If you have a side gig as a photographer, a sculptor, or a painter, then one of your goals for the new year is probably to gain more exposure. Here are 6 steps that you can begin taking today to get your artwork noticed and in front of more people.
Establish Your Goals
What are your goals for your artwork? Is it strictly a fun pastime, or are you hoping to turn your side gig into your main source of income? Think about where you’re hoping to see yourself in your artwork in a year from now or five years from now. Establishing a clear set of goals will help you tailor your approach.
Start a Blog
A blog is great for a couple different reasons. Regardless of your industry, it is an effective way to establish yourself as an expert in your field. A blog is more than a series of sales pitches; it’s an avenue for connecting with an audience and providing them with interesting and valuable information, such as your techniques, philosophy and influences, how-to videos, and even upcoming shows and exhibitions.
But there’s another reason that successful entrepreneurs and artists love their blog, and that’s its search engine optimization (SEO) value. In addition to adding value to the lives of your audience, your blog helps you by actually helping you get an audience. Don’t worry about outdated SEO hacks like keyword stuffing; focus instead on creating meaningful content, and let the internet do the rest.
Guest Post
Once you’ve established a blog, it’s time to branch out by offering to guest post on other blogs. Find another artist or community blog that has an audience similar to your own (for example, if you’re a painter, you probably don’t want to post on a photography blog) and offer to contribute content. If your content is posted, there will likely be a link to your own blog, directing a few new sets of eyes over to your neck of the woods.
Augmented Reality
Try something new and exciting with the Soundwave Art Mobile App. Soundwave Art™ created a way to bring your artwork to life by using their app to scan your art, a video will then play through your device by overlaying it directly on top of your art using augmented reality. Create something unique like the mural below, maybe film yourself painting a piece, then when it is scanned people can watch you create the art hanging on their wall. Download their app and scan the image below to see it in action. Available on iOS or Android
Enter Art Competitions
Even if you’re not the competitive type and the idea of having your work critiqued makes you feel uncomfortable, art competitions are a great way to increase your exposure and gain an audience. Try an online art competition, entering into one even once a month can be beneficial. You may also find offline competitions in your local community. Even if you never win anything, your name and your artwork will be seen by hundreds or even thousands of people.
Get on Social Media
You’re probably on social media and maybe you even post pictures of new artwork from time to time, but do you have a social media page that is specifically for your work? If not, then consider starting a public social media page that is centered on your artwork. This makes your artwork and other content (such as links to blog posts) easier to share, particularly with those that are outside of your circle of friends.
While gaining more exposure may initially seem like a huge undertaking, especially when it seems like there are so many in your artistic genre who are more established than you, there are some easy steps that you can take to get your work in front of more eyes. Dedicating even an hour a week to networking can have a great impact on your success.
