Unpopular opinion: I chose to stay on Facebook instead of moving my art business to Instagram

I run a small pottery studio out of my garage in Cleveland. Last year I had to pick between Facebook and Instagram for marketing, and I went with Facebook even though everyone said Instagram was better for visual stuff. My reasoning was that Facebook groups let me talk directly to local buyers who actually pay, while Instagram felt like a popularity contest with no sales. So far I've sold 47 mugs through a local craft group, but I'm wondering if I'm missing out on a bigger audience. Anyone else make a similar choice and regret it or feel validated?

3 comments

3 Comments

kaigibson1mo ago

Wait, 47 mugs through a local craft group? Okay, I gotta ask - how do groups like that even get started? Is it just people posting in a general Cleveland area buy/sell page, or is it specifically for like handmade pottery and stuff? Because I've seen tons of artists on Insta complaining they can't get traction, but you're over here with almost fifty mugs sold to people who actually live nearby. That's the kind of real world reach I think a lot of folks overlook when they're staring at hashtags. Were those sales mostly from like repeat customers or one-time buyers just scooping up a gift?

ivanbell1mo ago

Hold up, you've sold 47 mugs through a local craft group? That's legit, man. Everyone hypes up Instagram for artists but half the time it's just likes from other artists who never buy anything. Facebook groups have actual people who show up and hand over real money, that's way more solid than some fake clout. You're not missing out on a bigger audience, you're focusing on the one that actually pays the bills. Most of my buddies who went all in on Insta are stressed out chasing likes and getting zero sales. I'd say you made the smart call sticking with what works for your actual business.

jakewhite1mo agoTop Commenter

Whoa, hold on, 47 mugs? That's not just a few sales, that's basically a small business doing numbers right there. I mean, people on Instagram are out here celebrating ten likes on a post about their hand-thrown vase and you're over in Cleveland moving actual inventory to real humans. That's the kind of detail that makes me think you stumbled onto something a lot of artists miss - actual paying customers who can drive to your garage and pick up a mug. I bet half those sales turned into repeat buyers too, because once someone gets a good mug from a local potter they tell their whole book club. You're not missing out on a bigger audience, you're just not wasting time on people who double tap and disappear.