The history of selling art demonstrates that the economic and social implications of buying art were predominant in wealthy households, serving as indicators of acquisition and possession. From Catherine the Great, whose Russian collection had a political impact in Europe, to Japanese buyers who acquired art as a financial asset, we can’t deny the global importance of craftwork.
Today, the art market is more complex to navigate as an artist due to tight competition ―any individual in this world can create and sell art, and anyone can view it before buying it. Modern auctioning systems offer a varied array of artwork, while customers can ask for specialist support through in-house experts if they’re unsure about a particular art piece.
Not long ago, when the first online auction occurred, the art market expanded significantly for the regular buyer, but it also offered an advantageous position to sellers. So, if you’re interested in promoting your art online, here’s what you should do.
Decide between physical and digital art
Since art as a concept is vast, you should establish the art form and medium you will sell. Physical art, such as sculptures and prints, might create a special bond between the piece and the buyer since people can touch and display them. However, selling it requires much more stress because you have to assess production, shipping, and inventory management.
On the other hand, digital art is considerably easier to handle. For example, if you’ve got drawings for sale, you only need to consider copyright protection policies. Digital art implies lower production costs and easier distribution, so you can sell numerous copies without much hassle.
Create a brand image
You can quickly sell art online if you register your art business as either a sole proprietorship or an LLC. Depending on your experience and willingness to invest time and resources in art selling, deciding on a form of business is vital to your success. For example, a sole proprietorship gives you access to all generated profit, but you’re liable for most legal obligations. On the other hand, an LLC is more flexible with taxing and protection, but managing it can be difficult.
Regardless of your choice, the business name and brand image you create can impact your success and popularity on auction platforms and online forums. It’s best to use clear and easy-to-remember words and phrases when describing your business, but adding emotionally appealing expressions will weigh a lot on your media coverage.
Start producing art
Now that you’re an established artist, you should get going with your creations because buyers want something to choose from! Of course, getting over writer’s block in art and the pressure of being productive and creating as much as possible is part of the process, but there’s more to it.
When digitizing your artwork, you need to designate elements of lighting, artwork size, and shadows to sell it in high quality. Moreover, you must protect it through copyrighting, watermarks, and, sometimes, even low-resolution previews to ensure you’re not being compromised.
On the other hand, if you decide to sell physical art, you must contact a printing service based on pricing and speed because the shipping rates and locations will weigh on how satisfied customers are.
Expand your platform reach
Creating various selling points for customers is a great way to get more popular and offer buyers more purchasing alternatives depending on their preferred payment method. At the same time, your target audience might be scattered around social media platforms or specialized websites, which is why spreading your sales channels is best.
You can create your personal online store. This requires some time invested in web development and management. However, choosing social media to your advantage will organically increase your media exposure, so make sure to check out Facebook Marketplace or Instagram Shopping to quickly reach more potential customers.
Identify the ideal buyer
Passionate buyers are constantly looking for unique, valuable pieces, but they are also quite picky and have special requirements when it comes to buying art. When you create a marketing strategy to promote your creations you need to identify the ideal customer to personalize the strategy in such a way that targets them. According to your style and the type of art you create you will identify a niche public that is interested in your works. It would help if you run a market analysis before promoting your art pieces to figure out what buyers are looking for. It’s also advisable to take advantage of social media platforms to meet them where they spend most time.
Actively promote your art online
Actively promoting your art online is critical to engaging with potential customers and building a network. Social media marketing tools offered by platforms like Instagram or TikTok will help you create interesting content that appeals to your target customers, mainly if it includes younger generations.
Promoting your art doesn’t have to include paid advertisements, as you can grow organically. The simplest thing you can do is post your art doodles or sneak peeks of creating it. You could also collaborate with other emerging artists and develop unique pieces. Don’t forget about rewarding your clients for buying your art and showing support in the online environment, so offer discounts for some artworks or freebies after one art purchase. Finding ways to keep your audience hooked on your art is the best way to create a portfolio of loyal customers.
Are you ready to sell your art online?
There’s nothing wrong with making use of your artistic side, especially in the world of capitalism. But you can make it valuable and enjoyable by seeking reliable audiences who boost your morale for creating treasured artwork. At the same time, you can also aspire to make things by the book and create your own business, establishing which art form works best for you and promoting it online.