Social Media For Artists in 2024
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Hello! My name is Liz Staley and I’m a long-time user of Clip Studio Paint (I started using the program back when it was known as Manga Studio 4!). I was a beta-tester on the Manga Studio 5 program and for Clip Studio Paint, and I have written three books and several video courses about the program. Many of you probably know my name from those books, in fact. I write weekly posts on Graphixly.com and on CSP Tips, so be sure to come back every week to learn more Clip Studio Tips and Tricks from me!
Social media is a confusing and constantly changing landscape, but it is unfortunately necessary for anyone wanting to get eyes on their work and build an audience (that will hopefully lead to a career, if that's what you want!) in modern times. But which social media platform is the best to post on? Let's compare some of the most popular platforms and their strengths and weaknesses for visual artists and then discuss some general tips as well!
In this article we will cover the following topics:
ArtStation
YouTube
TikTok
General Tips
Let’s figure out where to post our drawings!
Pinterest is a visual search engine that does well driving traffic to website and online stores. “Pins”, which are what individual posts are called on Pinterest, have long lifespans when compared to other platforms. Pins from months or even years ago can still come up high in searches and be saved to boards by other Pinterest users. Users of Pinterest also often come looking for items to purchase, especially “aesthetic” items and home decor. If you can incorporate your art into inspirational quotes or as part of aspirational home decor photos then you tend to have a higher chance of getting repinned as well, as this type of content does well on Pinterest. Search Engine Optimization can also help you reach your target audience.
However, it can take quite a while to grow an audience on Pinterest because of its slower pace and less interaction than other platforms. Making new, high-quality pins on a consistent basis and having other users add those pins to their boards or follow your boards is the best way to reach new people on this platform. That being said, it can be one of the best platforms for certain types of visual artists because of its visual nature.
Instagram is a very popular platform for all kinds of people, from home decorators to bakers to painters and everyone in-between. Visual content thrives on Instagram, with high engagement in the form of likes and comments from users. Instagram also allows for more than just posting still images with its Reel and Stories features. It is very easy to add hashtags to Instagram posts to reach your target audience in many categories.
Instagram is also extremely competitive thanks to its high saturation of creators. The algorithm also changes frequently, meaning that a strategy that worked one week may not work the next and will lead to less engagement and reach. With the introduction of video, many users also noted that the platform no longer pushes still-image content as much as it used to, so it is encouraged to try and post stories and reels as much as possible if you decide to make Instagram your platform of choice.
High-quality images, a well-written biography with a link to your website (or to a linktree page if you have multiple pages or projects to promote), a good profile image, and engaging captions can all help lead to growing an audience on Instagram.
ArtStation
ArtStation is a platform specifically for digital artists, illustrators, and concept artists. It is focused toward professionals in the digital art, gaming, and entertainment industries and is a great way to network and find opportunities in these fields.
Portfolios on ArtStation are high-quality and displayed in high-resolution to showcase their quality. You can also discover job listings on the site, and you potentially could be found by potential clients or employers looking for artists. ArtStation also has a built-in shop, where you can buy or sell reference photos, brushes, game assets, and 3D models. You can also buy or sell prints, and they have an affiliate program.
Because ArtStation is directed toward professional artists in the entertainment industry, you need to maintain high-quality work to stand out. There is also a very niche audience on the site because it is geared mainly toward digital and concept artists, so those working in other styles (such as comics) may not find much traffic from here. Also if you want to access all the ArtStation features, such as being able to customize your profile, have a custom URL, or have access to analytics, you need to pay for one of the premium site memberships, which start at $6.99/month as of May of 2024.
YouTube
YouTube is a great platform for an artist who wants to showcase their personality and create more in-depth content than other platforms. Tutorials do very well on YouTube, as do “speedpaint” videos and storytime videos where an artist draws while telling an amusing or informative story. Because YouTube is owned by Google, there is an SEO advantage when posting videos there because they are more likely to come up in Google searches. If you grow a large enough audience there are many monetization opportunities, including ads, channel memberships, and company sponsorships. Users on YouTube have a high amount of engagement with creators they like, and often like, comment, and share videos that they enjoy with others.
Creating for YouTube is a time intensive process, as many skills are needed to create high-quality videos that do well. Since the platform added YouTube Shorts, creators are expected to post short content in order to do well in the algorithm, because of the platform pushing Shorts over longer videos. However, many YouTube users prefer longer content, so you can repurpose long content down into Shorts with some creativity. It can also be slow to grow a subscriber base on YouTube unless you get lucky with the algorithm.
If you want to talk in-depth about your art, showcase techniques, share knowledge, post product reviews, or talk about art in ways that are too long for other platforms, YouTube may be the right choice for you.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms at time of writing. It has a younger audience than most other platforms discussed here, but there is a higher chance for content to “go viral” on TikTok. TikTok provides innovative ways to showcase your art, like using trending sounds to make something humorous featuring your work or to say something about your artistic experiences. Features such as Duets and Challenges support collaboration with other creators and engagement by participating in something that's currently trending.
That all being said, TikTok is also extremely fast paced, so content loses visibility quickly. If it takes you a day or two to create something for a trending challenge then chances are high the trend will have already passed. Because of the younger demographic the potential audience is also a tad limited. Most users don't come to TikTok to shop, or if they do buy something they are usually looking for a trending item or a bargain.
If your art appeals to a younger audience and you are fast with video creation, TikTok can be an innovative way to showcase your work.
Facebook has almost 3 Billion active monthly users and is the third-most visited website in the entire world! Users spend an average of nearly 20 hours per month on the platform, so there’s plenty of eyes that you could get your work in front of on Facebook.
However, because there are so many creators vying for attention on Facebook, it can seem as pointless as screaming into the void! You need to post consistently on Facebook to get organic reach without having to pay for promotion. Facebook does have a variety of post types, so you can showcase your work, your process, events you’ll be attending, and your personality all in one platform. Facebook users usually show a high level of engagement with post likes, comments, and shares that can help you be found as well. And if you want to focus on Facebook and Instagram, you can share Facebook content to your Instagram profile just by connecting the two, which is a really nice feature to save time!
General Tips
No matter which social media platform you choose to use, there are some best practices that can apply to any of them. Remember that it is best not to stretch yourself too thin with social media, and it’s better to concentrate on 2-3 platforms that you really like instead of spending all your time trying to use every platform.
Make sure that your images are high-quality. If you are taking photos of your work, make sure that the background doesn’t distract from your art and that you have good lighting. If you are posting digital work, look up the best image dimensions for your chosen social media and stick to those dimensions. Remember not to post your full-resolution images to the internet so that art thieves have a harder time stealing them, and to put a watermark on your work!
Creating different types of posts to engage your audience. Post preview images of works-in-progress to build hype, use the timelapse feature in Clip Studio Paint to create a process video to show how you work, take a photo of your workspace, and promote any upcoming events. You can also ask your audience questions to get more engagement. If all you post is links to buy your art, your audience will lose interest quickly so make sure that you keep your content fresh and interesting.
Spend time interacting with other accounts. Search for topics that you’re interested in (or search hashtags that you use!) and like and comment on other images that you really like. Remember to keep these interactions genuine and to not spam!
To save yourself time and to make sure that you’re posting consistently, you can use a post scheduling service that allows you to write and schedule social media posts from one hub and have them go out at their scheduled times. There are tons of these around that all have different features, so a Google search to compare some is best!
Conclusion
Social media is here to stay and is very important to grow an audience. But it doesn’t have to take up all your time and energy so long as you know which platforms are right for you and your audience!
For more information on CLIP Studio Paint, please visit https://www.clipstudio.net/en or https://graphixly.com