Selling your personal art is a great way to make money and build your reputation as an artist. It also gives you the opportunity to share your creative process with the world.
Whether you sell through a gallery, an online marketplace or through an ecommerce store, there are a few steps you must take to succeed. Here are some tips to help you start.
1. Create a website
The first step in selling your personal art online is to create a website. A website is a collection of pages on the internet that are integrated under a domain name and which have a common theme and website design. For example, the page on Google with the search results in, your Facebook page, or a website that you use to publicise your creative writing are all part of the same website.
To make a website, you need to decide what you want the site to be about and what it will do. This can vary between being a place to display your work and promoting your personal brand, or an ecommerce store.
A website should contain high quality images, ample information about your work and yourself, and clear instructions for making a purchase. There should also be a contact form for visitors to send you an enquiry.
There are many ways to build a website, but it’s best to start small and evolve your site as you grow. The easiest way to do this is to use a do-it-yourself content management system (CMS) that allows you to build and customize your website without having to know coding or hire a web designer.
Once you have your website up and running, it’s time to start marketing it. Begin by doing some market research and creating buyer profiles for your target audience. You can use these to tailor your social media posts and create value-added content that is appealing to your target demographics.
There are many ways to sell your personal art online, but the most effective way is to create a website that allows people to buy your work directly from you. This will increase your exposure and help you grow a strong following of potential customers.
2. Create a social media presence
One of the best ways to get your personal art sold online is by using social media to promote it. Whether it’s your Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account, this will allow you to share new artwork, works in progress, and other news about your practice.
To get started with your social media strategy, you need to determine your goals and your audience. This will help you to choose the right platforms and approach to reach your target audience.
It’s also important to determine the types of content you want to share on each platform. For example, you might want to post more photographs of your work on Instagram than on Twitter. It’s also helpful to have a posting cadence for each platform, a set number of times per week that you will post new work.
The key to growing your audience on social media is to be authentic and consistent with your online presence. This means sharing art that you love, showcasing your creativity, and being active on social media in a way that’s both fun and professional.
In addition to sharing your own work, make sure to share art by others you admire or that you feel a connection to. Especially for artists who work in different disciplines, this will provide your audience with a sense of shared interest and community.
Another important tip is to keep your text captions on social media as short as possible, especially if you’re sharing photos. People scroll through Instagram and Twitter very quickly, so making your captions concise will increase the likelihood that your followers will see your work.
Finally, be sure to use your social media accounts to promote events you’re involved in or other creative projects. This can help you build your reputation in the artistic community and attract new fans who will follow you when you’re ready to sell your art.
3. Create an ecommerce store
Selling your personal art online is a great way to earn extra income while also letting your creative side shine. The global market for art prints and designs is estimated to be worth around $50 billion, making it a lucrative opportunity to sell your work to a wider audience.
There are many different ways to sell your art, from building a website to listing it on a marketplace like Etsy or Amazon. You can even find a variety of free apps that will help you sell your prints and merchandise.
You can start by establishing your brand guidelines, pricing, and business model. These will guide your decisions on the type of art and prints you want to sell, as well as how much you charge for them.
Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to build an ecommerce store for your artwork. The easiest way to do this is through a website builder like Shopify, which is a platform that lets you create a stylish store with minimal design and coding skills.
It is important to make sure that your ecommerce store is well-designed and offers a smooth user experience. This includes the layout of your homepage, product images, and checkout page. You should also choose a theme that allows your art to breathe – large images with plenty of negative space.
Another way to make your ecommerce store more appealing is to include a good number of quality photos of your artwork. This will allow clients to see the different colors, textures, and details in your work.
Once you have your ecommerce store set up, it’s time to begin marketing your new product to potential customers. You can use various methods to attract new customers, including search engine marketing, paid social media ads, and email marketing.
4. List your work on art marketplaces
One of the best ways to promote your work is through art marketplaces. These sites have millions of customers each month, which can help your artwork reach a wider audience. However, it’s important to note that they each have different terms and conditions, so it’s essential to choose the right platform for your style of art.
Aside from the fact that these platforms are a great way to get your artwork in front of people who may be interested in buying it, they also make it easy for you to sell your art without having to do a lot of work yourself. They take care of all the marketing, printing, and shipping for you.
When you’re listing your artwork, be sure to include the dimensions and materials of your work, as well as a story about why you created it. This will help potential buyers understand your passion for your work, and they’ll be more likely to want to buy it from you.
Once you’ve written a good description, it’s time to price your artwork. This is a difficult thing to do, but it’s worth doing some research to get a benchmark for pricing your art.
You should also consider the amount of time and labour it took you to create your artwork, as well as the materials that you used to create it. This will help you set the right price for your artwork, and it’s a great way to determine whether you can make a profit selling it online.
There are many places to list your work online, but here are some of the most popular options for artists:
5. Create a marketing plan
When creating your personal art marketing plan, make sure to define goals and track your progress. This will allow you to stay inspired and ensure that you aren’t wasting money on strategies that aren’t working.
Identifying your target audience is one of the most important aspects of any art marketing strategy. This helps you to create marketing messaging that resonates with your target customers and can increase your sales by focusing on people who are passionate about your artistic style.
Another important part of your marketing strategy is to create an online presence for your artwork. This can be done through your website, social media, and other online channels. You should also include information about your studio and the art making process in your website’s content to give your audience a sense of what they can expect from your business.
It’s also a good idea to outline your policies and procedures, including shipping methods. This will help to promote a favorable buying decision for your clients, as well as prevent them from experiencing any issues later on.
Your art marketing strategy should be based on a clear understanding of your audience’s needs and interests, as well as their budget. Knowing this will help you to create tailored content, creative events, and targeted ad placements that will make your art marketing strategy more effective.
It is important to keep in mind that there are always hidden costs associated with marketing and promoting your personal art, so be sure to set a budget before you begin any campaign. This will also help you to be realistic about who can afford your products and how much you should charge for them.
