So you’ve decided that your brand as an artist needs to be on social media. . . but maybe you have have no idea how to get started!
That’s OK. The social media landscape can be confusing for an entrepreneur, let alone a seasoned veteran, but fear not! We’re going to dive in and sort through the most important things you need to get going. So sit back, relax, grab a latte, and #letsdothis!
1. Build profiles on all major social networks
You’ll want to have ownership of your brand across all the major social networks. This doesn’t mean you’re going to actively use all of them, though. In fact, in the next tip we’re going to recommend that you only focus the bulk of your time on a select few. But that said; you’ll want to at least secure your username before someone else takes it. There’s nothing worse than finding your handle is gone when one social network becomes the next big thing.
Remember to keep your username consistent across all sites so people can find you easily. If your Facebook brand page is called “Annie’s Art World” then so should your Instagram, Twitter and everything else. Avoid the temptation to alter your name on one platform or another. . . when you do that, Google has a harder time connecting them all to you, which will affect your searchability.
2. Choose the right platform and focus on it
As we alluded to in the last tip, you’ll want to focus your marketing efforts on a small number of social media sites rather than spread yourself thin across all of them. Besides the fact that there’s only so much time in the day; each site serves a different purpose and either will or won’t be appropriate for your particular brand. Instagram and Pinterest are especially ideal for artists, although Facebook can be great as well (especially if you’re looking to build a strong local following).
Experiment with the social networking pages you’ve created and see where your main audience spends time before you settle on those that are best for your brand.
3. Brand yourself visually (and be consistent!)
Your logo is an extension of your art style. It also needs to stand alone, graphically, and to serve your brand as a whole. But for non-graphic designers, logo design is its own beast. You know better than anyone how you want to be presented, but working with a designer can be time consuming, expensive and fraught with challenges.
Fortunately, there are online tools, which can do the heavy lifting, such as Looka. Although it’s a logo maker on the surface, this robust tool functions as a great paintbrush for artists, giving you dynamic control over font, sizing, spacing, colour and more. It allows you to quickly and easily create the brand identity that you want at 3 a.m. in your pjs.
4. Let people know who you are in your bio
Your bio is an elevator pitch for your artistic brand and should be treated accordingly. Never underestimate its importance! Unless you’re as famous as Justin Bieber, first time visitors to your page will have no idea who you are or what you do so your bio is your first line of attack to address this problem.
Take a moment to ask yourself how you’d describe yourself and your art to a complete stranger in 30 seconds. See that answer you just came up with? That’s your bio.
If you’re nervous about the process, here a few more step-by-step tips explaining how to write about yourself and your art.
5. Keep an authentic tone of voice
You’ll want to have a tone of voice that resonates with your brand but is authentic at the same time. It’s the age of social media, and people are looking for genuine human connection, so coming across as a stuffy and corporate entity with no soul ain’t gonna to cut it. Think about:
• The culture of your brand, who you are and what you believe in
• Your audience and their particular interests
• What makes you the most valuable option in a sea of competitors
And then create an online voice that merges these things while being authentic at all times.
6. Post regularly
Consistency is the key to success and social media is no different. If you post sporadically, people will quickly forget about you, so post daily and at high traffic times (usually in the evening). Software like Hootsuite will make your life easier by allowing you to schedule your posts in advance.
7. Rub shoulders with important people
It’s called social media for a reason. . . get involved and join the community! No matter what niche you belong to, there are going to be a number of key influencers posting about it. What you need to do is identify and connect with them so that you can benefit from a relationship.
Oh and as an FYI, influencers are more than just people with lots of followers. They’re also people who:
• Are passionate about the same cause as your brand
• Are extremely active on social media
• Have conversations with their followers
• Have very clear areas of expertise
• Are starters of conversations instead of followers
For instance, which celebrity sharer would better benefit a travel company, Virgin CEO Richard Branson or digital mogul Bill Gates?
Once you’ve found your influencers, talk to them and try to build relationships. They’re busy people and you won’t be the only one messaging them so know it will take time and expect to be in it for the long haul.
8. Interact with other users
As well as interacting with influencers, you’re going to need to build relationships with your followers. Like, share, and comment on their content wherever appropriate and become part of a global conversation. Remember that the stronger the social media connections your brand has, the more doors that will be opened for it as a result.
9. Lastly, promote your profiles
People need to know that your profiles exist in order for your brand to get any traction on social media, so tell the world!
Promote your new accounts to your friends, family and even across your personal pages. Also, don’t forget to use letters, emails, posters, business cards, flyers, brochures, books, merchandise or even t-shirts to get the word out.
Your job is to spread the message to as many people as possible so that they discover and follow your brand online. Have fun with it, and good luck!
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