For many business owners, promoting on Instagram is a no-brainer. The platform provides an easy way to put your products out there, build an online community, and get the feedback you need to grow. For the same reasons, people are using Instagram to market their non-fungible tokens (NFT) projects. It makes sense because NFTs often come in the form of digital art, and Instagram is a visual platform.
NFTs already have a strong presence on Instagram, with over seven million posts under the #nft hashtag. We can expect even more creators and collectors to join the bandwagon because Instagram is rolling out new features to improve the experience. For those looking to promote NFTs on Instagram, now is the time to do so. Here's a guide to help you get started.
What Is Instagram Doing to Help NFT Creators?
To help NFT creators reach a broader audience and monetize their work, Instagram is testing digital collectibles. It's currently working with several U.S. creators and collectors before giving everyone access to digital collectibles. Here are the features we can look forward to:
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Digital Wallet
Collectors and creators can connect a digital wallet to Instagram and choose which NFTs they want to share on the platform.
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Digital Collectibles
When a creator or collector posts a digital collectible, Instagram will display it with a shimmer effect along with its public information. They will be visible on the user's profile.
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Automatic Tagging
If their privacy settings permit, Instagram will automatically tag the creator and collector whenever they post a digital collectible.
How to Successfully Promote NFTs on Instagram
We see many artists thriving in the digital art space. But what we don't see is all the effort they've put in to achieve their success. If you've just minted your first NFT, don't expect the same level of attention right away. Building a following takes time. Here are some ways you can effectively promote NFTs on Instagram:
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Build up the Hype
It's a great strategy to announce the release of an NFT before actually posting it. That way, there's some buzz around it, and collectors can get excited. You can time the initial announcement a week before the NFT's release and then gradually post more information. You can post an update a few days before the launch and another one a couple of hours before it goes live.
Be careful not to divulge too much information too soon because your audience might lose interest. Keep your teasers vague but intriguing. You can also let your followers know when you've sold your NFT.
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Provide the Necessary Details
When promoting your NFTs on Instagram, remember to post vital information about your artwork. The basics include the title, release date, and auction's end date. Links to your artwork are crucial, too, so people know where to purchase them.
Don't forget about tags as well. If you collaborated with other artists to create an NFT, tag their Instagram handle as a way to credit them. You can also mention the collectors who showed interest in your promotional materials. That way, they can immediately call dibs once your NFT goes live.
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Share Your Process
You might seem too salesy if you only post about the NFTs you want to sell. To break up your feed, share things that happen behind the scenes. You can let people into your creative process, the apps you use to create digital art, or where you draw your inspiration. It can even be the small things like your hobbies, pets, or workstation.
When you're open and genuine, you allow your audience to see you as a person and not just an artist or creator. It also lets them connect emotionally with your art.
You can use Instagram reels to give your audience a sneak peek into your world. You can add snippets of you designing an NFT, minting it, and other parts of the process.
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Use the Right Hashtags and Keywords
Hashtags are essential to make the Instagram algorithm work in your favor. They also help your audience categorize and filter out your posts. However, it's not just about adding hundreds of hashtags to your artwork. You need to be strategic about it and figure out which hashtags will create the most exposure for your NFTs.
It's tempting to use the most popular NFT hashtags, but they won't benefit you much. Instead, you can try hashtags that are less competitive and more niche. Find ones that connect to your NFTs so the right people can find you.
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Actively Engage Your Audience
You can't expect your followers to interact with you if you don’t take notice of them. Communication is a two-way street, so creators need to do their part to keep the conversation going. Take the time to respond to messages and banter with your followers in the comments section. You can also show your support to other NFT creators by sharing their work or leaving encouraging comments. Most of the time, they'll return the favor.
Instagram Stories is another avenue to reach out to your followers. Take advantage of the various interactive stickers and create polls, surveys, and question boxes.
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Be Consistent With Your Posts
Consistency is vital on Instagram if you want the algorithm to favor your posts. Ideally, you should post five to seven times a week. It can be overwhelming to churn out content at a pace like that, but you'll get used to it. You can create a social media calendar to schedule and organize your NFT promotional content. You can even use a third-party scheduling platform to help you stay on track.
If you're on an Instagram Business account, you can schedule your promotional materials for automatic posting. It's a handy feature when you're away on vacation.
The Bottom Line
The NFT space on Instagram is rapidly evolving. If you want to promote your artwork, now is the perfect time to do so because the platform is increasing its support for the community. Building success on Instagram will take some effort and intentionality, so stick with the process to see your work bear fruit.
