As a creative, we all know how difficult it is to turn a passion or hobby into a business venture. See, creating art is one thing, but employing effective art marketing strategies can be a bit of a challenge.
When it comes to marketing, you'll need to know your target audience, create and grow an online presence, network with fellow artists, and the list goes on.
If you're finding it difficult to effectively market your art online, don't worry. We have all the neat tips to aid you when marketing your art. Allow us to show you how to market your art better and reach more people.
Build a strong personal brand by sharing your personality, life, and artistic journey on social media.
Why Market Your Art Online?
Before heading into the tips, we need to know why marketing your art is essential. Did you know? Users, on average, spend around six and a half hours online every day. So, your target audience is basically spending time online. Trying to approach them and be seen is the main aim.
Here are some reasons why you should market art online:
Create brand authority: Having a good online presence can fast-track your journey to becoming a renowned artist. Ideal customers or businesses can always learn about you or reach out via an online portfolio, social media, and other means.
Open a new route to earning revenue: When more and more people get exposed to your stunning art and story online, curiosity builds, demand increases, and the value of your art pieces will show growth.
Selling simplified: Marketing can help streamline your selling massively. Strategies such as social media marketing and email marketing coupled with a website or an online portfolio will help promote your artwork and facilitate sales as well.
Wider reach: If you want to tap the global market, then there is no better place than the internet. Once you know your audience, your art will reach all parts of the globe and the chances of your work being seen by potential customers or collectors will be high.
Cost-effective: It is better to sell your artwork online than through various art galleries. See traditional art galleries do take a commission when someone buys your art. Whereas an online platform such as your portfolio, the only expense you're going to incur will be the subscription fees.
Marketing For Artists: 7 Top Tips to Look Out For
Learning how to market your art is essential if you want to sell your work and reach a wider audience. Let's look at some of the marketing ideas artists can use to get their artwork to the world:
- Write an engaging artist statement
- Choose Pixpa to create an online portfolio
- Build a network within and outside the art community
- Embrace social media
- Start a monthly newsletter
- Launch a blog
- Participate in art competitions and exhibitions
1. Write an engaging artist statement
As an artist, sharing how you make your art and why you do it can really draw in potential buyers. Your artist statement is like a peek into your world. It lets you share your unique view and help others feel a connection to your work.
When writing your artist statement, keep it short, between 150 to 250 words. Always remember to update your artist statement at least every year or when your artistic direction changes.
A good artist statement should show your artistic vision and talk about how you make your art. By explaining your techniques, what you use to make art, and what inspires you, collectors will be able to understand and appreciate your art more.
Collectors or art buyers would want to know about the artist behind the work they admire. By sharing these stories, you can build a stronger bond with your audience. This can make them more likely to support your art.
2. Choose Pixpa to create an online portfolio
An artist portfolio website serves as an online gallery that represents the artist's body of work. Your artist portfolio website does not just provide you with a digital presence but also helps reflect your range, interests, and main themes you tend to illustrate.
So, how do you go about building an online portfolio? A simple solution - Website Builders. They are a perfect answer for artists who may not possess the technical skills in web development.
Site builders such as Pixpa help you build stunning artist portfolio websites that allow you to share, showcase, and sell your beautiful artwork. All you need to do is choose from a library of over 150+ fully customizable artist templates and use the drag-and-drop builder to build the website according to your needs.
Pixpa also hosts high-level features such as blogging capabilities, e-commerce functionality, client galleries, in-built SEO tools and much more.
Learn more about Pixpa's full list of features and use our 15-day free trial.
3. Build a network within and outside the art community
As an artist, it's crucial to build a strong network inside and outside the art world. This can greatly boost your career. By using your connections, you can find new exhibition chances and meet potential buyers who might not usually buy art.
Reaching out to people you know, like other fellow artists, gallery owners, or art lovers, can lead to great opportunities down the line.
You can also expand your reach by joining community groups and other business networks. Joining ties with other art groups can expand your audience, get you good reviews, and increase media coverage.
Sharing resources in professional networks saves time and money and builds a stronger arts community.
4. Embrace social media
For artists, social media is a powerful tool. It helps promote your work and connect with people all over the world. Almost 62.6% of people are active on social media platforms like Instagram, Behance, and Pinterest. This makes creating a social media strategy ever so important.
Firstly, start by creating social media accounts on platforms that fit your art and audience. Instagram is perfect for showing off your work since 74% of art buyers look for art-related purposes. Behance and Pinterest are popular suggestions, too. These social platforms help drive traffic to your online portfolio or website, increasing sales.
Additionally, TikTok can make your art go viral through short videos. Whereas, LinkedIn and Tumblr can be utilized to reach out or network with art lovers and professionals.
While social media is great for marketing and connecting, remember to balance it with making art. Keep track of your time online, focus on creating, and share real content with your followers.
5. Start a monthly newsletter
As an artist, connecting with your fans and collectors is crucial for your success. Starting a monthly newsletter is a great way to stay in touch and share updates.
Artist newsletters let you share your latest work and give a peek into your creative process with behind-the-scenes content for artists.
Being consistent and putting in effort is key to growing your subscriber list. Talk to people at events like fairs, exhibitions, or markets, and add an opt-in form to your website. Share valuable content to help your leads and boost commissions and sales.
6. Launch a blog
As an artist, having an online presence is key to getting your artwork noticed and to highlight your skills. Starting a blog is a great way to do this. It lets you connect with more people and be seen as an expert in your field.
By regularly posting about your art, studio, and creative process, you become a go-to source of information. This can lead to more visitors to your website, more chances to showcase your work, and more sales.
Blogging lets you share your artistic skills and views with the world. You can write about new techniques, give art tutorials, or talk about your creative path. This way, you show your passion and knowledge, building trust with your readers.
Using artist blogs, you can manage your online image and tell your art story. So, start a blog now and spread your artistic voice far and wide. It's a great way to boost your visibility and be recognized as a respected artist in your circle.
Here are 25 top art blogs you need to keep an eye out if you’re looking for some inspiration.
7. Participate in art competitions and exhibitions
As an artist, joining art competitions and exhibitions is a great way to get noticed. It helps you build your reputation and share your art with more people. Even if you don't win, being a finalist or getting an honorable mention is still beneficial. Many competitions put these entries on their websites, helping you market your art.
Entering contests, winning, or being a finalist can make you more credible. This can open doors to gallery shows, commissions, or selling your art.
Art exhibitions, both online and in person, are great for showing your work to more people. They let you meet potential buyers, art lovers, and industry pros who might not know about your art. This can lead to more sales, commissions, or working with other artists or galleries.
Getting involved is key to whether you aim to win a big art contest or want more people to see your work. You can grow your reputation by always looking for and applying to art competitions and exhibitions. This will help you attract more fans and achieve success in your art career.
Key Takeaways
- Leverage your connections within and outside the art community to find exhibition opportunities and potential buyers.
- Utilize social media platforms to showcase your artwork and connect with a global audience.
- Craft an engaging artist statement to captivate potential collectors and explain your artistic motivations.
- Implement a monthly newsletter to stay connected with your fans and share updates, promotions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
Start Marketing Your Art Today!
Marketing is crucial for artists to connect with collectors worldwide. Understanding the audience and tailoring strategies to meet their needs is important. Social media helps artists reach a global audience and engage with fans.
Advertising is key to reaching new markets and building a strong brand. Art marketing combines storytelling with showcasing art to highlight its unique qualities. Artists should know their audience's tastes and connect with them on an emotional level.
Creating a marketing plan is essential for success. It's about focusing on tasks that save time and bring results. This approach helps artists build a strong career in art.
FAQ
What are some effective marketing strategies for artists to promote their art?
Artists can use several strategies to promote their art. These include:
- Building a network to find places to show their work and buyers.
- Using social media to show their art and connect with people worldwide.
- Writing an artist statement to explain their art and process.
- Sending out a monthly newsletter with updates and behind-the-scenes looks.
- Creating a strong brand by sharing their life and art journey.
- Starting a blog to increase visibility and show their expertise.
- Using live streaming and videos to share their creative process.
- Entering art competitions and exhibitions to get noticed and reach more people.
How can artists build a network within and outside the art community?
Artists can grow their networks by joining groups and networks to meet new people. They can use their connections to find places to show their work and meet buyers.
Why is it important for artists to embrace social media?
Social media is key for artists to showcase their art and connect with people worldwide. Make new connections they might not have made otherwise.
What should artists focus on when writing their artist statement?
Artists should focus on explaining why they make art and how they do it, sharing what inspires them, and capturing collectors' interest with their motivations.
How can a monthly newsletter benefit artists?
A monthly newsletter helps artists keep in touch with collectors and fans, sharing updates, promotions, and insights into their work.
Why is it important for artists to share their personality and life?
Sharing their life and art journey helps artists build a strong brand, connect with people on a deeper level, and stand out in a crowded market.
How can a blog benefit an artist's marketing efforts?
A blog helps artists increase their online visibility and establish themselves as experts. Let them connect with other artists and supporters. It's also a space to talk about their art and studio life and share resources.
How can participating in art competitions and exhibitions help artists?
Art competitions and exhibitions help artists by getting them recognized, building their reputation, and showing their work to more people, even if they don't win. Being selected can still help with marketing, as many competitions showcase all entries.