In this Instagram case study, I want to introduce you to Maleah Torney, one of many photographers on Instagram, and how she uses Instagram so effectively for her business. She uses the platform to do so much more than just showcase her photos and prints and I think this is a lesson that many business owners, and other photographers, can learn from.
As always, time for a disclaimer... I am in no way affiliated with Maleah Torney. I have not purchased any of her prints or merchandise. I have not reached out to her for any insight into how she uses Instagram - this post is based entirely on my interpretations of what I see on the current profile.
That being said, I have followed her Instagram account for a while. I think her prints and photos are beautiful - and who couldn't use a little more beauty in their Instagram feed? In following Maleah, I've seen how she's used Instagram to promote her business and I applaud the way she does.
So let's dive into what she's doing so well!
Good Bio
I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record with this whole "good bio" thing. But it really is so important to have an effective bio on Instagram. And again, Maleah is someone who does it right.
It defines exactly who she is and what she does. There's no confusion or questions after reading her bio. And I love that she includes her email address for anyone to be able to contact her directly. As someone who is growing her business online, this easy access to communication is key!
And, of course, she makes good use of the URL in the bio. She straight up says "Purchase Prints Here" and then there's the link to her Etsy store. It doesn't get any easier or more clear than that!
Her profile photo is of her. People want to connect with people. Having her image (with a camera in hand) is perfect branding and allows people to connect with her as a person, not just her artwork.
The bio is complete, effective, and drives potential customers right to her store. As a business, there's not much more you could ask from an Instagram bio.
Active Posting
Maleah is posting something to Instagram nearly every single day. Sure, she may skip a day here and there, but she's staying active and appearing in the Instagram feeds of others on a regular basis. This develops trust and recognition - something every business owner, but especially artists, need to cultivate customers.
While most of her posts are images of the prints she has for sale, she mixes in an occasional post that let's people into her life. Whether it's asking a question, showing a behind-the-scenes trip to get the perfect photo shoot, or showcasing how her customers display her work, she is sharing more than just her art.
https://instagram.com/p/z8COaGOg4t/?taken-by=maleahtorney
This is a great way to cultivate your audience and let them see that there's more to you than just "what you do". Don't be afraid to show your human side!
Watermarked Images
As a photographer, Maleah takes the extra step to put her watermark on all her images available for sale. While we know (or should know) that any photo you take is yours by copyright law, many "casual" users don't understand this. I applaud Maleah for putting her stamp on each image to protect her rights.
But it also goes one step further for her as a photographer - it's branding. It's subliminal (or minimal), but when you see that logo watermarked on all these different posts, it begins to leave a lasting impression. Again, it leads to trust and confidence in the artist. And it establishes her brand repeatedly.
Consistent Branding
Maleah has a very recognizable "style". Her posts are all different and unique, and yet when you scroll through her gallery, they all have a similar "look" to the them. The feel is consistent and she has developed a style that is almost immediately recognizable as her own.
Through the photography itself and post-edit work, she creates a color, tone, and style that is present in nearly all of her images (even images of city scapes and other aspects).
https://instagram.com/p/z-gkKuOgxq/?taken-by=maleahtorney
Even if you aren't selling "art" or something with this type of visual style, your gallery should still look cohesive. People should scroll through and see a regular style. Whether it's muted colors or highly saturated colors. Whether it's a dominant color pattern. Whether it's a soft and airy style or something edgy and modern. Your branding should be consistent throughout your gallery.
Good Use of Hashtags
You know I love a good incorporation of hashtags into your Instagram posts and Maleah does this really well. Every post has at least 5 relevant hashtags in the post caption. But she cleverly separates the caption from the hashtags with a line to add space and avoid too much focus on the hashtags themselves.
All of her hashtags are related to her post content. Whether it's flowers or shots of San Francisco, the hashtags are consistently relevant to that unique post's content.
I would like to see her use her own branded hashtag in her posts to create a hashtag gallery around her images. She could probably create one just for cityscapes and one for just for florals and nature. This would add some more personalized branding to her content and she could encourage customers to tag her art with these hashtags to spread the reach and enhance the gallery around her content.
Selling Prints
Obviously, Maleah is in business to sell her wares. She creates prints, calendars, and more content which she has available for sale. If all she did was post "pretty pictures" she'd be missing the opportunity to actually drive sales and increase revenue.
And this is one of the reasons I really want to highlight this account. Because she promotes her content so well, without being overly salesy or pushy.
When she is promoting that a print is available for sale, she includes a very clear call-to-action (CTA) in the post caption. There's no blatant "FOR SALE" across the image or anything that distracts from the power of her art. But the caption clearly states that it is available for sale and to click on the link to visit her store to purchase.
https://instagram.com/p/zbQgKdug9E/?taken-by=maleahtorney
And there are times where she does want to promote an actual sale or promotion she's hosting. In these situations, she does include a text overlay in the post itself to really capture her audience's attention. And again, the caption covers the details and includes the CTA to get people to take action.
https://instagram.com/p/zx5Ovoug8D/?taken-by=maleahtorney
Even if you don't sell art and even if you aren't an ecommerce business, I think there are plenty of lessons you can take from Maleah Torney's Instagram account. But if you are an artist, photographer, makeup artist, hairstylist, salon, or anything else that works in a creative and artistic fashion, I think you can learn a lot from this account and how she uses the power of Instagram to reach a broader audience and drive sales and revenue.
