How We Handle Social Media
Our Instagram following has been growing and we’re always thrilled to hear that our feed is a staple of so many people’s daily scroll. We also receive questions on how we handle all-things-Social; do we have a media person? Is one person posting or are there many? Is it all instant or do we plan this in advance? In an ongoing effort to be transparent about our business and the larger art world, here’s how we work:
First, we are really only on Instagram (and by default, Facebook). We used to dedicate resources to Pinterest and LinkedIn, but not anymore, and I hope those pages do not have dated pictures of me with bangs. Second, I (Katharine), as Founder, handle the vast majority of Instagram because it is impossible for me to NOT micromanage the brand image that we share with our largest audience. This gets complicated with colleagues across three cities running around seeing, pitching, and installing art, all of which makes for more useful content. We have a shared iPhone folder where content is uploaded and labeled, and I post as appropriate. I definitely have parameters in terms of how photos are shot, when video is incorporated, and what information is shared so that there is continuity. We also have a brand guide developed by LAB after last year’s rebrand, so the content generally stays within the same zone in terms of font, colors, and language.
Unlike many companies’ feeds, our Instagram is only partially instant; I do not usually post content as it is happening – we spread it out and diversify by type so there’s a nice flow – but I do generally decide what content to post and the story line around it without a plan. I have tried content calendars, making videos in advance, etc. and that is not in my wheelhouse, so the posts you see are very much conceptualized “in the moment”.
As for timing: I go on Instagram nearly every weekday, and I do it so quickly, that at this point it’s a ritual part of daily business activity. I appreciate the regular exercise of translating what we do into simple soundbites that are valuable for our audience and believe this practice benefits many other aspects of the business, including how I speak with prospects and clients. We also secure new clients from IG. Sometimes they find us through the platform; other times they find us elsewhere, and following our feed prompts a conversation and ultimately a conversion to client. There have been a few occasions when incredible collectors have found us solely on IG, sent us a DM that I thought was spam, and ended up becoming long-term higher end clients. With all that said, it’s certainly worth the sweat.
Finally, with IG and many other business tasks, it’s key to set some boundaries so it’s not a drain from more profitable and fulfilling tasks. One way I do this is by being selective about who I follow on my business account; it is almost exclusively art and design-related accounts. If I do follow friends or family, it’s because I don’t want to hurt their feelings and I definitely mute their accounts. I’m also a relatively selfish IG user and tend to post my own business content and then get off the app. When I am scrolling, it really is for inspiration rather than for comparison reasons, making it an overall productive action.
If you haven’t been following, here’s our Instagram handle! And if you’d like to share any feedback or requests for the content we post, you can email ciao@masonlaneart.com.