What are the best channels to use to promote yourself as an artist? Marine Costello offers her advice on the available options.
Tundra II, etching and thread on Japanese paper 2020, edition of 20, (43x37cm) by Eleanor Havsteen-Franklin (see case study below)
It has never been easier to reach an audience of art lovers and buyers from all over the world. Through channels such as your website, you can show and sell your work directly to your followers or connect with art world professionals, whether they be fellow artists, curators, gallerists, or consultants.
Yet building a professional website to showcase your work is only the beginning. You are the creator and curator all at once and, just like an exhibition, it is not enough to put it up, you have to bring people to see it. There are four channels you can use right now to promote your work as an artist. Using each of these will give you a well-rounded online marketing strategy but don’t feel you have to jump on every social media platform. Take time to learn about each channel; don’t be afraid to experiment a little and find the tools that work best for you, without taking too much time or energy away from creating new and exciting work to share with the world.
Emergent, etching 2019, edition of 20, (59x54cm) by Eleanor Havsteen-Franklin (see case study below)
A website
Your website should include:
- A page about you, with a quick biography and a CV. Your biography is where you should put the most important information you want your reader to know about: where you are from, what your work is about, which exhibitions, achievements or projects you are most proud of. You should be more comprehensive in your CV, detailing your education, solo and group exhibitions, publications, awards and more, year by year.
- A portfolio. This is where you carefully select and curate images of your art. Choose a body of work that is up to date and that best represents what you are currently producing in order to introduce visitors to your practice.
- A contact form. Make sure your website gives people the option to email you, subscribe to your newsletter and follow you on social media. The whole point is for your readers to be able to reach you!
If you like writing and you feel confident enough to update it regularly, you can also include a blog or a news section to post about new work, exhibitions or ongoing projects.
Social media
Social media is a fantastic tool to connect directly with art lovers far and wide – but don’t worry, you do not need to have an online presence everywhere. Let’s look at which platforms you should consider and whether they are the right place for you.
Instagram is the most obvious choice for artists as it is a primarily visual platform. Through many different features such as hashtags, geotags, stories and even a shopping feature, you can make your work accessible to collectors who regularly use the platform to discover new artworks.
Facebook is the largest social network available today and is all about building communities of people around common interests. This platform’s main advantage is that most people are already on it – however, this also means that there is a lot of noise to compete with and that it isn’t branded as a professional or curated channel.
Twitter is a short messaging platform on which users share news and follow their favourite celebrities. You will be more likely to see political debates and to interact with fellow artists than to meet potential buyers, but it remains a great place to post announcements, exclusive promotions, or information about your latest exhibition.
LinkedIn is a valuable yet underrated platform for professional growth and networking. Used well, it will allow you to follow curators, gallerists and writers, read and publish content that contributes to the cultural industry, and make valuable connections.
What about video platforms like YouTube and TikTok? They are channels that younger audiences flock to in order to discover trends, research information or learn skills. If you are comfortable speaking to the camera, are ready to invest the time in filming and editing content, and you are selling courses, workshops or classes for aspiring artists, then these platforms might be good places for you.
Don’t forget to link from your website to your social media accounts and vice versa! This means adding social media icons and links to the header or the footer of every page on your website and putting your website’s URL on your social media profiles – it will only take you a few minutes to do, and it will be incredibly useful for those who wish to learn more about you or contact you.
In Forma, etching and spit bite aquatint 2018, edition of 20, (54x59cm) by Eleanor Havsteen-Franklin
E-mailing lists
You might also want to convert your website visitors and social media followers into email subscribers. This is a sure-fire way to reach your audience, as it isn’t controlled by a social media platform’s or a search engine’s algorithm – you are in control of who gets your message, directly to their inbox. Email marketing is a great channel for sharing exclusive news with dedicated buyers and fans. For instance, you can give your email subscribers a preview of your latest exhibition, an invitation to your open studio, or a special discount on your website.
Listing sites
Sites such as PaintersOnline give you the opportunity to publicise your upcoming events (many of them for free!).
Some sites will even send out emails to their members or subscribers with the latest opportunities, exhibitions and conferences in their area. This is a great way to get new people to your openings, talks or workshops.
Case study - Eleanor Havsteen-Franklin
Eleanor Havsteen-Franklin
Q. What channels do you use to promote yourself online as an artist?
A. Instagram is great: it is visual, quick, easy, and a great way to connect with other artists, gallerist, clients and art lovers. It is a good platform to let people know about your work, what you are currently working on, exhibitions and projects in an informal way.
My website is another important platform, which gives viewer a chance to have a more in-depth understanding of you as an artist. For potential collaborators, gallerists and buyers, it also shows that you are taking your career as an artist seriously. I have been told by gallerists, looking to put exhibitions together, that the artist having a website was an important part in their decision-making process.
It is also good to be linked to different groups, such as societies, councils, studio groups, etc. Here your work is included with other artists, which can attract more interest and widen the audience.
Q. How did you go about creating your own website?
A. I made my first website many years ago, using a platform recommended to me by an artist friend. However, it became harder to navigate as more people used their phones to view it and I wasn't representing my work in the best possible way. In consultation with Parker Harris, I decided to have a new website built, and to get a professional involved. Having art professionals and a web designer was incredibly helpful both in the sense of creating the website and making it more visually stunning. For an artist the visual aspect is so important, and also communicates much more to the viewer than just text. It was very helpful to be able to discuss which parts to keep and which to leave out, decisions that I can find hard to make on my own, and it was great to have their ‘bird’s eye perspective’. Together, we discussed creating the different sections, content and holding the viewer’s interest. We wanted the website to be much more accessible and easier for the viewer to navigate on whatever device they use.
Whether you build it yourself or ask a professional to do it for you, you need to consider different factors such as cost, expertise and what you are hoping to achieve. Either way, I would always recommend discussing the build of a website with a few people who understand the art world and what you are trying to achieve.
Q. Is there anything else you’d recommend artists do to promote their work online?
A. Ask for specialist advice! I also took a few consulting sessions about Instagram and I got great tips on how to market myself online. For instance, I learned that I need to have a clear strategic goal: promoting my art. Another thing was to keep my social media feeds cohesive visually in order for them to be an accurate representation of my work. This means I need to think about posting only my art – not images of my personal life, trips, etc. which may not make sense in this context!
Marine is Communications Officer at Parker Harris.
Parker Harris was created by Emma Parker and Penny Harris in 1990 and it is now one of the leading visual arts consultancies in the UK, managing some of the most important art prizes and exhibitions in the UK and mentor artists through all aspects of their careers.
To learn more about their professional development and online marketing coaching programmes, email [email protected]. You can also stay in touch with Parker Harris on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Don't miss the chance to win the Parker Harris Online Mentoring Award in our TALP Open Art Competition 2023
Call for entries closes on April 4, 2023
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