Selling artwork online has become increasingly common in recent years. With the emergence of online marketplaces and social media dedicated to art, it has never been easier to sell your creations and reach a wider audience. However, the online market is also highly competitive and it can be difficult to stand out among the thousands of other artists on the web. That's why it's essential to know how to effectively sell your art online.
In this article, I will offer you some practical tips and strategies to help you promote and sell your artwork online based on my experiences, maximizing your chances of success and reaching new audiences.
Social media
Selling art online has become an essential way for artists to gain exposure and sell their work. With the rise of social media, it's easier than ever to promote your work to a global audience. Here are some tips to make the most out of social media and effectively promote your artwork.
Choose the Right Social Media Platforms
It's important to choose the social media platforms that best fit your work. For example, Instagram is an excellent choice for visual artists because it emphasizes images. Facebook is also a good option because it offers online selling features. It's important to focus on social media platforms that attract the audience you are targeting.
Create a professional account
It's important to create a professional account for your artwork to give a professional and credible image. Use your name or your business name as your username and use a profile picture that reflects your work. Don't forget to fill in all the information on your profile, including a detailed description of your work, a link to your website, and contact information.
Share your work regularly
It's important to regularly share your work on social media to maintain people's interest. Share photos of your works-in-progress and finished pieces, as well as photos of your creative process. Don't forget to include informative and engaging captions to encourage people to interact with your content.
Use appropriate hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to make your work visible on social media. Use relevant hashtags for your work so that people can easily find your content. You can also create your own hashtag for your work and encourage people to use it when they share your content.
Engage with your audience
It's important to engage with your audience on social media to develop a community around your work. Respond to comments and messages, and engage with other artists and people in your field. Host contests and events to encourage people to interact with your work.
By following these simple tips, you can effectively promote your work on social media and increase your chances of selling your artwork online. Start by sharing your work on well-known social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and more.
Selling your work through online selling platforms
Choosing the right online selling platform for your artistic work is crucial to maximize your online sales and visibility. There are many platforms on the market, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Each online sales platform offers its own fees, such as registration fees, transaction fees, and processing fees. It is crucial to understand these costs to choose the platform that best suits your budget. It is important to keep in mind that nothing is free. Most galleries or online platforms that offer good visibility and maximize your chances of selling are platforms with annual or monthly registration fees, as well as a commission on each sale.
In addition, it is important to note that these platforms are often selective in choosing the artists and works presented. To increase your chances of being accepted, it is recommended to have a minimum of production, ideally around twenty creations to present.
Here are the best online platforms according to my experience and their characteristics:
Artsper
Artsper is an online platform that allows artists from all over the world to sell their artwork online. Founded in 2013, this online art gallery quickly established itself as one of the leaders in the European online art market.
The operation of Artsper is simple and effective. Artists can create their own online store on the site and upload photos of their artwork. They can also add a detailed description of each piece, including the title, technique, size, year of creation, and price. Artsper then takes care of promoting the artwork to a large online audience of art enthusiasts, featuring artists on its homepage, sending newsletters, and using social media.
Artsper is also very selective in the artists it represents, ensuring a certain artistic quality and a carefully curated selection of artwork. To be featured on the platform, artists must submit their work to a selection committee that evaluates the quality of their work, their artistic background, and their references.
The fees associated with Artsper are quite high, as you will need to pay an annual subscription of around €500 with a commission of about 35% added to each sale, including VAT. However, this is justified by the quality of the promotion and professionalism of the platform.
Singulart
Singulart was founded in 2017 by two friends, Véra Kempf and Brice Lecompte, who wanted to create a platform that offers a unique experience to art lovers and collectors around the world. The platform quickly grew to become one of the largest in the online art market.
The platform offers a rigorous selection of high-quality contemporary art works from emerging and established artists around the world. The selected artists are carefully chosen by a team of art experts who evaluate the quality of their work, experience, and potential. The platform also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee to its customers, which reflects its confidence in the artists and their work.
Singulart stands out for its simple and intuitive user interface, which allows customers to easily browse through different categories of artworks and quickly find what they are looking for. The artworks are also presented in an attractive way, with high-resolution photos and detailed descriptions to help customers better understand the artist's work.
In addition to selling artworks, Singulart also offers art advisory services to help customers better understand the art market and choose artworks that best suit their tastes and budget. The platform also organizes online and offline art exhibitions, which allow customers to discover new artists and connect with the community of art lovers.
As for fees, Singulart charges a commission of 50% on the sale price of each artwork. This commission includes the management, processing, and marketing fees associated with the sale of the artwork. Therefore, artists do not have to worry about the logistics of selling their artworks, which allows them to focus on their creative work. Tax fees will also be added, which may increase the total commission percentage to between 59% and 65%.
Artfinder
Artfinder is an online art marketplace that was created in 2011 in London, UK. It is a platform for independent artists to sell their works directly to buyers from all over the world, without the need for a traditional art gallery.
The platform is open to all professional artists and offers a wide selection of artworks, ranging from painting to sculpture, photography, and digital art. Artists are selected based on the quality of their work and must be able to deliver their works worldwide.
Registration on Artfinder can be free or paid depending on the service chosen. The platform charges a commission ranging from 35% to 42% on sales made with a subscription fee ranging from €4.17 to €10 depending on the service. Artists can set the price of their works as they see fit and benefit from support for promoting their work, including through advertising campaigns and social media.
Artfinder also offers a customer support service to help artists manage their sales and process orders. Artists also have access to detailed analytics and statistics to track the performance of their works on the platform.
Saatchiart
Saatchi Art platform is an online marketplace for contemporary artists from around the world. Since its creation in 2006, it has become one of the main players in the online art market, allowing emerging and established artists to sell their works worldwide. In this article, we will review the features of Saatchi Art, how it works, and how to sell your artwork on this platform.
Saatchi Art Features: The Saatchi Art platform offers a wide selection of high-quality original artworks. Artists can sell paintings, drawings, sculptures, and photographs on the platform. Buyers can also discover new artists through advanced search and personalized recommendation features.
Saatchi Art also offers artists the opportunity to sell limited edition works or prints, allowing them to expand their customer base and reach. Additionally, artists can track their sales performance and manage their online store through a user-friendly online dashboard.
How to Sell Artwork on Saatchi Art: To sell artwork on Saatchi Art, artists must first create an account and submit an online application. Artists need to provide information about their artistic background and upload images of their work for evaluation.
Once accepted, artists can upload their artwork, set prices, and manage their online store. Saatchi Art handles shipping and packaging of artworks, as well as payment management. Artists receive 65% of the sale price of their works, which is a competitive percentage compared to other online art selling platforms.
Etsy
Etsy is an online platform created in 2005 that allows artists and artisans from around the world to sell their creations. Initially, Etsy was dedicated to handmade arts and crafts, but since then, it has expanded its range of products to include vintage items and supplies for artisans.
For artists, Etsy offers an opportunity to sell their art directly to buyers without having to go through an art gallery or retail store. Artists can create their own Etsy shop and upload photos of their creations, as well as a description of each piece.
Etsy is also a great choice for artists who sell unique or custom-made items. Buyers can directly contact sellers to request custom-made items, which can be an asset for artists who want to work with clients to create customized works.
Regarding fees, Etsy charges sellers a 5% transaction fee on each sale, as well as a $0.20 listing fee per item. Sellers can also pay for additional features such as paid promotion of their shop.
Regarding payment security, Etsy uses a secure payment platform that protects the financial information of both buyers and sellers. Additionally, Etsy offers a system of buyer feedback and ratings, which allows sellers to build an online reputation and gain the trust of potential buyers.
Artmajeur
Artmajeur is an online platform that allows artists to sell their artwork directly to buyers worldwide. Founded in 2000, it is considered one of the largest online art marketplaces, with over 170,000 registered artists and more than 2 million artworks online.
One of the advantages of Artmajeur is that it offers a wide variety of formats and media, such as paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints, ceramics, and more. Artists can also customize their online shop with a professional presentation, detailed information about their artworks, and a high-resolution photo gallery.
Artmajeur also offers great flexibility in terms of pricing and payment, allowing artists to set their own prices or negotiate with buyers. Payments are secure and made directly on the platform.
In terms of promotion, Artmajeur has a search engine optimized system, allowing artists to gain visibility on the web. In addition, the platform offers a regular newsletter and special promotions for artists, which can help generate additional traffic and sales.
Finally, registration for Artmajeur is open to everyone and does not require any selection. You will need to pay an annual subscription fee of 60 € and a commission of 35% will be charged on each sale.
Amazon Handmade
Amazon Handmade is an online sales platform launched by Amazon in 2015. It allows artisans to sell their handmade crafts directly to Amazon customers.
Why sell on Amazon Handmade?
Amazon Handmade offers several advantages for artisans. Firstly, it is a well-known platform that attracts a large number of visitors every day. This means that artisans have the opportunity to reach a wide audience and increase their online visibility. Additionally, Amazon Handmade offers a simplified sales process, with integrated order and payment management tools. This allows artisans to manage their online store efficiently and easily, without worrying about logistics.
How to sell on Amazon Handmade?
To sell on Amazon Handmade, you first need to create a seller account on Amazon if you haven't already done so. Then, simply sign up for the Amazon Handmade platform by providing information about yourself and your creations.
It is important to note that all creations sold on Amazon Handmade must be handmade. Products made using machines are not allowed. Additionally, each creation must be approved by Amazon before it can be listed for sale on the platform.
The fees associated with selling on Amazon Handmade include a 15% commission on each sale.
Here are the platforms that have been the most promising for me and allowed me to sell my work online worldwide. In theory, being present on multiple platforms can increase your online visibility, as it increases your chances of being found by potential collectors. However, this can also be counterproductive if you are not able to effectively manage your presence on all of these platforms.
It is important to keep in mind that each platform has its own requirements, fees, and policies, and it is important to understand and manage them properly to maximize your chances of selling. Before signing up for multiple platforms, it is therefore recommended to carefully consider your strategy and choose the platforms that best suit your needs and budget.
Creating a website to sell artwork online
Having a website to sell artwork is an ideal solution for independent artists. It allows them to control their online presence, have a dedicated platform for their creations, and maximize their profits by avoiding the high commissions of online marketplaces. However, this requires a significant budget and a lot of time for the development and promotion of an online store. Platforms such as Wix and Shopify can simplify the work, but visibility and SEO require constant effort.
The earlier you start selling online, the sooner you can create a strong online presence and establish yourself as an artist. This can also help your long-term online SEO by increasing your visibility and reputation. By creating a website and starting to sell quickly, you can also begin to build a base of loyal customers and establish a trust relationship with them over time.