When I first opened my Etsy shop back in October 2009, I was excited and terrified when I made my first sale -- a black moustache mirror to a young lady in the U.S. Would it break in transit? Would she be happy with it?
A couple of weeks ago my Etsy sales clocked up to 500: something I never, ever imagined would happen. Thank you so much to anyone out there reading this who has ever bought anything from my shop, whether it be a greeting card, downloadable knitting pattern, wooden clock or a whole bunch of original paintings!
And then another milestone this week! I have been on Instagram for six months. To have 1005 followers in such a short time feels kind of amazing and ridiculous at the same time, but I think it says more about Instagram than it does about me. For anyone out there considering joining (hello Saskia...?!) here's some evidence that it's the way to go.
There's lots of talk that blogs are dying. I still love working on my blog and reading other people's (though I find that I have less time to lately). Posting on this platform takes much more thought and effort than a quick snapshot and a couple of sentences on Instagram. It also works a lot better as a whole. After all what we call 'blogs' started out being called 'web-logs' or diaries and that is exactly what mine will continue to be. For my sake as well as for my readers'.
(And -- thank you for reading.)
6 comments:
Congrats on reaching these milestones Sandra! I love following your work via Etsy, Instagram and here on your web-log too :) Very nice to have this connection with other artists even if across the seas!! --Suzanna
I love checking in on your blog but I don't read blogs as a rule. I also 'have' a blog but rarely post these days and it feels like something extra I have to do. I understand the intimate nature of blogs and people who read them wanting that connection but I feel like I don't have time to read too many of them. Having said that, it'll be a bit sad if blogs disappear altogether. Maybe they can still exist for those who want to hang on to that connection to someone they follow, for the only reason that they want to be inspired. I just created a Facebook page, and find myself sharing on it like I might share on a blog. It's a visual record of your work and also a place to share interesting things and ideas. Maybe this means my preferred platform is Facebook. :)
I have lots of people encouraging me to join instagram but don't seem to have got there yet...maybe...so many pictures...I sometimes think I am more wordy than visual? And I know some really visual people who just can't see the point of twitter. Perhaps twitter and instagram together could replace blogging???
And when I clicked on your instagram your followers had increased to 1049!!!
Dear Suzanna -- that is absolutely the best thing about all of this -- connecting with likeminded (and lovely and generous) people from far away lands. Thank you very much indeed.
Dear Jo -- that is really interesting that your preferred platform is Facebook, it's making me rethink it, though I don't think I could handle yet another platform!! It's also a great shame that I can't see what you're sharing.....!!!
Dear Julianne (Mrs Slocombe) -- you keep doing what you do so thoughtfully and beautifullly. It doesn't matter where you write -- you will draw your audience. People often scroll at great speed through their Instagram feed. I don't think that it's a place in which to ponder or discuss anything in any great length or depth. There is the usual lovely internet thing of women being supportive of each other's work, but that's about as far as it gets generally. Or at least that is my experience.
Congratulations!
Post a Comment