How to Successfully Sell Art Online

Many artists dream of earning a living from their work, and the online marketplace has made this goal more achievable than ever. Digital platforms make it easier for artists to advertise and sell their work, while also making the art-buying process more accessible to a wider audience. 

And as our lives become increasingly digital, the online art market is only expected to grow—31% of first-time buyers under 35 purchased their first artwork online in 2023, compared to just 22% in 2013. 

Establishing an online presence is the first step to turning your artistic talent into a thriving business. By developing a cohesive digital identity for your brand as an artist, you can market your work, cultivate a dedicated fan base, and start generating income from your passion. While it requires ongoing effort to maintain and grow your presence, the potential for online sales can provide a steady stream of revenue.. 

The art market online

The digital art market is a diverse space that spans a wide range of mediums and styles. You can sell your art through online auctions, create digital products and print-on-demand merchandise, offer custom commissions, or license your artwork for use in various media. Additionally, you can explore opportunities to teach art through online courses or workshops, further diversifying your income streams.

Whether you’re taking an old-school approach and selling physical works online or exploring new ways to create and distribute digital art, you can use an online platform to promote and sell your work. Additionally, by honing in on your niche and target audience, you can optimize your marketing efforts and more easily connect with interested buyers.

To start, you need the right platforms. Popular choices include Instagram, Etsy, and Pinterest, which are great places to showcase and sell your art. Using a link-in-bio tool can help you manage and promote your various online presences effectively. 

Setting up your online art store

Even if you sell your artwork on third-party marketplaces, a website can serve as a home base for your business as an artist. To that end, consider finding a website builder like Wix that lets you develop a visual interface that’s authentic to your brand. 

Choosing the right platform

Name.com’s Wix solution walks artists through the entire process of setting up a website. It offers built-in templates just for artists and creatives, including basic portfolio formats, print-on-demand integrations, and full-fledged online shops. 

By simply dragging and dropping modules on your site, you can design an attractive custom layout that guides customers through your shop and promotes online sales. 

In addition to building your own website, consider using third-party sites like Etsy, Instagram, and Pinterest to reach a wider audience and promote your art. These platforms offer robust tools for showcasing your work, connecting with potential buyers, and managing sales, making them excellent complements to your main site.

Domain names for artists

Just like a physical shop, your online storefront needs signage that attracts potential customers. Online, your domain name is a gateway to your shop and a representation of your brand as an artist, making it a critical element of your e-commerce strategy. 

By using Name.com’s smart search tool, you can find custom domain names that bolster your brand identity and align your site with the online art market.  

Along with classic top-level domains (TLDs), Name.com also has a massive portfolio of keyword-based descriptive domain extensions that provide visitors with more context for your site. For instance, TLDs like .shop, .art, .studio, and .design effortlessly reference the digital art market while preserving your art business’s original branding.

Marketing your art online

Once you’ve established your digital space, draw your audience to it with digital marketing techniques. Engaging potential buyers across different digital channels can help you boost exposure for your work and start turning your side hustle into a serious business. 

Social media strategies

68% of art buyers purchase artwork because they care about supporting artists and making a positive social impact. By developing a presence on social media, you can generate authentic connections with your audience and encourage them to patronize your work. 

Create a consistent posting schedule across multiple platforms and engage your fanbase with comments, video replies, and thoughtful posts. 

Managing sales and shipping

Along with creating artwork to sell, you need to develop a business-savvy mindset. Here are some helpful tips: 

• Calculate how much you need to charge for your artwork to make a sustainable profit while still being affordable for your target market.

• When first starting out, you may want to only sell digital artwork or print-on-demand products that don’t require you to keep inventory or manage shipping. 

• As your business grows, develop a system for tracking orders, safely packaging your pieces, and checking up on business communications across all online platforms.

Get the most out of the online art market with Name.com

Whether you’re a budding artist looking for a place to launch your business or you’re already selling your works offline and want to expand, online art sales can be a powerful tool—and Name.com can help you get started. 

Name.com’s website-building tools empower artists like you to drive online sales and profit off of their passion and talent. Regardless of your medium, you can use Name.com’s easy-to-use services to cultivate your brand identity as an artist online. 

Secure your unique domain name and build your Wix site on Name.com today to kickstart your online art business. 

Sources:

Hiscox. Hiscox online art trade report 2023. https://www.hiscox.co.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2023-04/Hiscox%20online%20art%20trade%20report%202023.pdf 
WixBlog. How to sell art online: The complete guide.https://www.wix.com/blog/how-to-sell-art-online