Hello, my name is AntonioMabs, lead artist and founder at https://mabsarts.com an art services business focused on helping creators of all types and skill levels reach their full potential through creativity. We also create cultural events for the betterment of the arts through live music, community mural events and social media marketing.
I am also the owner of the MabsArts Store (https://mabsarts.storenvy.com) here we sell all sorts of products such as: stickers, books, clothing and much more.
I am saying all these things so yo know where I am coming from when I give you the following tips to getting more business as a freelancer via Social Media.
First off, I think that if you are on social media only to drive business, I think you are doing it wrong. No one is going to buy from you if you have 0 followers and only post content that is promoting your sales. However if you do the right amount of work to grow your follower base, you show a great product, and provide value to your followers then you might just be on the road to closing sales on social media.
Be Consistent
The most valuable tip I can offer is to be consistent, be creative and be communicative.
You need to be posting everyday, or at the very least every other day if you want to stand a chance against the “all knowing” algorithms. The way Instagram and other social media platforms might work is by taking the information it already knows from you (your likes, your shares, the things you put on your timeline, who’s stories you click on and your comments) and showing you the posts that best fit your already known preferences. This is the reason why you might follow an account of a friend but if they are constantly posting about politics and you’ve never liked a political post you’ll never get to see them. They’ll be pushed so far back in your timeline that it’ll take you years of nonstop scrolling to find them. But at the same time, it’s the reason why you interact a lot with a person on social media and you end up never missing their posts; they always seem to be right at the top of your feed.
Posting consistently gives information to the algorithm about the type of content you post. Whether that is by focusing you into a niche (an account that only posts cats pictures) or broadening the scope of what you post (art, animations, funny memes, and selfies).
Now keep in mind, all this algorithm talk is highly hypothetical, I do not work at Instagram or any social media company for that matter, but based on my use of the platforms and my successes and failures while using them, this is the information and the most likely explanation for how this stuff works behind the scenes.
I find it easy to go towards extreme territories (even if highly possible and the truth), and think of an algorithm that identifies different types of pictures and picks out the selfies and then shows it to users that are most likely to like selfie pictures. Or that it can communicate with your cellphone and know the exact people you talk to on a daily basis and shows those first…
But I digress; the point is to post consistently.
However that does not mean, post anything every day. No, you need to post creative content at a sustainable pace so that with time social media becomes it’s own marketing channel for you to run your sales and present your new products or services.
Be Creative
Your content has to be new, informative and creative. Your goal is to create content that is engaging for your target audience. Whether that means beautiful content that makes you stop mid timeline to hit that share button, shocking content that makes you question your reality or funny content that gives you a laugh during lunch break and has you telling your friends all about it. Your content has to be more than your standard run of the mill. Spend time refining your craft, your design skills and your photo taking skills (even a picture on a phone can work if shot at the right angle with the right light.)
It is important that whatever you are displaying on your social media pages is of a high quality, this can only be achieved through practice, dedication and persistence. No amount of tricks, tips or secretes will give you the perfect amount of followers, that are committed to helping and consuming what every it is that you make. Whether you sell shirts, sell your services as a graphic designer, or anything in between. Your follower’s quality are only as good as your product’s quality.
I say product because unlike the word “content”, the reality of most of the readers is to turn a profit on their passions and get to live their best life. Add to that the fact that we are living in a pandemic society, everyone is trying to reinvent themselves, we all want to make money from our home and enjoy the freelance life, but on top of that for some cases, this is the only way now. Colleges have taken to online classes, and many professionals are only doing business online leaving a lot of people without a job, and a with a need to do something about it. So yes, your social media should be a product and it should show a product (if you want to drive sales that is), a finish one or at the very least a great product idea that is a pleasure to see evolve.
Be Communicative
Lastly you need to be communicative. This means answering dms quickly and with kindness, and replying to comments. Engage with the people that are engaging with you, or risk the chance of losing them all together.
The word “social” in social media is very important in regards to succeeding in it. This people that are “following” us, have minds, lifes, hopes and dreams, and it is only true our shared experiences and communications can we all grow and enjoy a better life, one in which we both are able to evolve. Essentially the peoplte that follow you should be able to feel better about their live for following you. This will permit two things.
1- It will allow them to grow, to expand their knowledge, their income, their status.
2- It will allow you to increase the quality of your market, thus increasing the value of your offering.
Because better followers, means better customers.
In this regard, be unique, run giveaways, talk to people, make friends, those will be the same people that turn around and share your work, purchases from you and recommends you to their friends. Be Kind, Be Real, and Be Mindful.
Do all these things consistently and you not only will make your first sale on social media, but you will learn, you will grow, you will meet new friends, and you will be the better for it.
MabsArts 
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