How to Evolve with Social Media as a Handmade Maker
In this day and age, it's virtually impossible to avoid social media, especially if you're a handmade maker. There's much to like about social media, it connects us with others and we can share what we love (in my case, it's entirely Crochet!), but it also comes with its own trials. It can be difficult waters to navigate, and it’s even harder if you're more introverted like myself & many artists are, but there are ways to overcome this and continue to grow in exciting ways.
The Mindset
The first thing that's key is to shift your mindset. Social media can be a source of frustration as well as fear. You're truly putting yourself out there, potentially in front of a lot of people, and it's understandable to want to retreat. Instead, come at it from a different perspective. The best way to approach this is to look at posting your stuff as another form of art. You're taking photos, videos, editing, and writing. That's art! Approach it with the same energy that you do your art and that will make the activity being on social media more is more aligned with your personality.
Go with the Flow
Social media companies change their algorithms so frequently...and each one has its own rules about how to effectively use their service. It's hard keeping up with everything, but it seems like the only way to be successful. Keep up to date with the changes that are being made, but don't let it consume you. Make notes about which rules work for you and let go of those that don't. When it comes down to it, it's not an exact science. You want to give yourself the best chance for your content to be visible, but you don't want to lose yourself in the process.
Create High-Quality Content
It all starts with the content that you're creating and making sure it's high-quality, no matter what it is. I'm always thinking about how I can take crochet to the next level and push myself as a designer. I'm constantly working on sharpening my skills and experimenting with new ideas that inspire others and invite people to see crochet in a whole new way. You should put everything into what you make and that same sensibility should be given to social media. Present your work in the best light, and think hard about what will make the photo pop or what will keep people's attention all the way through a video. The energy that you put into this is what you will get out of it.
Commitment
There are ups and down with everything in life and things don't always go our way. The sense of defeat is real with social media, but remember that it's all an illusion. Just because something doesn't work exactly how you wanted it to, doesn't mean that the next thing won't. Keep adapting and evolving and try new ways of presenting your content. The point of it is to keep creating content even when you're in a drought. You won't get anywhere if no one sees your stuff, so keep putting it out there!
Have Fun
This sounds simple, but it's the most important part. Social media should be fun and if it's not, it's more than okay to take a break from it. Figure out what it is that's bothering you, and target it directly. Your personality should shine through in the content that you post. It's easy to fall into the trap of trying to be what people expect us to be, but you should always be yourself because no one else can be like you. Show off your personality and come up with ideas that even surprise you. That's what people will gravitate towards.