Are you looking for another way to increase your online art sales? Pinterest might be your solution. In the post, you will discover how to sell art online with Pinterest.
How to Sell Art Online with Pinterest
Social media plays a key role in online marketing.
With the help of social media businesses of all sizes can:
- Build brand awareness
- Build relationships with their audience
- Build awareness of new products or services
- Drive traffic to their website
- Drive traffic to their blog
But what social media network is best for you?
With so many options to pick from, the decision can become daunting.
You might want to consider starting with the largest networks. No matter how specific your niche is, there is a good chance you will find your target audience on these networks.
Top social media networks:
Which network should you focus on?
Even though these are the largest networks, they might not show the same results for everyone.
The results will be based on your niche, your target audience, and your art marketing strategy.
You might want to consider trying all four networks to determine what will be the best fit for your art business.
Do you want to drive more traffic to your artist blog or artist website?
If this is one of your art marketing goals you will want to know what social media sites drive more referral traffic.
According to Danny Wong:
“Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter are dominating. These three social media power players collectively accounted for 15.22% of overall traffic last month. Given their community and share-friendly nature, it’s no surprise that they to the list in traffic referrals and have grown more than 54% each in share and overall visits. Facebook grew 58.81%, Pinterest by 66.52% and Twitter 54.12%.”
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking on an affiliate link, Nevue Fine Art Marketing may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Tailwind, Skimlinks, SareASale and StudioPress. To learn more visit Affiliate Link Disclosure Policy
Image courtesy of Shareaholic
Why do you hear more about Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn if Pinterest is second in driving referral traffic?
Maybe it is because people do not really think of Pinterest as a social media network.
Every post is an image.
It is almost like this social media network was created for artists.
What strategies can you use to drive traffic to your site from Pinterest?
In this post, I am going to show you all the strategies I use to make Pinterest my number one referral network. It even outshines Facebook.
Why Pinterest Drives a Ton of Referral Traffic
A network that only features images in its newsfeed is a great match for artists.
Artists are visual. They communicate to the world with their art, not their words.
But why might you see better results with Pinterest?
Longevity Posts
Pinterest is a search engine. When you post an image on Pinterest, your post will be searchable for as long as you have it Pinned.
People can go to Pinterest’s search box, type in a few keywords and a list of related posts will appear, just like Google or Bing.
Posts on Facebook, Twitter, and most other social media networks have a short lifespan. You will be lucky if a post lasts a day or two on these sites. In most cases, you will get a couple of hours.
Where would your time be better spent?
It only makes sense to focus on something that will give you results long-term.
You might not see the same results as you will from Google’s organic traffic to your blog posts, but it is a close second.
Just like your blog posts, the longer you are on Pinterest the more your traffic will increase.
Pinch of Yum show’s monthly traffic and income reports on their site for their audience.
Here are their top ten traffic sources for November 2014.
Image courtesy of Pinch of Yum.
Pinterest is a close second to Google.
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are not even in the top ten.
Even Pinch of Yum’s first pins is still generating traffic. You can see how traffic will grow as time goes on.
Power of Repins
There are three different ways people can find your posts on Pinterest.
- Search
- Your Boards
- Other Peoples Boards
Unlike any other social media networks, Pinterest allows users to repin content to boards on their account.
If a person enjoys your content, they will repin it to their board for their audience to see.
Pins with good pictures and great content can receive thousands of repins.
Creating a Pinterest Business Account
It is an excellent idea to set up a Pinterest Business Account for your art business.
You can easily switch your personal account to a business account, or you can create a business account from scratch.
Visit Create a Pinterest Business Account Step by Step to learn how to set up your business account.
Posting on Pinterest
Posting on Pinterest is easy.
A Pin consists of an image, title, and description.
Similar to blog posts or books, first impressions matter.
The difference between a blog post and a Pinterest Pin is you will need to catch a viewer’s attention with a beautiful image rather than an intriguing title.
If an image is pinned from your artist blog, the title of the blog post will appear.
If you are creating an image to post on Pinterest you will want to include a keyword rich description. Hashtags are optional.
Including keywords in your description will help your Pin be seen when people use Pinterest’s search bar.
People who are interested in your Pin will have the option to “pin it”, “like it”, add a comment or click on it to be redirected to your site.
The comment section is not as common as it is on Facebook.
People can find Pins by using the search bar, visit other people’s boards or scrolling through their Pinterest feed.
Your feed will consist of Pins from users they are following.
Driving Referral Pinterest Traffic
Let’s dive deep into how Pinterest can drive a tremendous amount of traffic to your site.
You are going to be surprised how easy this will be.
Pinterest referral traffic basics:
- Pin mouth dropping images from your artist website or artist blog.
- Include a link to the post you are pinning.
- Encourage likes and repins
- Repeat above steps
Creating Pinterest Images
When you visit Pinterest, you see a screen filled with images. Your job is to make your images stand out.
If you do not take the time to create beautiful images your pins will be lost with the other pins.
To learn more about creating Pinterest images visit, 6 Easy Pinterest Image Tips That Drive Traffic.
In this article, you learn some of the tips I use for creating my Pinterest images.
Pinning Images
There are four ways you can pin an image.
The easiest way is to pin an image directly it from your blog post. The problem that will occur is that images that perform the best are long and narrow.
Including images that are tall and narrow might not work well in your posts.
The good news is there is a WordPress plugin that makes it easy to create images for social sharing.
Social Warfare is a social sharing plugin with extra benefits. You can hide images that you create for social shares when you are creating your content. The images are behind the scenes and will be available when someone wants to share your posts.
When someone goes to share your post on their favorite social media site, the image you created will show in their newsfeed. You have total control of what images are being shared from your posts.
Another option you have is to hide your Pinterest images. There is an HTML code you can use with the image that will hide the image.
When someone goes to pin your content the image that is hidden will appear for them to choose.
You can learn how to hide images at Optimize and Hide Pinterest Images in a WordPress Post.
The other way you can pin an image is by uploading an image you have created and saved on your PC directly on your Pinterest Business Account.
In your Pinterest Business dashboard click the Red + link.
A pop-up will appear where you can upload an image from your computer.
Include a URL in the destination URL field to the post you are featuring.
Pinterest Image Tips
If you want to be noticed on Pinterest you will need to make your images better than what is already pinned.
This does not mean you have to be a graphic designer, all it means is that your pins need to look better than the other pins.
To have an understanding of what your images should like, you will need to do some research.
Spend a few moments looking at pins that relate to your niche.
Ask yourself:
Why are some pins being shared more than other pins?
What makes one pin stand out over another?
What can I do to make my pins better?
Do not try to reinvent the wheel, just try to make the wheel better.
This Image stands out because the beautiful art is displayed on a wall. Another plus is the price is included. This yells, “Art for sale.”
Another plus is the price is included. This yells, “Art for sale.”
A person shopping for a painting would stop and look at this pin. They will already have an idea of how the art will look on the wall of their home and they have a sense of the size.
This image includes “On Sale on eBay Now” and where to purchase it in the description. The description makes it easy for someone scrolling through Pinterest to know the art is for sale.
Here are some more tips to consider when you are creating your pins.
According to Pinterest the best size is an aspect ratio of 2:3. For example 600 pixels wide x 900 pixels tall.
Images with more reds and oranges perform better than images with a blue tone.
Use multiple dominant colors to receive more engagement.
Images should be of high quality, bright and clear.
Images without faces do better than images with faces.
Extra Tip
Always include your website address and logo on all of your images.
Digital marketing is all about building awareness.
People who are on Pinterest will start to recognize your logo and stop to look at what you are pinning.
The tips listed above are not a guarantee for landing a sale. They have just been shown to produce better results. Try them, assess them and tweak them until you find your perfect recipe.
Sell Art Online with Pinterest
Here are some tips that will help you to sell your art with Pinterest.
Digital Portfolio – Pinterest is such a unique platform. You can create a board or boards that showcase your artwork. It is a digital portfolio.
Make it easier for your buyers by separating your art into categories or dates.
Many people who visit Pinterest are in a shopping mind frame. Make it easy for people to see all of your work.
Organize your boards so it will be an enjoyable shopping experience.
Your Story – Repinning pins is a great way to be noticed by other Pinners. You can also use this tactic to show your audience what inspires you as an artist.
You can also use this tactic to show your audience what inspires you as an artist.
The more people get to know you the more they will begin to trust you. They will feel connected to your work. In time you will be the go-to artist when they are ready to buy art.
Develop a strategy with your boards and images for your audience.
Work In Progress – Many people love to see art come to life right before their eyes. Have a board that showcases your art in progress. This might entice people to repin your pins which will help you to reach a new audience.
Include a place where your audience can learn more about your art in progress. I have heard many stories about artists selling their art before it was even finished. How exciting would that be?
There are so many ways you can use your Pinterest boards to help get your story across.
Take a look at some of your competition to see what they are doing.
You do not want to copy them, but rather use it for inspiration.
Consistency
You have heard me talk about consistency many times.
Why?
Because if you are consistent with your efforts you will win the race. You will reach your goals.
Pinterest is different from most social media networks but there is one thing they have in common. You need to pin on a regular schedule.
Pin your artwork. Pin your blog posts. Pin upcoming events. Pin art in progress. Pin your YouTube videos. Repin other pins.
It will only take a few moments to log on to Pinterest and pin something.
Include Prices
It is a good strategy to include prices of your art on your pins. You want people to know your art is for sale.
People that are scrolling through Pinterest might think you have some beautiful art but will not know if it is for sale. Adding a price lets people know your art is available for them to purchase.
Who is Repinning Your Pins
Would you like to know who is repinning your pins?
I have some good news. There is a way for you to see who has been repinning your pins. This is a great way for you to build relationships with people who like your art.
Go to http://pinterest.com/source/yoursitesURL
Conclusion
Pinterest is a great tool for artists and you can sell art online with Pinterest. But do not get caught up in the social media frenzy.
Use social media for what it meant for, socializing and building relationships.
The nucleus of your business will be your blog and artist website.
Everything else you do online is to make a presence and drive them back to your sites.
You might also be interested in:
- Pinterest Business Tips You Can Start Using Today
- How to Create a Social Media Marketing Plan – Sell Art Online
- 10 Social Media Marketing Tips Every Artist Must Know
- 10 Easy Selling Art Online Tips to Boost Sales
- WordPress SEO: Optimize Your Artist Website for Search Engines
- How to Create a Social Media Marketing Calendar
28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists
Are you ready to start building an online presence?
Download your copy today, or Purchase on Amazon.
The Productive Artist How to Live Your Dreams The right mindset and time management skills are essential for any business. These topics are often not talked about but are key elements for your success. You will learn how to have a winning mindset and time management skills necessary for operating a successful art business. Available at Amazon or Download today.
Did you enjoy this article? Don’t forget to sign up for my free weekly newsletter.
You can also join me on:
Learn how to start, grow and monetize your online art business.
Art Business eBooks
Art Business Workbooks
Art Business Planners
