The Rule of 7: How graphic designers and logo designers should be using Instagram to grow their business
Vol. 077
The Rule of 7: How graphic designers and logo designers should be using Instagram to grow their business.
Using Instagram isn’t about likes, followers, and comments — it’s about the Rule of 7.
A quick bite:
The creative industry puts undue pressure on this one app: likes, followers, comments, opportunities — it seems that people feel like if their Instagram isn’t booming, neither is their business… if this is you’re perspective, you’re probably using INCORRECTLY! I’ve found the most success through using Instagram to leverage the Rule of 7.
Continue reading below…
It’s been interesting to see the shift of how Instagram is used over the past few years.
Starting as a place for people to share pictures of themselves, their vacations and their meals, then evolving to everyone boasting glorious, travel-filled lives loaded with parties and beautiful people, and thereafter becoming a place where people share an “authentic” lifestyle. Now, Instagram has become laden with people giving advice, offering value, and giving “free content” (not a bad thing, just an observation).
To be frank, it all seems a bit ridiculous to me: the pressure and preciousness that is placed on this damn app, that is actually slowly fading into the background. It’s a great place to build an audience — that is undeniable — but an audience on Instagram does not make or break your creative career.
Your Instagram posts probably aren’t as important as you think, folks. I’ve said it before, this app isn’t about what you post. It’s about showing up.
I only receive about 5% of my work through Instagram—the rest Vicarel Studios’ work comes from referrals, outreach, and organic searches.
Key insight:
Your use of Instagram shouldn’t be focused on getting likes, comments or follows. Use Instagram as an opportunity to experiment, fail, learn, grow and maybe most importantly, use Instagram to leverage the Rule of 7. The Rule of 7 in marketing is the idea that it takes an average of seven interactions with your brand before a customer will make a purchase.
Instagram is an opportunity for creative entrepreneurs to remain top of mind for prospects, previous clients, and potential future clients. Regularly showing process, in-progress work, and final work (used or unused) helps you remain on people’s mind, and that’s the biggest obstacle of them all. When someone wants to hire a graphic designer or logo designer, 99% of the time they’re not looking for the best, they’re just looking for someone competent and someone that they can trust. If you can stay in front of a prospect regularly (through consistently showing your work) they are far more likely to come to you when they need your services.
If you’re a brand designer or logo designer, you should be regularly posting your used and unused logos to show strangers or followers alike that you’re constantly creating awesome work. As a muralist, I believe you should be showcasing your final murals, photos of in-progress murals, as well as discarded mural concepts to regularly be popping up in people’s feeds.
Consistency is one of the best ways to build trust. Consistently posting, consistently talking about the value of your work, and consistently being top of mind?
If someone sees your name and creative work on a regular basis (7 or more times, as the Rule of 7 suggests) you’re far more likely to get the job than someone else.
The takeaway? Instagram can be whatever you want it to be. I personally don’t really care about it, and treat it as an opportunity to just remind people that I’m here, I’m hungry, and I’m available for creating some awesome brand work if they’re interested.
The Rule of 7 applies to place other than Instagram — don’t waste your time overthinking it, and get your work out there!
Cheers!
Adam
