If you're an artist and aren't on Instagram, then maybe it's time you sign up. Gone are the days of artists solely selling their creations at large art galleries and boutique stores. Nowadays, more and more artists are looking to online platforms like Instagram to showcase their creations and build a following.

Instagram is the perfect platform for artists as it's a visually driven platform filled with images and videos that can easily be shared with friends, family, or the whole world. The process of sharing images on Instagram is straight forward, and if one of your creations happens to be a viral hit, the results could be staggering. By posting great art and following a solid Instagram strategy, you can grow your following on Instagram and help spread your expertise across the web.

Below are a few reasons you should get on Instagram and some strategies to start reaping the benefits.

1. Huge reach

Instagram is the largest image-sharing platform and the second-largest social networking platform in the world. Instagram currently bolsters over 1 billion active users every month. That's a considerable amount of eyes that could be potentially looking at your art online, each of which could be a future art buyer. Instagram also has a section for exploring and searching for art pieces either by hashtag or by name. This helps art buyers explore and connect directly with artists, as many collectors can find unique art pieces that they otherwise would not find elsewhere.

2. Perfect for artists

Instagram is the perfect platform for artists to showcase their talent. Since Instagram is largely a visually-based platform, it's a no brainer that artists have flocked to it. It's the perfect place to share your art in the purest form. No words are necessary when posting a picture on Instagram, which is excellent as it allows the end-user to interpret the art pieces in their own unique way.

Instagram doesn't require a computer, so posting new art on a daily basis is quick and easy so long as you have a smartphone. Snap a few photos of your creations with a decent smartphone camera and edit them directly on Instagram with their built-in editing tools. Alternatively, you can watch or download YouTube video tutorials on how to enhance your photos using tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, or GIMP.

3. Sharing and Reposting

When it comes to Instagram, the best way to grow your following is by having your followers share and like your artwork. It's the fastest way to get your art out there for the rest of the world to see.

One tried, and true method to get your art out there is by collaborating with other artists. Use the explore tab in the Instagram app to find artwork similar to yours and reach out to the artist, asking if they would re-post your artwork on their page. This will get new eye-balls looking at your art, which could convert to a few new followers.

Look for larger accounts than yours that frequently share artwork. Try tagging them and using inviting hashtags in the artwork that you post. This will attract attention and, at the very least, give you more exposure to your target audience.

Lastly, you can ask your followers to repost their favorite art pieces on their own Instagram pages, Facebook profiles, or websites. Using tools like InstaOffline or IGDownloader they can easily download some of your Instagram photos and re-post them.

4. Engaging with followers

If you're planning on making it big on social media, one crucial thing you can't overlook is engaging with your followers. People love to interact with one another, and Instagram is no different.

Whenever you receive comments or feedback on your posts, it's paramount that you respond to each and every one of them. People love the feeling of self-worth, and what's better than getting a response from the author. By interacting with your followers, you will spur more conversation, bringing them back time and time again.

It might be easy to manage this at first, but once you have a big following, it may become difficult. Hiring a social media manager might be something to consider, as this will free up your time to focus on other necessary things.

5. Instagram stories

The last thing we're going to cover is the use of Instagram stories.

Instagram stories are short video clips that you can post on your social media profile that can be viewed for a 24 hours period before they disappear.

Stories can be used in a variety of ways to interact with followers. One great way to use stories as an artist is to showcase the process that you use for creating your masterpieces. You can even share exclusive art pieces with your followers or ask questions to your followers through polls.

Although Instagram stories only last 24 hours, you can store them on your account as a highlight that can be viewed at any time. If your users feel inclined to download your Instagram stories, you can use Storydownloader for that.

Instagram stories are a useful tool for growing your audience and spurring on more conversation.

Conclusion

While we could go on endlessly about all the different things you can do with Instagram, we will leave you here. We've covered some of the basics to get you started with Instagram, hopefully. It's always changing, so adopting new strategies and coming up with creative ideas is key to Instagram's success.