5 Ways to Harness the Power of Social Media for Art Marketing

Social media is not a fad.  In fact, it is a fundamental shift in the way we all communicate.  However, many artists and galleries are still intimidated and mystified at the idea of joining in on the social media revolution. Improve art marketing by learning to harness the power of social media.

1. Build Your Brand

What is branding? The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand: “A name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.”

• Social Media is the quickest way to build brand recognition for you and your art business.
• Solid brand identity differentiates you from the pack.
• A strong brand is invaluable and serves to communicate credibility to your prospective customers and collectors.
• Use Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for building your brand by posting images of your art, tutorials and recent blog posts.

2. Networking

• Being an artist is a solitary occupation, but with social networking, you’re not alone!
• Reach beyond your niche and attract new customers.
• Get instant feedback or a critique on your latest painting or blog post.
• Learn from other artists and business leaders.
• Gain inspiration from others.
• Become more business savvy.
• I find Facebook a great way to make ‘real connections’ within my art niche marketplace. Twitter quickly and easily reaches beyond the art niche. I have sold my art using Twitter.

3. Keep Your Finger on the Pulse

• Artists are the movers and shakers of the world and need to stay informed.
• Artists should follow new trends in design, decorating, fashion and technology and how it influences your art and sales.
• In this challenging economy, being a successful artist not only consists of creating great art, but also creating a strong business.

4. Marketing

• If you don’t have a website you are invisible. A website is a must, a blog even better.
• It’s time for artists to “Think Outside the Frame” about art marketing!
• Social media is already changing the rules of the marketplace.
• Use YouTube to share videos of you latest artwork or ‘how to’ tutorials to build brand recognition and drive traffic to your website or blog. (The #2 largest search engine in the world after Google!)

5. You Don’t Want to be a Dinosaur

• Now is the time of natural selection and survival of the fittest! Artists and galleries must evolve to stay competitive.
• It is clear that those artists and galleries who do not join in will most likely go the way of print media.
• Jump in even if you don’t yet understand it.

Welcome to the future of art marketing!

Lori McNee is a professional, nationally recognized working artist & blogger. Lori shares fine art tips, and art business and Social Media advice on her blog, FineArtTips.com. Thanks to Social Media, Lori is also a television hostess for Plum TV.

Main image courtesy of wharman