50+ Social Media Content Ideas for Artists
Photo: Rodion Kutsaev @frostroomhead
In the last several years, I’d say the most common question I get from artists is how to grow their following on social media. It’s certainly understandable why - social media platforms are great tools for marketing yourself and having a bigger audience can help an artist make sales, attract the attention of media outlets or curators, and earn opportunities for partnerships with brands. However, I always emphasize to artists that they should care more about the quality of their followers over how many of them they’ve amassed. An artist who has an audience of 5,000 or even 500 could easily be making as many sales as someone with 15,000 or 50,000 if they have a more engaged audience. What makes the difference is working to build your community in an authentic way so that people truly connect with you and your work.
There are many artists who have gained popularity for posting a brand new completed work of art daily and they’ve managed to keep this up for years. While it’s an incredibly impressive feat and this recognition of their talent is often well deserved, this is not a realistic expectation for many artists. Don’t pressure or overwork yourself to be this prolific if you simply can’t make new pieces this quickly due to time constraints, the labor-intensive nature of your work, the cost of materials, something else, or a combination of reasons. That said, there are still many ways to build an active audience even without being able to share a new, finished artwork regularly.
So how do you get people to engage?
You share your art and your story. There are many ways to approach this and I’ve seen artists successfully do this in a variety of ways (I’m sure you have too!). Take a moment to think about the artists you follow on social media. Which ones share content you really enjoy and look forward to? What do they post and talk about? If the responses to the second question feel right for your practice, perhaps they can be ideas to inspire your future posts. Otherwise, I’ve come up with 50+ content ideas to add variety to your feeds and weave more of a personal narrative into your posts:
Write about why you wanted to be an artist
Share your earliest memories of art
Explain how you started out
Talk about a recent challenge
Share a recent media feature
Elaborate on a residency experience you had
Mention another trip that inspired your art in some way or a dream destination
Post about a grant or other award you won
Share an artist you admire professionally (or three, or five!)
Talk about the artists who inspire you creatively (contemporary or from history)
Take a studio selfie or a photo of you with your work
Show how you pack your works for shipping
Post a photo or video of you signing your work
Talk about your process on video or through a series of images
Create a graphic of a quote or mantra you love
Discuss the meaning behind your art or symbols you use in your work
Tell your followers which is your favorite piece you’ve made recently or in a specific series
Create a video of you working on a piece
Do a how-to video of one of the techniques you use
Talk about your favorite materials
Show your favorite spot in your studio
Discuss what things are important to have in your studio
Take your audience on a virtual studio tour using recorded video or IG live
Have your audience ask you questions about your work (use the questions function in IG stories, write it in a caption, or go live!)
Tell your followers about your favorite book
Share the book you’re currently reading
Post pages from your sketchbook or a video of you flipping through your sketchbook
Talk about what a typical day for you looks like and ask about your audience’s routines
Discuss how another hobby of yours relates to your art
Shout out your studio assistant(s)...
and/or pets!
Show the installation process of an exhibition or in a client’s home (with permission)
Share a tip or resource you’ve discovered recently (article, website, podcast, book, etc)
Mention a goal for the month or year
Post when you reach your goals or hit new milestones!
Share a cause or charity you care about
Tease an upcoming show, project, or collaboration
Do a video tour or show photos of an exhibition you’re participating in
Share an older piece and how your art has changed over time
Post a detail image of one of your pieces
Remind people of artwork being for sale and how they can contact you
Promote an upcoming or current studio sale
Post photos of your work installed in client homes or digital mockups
Celebrate your birthday
Mention your favorite gallery or a throwback from a past gallery exhibition
Share that you’re open for commissions & examples of past commissions (again with the client’s approval)
Host a giveaway, raffle, or auction
Talk about your experience in art school or as a self-taught artist
Do a series of images of various display options for the same piece (for example: white vs. black vs. wood frame)
Give a shoutout to a teacher or mentor who has supported you
Talk about the best exhibition you’ve ever seen
Name a few artists you have in your personal collection or who you’d love to collect
Social media doesn’t have to be a chore or a bore, and there’s no rule that says you have to post every day to grow an active following. I hope you find new ideas in this list you’re excited about and will use to connect and create relationships with those in your audience.
Cheers!
Alicia
Speaking of fresh, varied content - I invite you to check out my account for @pxpcontemporary, an online gallery specializing in affordable contemporary art. You can also visit my website for links to my other published features, books, curatorial projects, and more. Thanks so much for reading! This article was inspired by a content idea list from We Are Women Owned.
