Creative Marketing & Social Media For Artists With Kat from Create! Magazine
When It Comes To Social Media And Marketing For Artists, Creatives Don’t Need To Feel Intimidated.
* Updated December 2024
As an artist, you know how to create art. It’s the other stuff- the nitty-gritty backend work – that poses a challenge.
That’s right: we’re talking about creative marketing and social media, two of the most important tools available to artists outside of your studio skills. Some artists make transitioning online success to real-time sales look easy, but what’s that process really like?
When it comes to supporting artists through their journey as creative professionals on a grassroots level, few publications get more personal than Create! Magazine. Founded by artist, writer, curator and entrepreneur Ekaterina Popova, Create! is an independent contemporary art magazine highlighting the work of artists, makers, and creative entrepreneurs.
Be authentic, and be consistent.
Just looking at Kat’s personal social media account, it’s obvious that she knows what she’s talking about – her personal Instagram following is in the tens of thousands of followers, and the amount of community engagement her content receives is top-notch. While all those followers might not be patrons or collectors (yet!), they’re a testament to the fact that Kat has a clear voice and vision, and knows how to share her mission and her success as an artist with the world.
Kat’s vision and mission don’t stop with her own art practice. Since starting Create!, she has had the pleasure of attending numerous exhibitions and art fairs, interviewing emerging and established artists, and working with leading curators. This experience has helped her to not only achieve more in her art career but also to learn the fundamental traits of many successful creatives.
After years of successfully selling her artwork online and in person, Ekaterina wants to help other emerging artists do the same. Kat loves discovering new artists, sharing her art world experiences and recently launched a new podcast, Art and Cocktails.
With a platform aligning so close to our own, an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Kat was a must. During a recent AMA with Superfine! co-founder Alex Mitow, Kat served expert information with an insider perspective on how to create meaningful social media content and relationships, what creative marketing tools are really worth your time and investment, and how to be your most authentic self online and in-person so you can sell art better.
Ask Me Anything: Alex Mitow in Conversation With Kat from Create! Magazine
Alex Mitow: Let’s talk about social media – Instagram more specifically. Do you have any tips for artists looking to gain more followers?
Kat Popova: Be yourself – what makes you weird makes you interesting! Start by sharing the work you’re excited about and post quality images. Quality images means your work will look the best that it can. Most of your likes are going to be from bigger accounts that share your work, so you want to make sure your images really show off your work.
Show up every day or as often as you can – meaning, make the effort to post and engage with followers and other accounts for a few minutes every day! It’s really through consistency and posting quality work that you actually like through which you’ll attract like minded people.
And invest a little bit of money in Instagram ads, specifically shoutout services – quality accounts with over 100K followers. Invest a little bit of money in that a few times a year and you’ll start to see growth.
Make the effort to post and engage with accounts and followers for a little bit every day.
Always include contact information and a call to action.
Alex: Artists and creatives of course want to be able to show something from being on Instagram – how do you get your engaged following to do the things you want them to do – like buy your art?
Kat: Through consistency, sharing your work over time and giving your followers a call to action. Include your basic contact information so they can easily get in touch! Always, if you’re trying to sell or promote something, give your audience somewhere to contact you. It’s not a magic formula, you just have to keep showing up.
Another fun tip: Share your successes, even in a small local newspaper. You’re going to give potential collectors a hint that you’re creating and available – show collectors you’re out there!
But getting the press is just the first part – it’s what you do with it after that matters. Share any press you get via email, post on LinkedIn, etc. If your work is available for sale, let collectors know about it!
Katerina Popova shares press received from her alma mater, Kutztown University on her Instagram account.
Alex: We call that a catapult effect – the more you promote yourself, the more likely other larger accounts will pick up on what you’re doing and cross post. Which brings me to my next question: are you doing SEO on your website?
Kat: I just started learning about it this year! For artists it’s a little different because we con’t have a lot of content that requires a ton of text. One way to stick out in this big pool of creatives is to own a piece of the internet. Have a website, maybe start a blog, do some research on what it takes to show up on the internet when collectors are looking to buy art. Everything is google-able these days so see how you can show up when people are looking for things – beyond social!
Most of my sales come from email – people find me on Instagram but sign up for email.
Alex: Email marketing is still considered the most effective marketing… how are you using that for artists?
Kat: We need to focus on email way more than we focus on social. If someone gives you their email, they’re asking you to share your work! Email should be a priority. Announcing press coverage, pop ups, etc. And with email, it’s not like speaking into the void: you’re actually writing directly to someone in a more intimate connection. Most of my sales come from email – people find me on Instagram but sign up for email. Launching your work, studio sale, exhibition, you got on a podcast, you want to do a survey, holiday sales... it’s just a really great way to personalize the whole experience.
It’s all about intent. When you have someone’s email address, you have a greater chance of converting them to a sale. Having those very clear calls-to-action is important.
Alex: We have an artist advisor we work with – Danielle Glosser - she sends handwritten notes to all of her clients and partners. It really stands out! We have 7 fairs and 120 cultural partners across the country and only one person (her) sends postcards.
Kat: Totally - you have to make it natural to you! Be yourself!
Alex: One thing I wanted to add here: have a small print or art object that you can offer for sale at a really low price so you can seed new collectors. The art industry is having trouble with millenial marketing but a lot of agencies are already focusing on Gen Z. Build collectors early so you can build a list of people that are one step more committed.
Let’s take some listener questions…
Submissions for Create! Magazine’s next print issue are open for artists and writers looking to be published.
Question: How do you feel about the no-like count update Instagram is going to implement?
Kat: I feel like it might be healthier because we’re so addicted to likes, and likes don’t really matter. Who cares about likes if people are looking at your work! We’re checking all these statistics all the time - we need to be making art not obsessing over numbers that don’t mean anything.
Question: I often wonder if likes change artists from the path they’re supposed to be on.
Kat: Sometimes success holds us back and we get protective. We should be pushing ourselves and Instagram can stunt our growth if we let it.
Question: How do you get featured by Create! Magazine?
Kat: We have a free blog that anyone can submit to year round – just email your submission to blog@createmagazine.com! We also have 6 calls for artists for our print magazine every year. Follow our Instagram @createmagazine to stay on top of the latest calls!