10 Strategies for Selling Artwork Online
Written by  Daisie Team
Published on 11 min read

Contents

  1. Create a Professional Artist Website
  2. Join Online Art Marketplaces
  3. Use Social Media to Promote Your Art
  4. Start an Art Blog
  5. Offer High-Quality Images of Your Artwork
  6. Price Your Artwork Correctly
  7. Build an Email List
  8. Offer Limited Edition Prints
  9. Partner with Art Galleries
  10. Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Do you enjoy creating art? Are you considering showcasing your creative talent to the world, and even better, earning some money along the way? Well, you've come to the right place. With the digital revolution at its peak, selling artwork through online marketplaces has never been easier. This blog will guide you through ten practical strategies to help you navigate the world of online art sales. Let's dive in!

Create a Professional Artist Website

Your website is your digital canvas—it's where you can display your art and tell your unique story. A professional website can do wonders for you, and here's how:

  • Showcase Your Art: Your website is your personal gallery. You can display your art in the way you want, curating the viewer's experience. Remember, first impressions count, so make it a good one!
  • Build Your Brand: Having a website means you can control your branding. Choose colors, fonts, and designs that reflect your art and personality. It's your chance to show the world what you stand for as an artist.
  • Direct Sales: Selling artwork through your own website means you keep all the profit. No middlemen, no commission fees, just you and your art. Plus, it's easier for customers to buy directly from you.
  • SEO Benefits: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps people find your work online. With the right SEO tactics, your website can rank higher on search results, making selling artwork through online marketplaces more successful.

Creating a website can seem daunting, but don't worry. There are many user-friendly platforms like Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress that can help you get started. Just remember to keep it updated with your latest work and make it easy for visitors to contact you or make a purchase.

So, are you ready to create your professional artist website and step up your game in selling artwork through online marketplaces? It's a small step for you, but a giant leap for your art career!

Join Online Art Marketplaces

So, you've created your professional artist website, and it's looking fantastic. Now, let's expand your horizons and join the bustling world of online art marketplaces. These platforms are like virtual art fairs, buzzing with collectors, enthusiasts, and fellow artists.

  • Reach a Wider Audience: Online art marketplaces have a global reach. By listing your artwork on these platforms, you expose your work to a wider audience than a local art show or your website alone could ever attract.
  • Increased Visibility: These marketplaces are often the first stop for buyers looking for new art. They offer a chance to get your work in front of potential buyers who might not know about your website or social media.
  • Community and Support: Being part of an online art marketplace means you're joining a community. Many platforms offer support to artists in the form of forums, educational resources, and promotional tools.
  • Easy to Use: Most online art marketplaces handle the logistics of selling, like payment processing and shipping. This allows you to focus on what you love most—creating art.

There are many online art marketplaces—some general, like Etsy and eBay, and others more specialized, like Saatchi Art or Artfinder. It's worth exploring a few to see which ones suit your style and business goals best.

Joining online art marketplaces is a great step in promoting and selling your artwork. So why not give it a shot? It could be the golden ticket for your art to reach the corners of the world!

Use Social Media to Promote Your Art

Have you ever thought about how social media could help skyrocket your art business? Social media platforms are not just for sharing cat videos or what you had for breakfast. They're powerful tools for showcasing your artwork and connecting with potential buyers. Let's explore how you can use them to boost your art sales.

  • Instagram: With its visual focus, Instagram is an artist's dream platform. Create an appealing gallery of your work, use relevant hashtags, and engage with your followers. Instagram stories and reels are also a fun way to show behind-the-scenes content and build a connection with your audience.
  • Facebook: Facebook allows you to create a business page where you can share your artwork, news, and events. It also has a marketplace feature where you can list your artwork for sale.
  • Pinterest: Pinterest is a treasure trove for art lovers and collectors. By creating boards of your artwork, you can attract followers who love your style and are likely to buy.
  • LinkedIn: Don't underestimate LinkedIn. It's a great platform to connect with professionals who might be interested in buying your art for their offices or as corporate gifts.

Remember, it's not just about posting your artwork. Engage with your audience, respond to comments, and build relationships. Social media is about being social, after all!

So, pick up your smartphone, snap some photos of your artwork, and start sharing. You never know who might stumble upon your art and fall in love with it. Remember, every like, share, and comment increases your chances of selling artwork through online marketplaces.

Start an Art Blog

Have you considered starting an art blog as part of your sales strategy? If not, it's high time you did. Writing about your art journey, techniques, and inspirations can create a deeper connection between you and your potential buyers. Plus, it's a smart way to increase your visibility on search engines and draw more traffic to your website.

Here are some tips to help you get started with your art blog:

  • Share Your Story: People love a good story. Share your journey as an artist, the challenges and victories, the inspiration behind your artwork - this humanizes you and makes your art more relatable.
  • Talk About Your Art: Provide insights about your artwork. Talk about the style, technique, materials used, or the story behind the piece. This can increase the perceived value of your work and fascinate potential buyers.
  • Teach Something: Consider sharing some of your techniques or tips about art. This not only establishes you as an expert in your field but also attracts people who are interested in learning about art.
  • Optimize Your Blog: Make sure to include keywords related to your art and selling artwork through online marketplaces. This can help improve your blog's visibility on search engines, attracting more potential buyers to your site.

Starting a blog might seem like a big task, but it can be a rewarding and effective way to sell your art online. Each blog post you write is an opportunity to connect with your audience and showcase your artwork. So why not give it a shot?

Offer High-Quality Images of Your Artwork

When it comes to selling artwork through online marketplaces, a picture truly is worth a thousand words. High-quality images can make a difference between a casual browser and a serious buyer. After all, it's the visual appeal that initially captures your potential buyer's interest.

Here's how to ensure you're providing the best possible images for your artwork:

  • Invest in Good Equipment: You don't need a professional-grade camera. A decent smartphone camera can do the job. Just make sure it has a high-resolution setting. It's also a good idea to have a clean, well-lit space for photographing your work.
  • Pay Attention to Lighting: Good lighting can bring out the true colors and details of your artwork. Natural light is usually the best bet. Try shooting outside on a cloudy day or near a window with indirect sunlight.
  • Showcase Different Angles: Offering multiple views of your artwork allows potential buyers to get a better sense of its texture, size, and details. This can be particularly helpful when selling 3D pieces, like sculptures.
  • Include a Scale Reference: It can be hard to judge the size of a piece of art from a photo. Including a familiar object for scale in one of your pictures—say, a soda can next to a sculpture—can help give buyers a better idea of size.
  • Optimize Your Images: When uploading your images to online marketplaces, make sure they're the right size and format. Large, high-resolution images might look good, but they can also slow down your page loading times, which might deter potential buyers.

Remember, when selling artwork online, your images are your storefront. Make them as attractive and inviting as possible, and you'll be well on your way to attracting more buyers.

Price Your Artwork Correctly

Putting a price tag on your artwork isn't always easy, but it's a critical step in selling artwork through online marketplaces. Too high, and you might scare away potential buyers; too low, and you might not make enough to cover your time and materials. Here's how to strike the right balance:

  • Know Your Costs: First things first, you need to know how much you're spending to create your art. This includes the cost of materials, studio rent, utilities, and any other expenses directly related to your art-making process. Don't forget to factor in the cost of your time!
  • Research Similar Art: One of the best ways to gauge what buyers might be willing to pay for your work is to look at what similar pieces are selling for. Browse online art marketplaces to get a sense of the going rate for artwork that's comparable to yours in terms of size, medium, and style.
  • Consider Your Experience: If you're just starting out, you may not be able to command the same prices as more established artists. As your reputation grows, so can your prices.
  • Don't Underprice: It can be tempting to set low prices in hopes of making quick sales, but this can actually hurt your business in the long run. Buyers might perceive your art as being of lesser quality, and you might not make enough to sustain your art practice.
  • Be Consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to pricing your art. If your prices vary too widely—from piece to piece or over time—it can confuse buyers and make them hesitant to purchase.

Pricing your artwork correctly is more of an art than a science. It can take some trial and error to find the sweet spot. But with careful thought and research, you can set prices that are fair to both you and your buyers, helping you succeed in selling artwork through online marketplaces.

Build an Email List

Building an email list is a mighty tool, a secret weapon even, when it comes to selling artwork through online marketplaces. This list can become a community of art lovers who are interested in your work and want to support you. But how do you build one? Let's see:

  • Sign-Up Forms: A great start is to have sign-up forms on your website and blog. Make it easy for visitors to join your email list and be part of your art journey. You could offer a little incentive, too. Maybe a sneak peek at your latest artwork or a discount on their first purchase?
  • Art Events: When you participate in art events, either online or offline, you can encourage people to join your email list. It could be as simple as a sign-up sheet at your exhibition booth or a call to action during a live art session on social media.
  • Engaging Content: People love to receive emails that are interesting and add value to their lives. Make sure your emails are more than just sales pitches. Share stories about your art, techniques you use, or the inspiration behind your pieces. This will make your subscribers look forward to your emails and stay connected.
  • Respect Privacy: One of the most important rules of email marketing is to respect your subscribers' privacy. Always get their consent before adding them to your list, and give them the option to unsubscribe at any time.

Building an email list is an investment that pays off when selling artwork through online marketplaces. It allows you to build relationships with your fans and keeps your art in their minds. So start building your list today, and watch your art community grow!

Offer Limited Edition Prints

Another effective way to encourage sales when selling artwork through online marketplaces is to offer limited edition prints. This strategy can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency for your art buyers. Why? Well, let's dive into it:

  • Exclusivity: Offering limited edition prints means there's only a certain number of each piece available. This rarity can make your art more desirable. It's like telling your buyers, "You'll be one of the few owners of this unique piece."
  • Urgency: With limited availability, buyers may be more motivated to make a purchase before the prints run out. No one likes the feeling of missing out, right?
  • Value: Limited editions often increase in value over time, especially if the artist becomes more popular. So, it's not only a piece of art but also a potential investment.
  • Personal Touch: You can make each print unique by numbering and signing them. This adds a personal touch and can increase the perceived value of your artwork.

Remember, it's not just about selling more art—it's about creating a unique experience for your buyers. Offering limited edition prints can be a game-changer in your strategy for selling artwork through online marketplaces. So why not give it a try?

Partner with Art Galleries

Did you know that partnering with art galleries can significantly boost your online art sales? Yes, you read that right! Even in the world of online marketplaces, the traditional art gallery has not lost its charm or value. Here's why:

  • Reputation and Trust: Art galleries usually have a well-established reputation. Collaborating with them can lend credibility to your work. Think about it: A well-known gallery showcasing your art? That's a trust seal right there!
  • Wider Audience: Galleries often have a large base of dedicated art lovers and collectors. By partnering with them, you can tap into this audience, potentially drawing more eyeballs—and buyers—to your art.
  • Professional Guidance: Galleries have experience selling artwork. They can provide valuable insights about pricing, presentation, and promotion. They've been in the business, they've seen what works and what doesn't. Why not benefit from their experience?
  • Offline Exposure: While you're focusing on selling artwork through online marketplaces, don't forget the power of offline exposure. A gallery exhibition can generate buzz and interest that spills over into online sales. It's like a ripple effect!

Partnering with art galleries might seem old-school in the digital age. But remember, it's not just about the platform—it's about reaching people who appreciate and buy art. So, go ahead and explore partnerships with art galleries. It might just be the boost your online art sales need!

Provide Exceptional Customer Service

So, you've mastered the art of selling artwork through online marketplaces, but have you thought about how to keep your customers coming back for more? That's where exceptional customer service steps in. It's like the secret ingredient that turns one-time buyers into lifelong fans. Let's see how:

  • Clear Communication: From details about your artwork to shipping information, be clear and transparent. People appreciate knowing what to expect. And remember, if a question pops up, answer it promptly and professionally. A quick response makes a world of difference!
  • Safe and Swift Shipping: Your masterpieces deserve the best treatment, even during shipping. Pack your artwork securely to prevent any damage, and try to provide fast, trackable delivery. It's like wrapping your art in a warm, cozy blanket, ensuring it reaches its new home safe and sound.
  • Easy Returns: Let's face it: sometimes, things just don't work out. Maybe the artwork doesn't fit in the space, or perhaps the colors look different in person. Offering a hassle-free return policy can put potential buyers at ease, encouraging them to take the plunge and make that purchase.
  • Personal Touch: A little personal touch can go a long way. A thank-you note, a small freebie, or even just a friendly email can make your customers feel special and valued. After all, who doesn't like a nice surprise?

Remember, selling artwork online isn't just about the transaction—it's about the whole experience. By providing exceptional customer service, you're not just selling art—you're creating happy art owners. And happy art owners are likely to come back for more. They might even bring their friends along. Now, wouldn't that be great?

If you're looking to expand your online sales strategies for your artwork, consider exploring the workshop 'Sell Your Creations As NFTs' by Tom Glendinning. This workshop will teach you how to navigate the world of NFTs and open up new opportunities for selling your artwork in the digital space.