8 Tips for selling your art Online

1. Write Better Art Descriptions.
The best websites for selling your art, like www.itsworldart.com, will allow you (even encourage you) to write full descriptions of each artwork you upload as well as an in-depth biography.

Not only should these paragraphs be easy to read and free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, but they should also be optimized for search engines like Google and Yahoo.
Optimizing for search just means using the same “art” keywords that art buyers use when searching for artwork online.

Sounds easy, right? Well it is, sort of.

There are actually whole industries built around this idea, so it’s probably worth an ItsWorldArt article all by itself. For now, though, I’ll just give you an example of a good description for a hypothetical, abstract work of art.

(You can see that I’ve made the good keywords bold. None of the other words really help when it comes to searches.)

“Untitled Fragments is the seventh painting in my series of geometric abstract artworks. I used bold colors and powerful brush strokes, as I do in all my paintings, in order to create a lasting visual impression. Art buyers (and art lovers) will see symbolic references to prominent 20th century abstract painters like Piet Mondrian and Georges Braque as I offer homage to their artistic vision through my own art. This artwork is still for sale, so if you’d like to purchase the painting just click on the buy artwork button below.”

With a little effort you can make your descriptions chock full of words that work. In this case, they’re not just about abstract paintings but also about buying art, similar artists, and so on.

2. Name your images correctly.
When you upload your images, make sure that they have an accurate descriptive name, for instance: Instead of saving your images as “painting 22.jpg”, rather save it as “Untitled Fragments, Oil painting by John Smith”. That way, when you upload your image to your gallery, your image will have a more Search Engine Friendly title. That will make it easier for Search Engines like Google Images to find and list your artwork, and ultimately make it easier for potential buyers to find your art.

3. Be more Social.
Depending on the art website you signed up with, your use of keywords in descriptions may help a lot or not at all. One thing that’s almost sure to bring in traffic, however, is social networking. Here are some of the best ways to network and sell your art.

Flickr - What can I say? There’s a lot of people browsing Flickr every day, and it has a great search function built right in. Sign up for a free account, put up some of your best artwork (properly tagged, of course) and place links to your ItsWorldArt Gallery where your art is actually for sale.

Myspace - It’s not just for kids anymore. You’ll have the ability to send out public bulletins to promote your artwork, customize your page, make or join art groups, and add many, many friends who will hopefully become fans of your art (and maybe even buyers). Yes, MySpace is kind of. . . scummy. . . sometimes, but it’s still growing strong and it would be foolish to not use it.

Facebook - Since you can now join Facebook based on location, I definitely see it becoming a great social networking site for local artists. Like MySpace you can create groups and add contacts, but you can also create events (art shows, perhaps?) and issue invitations with RSVP ability built in. Always remember to place a link back to your ItsWorldArt Gallery.

YouTube - This might be a little tech-heavy for some artists, but just like Myspace it’s too big to ignore. If you have to, find a friend who posts videos regularly and enlist their help. Make a quick art demonstration or an artwork-in-progress video, and upload it to your own “channel.” Then just find a way to link directly from that page to your artwork on ItsWorldArt.com.

Forums - Any forum is great for networking, not just art forums. And while you’re there, always put a link to your artwork in the signature line of your posts. You might even consider joining some forums that have the same interests as you. Do you paint flowers? Join a botany forum. Horses? Find an equestrian group. If you plan on spamming people though, prepare to be banned. Only join forums that you’d enjoy whether you sold any art or not.

The thing to realize with social networking sites is that you have to be willing to spend time talking, commenting, and getting involved. If you can do that, you’ll start to see some results. If you have fun in the meantime, that’s even better.

4. Start an Art Blog.
There are so many blogging options these days it’s almost too easy. I’d suggest Wordpress.com if you don’t want to get your hands messy with all the hosting and other stuff, and it only takes a few seconds to get started. There are other programs available of course, but wordpress.com makes it really simple. And yes, you’ve guessed it. Be sure to drive traffic to your ItsWorldArt Gallery by placing a link back.

5. Create an Email Newsletter.
Let people know they can get an email update whenever you finish another piece, and work on building long-term relationships with them through that periodic contact. If you’re already posting artwork on a blog it’s pretty easy to send emails automatically.

All it takes is putting the subscription box in a prominent place and making sure people feel comfortable with you. Over time you can build up a large group of repeat buyers.

6. Advertise your Art Websites (in Print).
When you’re printing business cards, postcards, flyers, or anything else, include the main website address where people can find and buy your art.

Don’t be shy about promoting your website offline at all—in fact, it’s probably the surest way you can target your artwork to people that you know would want to buy your art.

7. Team up with Other Artists.
Find a few other artists and join forces. You could create a group blog or just commit to linking back and forth; either way everybody benefits. An easy way to do this on ItsWorldArt.com is to become a ‘Fan’ of artists you like, and in return invite them to become your Fan.

If you’re concerned about losing traffic to your partners, don’t be. The way the internet works, you’ll often multiply the traffic with each new member, not just gain a little bit.

8. Stick to it for at least 6 Months.
This whole process isn‘t necessarily easy, but it will work over time. Don’t get disappointed in a week or a month when nothing seems to have changed. After six months, take a look back.

Do even half of what I’ve suggested in this article and I think you’ll see quite an improvement.

Got a great idea about how you’ve marketed your online gallery? Add your comments below and share your success stories!