I would really like some group discussion on this topic whether you are a buyer or seller.
Selling of our artwork and photography. Hmmm. This is such a complex topic. Many many different (and not so easy) variables to selling artwork online. Most are seen and never purchased. More often than not, NOT SEEN AT ALL.
I am not talking about how to sell when clients come to us to have portraits made. I am talking about creating static pieces of art in your valued time and selling it as a piece. A portrait is art as well, but it is created after a contract is made and not before.
It has been my recent conclusion that many people LOVE to LOOK AT and maybe even digitally save (which is wrong by the way unless my watermarks are still there HOWEVER, feel free to share my work BUT not alter my work... rant over) our artwork (meaning any subject matter-not just one genre) but when it comes to buying... buying is such a different story. Especially, when our art is sold online and people can get it anytime they want.
PROBLEMS WITH BUYING ONLINE:
So, how do we change this? The art market is such a strange culture in itself. Most of my sales come from clients who hire me to do a specific job for them. Not just picking out some artwork for their walls. I'm still researching and trying very hard to get into selling art in the online art market. This is not so easy to do.
Facebook: Facebook has been disgusting me a lot lately. I have not figured out much on how they do things and how the algorithms work (because they seem to change every week) but I do know that my hard earned money spent on Facebook Ads hasn't increased my sales at all. I do know that it has decreased my checkbook balance. I have noticed that the posts on my pages are not being seen by many. They tell you how many have viewed the post and in relation to my little following, it wasn't that many. I have gained a few new people who "liked" my pages but not near enough as I had planned on or spent the money for.
Twitter: Currently, and recently, Twitter has been the way I have been going. I've been trying to network, gather a following, get noticed. So far, it is working here. Old 81 Studios has over 700 followers now (which is still not great) and I've just added Old 81 Pinups on Twitter and in about a month's time gained over 1,000 followers. I have spent over 40 hours just on Twitter alone, making links and corresponding with other photographers, artists, fans, and potential clients. This networking and tweeting is starting to pay off... maybe. I have seen a result in the work and effort that I have been putting in. Have the results been in sales? Unfortunately, no. I have seen a tremendous increase in traffic to VIEW my work on Etsy.com which is just one online community that I have sold some artwork recently. I haven't sold any artwork since this increase in traffic and I'm not sure why. I have nice work. I have good prices. I have great shipping prices. This answer is so confusing to me.
#Art #ArtPrint #Bridge #TableRockLake #ShellKnob #BestSeller #Topseller #fineart #bw #photo @OLD81STUDIOS http://etsy.me/17JkX2I via @Etsy
Etsy: This is a nice site and community where artists can sell their work.
Here's the data for my shop on Etsy.
to be continued.