Sell Your Art Online Successfully by Building Your Own Art Ecosystem

If you are like many burgeoning artists, you probably thought selling your art online would be a walk in the park. Sure, it would take a little time for patrons to find you, but once they did, it would be difficult to keep up with the demand.

But then something happened. No one found you. And the artwork you thought you would have trouble parting with now seems to mock you. It’s enough to make you want to give up on selling online altogether.

Don’t do it. There are plenty of reasons why your art didn’t find an audience originally - and just as many ways to correct course. All it takes is a little focus.

Build Your Own Art Ecosystem

The secret to selling anything online, from T-shirts to connected vending machines, is defining your brand and then cultivating an audience that responds to your brand. What many companies - and people - forget is that your brand is not simply your product. Your story is your brand, and your story is everything: why you create your art, what the art means to you and to the client, how you build relationships with your audience, and how you let them be a part of the process.

Once you have established your brand, now you can build your art ecosystem. An ecosystem is a complex network of interconnected systems. For the online seller, this translates into the seller’s main platform, whether that’s an e-commerce site like Etsy or independent online storefront, the social networks in which the artist promotes their work, and any other online channel that captures interested people and leads them to the finished product.

Building relationships worldwide

Your art ecosystem now provides you with a way to not only speak directly to potential patrons, but to listen to what they have to say, either via online comments or during live events on social channels like Instagram and Snapchat. This interaction strengthens the bonds between artist and client. This bond is what compels people to want to buy. They feel closer to both the work and to you, as the artist.

The ecosystem also allows you to reach a wider pool of prospects. A multi-channel ecosystem speaks to customers of all ages all over the world. A how-to video on YouTube, for example, might inspire someone in Florida and someone else in France. Better than a few clicks on a singular e-commerce site that relies on a prospect typing in just the right keywords to find your storefront.

Connect with Other Artists

As you build your online art ecosystem, you might soon find that you are connecting with other artists, as well. Like-minded creatives with diverse backgrounds provide a fount of inspiration and constructive criticism through unique lenses. They do so not only for your work, but for the way you are speaking to your audience. If something is ringing false, they will be the first to tell you.

Collaboration with other artists can also help you build your online art ecosystem, expand your customer relationships, and help you learn a little bit. By collaborating, you have the opportunity to speak directly to your colleague’s audience, encouraging them to see what you and your work are all about. Soon you’re tapped into a client base that might be twice the size of yours.

Don’t Forget to Keep Working

One last bit of advice. Don’t forget to keep working. As you build your audience, you might be inclined to spend more time interacting with your fan base than creating the art they are there to buy. Carve out time to do the work.

If you still want to interact, bring your audience into the studio while you create. This helps tell your story and solidify your brand. Plus, your customers will feel even more connected to your work. And they will want to own a piece of it. Who knows? You might even sell what you’re working on before it’s even finished.