Art Marketing

Social media is an incredibly powerful marketing tool for artists. Not only does it give you another way to share your art with the world, but social media also allows you to connect with other artists, helps to build your brand and reputation, and gives you the opportunity to get your art in front of a massive audience of potential buyers or curators. Not sure how to market your artwork on social media? No problem – we have all the tips and tricks to help you learn how to promote yourself as an artist. By the end of this article, you’ll have lots of actionable ideas to get your art noticed by a broader audience on social media.

First, Let’s Talk About Why Artists Need Social Media

When used correctly, social media for artists can be a tremendous asset – especially for artists who aren’t actively selling their work through galleries or independent art consultants. Social media can even help connect artists with people involved in those organizations. In short, being present on social media allows creatives to express themselves with more liberty, frequency, and intimacy and eventually promote their work and generate sales.   

Social media can also help artists: 

• Connect with other creatives. 
• Connect with potential art collectors and galleries worldwide. 
• Learn about new opportunities for collaborations, exhibitions, contests, and more.
• Find inspiration and learn new techniques. 

Without further ado, here are five tips for using social media to generate buzz about your work:

1. Be Personal In Your Approach

On social media, people care as much about the who as the what. Though it may sound cliché, giving your audience an authentic look into your life is one of the best ways to connect with others online. Share your personality, creative thoughts and processes, what you’re working on in the studio, and art pieces you have for sale. 

There are quite a few social media sites out there, and there are no rules on how many platforms you should be active on. However, remember that not every social media platform will work well for you. Instead, try prioritizing your work to only a few social networks. Get to know the ones you like the most and read up on any potential strategies specific to that platform. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest are all excellent tools for artists as they are all visual-based platforms. But when you’re just starting on social media, it can be tricky to figure out precisely what to post. The key is to have your social media posts reflect your voice and style. For example, you can post shots of your in-progress work alongside images of finished projects, the view outside your studio window, tips about certain mediums, or even just snapshots of your day. Don’t be afraid to share pictures of yourself next to your work. By sharing your artistic journey and a bit of your life, you’ll build genuine connections with people. The devil (and the social media sharing) is in the details.

2. Have a Consistent Posting Schedule

Each social media platform comes with its own standard of how often to post (more on that in a moment). Quality of posts and posting consistency are critical factors on all social media platforms across the board. If you post too infrequently, your audience may lose interest. However, if you’re posting too often, your audience will dread seeing your posts overcrowding their feed. 

Here’s about how often you should be posting on each social media platform: 

Facebook: 1 Post Per Day

At a minimum, you should post to your Facebook Page three times per week, but ideally, you’ll post once daily. Just be cautious of posting more than once per day; this can be considered spammy. 

Instagram: 2 Posts Per Week, 2 Stories Per Day

Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s CEO, says that the best practice is to post two posts in the feed per week and two Stories per day.

LinkedIn: 1-3 Posts Per Week

LinkedIn is a professional networking site, ideal for sharing new or updated blog posts that you post on your portfolio website, industry news, job opportunities, etc. It’s also great for connecting with fellow artists as well as galleries and museums.

Pinterest: 1-5 Posts Per Day 

Although technically a social network, Pinterest acts as more of a visual search engine. Think of it as the Google for visual content. “Pins,” which are what posts are called on Pinterest, are meant to be attention-grabbing graphics or images that drive users back to a link, often a blog post or website landing page. For best success, aim to publish one to five posts per day on Pinterest. 

TikTok 1-3 Posts Per Day

This short-form video platform allows users to create and share 15-second videos on any topic. This platform is a fantastic way for visual artists to share works in progress, your artistic process, a walkthrough of your studio, stories about yourself, tutorials, and more. Posting a minimum of one time per day on TikTok is a great start, but you’ll need to do more if you want to grow your presence on TikTok. The ideal amount of posts you should publish daily are between one and three times each day. However, the more frequently you publish engaging content, the better you’ll do on TikTok. 

Twitter: 3-5 Tweets Each day 

The average lifetime of a tweet is between 15-25 minutes, and after that, your followers’ feeds have received enough new posts that yours will be pushed to the bottom. Use Twitter to share your thoughts and photos of your artwork, follow topics (for example, “street art”), and engage with other artists, galleries, and potential clients. 

YouTube: 1 Video Per Month  

Creating YouTube videos takes time and effort, so having quality content and a consistent posting schedule is vital. There are many helpful tools available that help you manage all of your social media profiles from one place, schedule posts, keep an eye on analytics, and more. SocialPilot starts at $10/month and is great for artists looking to keep a steady social media presence. Remember, as soon as you’ve entered the world of social media, staying relevant means posting quality content consistently.

3. Create Smart Content 

Creating new content for social media can be a struggle, even for people who create for a living! Our culture is incredibly visual, and trying to craft compelling and engaging content for social media can feel like learning a new language. Here are some ideas on what to post: 

• Behind-the-scenes pictures and videos. Ask someone to snap a few photos of you working in the studio or set up a tripod and film a time-lapse video of you working on a piece. 
• Your staged artwork. If you have space above your sofa, you have the perfect opportunity to snap a photo! Staging your work is a great way to help potential buyers envision your work in their space.
• Photos of your work in its new home. After selling your work, ask your buyers to send you images of your work displayed. Just remember to always ask if it’s alright for you to share the photos on your social media. 
• Tips on techniques or new mediums you’re trying for the first time. For Instagram and Facebook, sharing high-quality graphics can go a long way. Use graphics to share helpful tips, ask questions, spark conversation, and let your audience know about upcoming events. Luckily, you don’t need to be a graphic designer to make great graphics. With tools like Canva, you can easily create social media graphics in minutes and share them on your social media profiles. 
• Art-related content. This may include artworks by your favorite artists (just be sure to make it clear that it’s NOT your work, and, if applicable, always ask permission from the artist before posting), art-related blog posts, local exhibitions you’re interested in, contests you’ve entered, and news about the art industry.  

4. Talk to Your Audience & Followers 

The most significant advantage of social media is the ability to communicate directly with your audience. Make sure to “like” and respond to any comments your posts receive and search for similar accounts to yours to comment on and like as well. Not only do the real people behind those accounts appreciate the gesture, but it’ll also boost how many people see your account, giving you more chances to be found by art collectors. 

Social media also allows you to listen and observe the social happenings in your community. Whether through comments, direct messages, retweets, story shares, or likes, use social media to see what your fans are talking about. Is there a new exciting exhibit or maybe a controversial piece making waves? Share your thoughts about it and spark conversation. 

5. Focus on Engagement, Not Your Follower Count 

For some people, likes, follower counts, comments, and shares can become a source of validation, which isn’t healthy or helpful. Instead of focusing on growing your following, focus on developing a stronger connection to the audience you already have. 

The bottom line: Social media is a tool you can use to better your career and deepen your connection to the artistic community. By being personal, consistent, strategic, and focusing on genuine engagement, you’re sure to create a buzz for yourself and your artwork.

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