Many artists have recognized the power of Instagram when it comes to promoting and selling their art.

However, most of them still do not know that the art selling principles and points have not changed from the industrial age, including other luxury businesses.

Everything is the same, except it has become more challenging for artists who lack information on promoting and selling their art in the digital market and social media platforms, such as Instagram.

When it comes to art areas, we can include painting, mixing colors, extracting ideas, and formulating it on a pattern to be an art; thinking, planning, marketing, and how to sell is an art form too.

The History Of Selling Art

Art is a luxury. It is the most luxurious subject to sell or buy because it is considered an indoor item, which means it has no public audience to appreciate it; once it’s sold, the buyer decides to spend an amount for something to appreciate alone. This is different from buying a Louis Vuitton handbag and going out to the public.

Another example: Rolex chose their global success as a selling point. It means it is a high-end product designed only for a specific group of people who reach financial success in their life, and Rolex positions it watches as a reward for the success they deserve.

But this is not the case with selling art; to sell the artwork, it should deeply touch the buyer’s emotions to justify its price and the rewards on their mind.

In the early days, artists were supposed to reach out to galleries to get permission to display their artwork for a chance to sell. If we take an in-depth look into this past system, we can tell that the galleries were entirely responsible for the artist to achieve success. They used to do the heavy work of marketing on behalf of the artist.

Access to capital and contacts was the power key of the galleries. Moreover, all artists had to do was focus on improving their art techniques, not worrying or learning about promoting methods or attracting buyers.

The split in responsibilities between artists and galleries created a win-win scenario for both and led some artists to achieve a high level of success in those days. Some artists like Picasso, Claude Monet, and many others reached wealth during life and after death.

In the 1990s, the internet and the online world changed everyone’s approach, including the artists and galleries. Some galleries assumed that they should take action, and it should be fast, so they started to prepare to transfer their business from the offline gallery to online, to catch the significant shift, or otherwise, they would be left behind.

The online world transaction has opened new opportunities for artists and galleries to expand their awareness and business. Everything was the same; from the marketing and selling perspective, galleries were still subject to everything. However, when social media approached, everything turned upside down; the artist is now responsible for everything – improving his art and learning to promote and sell himself online or finding an expert with online marketing.

The Online Presence

Let us take the trendy topic about selling art on Instagram, for example. Today, an artist must admit that Instagram is the most powerful platform to promote art. Their presence is essential; every artist should have an Instagram account.

However, for artists to start selling on Instagram, they must understand the basics of sales psychology, which is that people usually buy from someone they know, like, and trust.

So, first, they buy based on emotions, then, later, they justify by logic.

It sounds complicated and straightforward at the same time, but artists can apply this to help them sell their art on Instagram.

Why Instagram For Art?

Looking back at 2010, we will find that Kevin Systrom had created and formulated the Instagram app based on his passion for photography art. His vision was to provide the artists a unique app that will enable them to represent their artwork easily, effectively and build a real community around it as the central goal.

However, the simplicity, the beauty of the design, and the particular algorithm and features have enabled the Instagram app to attract more users from different fields and industries, today with roughly one billion monthly active users globally.

Instagram Algorithm

The internet is providing and repeating the same pieces of information. They keep saying, focus on your content, pictures quality, time posting, best hashtags to use, etc. All are true but missing the technical element! Moreover, adding the vast majority of users to the same pool.

On business, they said, if you have the best product globally, but none knows about it, then what is the value?

It is the same applies to art or even career.

The Instagram platform is straightforward, and sometimes simplicity could be a double-edged sword, meaning: extreme competition will arise between the users or artists. If all are operating the same on Instagram, based on the same provided public strategies and information, chances are to end up in the same loop competing for each other.

The solution is manageable:

First: you must learn how the Instagram algorithm works to win this game.

The most important on Instagram is the engagement rate calculated by the likes, comments you receive from your followers for every single post. Keep in mind promoting using Facebook ads, boosting a post using Instagram ads, or even buying fake likes and comments will not work.

It works only from the existing current followers of your Instagram account. This information very few knows about it. It is crucial to note because it will help you understand why building a true loyal community around your Instagram account, regardless of whether they are buyers or not, will be the first step toward Instagram marketing success,

Increasing your actual followers and keep them engaging with your content is the best investment for your business or the artwork. The interaction you receive from your followers is the fuel you will need to rank up on the targeted hashtags or the search engine to drive qualified traffic into your profile or the desired website.

It is the only technique to overcome the extreme competition and get your profile noticed on Instagram by the targeted customers or buyers as an organic approach, Which is the best for the long term. Your artwork or product will sell itself.

In general, we love to buy but hate to be sold.

In Conclusion

Engagement is everything on Instagram. The more active followers you have, the faster you reach success.

There are ways to increase the real followers genuinely.

But the plain truth is: they are not free. Otherwise, everyone is booming on Instagram, and companies do not pay for marketing experts.

You might need to learn how to use Facebook ads at the advanced level to promote your Instagram profile and gain more audience. However, Facebook ads are expensive for the growing and branding phase, especially for beginners or some artists, and solely dependent on your monthly budget.

Or consulting with marketing and growth experts that will guide you on how to increase your followers from the targeted niche at a lower and affordable cost.

keep creating Art ????