10 Places to Network and Promote Art Online

The internet is filled with wonderful networking opportunities for artists. For artists, networking is not just limited to free online portfolio websites. Artists, and art collectors, are everywhere!

We encourage artists to take advantage of all the free resources online. This can be especially valuable if you have an artist website. Connect at all these places to drive visitors to your art site.

But, while we say this, please realize that the actual site you want to show people must be presentable.  It should showcase your talent, and be easily navigable. All your traffic attempts may be futile if the art site is a mess of flash displays or unrelated content.

 

 

I will be speaking more about artist websites soon, especially as it relates to making one that is as visitor-friendly as possible!

 

Ten Online Places Artists can Promote and Network Art

 

1. Facebook
   
   The whole world seems to be on Facebook! If you are an artist and you do not have a Facebook page dedicated to your art, you may really be missing out. Facebook is an incredible networking opportunity for artists all around the world, especially when connected to an artist website. We have a few tutorials here concerning Facebook networking and Facebook pages. Browse the Facebook category or search this site if interested in this topic.
   
   
   
2. Google Plus
   
   … Google Plus is an Amazing Place for Artists! This is a title of an article we posted at Artpromotivate awhile back. The response was GREAT for this article, especially at Facebook and Google+. We am not going to get into a debate about which is better… Facebook or Google Plus. Both have strong points, and artists will benefit from networking at both.
   
   If you do decide to start a Google plus profile, taking advantage of the Plus One button (+1) will be an asset. Adding this to your artist website will allow anyone to rate your site, automatically making it appear at their list of +1’s, and viewed on Google Search by their network as well.
   
   
   
3. Flickr 
   
   Flickr is a hugely popular photo sharing site. Follow our tutorial and tips to use Flickr to promote art.
   
   Upload photos, include tags and descriptions, and link to your art website within every single image description to fully take advantage of Flickr traffic.
   
   
   
4. Ebay
   
   There are many artists achieving art sales through Ebay.  Artists auctioning art there should look at what others are selling. Ask around for tips from others who are having success with Ebay.com. If you are an artist who desires to make money selling art through Ebay, research the topic thoroughly, build your sellers reputation, and read the Ebay.com seller policies thoroughly.
   
   We have received lots of feedback since posing the question Is Selling Art on Ebay Possible?. Most of what sells seems to be smaller sized artworks and prints under $100. On the other hand, those who establish themselves at Ebay have success selling art at higher prices.
   
   
   
5. Youtube
   
   Youtube is one of the most powerful online resources for artists, but one of the most under-utilized. When used in conjunction with an art blog, videos can provide great content for readers, and at the same time drive interested Youtube viewers to see more of your artwork.
   
   Some ideas for utilizing video are instructional videos, studio tours, slideshows, and more. We actually have tutorials and tips for Youtube art videos at Artpromotivate. Please search this site for more info.
   
   
   
6. Saatchi Online
   
   Saatchi Online is an online portfolio, social network, and print on demand service for emerging artists. It is a great site for artists to promote themselves, both from networking with other artists, and selling art prints directly from the site. Their frequently held art contest Showdown provides exposure for artists from around the world.
   
   
   
7. Linkedin
   
   Since I joined Linked in a few years ago, I have networked with thousands of artists from around the world. This site is great for receiving professional contacts, as well as freelance opportunities. My favorite part of Linkedin is the groups feature. There are hundreds of art related groups where artists may network, participate in discussions, and learn about new artist opportunities.
   
   Artpromotivate has its own group at Linkedin. To learn about this group, please visit this post: How to Create Linkedin Artist Groups
   
   
   
8. Fine Art America
   
   Fine Art America is much more than a print on demand service! It is an incredible networking opportunity for artists. Artists can participate in art groups and competitions, or create their own. They have many great tools for artists to promote their art prints, completely free.
   
   To learn much more about Fine Art America, please visit the following post: Fine Art America – Print on Demand
   
   
   
9. Gmail
   
   Many artists do not realize the incredible art promotion possibilities of Gmail. Not only can artists include an email signature that links to an art website and other online profiles, but they may include a website in the online friends status box.
   
   
   I have seen some artists include small images of artwork at the bottom of their emails as well.
   
   
   



10. Art Blogs
    
    Art blogs are a popular choice for many artists. They are a great place to post new artworks and talk about works in progress. Also, when connected to an artist website, artblogs help to increase awareness of the portfolio.
    
    Include a conspicuous link to your artist website at the art blog and try to update it often. This is where you normally will receive the most visitors.

 

These are just a few of the many artist networking opportunities for online art promotion. Please browse this site to find more and subscribe to be instantly notified of others that will be featured here at Artpromotivate!