Connecting your Art Business and the Internet

So, you’re an artist who’s passionate about your work too? Unfortunately, as artists we need to be able to not only make art that inspires us, but also art that sells so we can continue doing what we love. But how can we do this?

Well, there is a very powerful marketing tool for all artists that is often overlooked – the internet! It can be your best friend when it comes to promoting and selling your artwork. Whether you’re new to the internet, or you’ve been online for years, there are simple and easy to implement ways in which to establish an online presence for yourself as an artist and your artwork. 

There are already trading and auction sites online that have well established art sales categories which many artists utilise to continue to make regular sales. Keep an open mind. Sites like eBay are not what you may think! They are simple, easy to use, and can help to boost your art sales when they may not be going so well offline. Sites like eBay already have a large database of people looking to buy art, why wouldn’t they want to buy yours? There are also many art galleries with an established presence online. Research your local art galleries to see if any of them are online or research which art galleries are currently online that you could get involved with. 

Or, if you’ve got a rather large portfolio of work and you’d like to keep some control over where and how your works are displayed, your own website may be an incredibly powerful option! Your own art site will enable you to easily display your works in one spot as well as quickly broaden your customer base and better connect with your current customer base. In saying that, email is another effective marketing tool for all artists. When used correctly, regular or well timed emails will enable you to establish an ongoing relationship with your customers and fans and can increase your sales opportunities through follow up’s and targeted promotions.

Integrating your art with the Internet can be seen by some art purists as diminishing to the value and exclusivity of the art world. However, the truth is quite to the contrary. An ever increasing amount of art buyers and collectors rely on the internet as a valuable source of current market trends and preview of the types of artists and works that are available. By presenting your work online, you are thus exposing your work and yourself as an artist, to an ever increasing, rapidly growing and international marketplace. What an incredible start!