Image credit: Artist Daniella Germain. Photo by Megan George.

Social Media 101 for Artists with Bluethumb

Social​ ​media​ ​is​ ​an​ ​increasingly​ ​important​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​any​ ​artist,​ ​and​ ​it’s​ ​not​ ​as​ ​daunting​ ​as​ ​it​ ​might sound!​ ​We’ve​ ​put​ ​together​ ​a​ ​simple​ ​overview​ ​of​ ​how​ ​it​ ​all​ ​works.​ ​You’ll​ ​soon​ ​be​ ​liking,​ ​posting, and​ ​Instagramming​ ​like​ ​a​ ​pro!

1. Spot​ ​the​ ​difference.

Photo by Gwen Weustink on Unsplash

There​ ​are​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​social​ ​platforms​ ​available​ ​and​ ​new​ ​ones​ ​are​ ​popping​ ​up​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​but​ ​we’re just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​two​ ​biggies;​ ​Facebook​ ​and​ ​Instagram.​ ​Knowing​ ​the​ ​difference​ ​is important​ ​so​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use​ ​them​ ​most​ ​effectively.

As​ ​the​ ​most​ ​general​ ​and​ ​multi-purpose,​ ​Facebook​ ​is​ ​used​ ​for​ ​images,​ ​text​ ​and​ ​video-type​ ​posts. It’s​ ​purposes​ ​are​ ​always​ ​changing​ ​(for​ ​example,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​increasingly​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​hub​ ​for​ ​viral videos),​ ​but​ ​it​ ​remains​ ​a​ ​useful​ ​way​ ​to​ ​plan​ ​events​ ​or​ ​message​ ​friends.​ ​As​ ​an​ ​artist,​ ​Facebook​ ​is a​ ​great​ ​networking​ ​resource.

In​ ​contrast,​ ​Instagram​ ​is​ ​mainly​ ​visual.​ ​Posts​ ​are​ ​image-based,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​a​ ​recent​ ​development,​ ​it is​ ​also​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​post​ ​‘stories’,​ ​where​ ​you​ ​can​ ​post​ ​casual​ ​photos​ ​or​ ​videos​ ​that​ ​disappear after​ ​24​ ​hours.​ ​The​ ​visual​ ​nature​ ​of​ ​Instagram​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​especially​ ​important​ ​for​ ​artists,​ ​as people​ ​will​ ​deliberately​ ​go​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​new​ ​accounts​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​(the​ ​search​ ​function​ ​generates accounts​ ​that​ ​fit​ ​your​ ​interests).

2.​ ​​Let’s​ ​Get​ ​Professional,​ ​People.

Image credit: Artist Ying Huan. Photo by Megan George.

No​ ​matter​ ​what​ ​platform​ ​you’re​ ​using,​ ​you’ll​ ​need​ ​to​ ​differentiate​ ​your​ ​artist​ ​account​ ​from​ ​a personal​ ​profile.

In​ ​doing​ ​so,​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​create​ ​a​ ​solid​ ​foundation,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​keep​ ​your​ ​personal branding​ ​consistent​ ​going​ ​forwards.

Facebook​ ​has​ ​a​ ​built-in​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​differentiate​ ​personal​ ​profiles​ ​from​ ​business​ ​pages,​ ​so​ ​take advantage​ ​of​ ​that​ ​and​ ​choose​ ​the​ ​latter.

In​ ​contrast,​ ​distinguishing​ ​your​ ​professional​ ​profile​ ​from​ ​your​ ​personal​ ​profile​ ​on​ ​Instagram​ ​is more​ ​reliant​ ​on​ ​how​ ​you​ ​use​ ​them.

Make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​choose​ ​a​ ​professional-looking,​ ​studio​ ​shot​ ​as​ ​your​ ​profile​ ​picture,​ ​and,​ ​on Facebook,​ ​perhaps​ ​choose​ ​an​ ​image​ ​of​ ​your​ ​artwork​ ​for​ ​your​ ​cover​ ​image.​ ​Try​ ​to​ ​give​ ​the viewer​ ​an​ ​overall​ ​impression​ ​of​ ​your​ ​artistic​ ​style​ ​as​ ​soon​ ​as​ ​they​ ​click​ ​onto​ ​your​ ​page.

3.​ ​Post​ ​Regularly.

Photo by Art Wave on Unsplash

Make​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​post​ ​content​ ​regularly​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​people​ ​interested,​ ​but​ ​not​ ​so​ ​often​ ​that​ ​it overwhelms​ ​their​ ​feeds​ ​and​ ​they​ ​decide​ ​to​ ​‘unfollow’.

As​ ​time​ ​goes​ ​on,​ ​you’ll​ ​come​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​what’s​ ​right​ ​for​ ​your​ ​audience.​ ​To​ ​begin​ ​with, experiment​ ​with​ ​somewhere​ ​between​ ​4​ ​and​ ​7​ ​posts​ ​per​ ​week.​ ​Also,​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​your​ ​content​ ​is varied,​ ​and​ ​even​ ​on​ ​Facebook​ ​try​ ​to​ ​use​ ​an​ ​image​ ​with​ ​your​ ​post​ ​–​ ​you​ ​might​ ​choose​ ​an​ ​image of​ ​your​ ​art,​ ​some​ ​news​ ​about​ ​an​ ​upcoming​ ​exhibition​ ​you’re​ ​attending,​ ​a​ ​shot​ ​of​ ​your​ ​workspace or​ ​a​ ​‘repost’​ ​of​ ​someone​ ​else’s​ ​work​ ​(Facebook​ ​allows​ ​you​ ​to​ ​‘share’​ ​others’​ ​posts​ ​to​ ​your​ ​own page,​ ​whereas​ ​Instagram​ ​requires​ ​you​ ​to​ ​screenshot​ ​and​ ​repost​ ​manually).

You​ ​can​ ​also​ ​schedule​ ​your​ ​posts​ ​ahead​ ​of​ ​time,​ ​so​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​need​ ​to​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​it​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rest of​ ​the​ ​week.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​simple​ ​on​ ​Facebook,​ ​which​ ​has​ ​a​ ​built-in​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​schedule​ ​posts,​ ​and​ ​you can​ ​always​ ​use​ ​a​ ​third-party​ ​program,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Later​ ​(h​ttps://later.com/​),​ ​for​ ​Instagram.

Examples​ ​of​ ​a best​ ​practice​ ​post:

4.​ ​Build​ ​Your​ ​Network.

Image Credit: Matilda Jenkins. Photo by Megan George.

Remember​ ​to​ ​engage​​ ​​with​ ​your​ ​audience​ ​–​ ​after​ ​all,​ ​that’s​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​point​ ​of​ ​social​ ​media! Reply​ ​to​ ​comments​ ​on​ ​a​ ​regular​ ​basis​ ​(try​ ​to​ ​respond​ ​to​ ​all​ ​of​ ​them,​ ​or​ ​as​ ​many​ ​as​ ​you​ ​can), and​ ​like​ ​others’​ ​posts.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​even​ ​tap​ ​into​ ​online​ ​communities​ ​via​ ​Facebook​ ​groups,​ ​which​ ​is a​ ​great​ ​way​ ​to​ ​find​ ​fellow​ ​artists​ ​and​ ​art​ ​lovers.

Once​ ​you’ve​ ​brought​ ​followers​ ​to​ ​your​ ​profile,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​redirect​ ​them​ ​to​ ​your​ ​website​ ​or​ ​the​ ​place where​ ​you​ ​sell​ ​your​ ​art​ ​(while​ ​social​ ​media​ ​is​ ​an​ ​essential​ ​tool,​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​good​ ​idea​ ​to​ ​have​ ​an​ ​online destination​ ​independent​ ​from​ ​your​ ​social​ ​media,​ ​as,​ ​once​ ​again,​ ​it​ ​makes​ ​you​ ​appear​ ​more professional.​ ​​Bluethumb​,​ ​Australia’s​ ​largest​ ​online​ ​art​ ​gallery,​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great​ ​free​ ​option).

Building​ ​your​ ​network​ ​can​ ​be​ ​a​ ​slow​ ​process.​ ​However,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​regularly​ ​upload​ ​quality​ ​content and​ ​show​ ​a​ ​friendly,​ ​positive​ ​attitude​ ​towards​ ​fellow​ ​artists​ ​and​ ​collectors,​ ​you’ll​ ​be​ ​rewarded with​ ​a​ ​steady​ ​and​ ​interested​ ​following.

Some​ ​examples​ ​of​ ​professional-looking,​ ​well​ ​maintained​ ​profiles:

• Facebook:​ ​​Kim Leutwyler
• Facebook:​ ​​Clair​ ​Bremner
• Instagram:​ ​​Kim​ ​Hyunji
• Instagram:​ ​​Katerina​ ​Apale

This​ ​post​ ​was​ ​written​ ​by​ ​our​ ​friends​ ​at​ ​​Bluethumb​,​ ​Australia’s​ ​largest​ ​online​ ​art​ ​gallery!​ ​​Click here​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​up​ ​with​ ​their​ ​latest​ ​news,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​hear​ ​more​ ​helpful​ ​tips​ ​for​ ​artists.