There are many reasons why an artist should sell their art online. Perhaps the most obvious reason is that it expands your audience reach exponentially.
Millions of people visit the internet every day, and by selling your art online, you can reach all of them.
Additionally, selling your art online gives you control over how your work is presented and how buyers can purchase it. You aren’t limited to gallery showings that may only be available in your local area – you can sell your art to anyone in the world who has an internet connection. The online marketplace is booming, and you have an opportunity to have your work seen by potential buyers worldwide.
This blog post will discuss some tips on how artists can get started with selling their work online.
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Why Should Artists Sell Art Online
More and more people are purchasing products online. If you find this hard to believe, look at what Amazon is selling. You will see everything from beauty supplies to pharmaceuticals.
Why sell art online?
We are seeing a change in how people shop.
Not too long ago, the malls would be famous for window shoppers and people to purchase products.
Today we are seeing malls across the country closing down.
Art sales are seeing an increase in online sales from buyers.
Buyers look to art collectors who use Artsy, Artnet, and Etsy to purchase original artwork.
In 2020 art online art sales reached 7.9 billion U.S. dollars.
Online Art Sales
According to Chris Grant-Peterkin
“The internet offers the visual art market great potential for growth and change. Currently, online sales make up just 1.6% of total global sales, but this is set to change. In the past couple of years millions of dollars have been invested in online sales platforms. In 2013 Artspace received $8.5m (£5.2m) of investment, Paddle8 received $6m (£3.6m) of investment – backers included Damien Hirst and Jay Jopling – and Amazon Art was launched.”
There are even more opportunities for independent artists and graphic designers to make a decent income selling art online today than there were even five years ago.
Artists also have a variety of ways to supplement their income online. For example, many artists are generating extra revenue by creating videos, tutoring, commissions, selling art prints, blogging, eBooks, online course, etc.
The possibility of generating an income selling art online and other jobs relating to art is a reality. You have to think about what you would like to do and get started.
Now that we have established why you should sell your art online, let’s discuss some tips on getting started.
Selling Art Online Overview
Here is a check-off list to help you get started selling your artwork online.
- Find a platform to showcase and sell your art.
- Create and promote your art brand.
- Start a blog.
- Build an email list.
- Join social media networks.
- Start a Pinterest Account.
- Stay organized.
- Assess your progress.
- Stay consistent with your efforts.
Online Gallery
Before you can sell your art online, you will have to have a place where people see your best work and have a way to make a purchase. An e-commerce website is a place where you can showcase your art and offer potential buyers the opportunity to purchase your work.
If you are not familiar with coding or website design, many platforms will allow you to create a website for free. One example is WordPress which offers users a wide variety of templates.
When creating your website, make sure to include the following:- A bio of you as an artist.- Your art resume includes any exhibitions or awards you have received.- Links to your social media networks.- A gallery of your artwork with accompanying descriptions.- Information on how people can purchase your work.
If you are not interested in creating a website, many online platforms allow you to sell your art. Websites like Etsy, Squarespace, ArtWeb, Redbubble, or Saatchi Online enable artists to create an account and sell their artwork within minutes.
Different Selling Platform Options:
- Build a website with WordPress.
WordPress Courses:
- Set up an Etsy Shop.
If you are new to selling online, you might want to consider starting an Etsy shop. Etsy makes selling art easy and affordable.
- Auction your artwork on eBay.
- Sell art on a Third-Party Site.
Third-Part Websites make it easy for artists just starting out.
Sell Art Online Free – 7 Popular Third-Party Sites for Artists
Should You Sell Art On Third-Party Websites?
Here is a post with some of the more popular sites for the selling artist, 15 Places to Sell Art Online.
Create And Promote Your Art Brand
With so many people and businesses producing and publishing content online every day, getting lost in the crowd is easy.
The first step of a successful online marketing plan is to develop a business brand.
A brand is more than the colors used for a logo.
Your brand is personal because you are branding yourself as an artist. It is your vision, beliefs, mission, and how you communicate with others online and offline.
Your brand will separate you from all of the other artists selling art online.
From day one, you will want to take some time to share your story via blog posts, social media updates, and newsletters.
The importance of having a business brand can not be emphasized enough. A strong business brand will help you connect with your customers and create a lasting impression. It will also help you to stand out from the competition. Building an online presence starts with your story.
Related Posts:
- How to Build An Artist Brand That Attracts Collectors
- How to Build Your Art Brand with Facebook Video
- How to Build Brand Awareness By Commenting on Blogs
- Build Brand Awareness with Your Signature
Start An Artist Blog
Have you heard the term “Content Marketing”?Content marketing has been around since the early1700s and maybe even before that.
According to Joe Pulizzi:
“1732 – Benjamin Franklin first publishes the yearly Poor Richard’s Almanack. The goal is to promote his printing business.
1801 – Bookstore Librairie Galignani employs creative content strategies to grow its business, including opening a reading room and printing a newspaper that featured articles from influential authors and books.
1861 – Samuel Wagner launches American Bee Journal, a magazine that is still being published.
1867 – Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company debuts The Locomotive, which is now said to be the oldest company magazine continuously published under the same name in the United States.
1882 – The Edison Electric Lighting Company Bulletin spreads the word about the benefits of electric lighting.”
For more inspiration visit, The History of Content Marketing.
Developing a content marketing strategy is more critical today than ever before.
People are not going to stumble on your site. You have to let people know you are an artist selling art online. Having people discover you online is done by publishing blog posts on a consistent schedule.
Artists who have built a thriving art business do not only publish images of the original work on social media platforms and an online art gallery. They take advantage of all the marketing tools available, like blogging to help art lovers discover their artwork.
Related Posts:
- Art Blog Hosted vs Self-Hosted Site
- How to Optimize Art Blog Posts with Great Content
- Digital Content Marketing – What Artists Need to Know
Build An Email List
Most successful artists and online businesses owners will say that their email list is their most valuable asset.Why?Because the people on your email list are your target audience, they are the group of people who trust you enough to give you their email addresses. These people are interested in learning more about your new artwork and upcoming events.
How To Build An Email List
Start by creating a free offer, such as an ebook or video tutorial.
When someone signs up for your free offer, they are automatically added to your email list.
You can also add a sign-up form to your website and blog.
Include a call-to-action in all of your blog posts and social media updates.
Related Posts:
Join Social Media Networks
Social media is a great way to build brand awareness, provide excellent customer service, build relationships and keep your followers up-to-date with what is going on.
There are many social media networks you can choose from, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, your audience will not be on all of them. You will want to take some time to find out what social media sites your audience is on so you do not waste your time marketing to the wrong people.
It is a good idea to only work on one or two social media sites during your career. There are just not enough hours in the day to be productive on more than that.
Related Posts:
- Choose One Social Media Platform to Focus On
- 9 Social Media Marketing Tips for Artists Selling Art Online
Start A Pinterest Account
The next step is to create a Pinterest Business Account.
Pinterest is not like the other social media platforms out there. Pinterest is similar to other search engines where people can search for ideas.
Pinterest pins are searchable, and that is why you want to have a Pinterest Business Account – so you can be found by people looking for art inspiration.
When creating your account, make sure you add the website address of your art website in the profile section. Your URL will help people find your artwork when searching on Pinterest.Related Posts:
- Create a Pinterest Business Account Step by Step
- 6 Easy Pinterest Image Tips That Drive Traffic
- Optimize and Hide Pinterest Images in a WordPress Post
Stay Organized
It is impossible to grow a business if you are not organized. You need to have a system for everything – how you will create your artwork, how you will ship it, what marketing materials you will use, etc.
One way to stay organized is to use a project management tool like Asana or Trello. These tools allow you to create tasks and boards to keep track of what you need to do and when it is due.
Another way to stay organized is to create a folder system on your computer for your artwork, blog posts, images, etc. This will help you keep track of everything and make it easy to find later.
Final Thoughts On Selling Art Online
Although there are many social media networks to choose from, it is crucial to focus on only one or two to be productive. Additionally, artists should create a Pinterest Business Account to optimize their pins for search. Finally, staying organized is essential for any business and can be done by using project management tools or creating folders on your computer.
There are many advantages to selling art online, and if you work hard, you will be able to establish yourself as an artist online.
We hope this guide helped you learn how to sell art online and why it is essential for artists.
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