Hello and Welcome to my very first blog from my new website.
I thought I’d explain why I set it up and why man cannot live off Facebook and Instagram alone (or this artist can’t survive on there alone).
Joining Social Media All Those Years Ago!
When I began selling my paintings a decade ago, I set up a Facebook page so I could dedicate it to my paintings and for anyone who wished to follow me and my artistic journey. Looking back, I did not have a clue how to use the page to it’s full potential (not very techy then and I’m still the same) but carried on posting anyway and slowly but surely my following grew along with the likes 👍 and comments. An Instagram page followed a few years later and it was a similar story, and although it’s a very different beast and demographic from Facebook, I did learn about hashtags and suchlike and I soldiered on.
Then Facebook bought Instagram and everything change - they became behemoths in their own right and there were more people opening accounts. With that, the organic reach (the amount of followers who see your posts without paying to do so) began reducing over time.
Facebook Squeezing Little Businesses
The next thing you know, Facebook, especially, has set up it’s marketplace and place for businesses to sell their products (at a cost) as well as bombarding you with adverts to encourage you to pay to get your own followers to see your posts - the very people who have liked your page in the first place to see your stuff. This is called ‘paid reach’. I have done this on occasion but it didn’t make all that much difference, if I am honest.
Why Have Followers If They Don’t See Your Posts?
Anyway, long story short and all that, this is where most small businesses find themselves when it comes to social media. Did you know that, currently, due to their much-publised-but-secret algorithms, between 2-5 percent of my followers get to see my posts at any one time - and that’s assuming they are online at the time, too. For me, that equates to about fifteen to forty people 😟.
With frustration kicking in more and more, I decided to set up my own website where I could do everything in one place and know that those who wish to follow me actually get to see my new paintings and products first without the hit-and-miss nature of social media as it stands today. With everything being in one place, it also means I get to spend more time doing what I love - creating.
The website is also so much more - it is a central place for me to share everything with you from a one-stop-shop to purchase there and then, information regarding commissions, pricing and customer feedback as well as being able to send out a newsletter with the latest information in one foul swoop - oh, and it’s easier for you to contact me, too.
How To Not Miss Out On My Facebook Posts
So, although you can see everything on my website and subscribe to get emails, I will still be posting on social media. If you want to ensure you get to be the first to see my newest posts on Facebook, here’s what to do:
On Your Phone: Go to my page and click the “Following” button to get the drop-down menu. Then, after making sure you’ve got the “Get Notifications” option toggled on, choose the option to “See First.”
On Your Laptop or Computer:
Click on the three horizontal dots next to the News Feed tab in the upper lefthand corner of your screen. Click to “Edit Preferences” and then click the box marked “Prioritize who to see first.” You’ll see all people and pages you follow, but you can filter it to see only the pages. From there, you can click on my page and select ‘See First’. When you do see the posts (on both Instagram and Facebook), remember to give it a LIKE and leave a comment so I know you can see me and say hello. In the words of the UK’s largest supermarket “Every Little Helps”.
Conclusion
Although Facebook and Instagram have curbed how many people actually get to see my posts, I will still be posting on there and you don’t have to miss out. If you follow the instructions above you’ll be just grand and see everything I post at the top of your feed when you log in. However, the best place to see everything is on my website, and if you subscribe to my newsletters you will get exclusive access to special giveaways, discounts and lots more - and not forgetting my regular blogs that will stay on the website so you can peruse at your leisure. Have you found this explanation helpful? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Cheers All
Kay
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