Social Media Stories - Katy Mitchell - Potter

In the second interview of our Social Media Stories I had the opportunity to speak to local potter Katy Mitchell of Katy Mitchell Ceramics. Talking to entrepreneurs across a variety of different professions is a fantastic way to discover just how different social media platforms affect different businesses. Katy has been based in her potter’s studio at Bishopscourt since October 2013, having previously lived in Australia

for 5 years where she attended Art College. In 2010 during her second year of College, Katy started selling her ceramics mainly through her Facebook page which she had set up the year before. Since then, her social media journey has dramatically changed.

Like most businesses, Katy’s first encounter with social media was through setting up a business page for her ceramics- ‘At first, I wasn’t entirely sure if I was allowed to be there, my business was so small and I always thought business pages on Facebook were for big corporations’. However, Katy quickly discovered the amazing benefits and advantages of having a social media page, finding the fact that people were opting in to follow her and actively liking her posts a great motivator. Before Facebook, Katy had been a dedicated blogger, something that she took-up after leaving College where she enjoyed writing reports and essays about her work process and design ideas- ‘Before IPhones, I would take photos on my digital camera of what I was working on and upload them to my blog and write a bit about what I was doing and how I was feeling about the progress I was making. I started sharing these blog posts on Facebook regularly, however my attention got distracted by the other benefits social media had to offer, and soon I stopped blogging altogether- I’ve only just started taking it up again in the last 18 months.’

Katy set up her Facebook page around the same time she started selling her ceramics in market places in Australia, and found that it was a great way for the people she had sold ceramics to to keep in touch and continue following her journey. Katy says there has been a big difference in the way people reacted to her Facebook page in Australia compared to the Isle of Man- ‘ In Australia, whilst there was a good reaction to the posts I put on Facebook, there didn’t seem to be a correlation between Facebook likes and sales. On the Isle of Man however there is a much smaller and connected community, so you can target the people in your area and I know that my posts are going to be seen by a small niche of people who can physically buy my stock from me, rather than just ‘liking’ my posts’.

Having been on Facebook for a few years however, Katy admitted that she was ‘falling out of love’ with the social media site, preferring to use Instagram and what it has to offer. Katy suggested that the community on Instagram was a lot closer and more sincere, and she is part of a blogging community who transferred over to Instagram and now post every Thursday- ‘Instagram immediately felt more creative because it focuses more on the imagery. The filters are great, I love the fact that you can add stickers and little personalisations to the posts, and the fact that you don’t have to post a lot of text in the caption keeps it simple and quick’. Whilst there are so many great things about Instagram, Katy admitted that she did have a few queries ‘The problem with Instagram at the minute is that you cant put the link in the picture caption, you can only put it in your Bio which is annoying… however I’ve heard that they will be bringing in a ‘swipe up’ option on pictures to direct you

to your blog or link, and that’s great news’. Like so many businesses, Katy is thrilled about the recent addition of Instagram stories, something that is perfect for a business like hers. The great thing about Instagram stories is that they’re not permanent and do not affect the look of your grid, so they’re great for giving your followers a little insight into what you’re doing, and for adding personality to your page.

Whilst at the minute Katy admits that more of her sales come through her Facebook page rather than her Instagram which is connected to her Etsy shop, the majority of her sales are still face-to-face at markets and functions, and this is something she would like to work on. At the moment, Katy’s sales are very much based around the Manx community, but perfecting her Instagram account could open up a much bigger audience to sell to- ‘At the minute, if I post about something I’ve done or an event I’m selling at, the response on Facebook will be a lot greater.

However it’s hard to tell if that’s generating more sales or if that’s just because I’ve got lots of lovely friends who want to support me’.

One thing that Katy would love to get to grips with are Live videos- ‘I think Facebook Live is a fantastic platform for businesses and it’s a great way to casually show people who you are and what you do. I’ve been practising with Instagram stories, and while at first I hated them and wasn’t sure what the point was, I think I’ve got the technique down and I really enjoy setting my own and watching others. A lot of potters I follow use periscope, which I’d love to get into so I could do a Live question and answer session every now and again’. Like most of us, Katy is curious to see what the next platform for the creative community will be, as there’s definitely room for one. However, she is slightly concerned that the Isle of Man moves at a slower rate- ‘I’ve recently changed all my hashtags on Instagram to reach a more global community… whereas before I was using hashtags such as ‘#manxmade’, I’m now aiming for the whole of the British Isles so I’ve started using things like ‘#britishcraft' to ensure my posts are being seen by as many people as possible.’

The great thing about social media is that it is so inspiring, something which Katy agrees is a great motivator, as she loves seeing other people’s journeys and watching their progress- ‘ I love seeing how far people I have followed from day one have come, because it shows that It can be done and helps spur me on. I’m intrigued by that idea of selling a design and or a brand design for a large company- Anthropology is my dream, and I’ve just seen an Instagram friend achieve something similar… so that’s definitely helped me realise that I can reach my goals’. In the meantime, Katy feels that regularly posting drawings and design photos and videos on her Instagram stories would help attract brands and catch people’s eyes… ‘I love sharing what I do with other people, it’s a thrill and I love the immediate feedback and support that social media sites can provide’.