How to market yourself as an artist

Being a successful artist takes a lot of work and dedication, not just for creating art that sells but also in running a business. There are many different facets included within this, including creative development, product development, distribution, publishing, business development, and marketing. There are many different facets including within this. It can be overwhelming to manage all these parts of the business, which is why appointing an agent is so key for many artists. It helps take the pressure off and allows the artist to do what they love - creating art!

Our blog aims to help you with all these different aspects of being a successful artist, so please do check out our other articles.

Marketing is extremely important for any business as it is a way of elevating your online presence and reaching your target audience. For an artist, this means you are more likely to get your art noticed by potential buyers, galleries, the media, and other influential and important people within the industry. 

So, where do you start with marketing yourself as an artist?

Firstly, you need to identify and create your brand, i.e. channelling your art through a consistent visual style and identity that can be easily recognised by your target audience. This helps you build loyalty within your community. A brand is more than just a name and a logo - it is the unique perception you wish people to have of you as a business or as an artist.

Once you have identified your brand, you will need to build yourself a website. This will act as your shop window, i.e. it will be a place that your target audience can go to to find out more about you, and to shop your art. Assets to include on your website will vary, but you want to engage a visitor, so you might want to include information about yourself, a blog, a contact section so people can get in touch with you, and your social media links.

Social media is key as it allows you to reach, nurture, and engage with your target audience — no matter their location. Not only will social media allow you to connect with your audience, but it can also generate brand awareness, leads, sales, and revenue. Deciding which social media platforms to be on will take some time and research, as you don’t want to overstretch yourself and it is important to be on a platform where your target audience are active.

Once you have decided on which platform you want to be present on, you must decide on what content you want to share. Successful social media accounts with good engagement will have a well thought-out strategy, which aims to entertain. Planning your content is key, and it is important to be aware of trends in social media, i.e. video is a very impactful tool to engage with people nowadays. 

Other facets of online marketing include blogging and email marketing. Newsletters are an effective way of reaching your audience by offering them exclusive news, discounts or information about exhibitions. Blogs are a great way of increasing traffic to your website too, all of which could help to translate into sales and revenue. 

As an art creator professional, you should make all efforts to put yourself as a trustworthy artist amid your niche art market, and having a long-term marketing strategy is a way of doing this. 

If this all sounds overwhelming, fear not as this is exactly why My Art Agency is here to help. We are made up of a team of experts from different sectors, including marketing specialists who have years of experience in the field and are at the top of their game when it comes to online marketing trends. When we work with an artist, we help them with all sides of the business, including creating and implementing the marketing strategy.

For more information or to speak to the team about artist management please drop us an email info@myartagency.co

Rebecca Healey