.

I use Instagram as a free marketing tool. Increasing my reach online allows me to find more folks who are eager to support my art. Without Instagram, I wouldn’t have a sizable enough market to support investing in myself, my products, and my learning.

I started an Instagram account for my glass figurines and later began making a concerted effort to market my work. As a result, in 2023 I grew my community from 158 followers to over 15,000. I have created three viral videos that reached 1.7–2.5 million views, and 12 videos with over 50 thousand views. A third of my videos get over 10,000 views. I kept notes and tracked data throughout the entire year to understand what worked and what didn’t. Reading through this 15-page PDF guide, you’ll find tips, tricks, and real data that I’ve gathered from my experiences to help you succeed in growing your Instagram following. I’m excited for you to join me on this journey of sharing our products with the world!

The sections of this guide are:
- Introduction
- Short version of the guide
- Short-form video tips (12 tips backed up by my data!)
- Posting tips (9 tips about using Instagram in general, including what's important in your business page metrics)
- Ads (should you use them? I have data to decide!)
- Conclusion and homework (a short list of tips to try first)

I have generally had a full-time day job, so what I’ve done with my Instagram is largely in my spare nights and weekends; thus, nothing in this guide requires more than a few hours per week. It’s all about making the most effective use of the time you do spend on Instagram.

This is a guide for small business owners who want to build a supportive community online, increase their reach on Instagram, and sell more of their crafts. All of these tips are based on data from the last few years of my failed and succeeded ventures. I have geared this guide towards folks who create and sell a physical product, though the tips may work for other types of content as well.