Your online presence as an artist
Finding your own comfort level with marketing your art ..
Hello to all Jetpackers! As promised I am still offering free content to all -with the caveat that there will be more regular targeted content and opportunities for paid subscribers in the “club”.(As members of the club we meet to share our art and art practise , discuss issues and opportunities relevant to our creative sides -. We also meet virtually in a separate zoom group to discuss the business side of art. We will be introducing drawing sessions ..stay tuned!) We are a friendly and welcoming group ;-)
As always my focus is on you as working/making creatives of 50 plus years who are continuing to practise your art and are seeking motivation and community here. Some of you are engaged in your art as a profession -others for self growth and joy.
Reflecting on our last Jet pack club business meeting I thought I would compile a few links related to our last discussion.
We had spoken about the various ways currently available to monetize your presence online beyond Etsy or your web page . We live in a time where we can manage our own art careers and there are many tools to access out there..
Some people talked about the difficulty of navigating Substack ..so if interested it might be an idea to check out their resources for setting up a page as a starting point: This info can be sourced from the home page of Substack online . (Left hand corner drop down menu ):
If you have an email list of followers, friends and or customers it can be migrated over to Substack fairly easily. (This is helpful to start out for your newsletters via email. )
Reading posts by other artists is helpful ..So why not take a good look around to establish if this is something you would like to try! I find that learning how other artists navigate this platform offers ideas and inspiration!
I started with free subscribers to my two newsletters Ageless artist and Artist Jet pack a year and a half ago -and just added this Jetpack club this past December for paid (and a few comp) members . I am discovering it is a way to connect with my members in a more interactive way -to build community.
Substack can work for artists who wish to offer paid tiers just like Patreon. I currently offer two totally free newsletters as well as one paid “club” option. I have tried to make my pay option as affordable as possible (with subscribers discount also) because my intention has been to create a smallish community-( yet to reflect my work here and to cover my Zoom costs :-) I do follow other artists here to learn more about their work and how they manage their presence on Substack as well.
We also discussed Patreon -and I apologize if I wasn’t as enthusiastic (!) (a personal bias )in our meet-up but please do check it out as there are many artists who enjoy this platform ! I believe that those artists with Substack (and Youtube) and Patreon who have had a strong online presence with followers certainly have an easier time getting started and growing followers/membership. Both these platforms permit you to do things your way -and both do collect fees/percentage of your earnings ..Patreon
Youtube is another option to record your own videos and offer interviews, demos , workshops and build your follower list. (If you have enough followers you can monetize your site) It’s such a huge place to get lost in too! If you want to visually /personally connect with your followers this is another way to connect in a more personal way-especially if you offer *Live sessions!
(I am also not very consistent about posting videos to Youtube!)
*Instagram also offers live video options too
You can invite your current followers -announce on your preferred social media site and schedule for your video to go live- or for an a live event..
I have learned that you have to find a consistent way to inform your people of your news or offerings regardless of platform
Pinterest is another place where you can promote what you do .(The link is to my own board)
Unlike Instagram or Facebook -your posts remain available forever! Again, understanding how Pinterest works helps to get the best results . Placing your art in the category best suited to its audience is essential .. As well as tagging and describing your art . Creating boards with different categories, and “pinning” other artists you admire heightens interest !
A few years ago I took this class below on Skillshare which helped immensely with understanding how it works.. I am certain there are other tutorials out there too.
I am quite lax at keeping my Pinterest board current -but it is interesting to note how others have repinned my older pieces! I know of several patrons who have discovered me via Pinterest .
Etsy is a sellers site which I can share more about if you are interested . I spent at least 17 years on it -and appreciated it for a ways and means of securing sales and repeat customers . I closed shop last Autumn to pare down and consolidate -and spend more time here! Like any of these online places it takes regular caretaking and updating to stay relevant . It took time for sales to happen -and grow. This means never letting your shop sit. This also means continuing to update your listings-and of course making more art on a regular basis.
Most important of all was frequently letting everyone know how to reach your shop .
I have recently mostly pulled away from traditional social media -Instagram and Facebook due to many reasons I have shared before . I also acknowledge it still works well for some artists to share their work ! I likely have lost many connections due to my decision -but it motivates me also to find new ways to reach out!
It takes a lot of energy to keep all of your balls in the air and to be on regularly with any or all online settings . If you pick one or two -plus your website and regularly post this should encourage growth of your art sales..and interest ! I believe there is no magical way to ensure success and it all comes down to how much work and research you are willing to take on to reach out to your potential patrons. Regular attention to where you inform your followers is integral to growth . Once and a while posting is not enough -especially when current algorithms favour consistency. Posting and leading readers directly to your art is important.
If you are someone who prefers less intensity in your marketing -then blogs and or newsletters may be better choices to share information. I would recommend at least once monthly for this method of communication.
Also -as an artist you require dedicated time to tend to your making and not be swallowed by time at your computer .
Finally an interesting and informative link recommended by Jeff a member of our jetpack club :
Connection is everything . I believe people are looking for ways to connect with artists in order to heighten and add meaning to their art purchases .
Please feel free to share here any of your own experiences with having an online presence and your challenges /successes !
I think this is a very great article, you've helped me with my Etsy Marketing and my Substack pages, I appreciate all the thought that went into this.
I'm very grateful for your advice about Substack! It's proven to be profitable for me.