The Arts Business

12 Instagram Grid Layouts to Make Your Profile Look Amazing

Posted 20/09/202121/09/2021 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in Digital Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

It’s important to create good looking Instagram profiles, that way when someone organically sees one of your posts and clicks through to take a closer look you want to give your visitor reason to drop you a follow!

And there are loads of different methods, all of which take a varying degree of planning:

The Same Filter Method

An easy method to tie your Instagram account together. Pick a filter which you feel suits your brand and every time you post, use that filter on your pictures. That way, whatever they are, you tie them together in a similar vibe.

Check out: @bclivingmuseum @stellamariabaer @dannystheatrelife

The Diagon-alley Method

Tricky to plan, this involves taking 3 linking posts (whether this be in colour, quote or subject of photo, etc.) and creating your posts so they appear diagonally on your feed.

As you can see, @adesignkit uses patterns, quotes and pictures. @lisamessenger uses quotes alongside differently themed pictures whereas @wehaveawish simply use colours to create a diagonal line in their feed.

This can be tricky because when planning this to create the diagonal you really have to think about what posts you’re putting out in what order to create that visual.

The Checkerboard Method

Think like a chess board, here you have two types of visual content and alternate which one you post each time to create a checked pattern in your feed.

@thalia_arts_company have done this by posting their most recent show logo followed by a photo. @bossbabe.inc alternates between quotes and photos. Here at @theartzbiz we have adapted this to suit our brand so we post a photo and then content on patterns and blocking of our brand colours to create the zig-zag.

The Row-by-Row Method

Stack your posts like you’re stacking shelves in a supermarket, row by row. You can really play with this method, get those creative juices flowing to decide exactly how you’re gonna form your rows.

@bobthedragqueen uses colour to pull together their fabulous headshots. @gregorygeipel takes architectural pictures of buildings and either uses similar backgrounds or a single panoramic split into three separate posts to create his rows. @musical_theatre_quotes uses the logo of the musical they are drawing quotes from in the centre which are then displayed in inkeeping branding on eitherside.

Remember to keep this theme looking slick you ideally have to post all three at the same time which could mess with your posting algorithms but makes your profile super appealing to anyone visiting.

The Column-by-Column Method

Like the row-by-row but it’s more like you’re building the foundations for the roof of the acropolis, or composing a visual newspaper article.

@mysimplegram almost creates a row and column system with two thematic photos around quotes or images on a white background. @valleygirlstanning provides two columns of quotes and one column of photos. @traumaandco always keeps their central column with exactly the same formatting and puts alternative content either side.

So long as you post the same three type of content in the same order each time the columns will remain the same, they will simply shift to the right each time which means no need for three posts at a time.

The Rainbow Method

Create a picture-perfect profile by using all the colours of the rainbow in your content! This really helps spread a little joy to your followers and beyond!

@ilonaverley plays the long game in their rainbow profile uploading 3×3 grids of photos using one colour as a focus then follows it with the next colour in the spectrum. @sarah_peretz does her rainbow effect row by row seamlessly blending from colour to colour. @thecheerfulchica posts differing colours from image to image, slightly less stringently than the others but still to gorgeous effect.

The Colour-Coded Method

Similar to the rainbow but picking out one colour which suits your brand! So every post has the colour theme in common.

@birmingham_mag consistently uses beigy tones to tie in their paintings and artifacts. As managers of museum and art galleries across Birmingham, it helps that many of their pieces are already displayed on a white background. @museumoficecream has gone with vibrant pink which has a way of bringing immediate happiness! @blackdrop.co goes for classic monochrome pictures and infographics to make their profile look chic.

The White Border Method

Using a white border around your images on Instagram negates the problem of trying to fit all your posts into a square. I have photographer clients who find this really helpful as often they develop their work in a bespoke size which would have to be edited again for Instagram, so instead they surround their images with a border in their properly proportioned form.

You can create columns (like @yellowbellyphoto), rows (like @yukastudio) or combine the two for a cool looking pattern (like @jonnycartwrightphotography)

The Grid Method

In this method you take a single image and split it into squares using special apps like 9 Grid for Instagram. This can leave some pretty weird single images appearing in people’s newsfeeds, but it makes your profile really striking! So, if you do get users to click through, you’re bound to get them to hit that follow button.

@showupprods has recreated a poster for their Halloween showcase in their 3×3 grid. @theskullcrown.co uses 2×3 grid photos in black and white to show off their awesome bespoke jewelery. Whereas @theatricalthoughts are reimagining the grid. Their quotes work as individual images but come together in grid format to create a beautiful design.

Be careful with this method though as it can really mess with your impressions and interactions as, generally speaking, your posting content less often, but when you do you post 6-9 images at a time which will not be equally viewed.

The Educational Infographic Method

An Instagram profile where the main focus is to enlighten and educate visitors. As you can see our select profiles use brand colour alongside illustrations, quotes, hashtags and information so that users can come away with a clearer understanding of what their profile is about and maybe even learn a little something in a fun and visual way in the process.

You can check out our selected profiles here: @artofmanetta @letstalkaboutmentalhealth @themindgeek

The Branded Thematic Method

This is where companies use 2 or 3 content types and post them with consistent business branding, whether that’s colours, font, logos etc. You’re not creating a pattern here but by keeping your content thematic it pulls it all together to give a great overall aesthetic.

@museum_of_comedy posts their chalkboards, comic headshots and collages of photos in their feed. @chronicleswardrobe use great infographics, gorgeous illustration and great colour theming to tie in their profile to their brand. @blondetheatre black and white photos and tongue and cheek pop art in black, white and shocking pink making their profile look sick!

The Collage Method

Use a bit of everything! And mix it all up into your own profile design.

Take the following Instagram accounts as inspiration: @nelsonmouellic @schoklenderklein @the_oa_

Remember, in general you should plan your Instagram Posts for the maximum impact. Instagram stories are for more spontaneous moments.

So, why not make it as beautiful as possible?

Are you proud of your Instagram profile? Link us in the comments so we can check it out!

APP OF THE MONTH: Repost: For Instagram

Posted 06/09/202106/09/2021 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in App of the Month, Marketing, Social Media

With the monotony of the current uncertainties of life it can be difficult to constantly come up with new content, so why not Repost a previous bit of media that has done really well… and now it couldn’t be easier!

Name	Repost: For Instagram
Product Description	This app does what it says on the tin! Simply allowing you to easily pull and repost your existing content from Instagram.
Availability	Available on the Apple App Store
Key Features	· It allows you to repost or archive content from Instagram · It supports all types of Instagram content including Stories, IGTV, Reels and regular posts · Once you have signed into your Instagram you can repost media from private accounts · You can add an overlay with attribution details if you want to · Your previous caption is automatically copied to your Instagram clipboard
Prices and Plans	It is completely free, just one of the reasons that it is the best option for reposting out there! You can upgrade to Repost Plus which removes ads, allows for custom icons and takes out company tagging from the copied caption for only £2.49 per month or £17.49 for the year (a 41% saving).
Biggest Pro	It is super straightforward and only takes three simple steps: 1. Search Instagram for the content you want to repost 2. Tap Options (…) and select “Copy Link” 3. Open Repost and the content will magically appear!
Biggest Con	It’s not currently available on Android! Super annoying for none apple users because this is by far the best Instagram Repost app. If you are on android and recommend any Instagram Repost apps then please let us know in the comments below!

There are loads of these sorts of apps available but this is easily the best (and cheapest) one.

I’ve done the legwork so you don’t have to so if you’re looking for an easy way to repost on Instagram, this one is the app for you!

Boosted Ads vs. Targeted Ad: How to Choose the Right Adverts on Social Media

Posted 21/06/202124/06/2021 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in Promotion, Social Media, Start Ups

Spending money on Social Media Ads can be a little daunting, especially if you’re a small-scale arts company with a small to non-existent budget.

A good place to start is to know exactly what you’re spending your money on!

So, what exactly is the difference between a Targeted Ad and a Boosted Ad, and how will they help you reach your social media goals.

What is a Boosted Ad?

We’ve all seen Facebook ask us if we would like to Boost a post that is doing particularly well, sometimes they even offer us free money to kickstart our campaign, but what exactly does this mean?

Also know on Twitter as a Promoted Tweet and recently introduced to LinkedIn, a Boosted Ad is when you take a regular post that you’ve made and pay to improve its reach.

Generally, the better the post has done organically the cheaper it will be to promote as the platform, like Facebook, can see the existing data on your post and compare it to previous content.

This data is then used to find a wider audience who are more likely to engage with your content. It is worth noting your extended reach through a Boosted Ad is more likely to be pre-existing customers and followers but you can opt to generate new leads.

What are the benefits of a Boosted Ad?

Why would you choose to use a Boosted Ad over a Targeted Ad?

Generally, it’s cheaper. But that is because Boosted Ads are more limited. In regards to formatting, there is very little you can do to change the original post other than adding a Call to Action (CTA) Button.
Some marketers prefer Boosted Ads as they appear more organic than Targeted Ads. They look like a regular post other than small grey writing near your business name saying ‘Sponsored’.
It has a simple budgeting process by which you set the total budget and amount of time you would like the boosted post to run for then a daily spend is calculated for you.
The data already exists so the Social Media Platform will already know who to target without you having to break it down even further. It is for this reason that you get a more limited targeting ability.
It’s great to improve overall reach and impressions. It can be good for improving your brand awareness, stats like your follower count, likes, shares/retweets and other forms of social engagement.
It can be super helpful for smaller, shorter campaigns whether boosting the traffic to your website to highlight new content or raising awareness of a one-time-only event.

What is a Targeted Ad?

Also known as a Social Media Ad, using Target Ads opens a whole box of opportunities across your community platforms.

Broadly speaking, Targeted Ads are better for achieving goals like increasing app installations, improving website conversions, upping your video views and excelling orders from your online store! They can have a bigger, more immediate impact than Boosted Ads.

It takes a little bit more legwork to set up as you’ll need to join a whole myriad of ad managers including getting yourself a Facebook Ads Account. I recommend if you’re new to Social Media Ads you start here as you can oversee ads across all Facebook Platforms including Instagram and Messenger.

There’s a range of ads you can opt for from In-Feed ads, side ads, messenger bots and influencer marketing partnerships to name but a few options.

You’ll probably wanna also download yourself Facebook Business Manager (Previously known as Pages) where you’ll be able to view all of your analytics so you can gain more knowledge on what content works for you and your brand and how your ads work alongside this.

What are the benefits of a Targeted Ad?

Why would you choose to use a Targeted Ad over a Boosted Ad?

You have way more formatting options, getting to choose your style of ad and where it appears with a variety of alternative appearances including Carousel Ads (pictures that keep scrolling horizontally round and round), Slide Show Ads (one photo to the next) and Canvas Ads (which allow you to select the ad for a full-screen view). You can also catalogue your products so users can view the full range of what you offer.
You can add more dynamic CTA buttons with a wide variety of functionalities to drive your campaign goals more effectively. Goals include gaining unique reach, signing up to your newsletter, improving event RSVPs, collecting new leads, directing more traffic to your website, promoting products and increasing your conversion rate.
It comes with a wider range of targeting options, including age, gender, location, interests, and hobbies, so you can ensure your ads reach your Target Audience. Watch you don’t get too specific though! You still need those data bots to find you a wide potential audience.
They have way more analytical data available allowing you to properly track your campaigns, tweaking and refining them as you go and allowing you to learn a lot more about how Social Media Ads can be used to boost and complement your sales funnel.
It offers A/B Testing for your ads so you can approach them from different creative angles and figure out which ones work better for you can your company.
They allow for more flexibility when setting budgets so you can adapt your spending for maximum impact, whether you want a slow and steady approach or an accelerated delivery for super-speedy results that pack a punch. You can limit both your lifetime spend and daily spend separately and choose whether you’re paying for impressions or click-throughs.
You can schedule when your ads appear, whether this is limited to during your office hours or dependent on your time zone.

So, which one should I choose for my Social Media Campaign?

Well, it depends on what your end goals are, both long term and short term.

When you’re starting out, the best thing to do is to try out a combination of both to help you figure out what methods work best for your arts business.

If you need more advice please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

If you have any hints and tips for Social Media Ad Campaigns of your own, please let us know in the comments!!

40 Social Media Networks You’ve Probably Never Heard of: An A-Z Part Two

Posted 24/05/202120/05/2021 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in Marketing, Social Media

And now for M-Z!

Not seen L-M? Click here to 40 Social Media Networks You’ve Probably Never Heard Of: An A-Z Part One

22. Meetup

A social network comprising of online groups that host in-person and online events. Whatever your interest from book groups to bodybuilding and everything in between you’re bound to find your tribe on here. There are creative industry lovers all across Meetup so it can be a great way to network, make new friends and spread the word of your company!

23. Moodle

The world’s leading learning management platform led by its community. With learning at its heart and supported by over 80 service companies it’s a free open source software that is always kept up to date, multilingual and used by some of the leading educational establishments worldwide including the London School of Economics and the University of New York.

24. Neopets

Ok, so this may have made it to the list for purely sentimental reasons, but I spent a lot of time on this site in my youth and I was delighted to find that it still existed! Plus Neopets are so frigging cute and if you don’t have any pets of your own then this is the perfect pet platform for you! Play games, raise pets and explore new worlds, whatever your age!

25. NewsGrounds

An online entertainment site packed to the brim with user-generated content and including games, artwork, films and audio. In its heyday, Time Magazine rated it in the Top 50 Best Ever Websites. All submissions undergo a Judgement where they are rated by other users to decide whether they are “saved” (added to the database) or “blammed” (deleted forever!) A great network for game designers, animators, artists and musicians alike.

26. NextDoor

This platform has got massive over the last few years, presumably because the only thing we’ve been able to do is spy on the neighbours and dob them into the wider community, but if you have a local, location-based target market, you can find them on here! NextDoor is a hyper-local social network for neighbourhoods to discuss things that may be of importance to those who live nearby.

27. Ning

Can’t find a social media network that is exactly to your liking or that perfectly caters to your audience. Well then, why not simply make your own? Create online communities with people who have dedicated their lives to all things Social Media! You can even introduce ways to monetise your social network and you get to decide exactly how it functions.

28. PostCrossing

This is such a beautiful community project. It reminds me of Postsecret back in the early days of the internet. In a nutshell, it’s a service that allows you to send and receive real postcards from all over the world. All you have to do is simply request an address, send a postcard, then sit back and wait to receive yours. Perfect when travel is restricted for a way to see a bit more of the world and feel a little less lonely.

29. PuttyLike

Are you a multipotentialite? What’s that? It’s a person with multiple passions who don’t want to be just one thing. I suspect this defines most people who work in the creative industries so why not join a network of like-minded individuals who are trying to map out their own adventure and create their own rules for how life should be led. Take the quiz now to see if you’re a multipotentialite and join this community of remarkable people. Want to learn more?! Then watch the awesome TED Talk from Emilie Wapnick.

30. Ravelry

A social media network for the craft community and one of our previous App of the Months here at The Arts Business. However you use your yarn, be it knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving or dyeing, you’re bound to find kindred, crafty spirits on this site. Keep track of all your projects and find new ones in the same place with thousands of forums filled with other Ravelers with any interest you could possibly think of.

31. ReverbNation

This social media network has been specifically designed for the Independent Music Industry. Whether you’re a musician, producer or venue this is the place to come for conversation and collaboration. They have exclusive opportunities available only to members and a dedicated team that listens to and curates all content on the site. It is designed to get you more fans, more gigs and more money! So what are you waiting for?!

32. Splice

Another music-based social media site but with a few unique features. It’s a sharing platform filled with a sample library and audio plugins available on a subscription basis. It also includes specialist software, available online and offline, which perfectly visualises your compositions, with automated cloud backup to enable collaboration on projects. It’s on a mission to change the way people make music, so if you want to keep up, get involved.

33. Stage32

An educational website from the US designed specifically for those who work in theatre, TV and film. With 500,000 users, Stage32 is a great source for networking. It has a Facebook-style wall system and news feed as well as lounges for salon discussions, online courses, a daily blog, film screenings and has even recently introduced script services for budding playwrights and screenwriters alike.

34. TakingITGlobal

Taking IT Global (TIG) has been specifically established for young people to teach them about, help them engage with and eventually take care of global challenges. Whether they want to make a positive change in their local community or worldwide TIG aims to create opportunities for like-minded youth groups to participate in programmes using technology and thousands of educators to take these causes to classrooms internationally.

35. TalentHouse

TalentHouse was predominantly founded to link artists with brands and agencies. They work with some of the biggest brands on the planet including companies like Adidas, Spotify, Microsoft, Intel, Warner Bros and Amazon Studios, setting up creative briefs for individual freelancers to contribute content to bringing career opportunities and setting them up with potential clients across over 150 industries worldwide.

36. The Student Room

“Used by 70% of students” … gotta love an ambiguous statement like this… 70% of all students ever? Specifically, those in the UK? The year 7 class of Arden School and Language College? Regardless, this is definitely the UK’s leading social media network just for students. Whether you’re looking for lesson plans, peer support, tips for your uni application, careers advice, help with your student finance or even relationship and healthcare information as a student this is where you wanna be. (and allegedly where you’ll find 70% of all other students, everywhere!)

37. Twitch

Twitch is a live streaming social media network predominantly used by video gamers, as well as being the online broadcasting platform of Esports competitions. But its content is varying as it grows with categories comprising of Games, Music, Talk Shows, Sports, Travel & Outdoor, Just Chatting, Food & Drink, Art and Special Events. Everything on Twitch is live, all the time! Which is what sets it apart from other platforms with live video options.

38. Vero

Vero is one of the newest social media networks on our list and I reckon will be one to watch in the coming months. What sets it apart is that it is one of the only ad-free social media network out there, and it doesn’t allow data mining or algorithms. Designed especially for connection, not addiction, it has a chronological news feed, an audience selector so your profile privacy is in your own hands and vetted and trusted recommendations to follow. It’s still in its infancy so it’s got a few things to figure out but it is certainly worth a look in.

39. Vingle

An Interest Network where you can find people with the same hobbies and curiosities as you. Think back to a time where you wanted to share a joke about Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away but looked around the room and quickly deduced no one would get it. Well, you’ll find someone to share it with on Vingle. Head here to geek out and be yourself in a community of others that are bound to get you!

40. WattPad

Are you a budding storyteller or in love with reading? Then Wattpad is the social media platform you need to be on! It can be used to create your own work, with plenty of writing resources available, then build a global fanbase by publishing your work online. If your book gets star status it may even be selected to be made into a film by Wattpad Studios or published with Wattpad Books. They even have writing contests, award ceremonies and hand-picked reading lists to boost your work even further amongst their online community of more than 90 million.

And there you have it.

Do you visit any niche, creative social networks we haven’t listed? Let us know in the comments and we’ll add them.

APP OF THE MONTH: Hashtag Expert

Posted 10/05/202109/05/2021 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in App of the Month, Digital Marketing, Social Media

Name	Hashtag Expert
Product Description	Finds popular hashtags so you don’t have to! This app is bound to boost interaction across all your social media platforms!
Availability	Available from the Apple App Store.
Key Features	· Find hashtags for all the top social media apps including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn. · Browse millions of trending hashtags in over 50 industry categories · See in-depth analytics to see exactly how well they work! · Get personalised hashtag suggestions based on your hashtag history · Add trendy and super cute captions to your posts! · Get all the best hints and tips about hashtags, the impact they can have on your posts and exactly how to use them!
Prices and Plans	Completely Free to begin, but it will cost £2.99 per week/£7.99 per month/£33.99 per year for additional features.
Biggest Pro	They provide you with loads of helpful information on hashtags and how to use them including their Four Rules of Hashtagging: · Rule #1 – Relevant – make sure you always match the hashtags with the content of your posts · Rule #2 – Diverse – make sure you choose hashtags that have a wide range of post counts · Rule #3 – Alive – make sure you choose hashtags that are alive, and still have lots of new posts being tagged with them · Rule #4 – Reachable – choose hashtags where the top posts have similar amounts of likes to your average likes
Biggest Con	The constant pop-ups! Although I imagine if you pay for the products you don’t get these, they are running a business after all.

So, stop wasting time trying to think up 30 hashtags that won’t even work!

Try Hashtag Expert now!

40 Social Media Networks You’ve Probably Never Heard of: An A-Z Part One

Posted 19/04/202127/05/2021 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in Marketing, Networking, Social Media

Find a niche social media network that fits you could be great marketing for your arts business.

Starting with A-L

Read M-Z in Part Two

about.me

Billed as a simple yet professional profile to showcase who you are and what you do, about.me is basically an easy way to create a website for your business. Initially free and only $6.58 a month to connect your own domain it’s one of the cheapest options out there, but you are limited to one page (also known as a landing page) which sums up you and your business. It is insanely easy to set up and the free version is great if you’re a recent graduate or just starting out and want a little online presence.

Anobii

An International Social Media Platform for people who love reading. Does exactly what it says on the tin, whether you’re into fiction or non-fiction and whatever the genre you’re bound to find your next read on here. You will also be able to find the right community to interact with! So, if you’ve written a book which has been published, or you are thinking about writing and want to check if there’s a market for it this is the network of groups, discussions and blogs for you to be a part of!

beBee

Share your personal brand with employers and professionals. It will help your business grow and allow you to network within your industry. In the UK it is primarily used as a job search site which you can limit by location and find freelance positions or jobs which can be done remotely (or from home). The perfect network for finding work in the pandemic.

Behance

Also our App of the Month for April 2021 Behance is a social network set up by Adobe as a place where you can showcase your work in an online portfolio as well as find some new, hand-picked inspiration for whatever your next project might be.

Blind

This company is genius and I really hope it grows to be an important resource in the corporate world. Blind is community of over 3.5 million users who are there to share advice, discover information about taking steps in their chosen profession and provide honest feedback on their workplaces, whether dishing the dirt or singing the praises. It’s mission is to break down barriers within the business industry to enable people to make a real change where it is needed and make informed decisions on their career path.

Blogger

Have you ever wanted to start a blog? Well with blogger you’ll find that it is super easy! Find a community filled with millions of people with different hobbies and interests to match yours. With free domain names, loads of templates to choose from and built in analytics so you can get to know your audience this is the perfect platform to kick start your creative business. As you start building your following you can even add Google AdSense into your blog so you can start to earn money from your hard work.

Care2

This is the world’s largest community for good. With over 45 million users it is the perfect place to build online petitions, whatever the cause. Anyone can start a petition, share petitions to help them gain momentum and sign up for updates on causes they’re interested in! Current Arts, Media and Culture petitions include things from changing the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous People Day to co-naming West 8^th Street in New York to Jimi Hendrix Way. As you can see it allows a wide scope for people to make a change. They also have important partnerships with companies like Amnesty International to ensure your petition gets seen by the right people.

8. Clubhouse

This new social network is so exclusive you have to be invited by a current user. Experimenting with the current rise in the popularity of audio-based content (like podcasts and radio plays) this platform is all about dropping in on other peoples conversations. Audiences can listen live to interviews, discussions and general chit-chats! The difference to platforms like Twitch is that these aren’t saved and stored to listen to later, you have to be there or you’ll miss out on the fun!

9. Connected Heroes

A relatively new social network that aims to bring together entrepreneurs from all over the world to create a positive change in the business world. Entrepreneurship can be lonely so it’s important to remember that we can ask for help from others who have been there and done that! In return, we can provide our own knowledge and expertise to those who need it and this is the perfect platform to do it all from.

10. Crunchy Roll

This is the world’s most popular Anime Network connecting fans of Anime and Manga across more than 200 countries. They provide unique content, events, products, games and Manga to their subscribers. It’s a nieche network but if this is where your artistry and expertise lie this is most definitely a platform you’ll want to be a part of.

11. DeviantArt

Created in 2000, with over 61 million users and 45 million unique monthly views DeviantArt is the must have social media network for artists and art enthusiasts. This platform allows you to share, exhibit and promote your work online, whatever your medium from comic to cosplay, sculpture to street art, traditional artforms to tutorials, and everything inbetween. The supportive, inclusive community on DeviantArt will allow you to grow and develop your work with like-minded individuals.

12. Ello

Known as The Creative Network, Ello showcases art, fashion, photography and web culture. What sets it apart from other platforms in this area is that they won’t sell your data and they never display adverts. They also have some awesome features including a blog with recent news and a discover section which is similar to Pinterest. There are offerings of creative briefs from companies which work almost like a competition-based system. You send in your design (at the moment to companies like #OnlyTogether and films including Space Jam and In The Heights are participating) which you will be paid for if it’s used in the final campaign. They also have a Giveaways section in which artists can give away pieces of artwork in a competition to encourage online interaction and user generated content.

13. Fandalism

Fandalism is a social networking site especially for musicians run by Philip Kaplan, a New York based Drummer. Reported to have 500,000 users, it’s simply a place to share your music and meet fellow musicians. They also run a business called Distrokid alongside; a paid service which will put your music into online stores and streaming sites including Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, TikTok and YouTube.

14. Fotki

Fotki is a photo sharing site (like Flickr and Tumblr) but what makes it different is pretty much that it’s been around the longest so it is bound to have a lot of users. Starting in 1998 and constantly evolving it has state of the art, super protected servers which store your images, basic editing software built in and the ability to buy prints of your photos along with every genre of photography you could ever imagine, but no porn (or at least no obvious porn)! So, that’s a win over Tumblr.

15. GoodReads

Another site for avid readers, GoodReads is now a recognisable brand in the UK as they frequently run award ceromonies and book recommendation campaigns. You can use it track what you’ve read, create a reading list, see what your friends are reading and read book reviews. It’s unique feature is its recommendation engine which analyses 20 billion data points giving you suggestions tailored to your literary tastes! Scary, but pretty amazing!

16. Hello Network

I’m not gonna lie, I have little idea what this social network does, but my god it is compelling in its ambiguity! I really think this is one to watch. It’s based on love and creating real connections from shared passions. It has a graphic novel in which adventurers explore a parallel universe (What’s not to love about that?!) but it also isn’t available in the UK… yet! It’s made by a load of old google engineers and I reckon it’s gonna be great so keep your eyes on this one!

17. Hive

Hive Social is pretty much an amalgamation of all the social media platforms you know and love with the best bits pick n mixed in to create a new uber network. Like Twitter, you can microblog, like Instagram you can upload snapshots, like Facebook you can share and repost stuff you’re interested in and for those of you who remember the good old days of MySpace and Bebo you can save your favourite music to your profile. And (for now at least) the feed is chronological instead of algorithm-based so your content is more likely to be seen and spread! It’s blowing up at the moment so definitely one to watch!

18. Kroogi

Kroogi is a Russian and English social networking company based in San Francisco (obviously…) which tranlates to ‘circles’. It’s a site for creatives including musicians, painters, writers, videographers, photographers and other artists to showcase their work, but what gives this platform an edge? They run a ‘Pay what you want’ scheme in which you can pay artists directly for downloads they’ve created. Artists are also able to set a minimum contribution. It pretty much sits in the middle of free of charge sites and fixed price models in the image industry respecting both the rights of the creatives and consumers.

19. Library Thing

Yep, you guessed it, it’s yet another social network for book lovers! Catalogue your books and must reads alongside a community of like-minded people. Turn your catalogue of books into an online library or book store with Library Thing’s paid service Tiny Cat with prices ranging from absolutely free for personal libraries to $35 per month to list up to 20,000 items.

20. Likee

Pretty much TikTok but from what I can tell a lot more lapsed with its security. It’s target audience is over the age of 17 so it has more adult content than TikTok and it has an expansive selection of unique video effects. It also boasts an impressive 150 million users so someone must be using it. I would take a look but approach with caution. There is a lot of negative press about it kicking around the interweb!

21. Listography

I don’t know about you, but I bloody love a list! And this site is full of them! Lists about everything from Baby Names to Things to make you happy, you can store all your lists on here and hopefully spread a little happiness. They also offer a great range of Listography merch including list journals and even a board game!

Read M-Z in Part Two

Do you visit any niche, creative social networks we haven’t listed? Let us know in the comments and we’ll add them.

APP OF THE MONTH: TikTok

Posted 05/10/202026/10/2020 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in App of the Month, Marketing, Social Media

If you haven’t heard of TikTok… where have you been all pandemic?

Name	TikTok
Product Description	A new social media video platform designed for teenagers but entertaining for everyone! A great place to experiment with video content and keep your Arts Business on the map during Covid times.
Availability	Available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Key Features	· Watch more videos than you could ever possibly have time for, all especially customised to you, dependent on your viewing habits, in a focused feed. · Explore different genres from Comedy, Art, Music, Gaming, DIY, memes and everything in between, not forgetting Pet videos, because no social media platform is complete without a cheeky pet video. · You have unlimited pauses when recording your videos and you can reshoot it however much you need. · There are millions of users and creators worldwide so get ready to get inspired and let those creative juices flow. · Add your favourite music or sound clips for free! If you’ve seen RuPaul’s Drag Race you’ll be familiar with the art of lip syncing. Well, with TikTok, you can have a go! · Loads of filters, special effects and AR capabilities to play around with to make your videos really stand out above the rest. · In app editing tools allow you to trim, cut, merge and duplicate footage to your hearts content.
Prices and Plans	Free! And now has options to create business accounts and paid advertising plans within the app.
Biggest Pro	It’s still relatively new, practically in its infancy for social media platforms. This means it is easier to come up with original content to grab follower attention.
Biggest Con	Hugely addictive… I myself have been known to spend two to three hours trapped in a TikTok Typhoon.

The best platform for reaching a younger target audience and the most fun you will have ‘doing work’ to promote your business.

So, show off your creativity with a TikTok account for your Arts Business.

Have you already got one? We’d love to follow you. Let us know in the comments below.

How to Improve your Organic Reach on Facebook

Posted 21/09/202008/11/2020 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in Digital Marketing, Promotion, Social Media

Facebook is an incredible platform for expanding your Arts Business’ reach. With 2.7 billion users worldwide and 1.79 billion daily users, it is officially the world’s largest social media platform.

But, with a growing advertising market and an increased focus on businesses, it is becoming increasingly tricky to grow organically.

This doesn’t make it impossible though!

With the huge increase in users and therefore content, Facebook has an algorithm in place to filter posts dependent on the viewer’s behaviour and previous interactions. This means certain posts are prioritised over others.

But how does it do that?

Well, the truth is, we don’t know exactly, but (similarly to increasing your SEO Ranking) marketers have worked tirelessly on an equation to help you build your organic reach.

This may sound tricky, but it’s actually really simple, so let me break it down for you.

AFFINITY

This is all to do with how much your followers interact with your page and posts: your super fans who check out your business page every day, have a higher affinity and are more likely to see your content. The more posts they view and interact with, the higher their affinity, so you want to ensure as many of your followers view and interact with your content as possible.

WEIGHT

This is all about the type of post you put out. If you post a video, that has a higher weight (in the eyes of Facebook) than an image, which in turn has higher weight than a post that contains a link, which in turn has a higher weight than content that is just text. You see where I’m going with this.

This is also about the level of interaction you receive, so the more likes, loves and lolz you get will contribute to the weight your post carries too. Different levels of interactions also hold different weights, so comments and shares and worth more than likes.

DECAY

This is all to do with when the post was made. The average lifespan of a Facebook Post is around 6 hours and most interaction (likes, comments, shares, etc.) take place in the first 2 and a half. So, unless it is a super special post, like those engagement or new baby pictures that always seem to hit the top of my news feed, after 6 hours you can pretty much guarantee that your post will no longer be seen.

Now you understand what the equation means you can begin to use different tactics within your Facebook Page to help improve your Organic Reach:

Post Great Content: Yes, this is a lot easier said than done and takes a bit of time to work out what sort of content works for you and your arts business, but the more relevant your content is to your audience the more likely they are to interact with your posts and spend time on your page
- + AFFINITY + WEIGHT
Get More Page Likes: There are lots of ways you can go about this which doesn’t just involve inviting everyone from your friends list! A great way to boost page likes is to find groups and pages with similar interests to you and share some of your content to their walls; if their audience likes what they see they’re bound to throw you page a like.
- + AFFINITY + WEIGHT
Engage with your Audience: This can improve both your affinity and your Online Reputation Management (ORM). It helps your audience relate to your business, knowing that you are a real person who communicates with them through comments and messages. This in turn encourages them to spend more time on your content.
- + AFFINITY + WEIGHT
Use Facebook Stories: At only 3 years old Facebook Stories is still a growing way to share your content. I see stories as those spur of the moment posts you want to share with your audience (unlike your feed which is meticulously planned). There is still limited competition on Stories so you can use it to cut through the noise on Facebook and improve your relationship with your existing audience.
- + AFFINITY
Post Questions or Polls: Users are more likely to interact if you ask them a question, simple really. They feel a psychological urge to respond! The same can be said of interactive competitions too! Everyone loves free stuff so if there is a chance of it and all you need to do is share a post your audience is much more likely to engage.
- + WEIGHT
Post Images and Videos: And GIFs! Yes, I am still a lover of the GIF. When people are scrolling through their phones feed, they are more likely to pay attention to something that is visually stimulating.
- + WEIGHT
Ask your Audience: Don’t be afraid to ask people for likes and shares. This acts as a call to action for your audience for them to get all up in your content. Don’t overuse this though! Just stick it on the posts you really want to reach the most people.
- + WEIGHT
Plan and Schedule your Posts: This takes a little bit of trial and error: just post different content at different times of the day to start with then after a month or so, when you have built up some data, you can use Facebook Insights to figure out what times and days work for you. Then you can begin to schedule your content.
- + DECAY

We are always happy to share posts about your Arts Business so if you want a little more traction please Tag Us on Facebook @TheArtsBiz and we’ll do our best to share it for you!

We’d also love to hear about the posts from your creative business that have done really well. Afterall, if we all shared the knowledge, we could all benefit from the rewards.

Thanks to Green Umbrella and WordTracker for the stats and some additional info that helped when writing this post.

APP OF THE MONTH: PhotoShop Camera

Posted 07/09/202025/10/2020 RuthEJWestLeave a commentPosted in App of the Month, Blogs, Social Media

Name	Adobe Photoshop Camera
Product Description	Take the perfect picture! Look like you’ve spent hours editing your images in Photoshop by just picking an awesome filter, then show it off on your Social Media.
Availability	Available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Key Features	· Loads of free filters with new ones uploaded every week. Whether you’re looking for Studio style lighting, enhanced sky in your landscapes or a detailed night time lens there’s something for everyone. · Photos are edited automatically so that you get professional shots with every photo you take. · Influencer designed lenses so you can create content just like that of your favourite Instagram celebrity. · Awesome artistic lenses from Pop-Art to Sketch to transform your images to look like the work of a master painter. · Inbuilt AI looks at your content and suggests filters to you, automatically applying the effects you need to make your photos look awesome with minimal effort. · Portrait controls for the perfect lighting and appearance! When taking group shots the built in AI recognises people as the subject so as not to distort images.
Prices and Plans	Completely free! Which for an Adobe product is fantastic… hopefully a vision of things to come.
Biggest Pro	The huge number of filters is bound to get your creative juices flowing.
Biggest Con	It’s pretty basic, you’ll wanna stick to SnapChat for your selfie filters, but it’ll really enhance your other content.

So, not only can you spend hours of your currently monotonous locked in lifestyle scrolling through filters but you can make your social look sick!

Do you use Photoshop Camera to pimp up your Instagram? Share your pictures with us on Instagram @TheArtzBiz

We’d love to see them!

Name	Mention
Product Description	Make sure you hear every conversation happening about you and your brand online in real-time!
Availability	Available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Key Features	The easy way to manage your presence online with loads of handy settings and features including: · Creating alerts for your company and brand or your competitors so you can see who’s been talking about you, when and what they’ve been saying. · Filtering the most relevant internet mentions so you don’t have to. · Pulling your mentions from millions of different sources. · Anti-noise management. I LOVE this! Don’t get a bazillion unnecessary notifications, just get the essential info you ask for! · Connecting your social media accounts to quickly react to your mentions · Sharing your mentions with other members of your team · Viewing your stats and analytics to rate your online performance and see areas you can improve
Prices and Plans	You will probably manage with the free plan! But they offer paid options for bigger companies from £25.49 per month.
Biggest Pro	All your mentions in one place rather than some through Google, some through email and some through Hootsuite.
Biggest Con	The reports section can be a little glitchy, but they constantly update it and listen to customer feedback.