Social Media for Artists 101
Social media has completely revolutionised the art world, allowing artists to take their work and voice into their own hands. With just a few taps, every single one of us now has the potential to reach an audience of millions and form connections with people all around the world. As we hurtle headlong into the digital age, an artist’s social media presence is often one of the first things any agent, gallery, collector, or curator will look into when deciding who to represent. This means that social media is an absolutely non-negotiable tool for any emerging artist – but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s the Art Voyage 101 guide to getting started on social media as an artist or creative.
CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORM(s) WISELY
There are dozens of social media platforms out there, with new contenders rising and falling almost daily. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to use all of them. In fact, if you spread yourself too thin, you are far more likely to experience creative burnout.
Many artists choose 2 – 3 platforms to focus on. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are particularly popular, as they are highly visual platforms with massive international userbases, but some choose platforms such as Twitter/X, Facebook, Linkedin, Bluesky, or run newsletters via services like Substack. Consider your target audience and the type of content you want to share.
Develop a Strategy
The three secrets to successful and sustainable social media strategies are Consistency, Simplicity and Community
Consistency
- Build your voice: Decide what tone you want your content to have. While experimentation and variation are key, having a consistent brand for the general type of content your audience can expect helps to drive engagement.
- Build a posting schedule: Consistent posting is key to mastering algorithms and keeping your audience coming back for more. You do not have to post every day – the most important thing is to maintain a steady pace that works for you.
- Build habits: Incorporating content creation into your existing work routine can make it easier to keep on top of a regular schedule and stop social media from eating into the rest of your creative time.
Types of content you can add to your routine include:
- Showing your finished artworks.
- Showing works in progress
- Explaining your creative process
- Studio tours and behind-the-scenes content
- Discussing your inspiration or artistic journey
- Build a “buffer”: It can be useful to create anywhere between a few days or several weeks worth of extra posts in advance and save it. It may seem counterintuitive not to post everything straight away, but a buffer allows you to keep on top of the algorithm and prevents you from losing audience interest in case you cannot follow your scheduled plan for any reason. This also makes it easier to take breaks without the stress of potentially losing out on business or opportunities.
- Check your stats: Analytics are invaluable insights into who your content is reaching, what they are engaging with, and when they are seeing it, which helps you to tailor your strategy.
Simplicity
- Keep it simple: Start small, and remember that although social media is a useful tool, going viral is not the be all and end all of your art career.
- Experiment and adapt: Focus on discovering what works best for you. Guides like these are helpful for getting started, but your personal preferences will emerge organically as you grow and develop.
- Don’t try to do everything at once: Focus on posting regular, relevant content rather than trying to chase every trend. Remember: you want to curate the right audience for you and your work, rather than reaching for as much engagement as possible.
- Link your website and portfolio: Make it as easy as possible for interested parties to learn more about you, find your work, and get in touch.
Community
- Engage with your audience: Replying to comments and other modes of direct audience engagement help to build a community and foster a sense of loyalty and connection among your viewers.
- Interactive content (such as polls and Q&As, for example) is not essential, but can be a fun way to connect with your audience.
- Collaborations and cross-promotions with other artists are fun and interesting ways to make connections and widen your audience.
- Reach out: Build your network by following galleries, fairs, curators, collectors, and other artists. Don’’t be afraid to take the first step in reaching out – you shouldn’t send mass spam messages or harass people for a response, but a quick, polite DM or message is a great way to get your name out.
TIPS FOR DIGITAL WELLBEING
- Take breaks and set healthy boundaries: social media is a useful business tool, but it is not your full-time job; your wellbeing is the top priority. If you are worried about screen time, you may find it helpful to set limits or reminders, or to schedule specific time slots in your calendar for working towards your marketing goals.
- Stay safe: Take basic cyber-safety precautions to keep yourself and your information safe.
- Remember your platform is public: Bear in mind that your social media is the public face of your artistic brand. Be aware of what you post and how it may be perceived. Always keep to your chosen platform’s community guidelines.
- Know your rights: Watch out for content theft – consider using watermarks on your posts – and be aware of your rights when it comes to copyright. Stay up-to-date on your platform’s policies on content, ownership, and generative AI training models.
- Don’t compare: Social media often encourages intense comparison, and it is easy to become disheartened. Try not to compare yourself to other artists. Remember that follower counts and engagement statistics are not the only measure of success.
- Have fun! Social media, when used correctly, can be an endless source of creativity, inspiration, and connection. Embrace your unique artistic vision, share your work with the world, and don’t feel pressured to change yourself or your process to fit the mould.
