This week’s post is all about creating and sharing images on social media that make people want to buy. Creating images that connect with your ideal customer, and making them feel connected to your products and to you, is how to grow a fan following that will buy from you year after year.

One of the reasons I love buying handmade is because it’s made by an actual human. It has a story. My purchase helps someone’s dreams come true. That’s why people buy handmade. If they didn’t care about the maker, they’d probably just go to Target.

So just how do you create and share these images?

Creating connections with your customers is all about quality images and storytelling.

With social media (Facebook and Instagram) and your Etsy shop updates, you have the opportunity to connect and share images above and beyond your product listing photos. Product listing images should be fairly simple and show off the qualities of your product. Social media images offer the chance for you to tell a story - about your products and about you, the maker.

Connect with your customers on social media and in your shop updates by telling the story of your brand/business through photos. This can include:

1. Your beginnings.

How did you start out in your business? When? What season was it? What are your business's roots? What was your first product? Share photos of your first product and reflect on how far you've come. Share your first rave review and reflect on how good it felt to receive it. Celebrate your business's "birthday".

2. Your "why".

Why do you do what you do? Is it to fund your travel addiction? So you can stay home with your kids? So you can have the freedom to go where you want, when you want? So your spouse can retire? Because you just can't stop creating? Any time you feel yourself grateful for your biz and life, take a photo and share it with your following.

3. Your inspiration.

Are you inspired by nature? Architecture? Fabrics? Patterns? Other creatives? Music? The weather? Books you've read? The ocean?  Think about what inspires you and photograph it. Carry your camera (or smartphone) with you wherever you go and take a snap any time you feel inspired by something.  Look for inspiration everywhere you go. Not only will it enhance your social media feeds, but also your creativity in general.- If using artificial light, ensure your bulbs are somewhere around 5200k-5500K.

4. Your creative process.

What do you need to start creating? A mug of coffee? Your favourite Spotify playlist? What is the evolution your product goes through from materials to shipment? Document and share the life cycle of your product, each step of your creative process, and everything you need to bring your products to life and ship them off to their new homes.

5. Your creative process.

What and where is your haven for creativity? Where does the magic happen? What are your favourite tools? How do you adorn the walls of your creative cave? Are you perfectly organized or functionally chaotic? Do you share your space with anyone? A furry friend perhaps? Share images of your creative space with your following so they can see where your products (and soon to be their's) come to life.

6. Your product in-action.

Lifestyle photos show your product in use. They provide real-world context and help customers see your product in their life. They evoke a desire to have your products. Lifestyle photos are images that turn customers into buyers - and fans. Add a living touch to your lifestyle photos by including an actual human being, or stage a photo so that it looks like a human has just stepped away. You can recruit friends, family members, or even use yourself to model. You don’t even need to show your face. A well placed hand, a shot from the neck down, etc can go a long way.

Sharing these special behind-the-scenes glimpses and lifestyle photos help you resonate and strike a chord with customers. Even though these photos may be more casual in nature than product listing photos, the same rules apply. Your photo must be clean, well-lit, properly edited, well composed and staged tastefully.

Note: Your Facebook and Instagram feeds should not read like a catalogue. That’s what your shop is for. People won’t follow you or engage with your posts if you just post your product images. Social media is a chance for you to interact with your ideal audience, grow them into fans, and convert them into loyal customers.