As the saying goes, we’re living in the digital age. Never has an active presence on social media been more necessary to growing brand recognition and impact than now. Enter Instagram. Operating under the Facebook umbrella, the platform has changed the way we consume instantly-gratifying content. With over 700 million active users around the world, Instagram represents a key opportunity for designers and brands to connect with their consumers. But how does a young designer accomplish that? Earlier this week, several of our past and present Fashion Incubator designers met with Eva Chen, head of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram, to hear her tips and tricks for making the most out of their posts.

“Quality not quantity.” Chen’s first bit of advice was that it’s not the number of followers you have, but the quality of them. Specifically, building an audience that is continuously engaged with your posts is far more beneficial than a large number of followers who do not actively engage. Designer Charles Youssef expressed how high engagement rates have directly increased his sales. “We’ve recently started receiving actual orders through Instagram’s direct message features,” he said. “It really seems like it’s becoming the future of shopping.”

Posting frequently, engaging back with followers, curating original content exclusive for the platform, and providing a personable approach that emits a feeling of access and genuine insight were among the additional tips that Chen offered the Incubator designers. “One of my takeaways from the seminar was not simply the idea of authenticity, but the idea of access,” said designer Molly Yestadt of Yestadt Millinery. “I think this carries over to a greater conversation with our community about processes, design function, transparency, and really the essence of the collection.”

Armed with their new savvy, the Incubator designers are now tasked with continuing to elevate their Instagram content game and make a social media splash.