A Lasting impression
by Angela Capesius
So you decided that you want to begin selling your art online? Good for you! If you are
not a tech-savvy person though, selling and
showcasing your art online can seem like
a daunting task. Not to worry - creating a
plan and doing research helps smooth
the way. With these simple and effective tips you can create your online
profile and begin reaching out
to your audience.
For starters, there are
essentially two different
types of websites that you’ll
use: networking websites
and sales website. Networking websites are essential
networking platforms that
will assist in gaining popularity among your target
audience. Sales websites
are platforms that will assist in
actual sales of your art. These
two platforms should be used in
unison and work best when they
are hyperlinked together - one site
directs viewers to the other site and vice
versa. In fact, the content (information you
provide about yourself and art on both
types of sites) should match one another -- this will help with your brand.
1. Sell Yourself. You,
as an artist, need to assume that
anyone who comes across your art
online has no idea who you are or
what your art is about. Show your
audience how much you believe
in yourself. Create an online profile of yourself that sums up your
inspirations, your creativity, your
techniques, your passion, and
yourself. This profile
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will be featured on several different online
outlets. Be genuine and relatable to your
target audience. If words are not your forte,
ask a friend to help or hire a professional
writer. Think of this online profile as a first
impression, you only get one – and you’d
like it to count!
2. Join Online Sites. There are
several websites that you can simply and
effectively showcase and sell your art while
using the websites popularity to reach out
to a large audience. Take time to consider
where your art will fit in and what type of audience are you hoping to sell to. Some sites
will charge a flat rate while others will take
a percentage of sales. Be sure to carefully
choose which sites you connect with, make
sure they are reputable and credible sites
that will not damage your reputation you are
working so hard to build. Also, be weary of
the prices that these platforms charge. Just
because they charge a lot doesn’t mean
they will result in sales.
3. Social Media. Social media has
the potential to be a very powerful tool, possibly the most important online tool,
if it is used correctly. You can use
social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+,
to name a few, to reach out
and connect with your target audience. One of the
most important aspects of
social media is to engage
your audience while giving
them the ability to reach
out and connect with you.
By using this outlet you
will allow your audience to get to know
you better as