How to Grow on Social Media as an Artist

I am an artist, a content creator (in an old fashioned sense) and a blogger. Growing your audience as an artist is a very tough thing to do that I also struggle with. I see artists posting consistently every day for years on end, and still getting only 20 likes on their posts. This is sad. Social media are extremely hard to understand and you can easily waste your time trying to build an audience to no avail. It’s time to stop messing around and take action if you really want to know how to grow on social media as an artist. I did a lot of research and discovered quite a few new insights. I’ve compiled them into this blog post. At the end of this article, you will also find a detailed action plan.

The Truth About Social Media Algorithms

Do you wonder: is it so that to grow as an artist who posts mainly images, you basically have to prove to the algorithm that you are worthy of being shared to other people in order to reach a new audience?

The answer is yes. Algorithms are designed to prioritize content that generates high levels of engagement, such as likes, comments, shares, and views. In order to achieve this, artists are expected to consistently create high-quality, visually appealing to increase their visibility. Regular posting, utilizing relevant hashtags, interacting with followers, and participating in trending challenges or themes can also enhance an artist’s chances of being favored by the algorithm. Essentially, proving to the algorithm that your content is engaging and valuable can lead to more exposure to new audiences.

Diversifying the type of content that you post, such as short videos, stories, or live sessions, can also help in capturing the algorithm’s attention. Over time, these efforts can lead to increased organic reach as the algorithm recognizes the artist’s content as valuable and engaging, thereby sharing it with a broader audience.

Advice on Using hashtags on Twitter

The algoritm and functionality of Twitter (now called ‘X’) keeps changing since Elon Musk took control of this social media that was once known for its cute blue bird logo.

On Twitter, the (excessive) use of hashtags can lead to your account being perceived as spammy or bot-like. Twitter’s algorithm and user community often associate posts with numerous hashtags as low-quality or automated content. Overusing hashtags can negatively impact engagement and visibility, as users may be less likely to interact with what they perceive as spam. To avoid this, it’s recommended to use hashtags sparingly and thoughtfully, focusing on one or two relevant hashtags per tweet that genuinely add value and context to your content.

The Downside of TikTok

When you post a video on TikTok, if it doesn’t get enough attention, TikTok won’t introduce you to a new audience.

On TikTok, the initial performance of a video plays a significant role in determining whether it will be introduced to a broader audience. TikTok’s algorithm assesses early engagement metrics such as likes, comments, share, and watch time to gauge the content’s appeal. If a video garners significant attention shortly after being posted, it is more likely to be promoted to a larger audience through the For You Page (FYP). Conversely, if a video fails to capture enough attention initially, it may not be pushed to more users, limiting its reach and potential for going viral.

To grow on social media as an artist and increase your chances of a video getting noticed, you should focus on producing high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience.

Be sure to profit off of trending sounds, participating in challenges, and incorporating popular hashtags relevant to your content. Engaging with followers by responding to comments and collaborating with other creators can also boost a video’s initial performance.

How do you reach a new audience on Facebook?

Reaching a new audience on Facebook as an artist who posts images only involves a combination of strategies focused on engagement, networking, and utilizing Facebook’s features effectively. First and foremost, it is important to consistently post high-quality, visually appealing images. This not only showcases your artistic talent but also encourages your current audience to engage with your content through likes, comments, and shares, which can increase visibility.

Using descriptive captions, relevant hashtags, and tagging locations or other pages can also help in reaching a broader audience. Additionally, creating an artist page separate from your personal profile can give a professional touch and provide better analytics to understand your audience’s preferences.

Growing on Social Media as an Artist: YouTube

YouTube helps an artist reach a new audience primarily through its recommendation system, search functionality, and social features. The platform’s recommendation algorithm plays a significant role in promoting content to potential viewers. By analyzing user behavior, such as watch history, likes, and comments, YouTube suggests videos that are likely to interest individual users. For an artist, ensuring that videos are well-optimized with relevant titles, descriptions, and tags can enhance discoverability. Additionally, creating engaging thumbnails and including popular keywords related to your art can improve the chances of appearing in search results and the ‘Recommended’ section.

Long Story Short: It’s Up To You

Growing as an artist on social media requires significant effort, strategic planning, and sometimes even financial investment. Social media platforms themselves do not inherently promote artistic growth; they merely offer a platform frequented by millions on a daily basis. Among these millions of users are countless other artists competing for the same attention.

To stand out and save yourself the headache and wasted time, artists should take the time to plan out a strategy for gaining growth on social media.

5 Steps to Grow on Social Media as an Artist

Here is a detailed action plan to work with if you’re trying to figure out how to grow on social media as an artist.

1. Define Your Goals and Target Audience

• Clarify what you want to achieve (e.g., increase follower count, drive traffic to your shop, sell commissions).
• Identify your target audience: their preferences, interests, and online habits.

2. Content Planning and Consistency

• Develop a content plan outlining what types of posts you’ll share and when.
• Maintain consistency in posting to keep your audience engaged and signal platform algorithms of your activity.
• Ensure your content reflects your brand and artistic voice.

3. Utilize Platform Features

• Explore and use the unique features of each platform (Instagram Reels; Facebook Groups; TikTok trends).
• Incorporate these features into your strategy to maximize reach.

4. Engagement and Community Building

• Actively engage with your audience by responding to comments and joining relevant groups. (If applicable.)
• Collaborate with other artists to expand your reach.
• Build a community around your work to foster organic growth.

5. Analytics and Adjustments

• Regularly review post performance using platform analytics tools.
• Analyze what type of content resonates most, optimal posting times, and audience demographics.
• Refine and adjust your strategy based on these insights for better results.

Maybe after reading this, you’re thinking: what the hecc, I just wanna draw! And that’s completely understandable. But if it is your goal to make a living or (side) income from being an artist, whether it is through selling commissions, adoptables, brushes, stickers or something else, it is in your best interest to grow your audience. And that’s a tough thing to do.

So I hope by following these steps, you can craft your path as an artist and minimize wasted effort and maximize growth potential. Without too much of a headache trying to figure out how social media websites work and without spending too much money. Because advertising on social media is another strategy to grow as an artist, but I do not want to delve into that in this post.

Note: Social media are constantly being changed and have their algorithms updated. By the time this post reaches you because you want to know how to grow on social media as an artist, the platforms may function slightly differently.