#casetifyresources

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Best scheduling tools for Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

While having the top engagement times in your back pocket is important, it’s no use if you aren’t able to take advantage of them. 

If you’re not near a computer or otherwise too busy to post during these crucial windows of time, we have an easy solution: scheduling tools.

With these FREE resources, you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to schedule multiple posts in advance--this will save you a lot of time in the long run and allow you to focus on other aspects of your business. 

Our favorites:

1. Later

With Later, you can upload and schedule Instagram posts either from your computer or mobile device. This app is perfect for on-the-go use because you can easily schedule and post whenever, wherever.

How it works: all you have to do is upload your visual, add your copy and choose the time and day you want to schedule the post. You’ll receive a push notification when it’s time to post and all you do is tap a few buttons and share. 

2. Twittimer

Although Twitter is currently one of the best self-promoting platforms out there, it’s very easy for posts to get buried. At the same time, it’s critical to maintain a consistent presence on Twitter in order to get noticed by potential customers, which is why Twittimer will come in handy.

How it works: type your copy, add a visual and schedule (or publish right then and there, if you wish). Plus, it provides a character count so that you know you’re staying within the 160 character limit. Easy as pie. 

3. Facebook page

If you currently have a Facebook Page, you can create a post and schedule it to publish anytime in the future. 

How it works: create a post, as you would normally on the top of your Page’s timeline. Click the down arrow and select ‘schedule’. That’s it! 

Keep it up with the #CasetifyArtists posts! Whenever you promote, please use this hashtag so our social media team can show our support. 

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Let’s get Pinteresting part 1: how to maximize your earning potential

Get ready because we’re about to make a bold statement: Pinterest has the potential to be your best social e-commerce tool yet. 

Why? Users login to this visual discovery tool with the mindset to shop. In other words, they come prepared to “add to cart”. Orders have increased by 79% since last year and the average order value hovers around $60. In fact, Pinterest drives more web traffic than any other social network. Wowzers!

Pinners look to Pinterest to plan and organize their future: the things they want to do, the places they want to go and products they want to buy so we’d say it’s pretty important that you know how to absolutely own it.  

The most successful pins: 

1. Inspire desire

Carefully styled photos will prompt customers to make a purchase because jaw-dropping visuals make customers feel like they can’t live without your product. Pin unique content that YOU create and that can’t be found anywhere else. 

Aspect ratio: Stay tall. Use vertical pins with a 2:3 to 1:3.5 aspect ratio and minimum width of 600px. Images that aren’t vertical get shrunk within Pinterest’s platform. With a taller aspect ratio, you’ll be able to stand out and take up more real estate on the site. Look at what a difference it can make, above. 

Lifestyle shots: Taking pretty photos takes time but it’s worth it: you’ll find what resonates with your audience and how to improve your account’s performance. 

What to avoid: Stray away from pinning dark or distracting photos. Simplicity is key. For tips on how to take great photos, refer to our mobile photography tips. Where to grab product photos: Pin professional, good-looking photography and visuals located on Casetify’s Facebook or Instagram. 

Multi-product shots: Give Pinners the full picture by pinning photos with multiple designs. If you provide users different options within one photo, you’ll appeal to a wider audience and drive up your click rates. Though a customer might not like one of the designs pictured, he or she might like another one. 

Text overlay: Work around a clear theme and add some text overlay like our example below. California Lovin’ + the corresponding designs scream laidback west coast vibes.  

2. Bring products to life 

Since you’re selling online, Pinners can’t see or hold the physical product in their hands so you have to help them imagine what it would be like to own your product through a detailed description. 

Details: Give Pinners a reason to click by making pin descriptions informative and useful. Mention the most compelling aspects of the product like its features but don’t reveal everything- hint at what more there is to find if they click through to your brand’s website or in this case, your Casetify store. Always provide a soft call-to-action like “shop the entire collection” or “free standard shipping worldwide”. You want customers to act, not just view your products. 

Tip from artist Julia Di Sano (ebiemporium): “The details should all be relevant and it's best to think like a shopper or buyer and use descriptors you think someone might type into a search bar when looking for products similar to your item.”

Limit hashtags: Not only is it annoying for users, but it actually leads customers away from your store when customers click on the hashtag in your description. 

There’s more to come! Stay tuned for Let’s Get Pinteresting (Part 2). 

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Time to shine: mobile photography tips

If you’ve got it, flaunt it. 

With visual-heavy channels like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest being all the rage, it’s more important than ever to make sure you deliver creative images that tell a story in order to successfully sell your product. 

Luckily, most mobile phones come equipped with a top-notch camera so that just about anyone can take a great shot faster than you can say cheese. 

We asked a few of our fellow artist friends to share how to capture the perfect moment, right from your phone.

1. Let there be light 

Melody Munn || @melodyjoymunn

Toolkit: VSCO 

“Always use natural lighting. That is key for me. If inside, I move my white table right next to the window. There is nothing worse than a grainy image, and any unnatural lighting never turns out well for color balancing purposes.”

Tip: Don’t shoot in direct sunlight and when possible, turn off all overhead lights so that only natural light covers your subject. 

2. Work your angles

Grant Legan || @grantlegan 

Tooklit: VSCO, SnapSeed, SKWRT, Afterlight

“Composition, simplicity, straight lines. Overall simplicity is key. Play with different angles and view points on the subject. Walk around the subject in a circle till you find your most interesting angle.”

Tip: Find creative perspectives. Don’t be afraid to experiment! 

3. Location, location, location 

Emma Fineman || @emmafineman

Toolkit: VSCO, SnapSeed

“I enjoy shooting the everyday as a way of capturing elements of my life that I find special, beautiful, or exciting. They can be entirely mundane, or feel very familiar. Most of the time where I shoot, and the places I share through my photos, is my way of sharing my favorite places and the community that I love being a part of.”

Tip: Think about what you want to communicate and play with different colored backgrounds, textures and props without distracting the viewer from the product. Try a “flat lay” photo like the one below!

4. Get up close and personal 

Sarah Klein || @chalkfulloflove

Toolkit: VSCO

“Since my account is for my business, I like to get up close and personal to my subject so I can show off the details. I shoot and post more lifestyle photos to show my customers how I use my own products so they can envision using it in their lives.”

Tip: Create intimacy. If the subject is small, such as a phonecase, shoot the object close to pick up the details. 

5. Have fun with it

Puno || @punodostres

Toolkit: VSCO, SnapSeed

“I don’t take myself so seriously! The worst is when you bring the mood down by getting all self conscious about how you look. What a bummer. I’m always looking for fun locations to shoot: (1) so I can go there and (2) so I can take photos bc it’s fun to shoot. I’m a 30 year old chica who’s married. At this point, I’m just looking for an excuse to be goofy.”

Tip: With mobile photography, there isn’t a limit to the amount of images you can take. Take more now, delete later. Half the fun is going through all of your images and finding your favorite one! 

Now, quick!--grab your smartphone and snap away! Share your images with us by tagging #casetify. Don’t forget to engage with your fans as they DOUBLE TAP that photo!

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How-to: Use Facebook to your advantage

With over 1.4 billion active users (say wha?!), Facebook is the social platform. If you’re wondering how to your grow your brand through Facebook, thumbs up! You’ve come to the right place.

Here are a few pointers:

1. Less is more 

Posts with less than 80 characters receive 66% more likes and comments compared to lengthier ones so it’s okay to be straight to the point. Don’t confuse the reader! 

Tip: Always provide a call to action. EX: Shop here: casetify.com/myawesomestore

2. Size matters

Post photos that are 1200 x 628. Not only do images look better in the feed, but they perform better too. Sit back, relax and watch the likes and comments roll in.

Tip: Try creating a 4 square photo using images of your phone cases. This is a super easy way to show off what ya got, multiple cases at a time. (Rec’d tool: Fotor)  

3. Let’s get personal 

Connect with your fans! Start a conversation and ask questions or make the them feel extra special by ‘liking’ any comments they leave on posts. After all, Facebook is a social space. 

Tip: Get people excited by hosting a giveaway with the referral codes you’ve built up. Refer more now here. 

4. Purchase ads

You can’t sell a product to someone that doesn’t know you exist: this is where Facebook ads come in. Ads start at as little as $1 per day and help target a specific demo by geographic area, age, gender or interest to name a few. 

Tip: Start small by investing in a short-term ad to see if it works and go from there.

Ready to get things started? Let’s GO! 

Image source

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Build your brand: why you should be your own marketing machine

Everyone knows what a brand is. Google, Starbucks, McDonald’s. But here's something to chew on: as an artist selling products to consumers, you (the artist!), are your own brand too.

Whether selling on the Casetify platform is a hobby or full-time job, you must embody what it means to be the owner of your business. It’s 2015, social media is on the rise and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Managing your online presence and controlling how people see your brand is no longer an option—what you sell and how you sell it says a lot about you.

Think of it as being your own PR and marketing guru. Who better to represent you, than you?

Here’s why social media is your friend:

1. It gets your name out there

Social media is the easiest way to increase your visibility. 

Posting beautiful images of your designs spurs conversation. Word of mouth marketing works wonders when a referral is made between one source to another. This snowballs into something much greater. The best part? You did it for free.  

2. It makes sales 

Let’s face it. Practically everyone is on social media. Post lifestyle images that these people are going to want to shop like the one below. All you need is Photoshop! 

Tip: Provide a link to your Casetify store and a call to action with words like “explore” or “shop”. Feel free to grab and post images from our Instagram, use the flyers that we send you via email or create your own.

3. Figure out what your fans like!

Treat social media as a space where you can study and engage with your audience. Each comment, click or like can provide valuable insight that you can use to improve the effectiveness of your content.

Ask engaging questions or share witty quotes in your captions to get more likes. Don’t be afraid to switch things up!

Tip: use tools like Iconosquare to track the type of content that resonates with your customers.

4. Reach bigger audiences through influencers

Connecting with influencers (bloggers, techies or even friends with a large social following) is one of the most valuable ways to tap into a wider audience.

Who is someone you follow that would love your design? Reach out to them and ask if they want to try out a case so that they can share it on their feed. 

Tip: use Casetify referral credit you’ve built up

Remember that building your empire through social media doesn’t happen overnight. Keep at it until you find what works!

Questions? Email our artist relations point-person: [email protected]  

Image source: CarbonStamps