Why Should Milliners use Instagram?

Modern shoppers make a lot of their purchases online, browsing websites, apps and emails for new styles and the best deals. Now even the online shopping experience is changing, as social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest have all become sources for shopping and selling. Keeping up with the changes in technology is important. As an artist today, you often have to be a marketer, salesperson and tech guru as well. Even if you only want to sell hats on your own website, or a marketplace like Etsy, you can still utilize social media to drive traffic to your site or storefront.

Although Facebook has been around the longest, the most influential site for product browsing is currently Instagram (IG). You can use Instagram from a computer, but it is much easier from the app, which can be found in your device’s app store. Instagram has the benefit of not having ‘friends.’ Instead, you can follow people and be followed (if profiles are public). It is based on sharing photos and videos, so scrolling customers can follow designers, stores or fashion related hashtags to keep up with the latest trends. You can also link your IG account to Facebook, so your posts on IG are also posted to Facebook with no additional effort. Plus, Instagram gives you the ability to tag products, as you would tag people in your photos, but the tag links directly to the product for purchase.

Instagram Business Accounts

Once you have a business Instagram account linked to a Facebook page, it is time to start posting and growing your following. Start by searching for and following designers you like. Posting regularly, preferably once a day, will keep your followers engaged and grow your following. There are free and paid programs that can help manage your social media posting. You can use these to create drafts and schedule content to post automatically for you on multiple days, at the times that will get you the most traffic. Tailwind and Hootsuite are examples of popular social media scheduling programs.

Millinery Hashtags

Besides following people, you can also follow hashtags. Hashtags are words that start with # and group similar images with the same hashtag. Using hashtags related to your product or image will encourage other members to follow you. You can also tag people by using @ in front of their user account name. Another good idea is to follow businesses in your community. Linking with other local businesses is a great way to build support on social media.

There are a huge variety of hashtags that you can use to promote your images. As you type a hashtag in IG, the program will recommend related words for you and show you how many followers the hashtag has. You want to use hashtags with as many followers as possible.

Here are some of my favorite millinery hashtags to use/follow…

#millinery
#milliner
#bespokemillinery
#millinerysupplies
#millinerytechniques
#hat
#fascinator
#couturemillinery
#millinersofinstagram
#millinersofetsy
#fashion
#fashionblogger
#accessories

This is just a very short list. There are lots more hashtags out there, so just start exploring!

Instagram is not only a great way to get exposure for your millinery designs, but to follow the latest hat and fashion trends as well.

About the Author

Amy Fowler is the creator of the bespoke, California-based Millinery by Amy Fowler label. She also runs Humboldt Haberdashery, an online millinery supplier.

See Amy’s full bio HERE.