Digital marketing is a necessity nowadays. Small businesses and major corporations alike use it to humanize their brands, connect with audiences, and establish relationships that build trust and loyalty. As a working artist, it’s important to take the same approach.
As an artist, you’re already a “content creator,” of sorts. No matter what type of art you create, you’re building something out of nothing using a combination of talent, imagination, expertise, and experience.
But, if you want to make a living selling your art, or even if you’re just trying to build a reputation for your work, it requires marketing yourself. Thankfully, many of the same skills you use to create your pieces can (and should) be used in your marketing – especially when it comes to social media.
So, how can you master social media content to reach art consumers and build a community around your work?
The first step to building any great marketing strategy is understanding your target audience. The art world can be very niche, so determining the types of people that would be most interested in your work is essential.
Digital marketing trumps traditional marketing efforts in many major areas, because lower cost, easier to analyze, and fosters two-way communication. Social media marketing, in particular, allows you to connect with your audience in a way traditional marketing doesn’t. You can have actual conversations and build a community around what you do. While traditional marketing efforts like billboards, flyers, and commercials are time-tested and offer clear messaging, social media is often the way to go if you want to get your name out there quickly and you’re on a budget.
The great thing about using social media for your marketing is that you can target your audience right away via advertisements. Using things like Facebook Ads and Instagram advertising, you can create curated messages designed to reach the audience of your choosing by age, location, interests, and more. If you’re just starting out in the world of social media marketing, utilizing ads is a great way to find your community quickly.
Once you’ve built an audience, you have to know what and when to post. This is where a lot of creativity and fun can come into play. Obviously, the main focus needs to be on your artwork, but if you’re constantly posting pieces or talking about what you have for sale, people will lose interest quickly. Instead, focus on creating content that sparks conversations and engages your audience, including:
You might be trying to build your brand as an artist, but it’s important that your audience gets to know the real you. Highlighting your behind-the-scenes progress and issues you want to stand for allow for your audience to get to know the real you.
This kind of community-focused content makes your work and your brand seem more personal. People will feel like they can relate to you more, and they’re more likely to stick around and become loyal fans, rather than just occasional followers.
Finally, don’t be afraid to share your content on different platforms. Every social media outlet might not be the right fit for you, but consider where your audience is. For example, if you’re trying to target millennials and young adults, you might post more frequently on TikTok or Instagram. All it takes is one video to go viral on these platforms and you could quickly become a household name in the art world.
Audience engagement and building a community are both great ways to market yourself. But, at the end of the day, you’ll want to make some sales. Marketing through social media is highly effective in part because it allows you to use both referral and word-of-mouth traffic to build up a network of interested followers and potential buyers. Creating this community online is especially important if you are a digital artist and are looking to direct traffic to other platforms where you can make sales. Digital art can be sold almost anywhere, including sites like:
Whether you do digital work or not, one of the most important things for you to have is a website. Think of it as a way to establish a first impression with your audience. Even if someone finds you via social media, they’ll learn more about you and your work through your website. When you’re sharing content and pieces of your work on social media, make sure you’re always linking back to your site – especially when it comes to individual product pages.
Having a website can help you organize and “store” all of your work in one place, rather than having to pay for a brick-and-mortar gallery. It will strengthen your brand, help to tell your story, and provide a sort of “home base” for all of your fans and followers on social media.
You don’t need to be a marketing guru to master social media content creation. Do a bit of research on your target audience, choose the right platforms, and put your creativity to good use to foster a community of online support for your work.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with her, you can follow her on Twitter.
