It’s a joy to help artists who want to increase their networking and art marketing skills using social media. There is tremendous value to gain from using it to build important professional art business relationships and connect with potential buyers, gallery owners and other professionals. This article is about what you can learn from comments about your art on social media and how to use them for improving your art career.
There is Much to Gain From Comments
In my own professional practice I manage three websites and promote three different artist membership programs so I need be most efficient. We are extremely busy scheduling our posts using Hootsuite.com and Tweetdeck.Twitter.com. And, every day I set time aside time to personally read and reply to as many comments as possible in response to those posts. I also write comments on other people’s posts as well. It is a very rewarding experience and I encourage you to do the same. You’ll discover the learning potential that comments about your art in social media can deliver. The questions that follow have been designed to improve your experience.
What Can You Learn From Comments and Questions?
If you goal is to increase genuine relationships you can also learn a lot from questions commenters ask. Which types of questions are most frequent? Respond to questions fully. Look for opportunities to keep the conversation going. Take time to share more information about your art, if and where it is available for sale, and what inspired it. Tell the reader where they can view more like it on your website. When writing your post anticipate any questions that may arise and provide the information. For instance, provide the dates and address for your upcoming exhibition or other event. If you notice many people are asking the same question(s), write the reply and also consider dedicating a new post to answering their questions. Consider using them to create a F.A.Q. page on your website. Avoid a common practice made by many artists who simply post a picture with no or very little description. This habit will not generate traction.
Which of Your Posts Attract the Most Comments?
Although we cannot control the algorithms of social media and how many of your followers actually see your posts, after a while you’ll notice which types of posts get the most attention. You’ll benefit from your followers’ reactions to your artwork, links to blog posts, your web pages, and other content you share. On Facebook and Twitter the “Notification” link will direct you to the most recent updates. It’s good practice to check out the data that social media offers, such as Facebook’s “Insights” page, where you’ll find numbers for post engagements, page views, post reach, and more.
Are You Directing the Reader to Go to Your Website?
The best posts are often those that provide links to your website and/or blog. Otherwise, it may be a waste of time and effort. Add them to your original post as well as your replies when appropriate. When you direct the reader back to your site as much as possible it not only improves traffic to your website, it is a way to attract Google’s attention and increase your SEO. Before and after you post check for broken links as bad links can cause frustration and disinterest.
How Can You Optimize The Benefits of Comments?
Delegate a specific amount of time every week to reading all of the comments your posts have attracted. There is so much you can learn from the types of comments you receive. Ask, is one work of art getting more positive responses than others? Are you using social media effectively to promote your art? Make it a habit to reciprocate with your fellow friends and connections by writing positive comments on their posts. Social media is a two-way street and showing support for other art professionals is very rewarding. Convert positive commenters into more personalized connections turn frequent commenters into face to face relationships. If you receive rave reactions to your art ask commenters if you can use their words of praise on your website.
What Can You Learn From Others on Social Media?
There are many excellent role models, including artists, who are extremely good at communicating and interacting with their friends and followers. It probably took them a while to improve their skills. They make it look natural, as if they are sitting across the table in a face to face conversation. Look for them and follow their lead. Observe how and they reply to comments made by their fans and followers. If networking and developing relationships is not your greatest skills, don’t worry. They can be learned. You’ll find the best artists on social media are those who treat every comment as a gift and respond accordingly with gratitude and utmost attention to details.
Are You Focusing on Quality or Quantity?
If social media reminds you of being in a popularity contest, avoid getting hooked into that trap and resist the urge to pay for advertisements. It’s nice to have many admirers of your art and we all like attracting positive comments but avoid getting pulled into a numbers game. Change your perspective. Set realistic and obtainable objectives and goals for yourself. Decide what’s important to you, to receive one genuinely positive comment from a potential art buyer a month or 20 new connections each week?
What Do You Do With Negative Comments?
We all get them occasionally. If someone makes a blatant negative comment, resist the temptation to react in the same manner. Consider if the comment has any validity or if your post was misinterpreted or if you inadvertently invited a negative reaction. Depending on the severity of the comment you have the option to reply diplomatically, correct your original post, or delete it. You can also delete negative comments. If any of your friends/followers is a repeat offender my advice is to remove them as a friend / follower.
How Will Changes in Social Media Impact You?
One thing we can depend on is social media will have changes, so we need to be aware of them. For instance, it has been reported that Facebook has plans to limit the importance of Likes and other metrics. It will start a test in Australia, where people’s Likes, video view counts and other measurements of posts would become private to other users. At the time of writing this article it was not yet know if Facebook plans to do this in the U.S.
Final Note: Social media is a free, user-friendly space where there is much potential to gain in the areas of art marketing and networking. The sky is the limit, so it’s worth spending some time and giving it our attention. Reading comments and replying to them is a great way to enhance your art career.
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A wonderful article Renee. Social media is a gift that never stops giving if you respect the people with whom you have connected. When a viewer takes the time to comment on my posts, I take the time to thank them. Meeting new people enrich my world and times bring commissions. I highly suggest that you include little anecdotes when posting your paintings and sales. It will bring you a following and makes you approachable. My anecdotes have become a catalyst for my latest project which will be a coffee table art book. I invite my viewers into my world, because I want them to know I am real and not just words on a page.
Thank you. That’s great advice Lisa. You are a shining example and role model for other artists to learn from. You have mastered the art of interacting with fans and followers and cultivating admirers and buyers of your art.
Very important topic with great tips. It’s so important for your social media audience to relate to you as a real person. I have met several people on Instagram that have now become personal friends.
I echo what Lisa says. Showing you’re a real person makes you more approachable.
Mary, you are such a natural at using social media. Your warm and friendly personality always shines through with every post and comment! You could have written this article! 🙂