How do you feel about the IG algorithm preference for reels? I have noticed a number of artists with large followings on Instagram voicing their annoyance with the IG algorithm giving preference to reels (short little videos for those unfamiliar). When I read that I think "Wow. I put .5% effort into posting that they do. If they are struggling to reach their audience, why am I even bothering with this platform?"
And it's not as pessimistic as it may come off, I think it's something every working artist with ten followers or 10 thousand plus followers has to ask themselves: "Do I benefit from posting on social media?" For some the answer is "yes." But I think for a lot of us, the answer is "no." My best connections for future business have come from festivals and art exhibits. Thank you to my clients reading this. So many of you have come from face-to-face meetings or my etsy shop. It means so much when I see customers return for their holiday shopping year after year. Really, thank you :)
And to my fellow artists, I encourage all of us to just embrace who we are. If you are an artist that loves making reels, you do you! If you feel you are seeing returns for your efforts, that is awesome. But if you feel like it is a homework assignment no one assigned and you wonder why you feel compelled to do it, then maybe it's time to ask what you get out of posting so often? If you feel like you aren't getting business from it, maybe try another way to get your name out there. I have seen a number of artists turn to patreon or posting almost exclusively on their website (some even create a paywall for certain content-no clue how that works).
So as we march into 2023, let's ask ourselves what's working and what's not. And let's not assume we are the reason something isn't working. Sometimes the answer is as simple as changing venues.
Good luck everybody!