#GrowOnlinewithChinny interviews Everything Na Art on Building a Brand with Social Media Influence

Hey people,

I told you something interesting was coming…

The name, EverythingNaArt is not one that’s easy to miss on the ‘gram. It says something to you. Immediately, you want to know what it’s about and, when you do, you get soaked in.

You are quick to find out it’s not just a brand, it is a story. Your everyday experiences in pictures, words that make you go, “Oh yes, I agree!” With over 16,000 followers, and hundreds of comments on each post, Amin of Everything Na Art must be doing something right. So, I got her to share her journey with us.

Amin is on a mission- to make you see the art in everything, and like her Instagram bio says, to create “a dope place for creatives.” Enjoy, and if you need to take notes, by all means, do!

Hey Amin, tell us about yourself and EverythingNaArt
I am a Nigerian living in the diaspora, who is extremely connected to “home” and all it has to offer. Both the nuances and the nuisances. I started the Everything Na Art brand just a little over a year ago with just a simple hashtag. I would be intentional about how and when I used it. Instagram has always been my creative outlet to step away from my 9-5 as an Engineer. So each time, I would post something creative I would use the hashtag #EverythingNaArt. People started to use it too, then my hashtag went from a branded hashtag to a community hashtag with over 2000 people using it in just a year.

What’s the inspiration behind EverythingNaArt?
EverythingNaArt is a call to action. I am telling you to see everything in life as art. That rustic dirty looking wall, a painting, a photograph, even a heartbreak … everything is beautiful in its own way. There are no mistakes. Everything Na Art.

Engagement is one of the biggest challenges faced by businesses and creatives on social media. Take us through the process of how you built an engaging audience.
I talk to the people who follow me. Both literally by responding to comments and replies on my Instagram stories, and figuratively, by making sure my content relates to the people I’m creating it for. The creatives, the hustlers, the dreamers, the 9-5ers with multiple side hustles. So yes, I talk to them. And slowly people start to know you, like you and trust you. So you no longer have followers, you have a real community of folks who believe in you and support you wholeheartedly.

What mistakes have you made in the process of building your brand and Instagram community. What lessons can we all learn from this?
Hmmmm, this is a good one. I honestly do not take anything as a mistake. They are all awesome opportunities for growth and development. For instance if I used to undercharge for services, I count it all joy as I perfect my craft. I will learn more and more about how and what to charge, a mistake is only a mistake if you’re not learning from it.

When I saw your feed, the first thing that came to mind was, “Oh my, she has an eye for aesthetics!” What is your advice for people who want their feeds to pop like yours, but aren’t necessarily experts at creating beautiful images?
Thank you! I’m a visual person so I definitely care about how my feed looks. There are awesome apps that will help you with this. Unum and Snugg to name a couple of them.

Let’s talk about making money from social media marketing efforts. What has helped you with selling online? What mistakes have you made in the past and what should brands be doing?
I think that brands need to leverage their most important asset which is the people. Anything I sell anything online, I ask for feedback. I want my clients to buy from me again. So I care about what they think. Feedback could be as simple as a video showing them unboxing or unwrapping their package once they receive it. I made my packaging super awesome for this reason. I call it post experience marketing. It doesn’t end when the product is bought. When I post customer feedback on my Instagram stories, I get even more sales. So leverage the people!

Many people want to monetize their passions and multiply their income streams. How have you been able to do this? What role has social media played in this? Tell us about it.
I like to tell a story using my Instagram stories. I do more with it. I can show people the entire experience. People like to see the behind the scenes of what goes into your day or your product. It means something to them. People forget that the best promotion of your business besides word of mouth, is from your very own mouth. Also, tell people what you can offer. If you know how to make amazing logos and you want people to hire you for it, post a logo! Show them client feedback. How will they know you offer this service if you don’t say anything?

Talk to a small business owner for 30 minutes and you can be sure to hear the words ‘limited budget.’ How can small businesses create compelling social media campaigns that are budget friendly?
Limited budget is like the new buzz phrase. To be honest, if you have a phone, a bit of creativity and an open mind, you can do so much with a little. Start with Instastory!

Is social media always the way to go for brands? With Instagram growing rapidly, should we leave everything else and just face Instagram?
Well, my gut says yes focus on Instagram, but my common sense says ‘hmmm what if Instagram is gone tomorrow?’ So what you really need is to build a solid community that can follow you anywhere! I would create a strong email list. So even if Instagram disappears, we still have the good ol’ fashioned emails.

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Yaaaayyy, you made it to the end, make sure you leave a nice message, and join the @EverythingNaArt community. Got questions, drop them in the comments as well, who knows, Amin might just come here to respond directly. Connect with me on Instagram- @chinnysimperio.

Don’t forget- Everything Na Art.

Xoxo