Social media for makers: which network to choose to sell your work?
Published on , updated on 7 min read The 123Ventes team
You have been told you need to be on Instagram. And Facebook. And Pinterest, TikTok, maybe LinkedIn. If you follow all that advice, you will have no time left to make anything to sell. The good news is that a maker does not need to be everywhere: one or two well-run networks are more than enough.
Here is how to choose yours, depending on what you make and how much time you have.
Social networks at a glance
| Network | What people look for | Star format | Ideal for | Lifespan of a post |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspiration, behind the scenes | Photos, short videos, stories | Jewellery, ceramics, sewing, home decor | A few days | |
| Local news, groups | Posts, events, groups | Local trade, markets, workshop-shops | A few days | |
| Ideas: gifts, decor, weddings | Vertical pins | Decor, weddings, gifts, stationery | Several months | |
| TikTok | Entertainment, craft skills | Short videos | Spectacular techniques: throwing, glassblowing, forging | A few days, sometimes weeks |
| Professional relationships | Articles, posts | Corporate gifts, bulk orders | A few days |
The last column matters more than you might think: a Pinterest pin can still bring you visits next summer, whereas an Instagram post is forgotten within three days.
Instagram: your workshop in the shop window
It is the natural home of makers: everything there is about images. Behind-the-scenes footage, short videos and pieces shown in use work very well. It requires consistency, two to three posts a week, but it builds a real bond with your customers.
Like Facebook, Instagram no longer allows in-app payment in France: customers are sent to your website to order. The full step-by-step guide is in selling your creations on Instagram.
Facebook: the neighbourhood network
People call it old-fashioned, but Facebook is still the network most used by a large share of your customers, especially those over 35. Its strength for a maker is local reach:
- your workshop’s page, with your opening hours, your photos and the link to your shop;
- events: “Come and see me at Saturday’s Christmas market”, which your followers can share;
- local groups (in France, nostalgic town groups such as “Tu sais que tu viens de…”, makers’ groups, shopkeepers’ groups) where a beautiful piece presented simply spreads quickly. Read each group’s rules carefully: many restrict commercial posts.
A Facebook page is also required for certain Instagram features, such as product tagging. For a workshop with a shop or a maker who sells at markets, it is often the first network to look after. See also our ideas for selling locally online.
Pinterest: the search engine for gift ideas
Pinterest is less a social network than a visual search engine. People use it to plan a wedding, a room makeover or a Christmas gift list, and they save what they like for later.
For a maker, that is valuable: each pin can link directly to a product page, and it keeps circulating for months. A few tips:
- create a business account (free);
- post vertical, bright images with the piece clearly visible;
- give each pin a title that sounds like a search: “handmade blue stoneware bowl” rather than “New!”;
- organise your pins into boards by theme: “Christmas gifts”, “Tableware”, “Wedding”.
Pinterest needs less daily presence than Instagram: one session a week to pin your new pieces is often enough.
TikTok: get discovered in fifteen seconds
On TikTok, it is not your followers who decide what they see, it is the app. A twenty-second video of a vase taking shape on the wheel can be shown to thousands of strangers, even if your account is brand new. Spectacular or satisfying techniques to watch (throwing, cutting, glassblowing, forging) do particularly well there.
TikTok Shop, launched in France in 2025, lets you sell directly in the app, in exchange for a commission on every sale and sign-up conditions reserved for registered businesses. Check the current fee schedule before you start, and build this commission into the price of your creations.
Success on TikTok can arrive all at once, and disappear just as fast. If a video brings you fifty orders overnight, will you have the stock and the time to prepare them? Show a production lead time on your product pages.
LinkedIn: for corporate orders
LinkedIn is not the network for impulse buys. But if you offer corporate gifts, trophies, personalised items in batches or decor for offices and restaurants, it lets you reach the people who place those orders directly. One post a week, in a professional tone, is enough.
123Ventes: every product has its own page to share, payment is secure and stock updates itself. €29.90 per month, no commission.
How to choose: the 3-question method
- Where are your customers? People in your town: Facebook. Home decor enthusiasts all over France: Instagram and Pinterest. Businesses: LinkedIn.
- What looks good in your craft? A beautiful result: Instagram and Pinterest. A beautiful technique: TikTok and Instagram’s short videos.
- How much time do you have? One hour a week: Pinterest or a Facebook page. Two to three hours: Instagram. More, and a liking for filming: TikTok.
Start with a single network for three months. Only add a second one if the first runs effortlessly. A photo taken in the workshop can be used everywhere: post it on Instagram, pin it on Pinterest, share it on Facebook.
Social media does not replace your shop
A social network lends you a stage, but the venue does not belong to you. The algorithm changes, the reach of your posts drops, an account can be suspended by mistake. The makers who last all have a fixed point: their own online shop, with their own domain name and their own customer list.
That is what takes payments, manages stock, sends invoices and lets you write to your customers with a newsletter, without depending on anyone. Social networks bring people to it. To see how it all fits together, read our guide to selling your creations online, and to set up the shop, the online shop for makers.
Measure what really works
Likes are nice, but they do not pay the bills. What counts is the number of visitors each network sends to your shop, and the number of orders that follow. The statistics in your 123Ventes shop show the effect of a post on your visits, and Google Analytics, which you connect by pasting a code, tells you where your visitors come from, network by network.
Once a month, ask yourself: which network brought me customers? Keep that one, and cut back on the others. For more ideas, read how to attract customers to your website.
Frequently asked questions
Which social network should a maker choose?
It depends on your customers and your time. Instagram suits most makers, Facebook suits craftspeople with strong local roots, Pinterest suits decor and gifts, and TikTok suits crafts with spectacular techniques. Start with just one.
Can you sell directly on Facebook?
In France, Facebook and Instagram shops act as a shop window: the customer sees the product, then completes the purchase on your website. To take payments, you therefore need an online shop.
Is Pinterest useful for selling handmade creations?
Yes, especially for decor, gifts and weddings. Each pin can link to a product page and stays visible for months, far longer than an Instagram post.
How much time should you spend on social media?
One to three hours a week is enough for a maker. Consistency matters more than quantity: two posts every week is better than ten in the first week and nothing afterwards.
Should you pay for social media ads?
It is not necessary to get started. A small ad can help promote an event or a collection, but start with regular posts and a clear link to your shop.
Conclusion
The best social network for a maker is the one they will keep up over time. Choose it according to your customers, your craft and your time, make it lead to your shop, and check every month what it really brings you.
👉 Try 123Ventes for free: set up your shop with no time limit, and only pay when you receive your first order.