I Shared My Thoughts on Instagram with SmartCompany 📱🎨
Share
A little behind-the-scenes business moment that I’m pretty excited about!
I recently had the opportunity to contribute to a SmartCompany article about the return of the humble single-photo Instagram post.
And as someone who spends a LOT of time trying to figure out what on earth Instagram wants from us this week 😂, this was a topic I definitely had thoughts on.
Read the full SmartCompany article →
Does everything really need to be a Reel?
Running a small business means wearing approximately 700 hats at once.
I’m painting portraits, packing orders, answering emails, photographing products, creating new things and somewhere in between all of that…
Instagram would also quite like me to become a full-time video editor. 😂
Reels can be incredible for reaching new people and they’re still a really important part of how I share Annalise Paints.
But they also take time.
You need an idea, footage, editing, music, text, a caption and hopefully enough brain power left afterwards to actually run the business.
Sometimes I just want to post a nice photo
This was one of the things I spoke about with SmartCompany.
I’ve noticed more small businesses and artists starting to share simple photos again, and honestly, I LOVE IT.
Sometimes you have a beautiful finished portrait.
You take a beautiful photo of it.
And you just want to… post the photo.
That’s it. 😂
No transition.
No trending audio.
No spending an hour editing a seven-second video.
Just a nice photo of something you’re proud of.
What I’ve noticed with Annalise Paints
One of the interesting things I’ve seen on my own Instagram is that simple photos of my finished pet portraits can perform really well.
In some cases, they’ve actually worked better for me than more complicated before-and-after graphics or split images.
I think there’s something really lovely about giving the artwork room to be the entire focus.
People can stop.
Look at the little details.
Notice the eyes, the fur, the expression and all those tiny things I’ve spent hours painting.
And then tell me about the pet it reminds them of in the comments. 🥹
Reels still have their place
I’m definitely not breaking up with Reels anytime soon.
For Annalise Paints, video can be amazing for reaching people who have never seen my work before.
It lets me show how an Inkless Paw Print Kit works, take you behind the scenes of a portrait, introduce you to the pet I’m painting or show you what goes into running this little business.
But I think there’s room for both.
A Reel doesn't automatically make a post better.
And a single photo isn't automatically boring.
Maybe Instagram is becoming a little more human again
I think this is what I love most about the idea of single photos making a comeback.
Social media started as a place where we shared things.
Somewhere along the way, every post started feeling like it needed a hook, strategy, trending sound, perfectly timed edit and seventeen different pieces of text on the screen.
As a small business owner, that can be exhausting.
So if Instagram really is making a little room for the “good old days” again…
I am VERY happy about it. 😂
A pretty special small business moment 🤍
Being asked to contribute to the SmartCompany article was also one of those lovely reminders that people are noticing what I’m building with Annalise Paints beyond just the products themselves.
I started this business because I love creating things that celebrate our pets.
I definitely didn't start it thinking that one day I’d be sharing my thoughts on social media and small business with an Australian business publication.
So this one feels pretty special.
Read the full SmartCompany article here →
And yes… I’ll keep posting the pet photos 🐾
Whether it's a Reel reaching thousands of new people or a simple photo of someone's finished portrait, the goal is still the same.
To share beautiful pets.
Create things that mean something to their people.
And hopefully make your Instagram feed approximately 300% cuter in the process.
Sounds pretty good to me. 🤍