Why every artist should be on Instagram

Thinking about Instagram but not sure how it can benefit your art business? Seeing this as just another marketing burden? Well, unlike other social networks, Instagram seems to be made especially for you. With its visual nature and ease of use - not to mention all those collectors - this app could easily become your new favorite way to share your art and creative spirit. And you never know what sales and opportunities your account might lead to. Here are seven reasons why you need to pick up your phone and start enjoying Instagram rewards.

1. It's a whole new world

According to . That's a huge amount of new eyeballs for potential viewing of your art - eyeballs that are attached to pocket books, that is. Instagram even has a "Search and Explore" section where art collectors can view your art by searching for hashtags. Additionally, it found that "400% of online art buyers surveyed said that the main benefit of buying online is the ability to find art and collectibles that they would otherwise never find in a physical space."

2. It matches your talents perfectly

As you know, Instagram is first and foremost a visual platform, which means it could be absolutely perfect for you. This allows your art and images to emerge in their purest form. And words are not even necessary, so there is nothing to take away from work. Instagram is made for you to create a socially engaging gallery of your art so that people can follow you. You can tell your story, share your inspiration, reveal pieces of your creative process, and more without words.

Sometimes all you need is a title, dimensions, and material (and lots of hashtags so collectors can find your art) à la (@victoria_veedell).

3. This is a new place to explore art

More collectors than ever are turning to Instagram to find new art. According to the study, 87% of art collectors surveyed view Instagram more than twice a day, and 55% check it five or more times. What's more, 51.5% of these same collectors bought art from artists they originally found through the app. Each bought an average of five works by artists they found on Instagram! And they are not only looking for established artists. Renowned art collector Anita Zabludovich said she used Instagram to find art from emerging artists.

4. It's fast and easy to use

This social media platform does not require a computer and you can only post once a day. All you need is a smartphone with a decent camera and some inspiration. Just take a photo of your work with your phone, polish it to perfection with Instagram's built-in editing tools, come up with a caption only if you want, and post. You don't even need any third-party apps, but there's a lot to add to the experience, like Snapseed (available for and ). What's more, you can do it anywhere you have a mobile connection, whether it's a walk on the beach or a walk in the woods.

 (@needlewitch) often takes photos of work in progress and shares them with his followers.

5. It's a way to show people a different side.

While Twitter posts are more like sound bites and Facebook is more than just your art, your Instagram is 100% you. It can be an intimate photo diary of your creative life. You can share studio shots, 15-second videos of yourself at work, work in progress, textures and landscapes you find inspiring, close-ups of your work, paintings hanging in a collector's home, or art in a gallery. The world is your oyster when it comes to sharing your creative spirit with the masses. You can also test new apps to create interesting, out-of-the-box content. You can use on iPhone to speed up your Charlie Chaplin movie style videos and use the app to bring your art to life like .

Click on Linda Tracey Brandon's portrait to bring her portrait to life.

6. This is a country of new opportunities

In addition to sales, “artists receive commissions, invitations to participate in shows or exhibitions, offers to use their art for commercial purposes, and much more,” says an art industry expert. You never know what a well-designed, active Instagram account can lead to. So always be ready to respond to direct messages about your creativity, keep your packaging materials and payment system ready, and never stop creating.

You can advertise your exhibitions in the gallery like (@felicityoconnorartist) so art buyers can see your work in person.

PS Artwork Archive is promoting our amazing artists on Instagram!

We are committed to the continued success of every artist and we know exposure is the key to success. So now we're promoting our Discovery artists on social media, including our (@artworkarchive). You can learn more about Discovery and how to get your art featured there. Stay tuned, you never know who might show up next!

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