Before we dive into the strategies for creating and posting content, let’s set up your Instagram profile for success. A good profile gives a great first impression, and can encourage people who visit your account click the ‘follow’ button and engage with your future content.
Let’s get started:
Instagram Settings Before You Start
Before diving into content creation and promotion, there's one tweak you should consider.
High-Quality Uploads: By default, Instagram may compress your photos to save data. For a clear, professional appearance:
- Go to “Settings and privacy”
- Go to “Media quality” (should be under “Your app and media”)
- Turn on “Upload at highest quality” to make sure your content is uploaded with the highest possible quality
Your Instagram Profile/Bio
Your profile or bio helps you give a great first impression. Your profile and your content should immediately communicate what you do and how followers can benefit from your content. Here’s a breakdown of my suggestions for each component:
Username
To make sure consistency, your username on Instagram is likely to be your Etsy shop name. This makes it easier for people familiar with your shop on Etsy to find you on Instagram.
You have a 30 character limit on the username.
If the username you want is taken, consider adding _ or . between words, or add the word ‘shop’, ‘design’, or ‘the’ to the username. Here are 2 examples:
Profile pic
Clean and simple background that clearly show your face, logo, or product is ideal. Make sure it has good contrast or even a pop of colour with your brand colour.
Profile name
First, use the name that you want your audience to know you as. It is most likely your brand name, or you can consider using your personal name in addition.
Also, include niche specific keywords that best describe your product and/or your niche. Make sure the keywords are what your customers would use, so that they understand what your content is about, and it also helps them find your account through Instagram search. Here is an example from Molly who uses "Ceramic Artist" as part of the profile name:
Profile content
Your profile content should clearly indicate what your followers can expect from your content, or what is the benefit of your products/brand.
Emojis can add a touch of personality and make your profile more relatable and readable.
Avoid writing too long or too many lines even if it’s under the 150 character limit. After you publish, check whether it is all shown and not cut off with the ‘show more’ button.
Here are some sentences that most Etsy sellers would find useful (you can incorporate a few in your profile):
- I create (your product) with (your material)
- Handmade (your product) made in (place) / inspired by (your inspiration)
- Helping your (main benefit of your brand and product)
- Bringing joy to your life through (your product)
- Women-owned/Black-owned/Family business/Cruelty free/100% organic
- xx 5-star reviews/xx Happy customers
- Worldwide shipping
Profile link
Use the last sentence of your profile to introduce your link. For your profile link, you can either link directly to your Etsy shop, or also include link to your own website, blog, etc. Here are some examples:
- 👇🏼 Get your own (your product) here 👇🏼
- ✨ Start your (product benefit) journey today
- Shop (your product range) 👇🏼
Some great profile content examples from Etsy sellers:
Personal vs Creator vs Business Account
For Etsy sellers, I’d recommend choosing the business account, which gives you the most functionalities. And it’s free to upgrade to.
With the business account, you get access to analytics to your content and account, ability to use Instagram ads, Instagram store and automated quick replies. Click here to see how to upgrade if you haven't already.