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The price of a piece of art, just like of any other commodity, is largely based upon the social convention of its value. In other words, because humanity has agreed on the cultural and emotional importance art has in our lives, the demand for it is plenty. The supply of the artwork, however, is something often neglected.
As an artist or collector, you might be wondering how to sell art online and make money out of it. With the declining role of dealers, gallery owners, and museum curators, contemporary art, just like every other type of social behavior, found a new home on the internet.
And to be where your prospective customers are is an essential responsibility of every present-day business.
We have prepared a quick guide on how to sell art online and make money out of it from the comfort of your home.
Build Credibility
Whether you are a collector of exquisite original works and limited editions, a creator of custom-made items, or an artist of digital and physical pieces, prior to being able to sell online you need to build credibility.
When it comes to the digital hierarchy, credibility is achieved through very specific and strategically calculated ways. The leading one is a personal website.
A personal website allows creators and collectors to introduce themselves, build reliable channels of communication and exhibit their items in the desired manner.
While numerous marketplace websites claim to offer just what you need to start an online business, the benefits of having an e-commerce website far exceed the convenience of the generic profile.
Most of the marketplaces charge somewhere between 3-4% of your total earnings, meaning that you never get the wholesale price of your products.
A website, however, ensures that you are the landlord and you can receive full payments. More than anything, it also provides control and assists brand building when it comes to selling art online.
And don’t worry! You are not required to be a tech-savvy to build your own online space. On the contrary, contemporary builders and installers allow you to make a personal website while drinking your morning coffee.
Trust Social Media
The artwork is some of the most shareable content online. And that’s not surprising. Today, the aesthetical aspect of art is combined with its additional conceptual value. This turns the contemporary network into an ideal place for artwork to be distributed and appreciated.
Therefore, social engagement is one of the most important factors for growth and development.
Even though search engines have previously denied the connection between social media and ranking, they’re intertwined in more complex implicit ways.
What is worth noting is that driving traffic to your website using social media is one of the most effective ways to both retain and gain an audience.
Moreover, the most prominent effect social media has on your brand building is the opportunity to create meaningful interaction with your community. Being where they are is an essential part of gaining trust and authority as an artist or retailer.
Artists, on the other hand, can also take advantage of the modern-day influencer culture which promotes and nourishes personalities and individual qualities.
Thereby, promoting artwork online and sharing a unique perspective leads to much more than mere profit. It allows you to not only sell art but also build a community and acquire a voice to tell a story.
Provide Additional Content
Any webmaster will tell you how important content is for the new-age internet.
First of all, content goes hand-in-hand with SEO. By creating additional content you increase the overall efficiency of your SEO efforts. In other words, search engines widely promote web pages with rich and informative content. This is believed to satisfy the users’ inquiries to the fullest and provide the best user experience.
Secondly, providing additional value for your users creates an atmosphere of trust and reliability. Offering free content which will inform and enrich the knowledge of your audience can only be in your favor.
The types of content will inevitably vary between the different businesses and kinds of art but some that are worth taking into consideration are:
- webinars
- eBooks
- blogs and tutorials
- video lessons
- giveaways
Print-on-demand
As an artist, you know all too well how overwhelming the creation process can go. One moment you seem to have it all figured out and on the other, everything seems to be wrong.
To avoid these stressful experiences, offering print-on-demand services can be a life-saver. Especially when it comes to novelty products such as t-shirts and cups, creating an abundant quantity is unnecessary.
Whether you are a photographer, graphic designer, or illustrator, you will be able to reduce the costs of production and thus, the retail costs by doing this. Also, it is quite apparent how the younger audience prefers purchasing practical items which can come in use rather than artwork hanging on walls.
Final Thoughts
Visual art has managed to completely integrate into the digital technology adopting some of its biggest qualities. In the past few years, art and technology have managed to overcome their seemingly opposing nature and achieve a symbiosis where everyone benefits.
This has allowed creators worldwide to make a living out of their art by selling physical and virtual pieces online. The comfort of the home, like nothing else, serves as the greatest inspiration for artists to keep creating.
While they have all wondered how to sell art online and make money, only the ones who are ready to dedicate their time and passion into this succeed.
To be able to sell anything online a great persistence and hard work is required. From creating a website to maintaining a social strategy, an immense effort is invested in the creation to pay off.
Once it does, however, it can’t be compared to anything. The satisfaction of being able to ensure an income by only using your own talent and passion exceeds any nine-to-five out there. This is something to strive for.
