If used wisely, social media is a tool which has the power to create a community, provide inspiration, and help visualize what is important. For artists who want to gain visibility or grow a following on social media, we look at some of the growing trends and habits which can strengthen their visibility.
Be consistent
Social media is similar to any other marketing tool. It requires persistent effort to build a reach and maintain the following. One needs to be consistently sharing work with followers to keep them interested. You also need to be engaged with the audience, thinking and planning a marketing plan for the next few months, not just days.
Be strategic with the content
It is one thing to post for the sake of posting on social media, but having a strategy that justifies the content is important. Ask yourself, why am I doing this—is it to generate sales, gain exposure, or connect with an audience? Choose your objective, then customize the tactics needed to achieve the goal. These tactics can include posts, photos, comments on other accounts, hashtags, giveaways to boost follower counts, or flash sales. All these strategies help drive sales and build authentic connections.
Be honest
Social media platforms can be a place where honesty takes a backseat. Being honest about where and how you are making work creates genuine content for your audience. For example, if you are working on a new piece or sculpting something, share sneak peeks with your followers and get their ideas and input. They will be excited about the outcome as much as you!
Get Personal
Many artists have shared that personal interaction is very important in building sales on social media. Your audience will engage more if they know there is a personal connection with the artist. Galleries and art shows exist for this reason: to build that relationship. Social media allows you to share your art and life with followers. While the focus should mostly be on your art, sharing personal experiences and adventures gives followers a sense of connection.
Get analytical
Analytics is integrated with almost all social media platforms and is fairly easy to use. Platforms have made this information accessible to non-experts. Insights can include the time of day people check their feed, countries hosting most of your followers, languages spoken, and post performance. Reviewing your analytics highlights which posts generate buzz. Analyze what makes them different—length, format, photo or video—to continually improve your communication and engagement.
Be a listener
One of the biggest benefits of social media is direct communication with your audience. From comments to retweets, likes, and other interactions, social media lets you hear from your followers. Observe recurring topics in your offline groups or trending online discussions to stay relevant. Keeping a pulse on social events allows you to generate conversations and relevant content more easily. News-related posts often have higher engagement and share rates than general posts, so join the conversation.
In the end, it is not about the number of likes and shares but about the work itself and the connections made with people who appreciate and share in the journey. Social media offers artists and creatives the chance to use it wisely and efficiently to take their work international!
