Artwork is the most precious possession of an artist. It is basically like a presentation of how much they have evolved as artists, from doing scratch-ups to what they are now. Every time they shift their focus on their work, it is almost like they gain more motivation to continue doing what they love.
If you are passionate about drawing and painting, you would love to sell artwork online and earn revenue. Many entrepreneurs are learning to sell artwork online and create an online presence. Developing a top-class art website can increase sales and make your dreams come true.
Importance of Selling Art Online
If you sell your art online, you will likely obtain several benefits. Many artists have started understanding how to sell art online. Apart from increasing your revenue and improving your financial condition, selling artwork online also provides opportunities to evolve your career.
Image taken from Strikingly User’s Website
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the employment rate worldwide has decreased considerably. As a result, it has become very difficult for individuals to find jobs across all industries. You can increase your online sales by understanding how to sell artwork online. You can do commissions, offer graphic designing services, and even collaborate with other artists to boost your business.
Tips to Sell Artwork Online
1.Choose Your Niche
When you start your art business, you must decide on your niche. Next, you must know what to sell and how to sell it. In today’s day and age, when the digital industry has evolved, there are several ways to sell art online. Knowing what you will sell and the medium in which you sell it is an important part of your business plan.
In today's day and age, you can sell your original artwork, which is difficult and involves a high pricing point. Moreover, you can sell digital files and prints of your work to leverage your time and make money through one piece. Furthermore, you can also make money by selling other artists' work if you build a network of artists.
- Sell Original Art
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You can sell original artwork online if you are a professional painter or work with specialized materials. Original art would be an exciting option for anyone to buy because people love to have original artwork to decorate their spaces. However, you need to set a higher price for them because they are individually created.
- Sell Copies or Digital Files
If you are working on digital art or selling copies of your original photography, you can sell them in various sizes. The digital copies usually go for a lower price than the original artwork, but they present artists with a good opportunity of making money with one piece of artwork.
Furthermore, people would like to buy T-shirts, mugs, or different merchandise with your art. Print or Printify are print-on-demand services that can make this process quick and efficient. The good thing about print-on-demand is that you don't have to worry about overhead costs, so you don't invest in many shirts and hoodies to sell.
Artworks are only created when someone places an order. Additionally, you can set up print-on-demand services to automatically ship your orders whenever you land a sale.
- Sell Other Artists’ Work
Once you understand how to sell art online, you can progress and start hosting other artists in your store. This strategy would give more variety to your customers and enable you to support other up-and-coming artists. If your store has taken off and you have established a strong fan following, you can start helping those artists who don't have followers.
Image taken from Strikingly User’s Website
When you establish a network of artists, your circle will have different types of people. Some have an extensive network of artists, whereas some are marketing specialists. Both types of artists will be vital to increasing website traffic and selling art online.
2) Register Your Business
Before you sell artwork online or make money from your artwork, it is essential to have your paperwork in order and register your business. You can register as a sole proprietorship, but it would be better to submit paperwork and register as an LLC. Being an LLC, you can keep track of your business costs and start hiring employees whenever required.
Remember that you must register your business to get an employee identification number (EIN), which is required to establish a business bank account.
Depending on the country or the state you are located, you may need a business license to sell your art. It is important to check with your state or communicate with your provincial government. If we go deeper, you can talk to the Secretary of State or Business Division.
3) Check Your Sales Channel
Now, you must decide where to sell artwork online. Numerous eCommerce platforms, such as Amazon and Getty Images, make the selling process easy. However, you should only choose an eCommerce platform based on the artwork you are selling. For example, freelancers or graphic designers may consider selling art online via Fiverr or Upwork.
Here are some popular platforms on which you can sell artwork online:
- Direct: The sellers can establish their art websites through website builders and sell their artwork directly.
- Society6: A website connecting buyers with sellers of original artwork
- Social media: Sell through Facebook Marketplace or Instagram promotions
- Fiverr: This platform specifically for freelancers or graphic designers who want to get paid through custom art
- Getty Images: Professional photographers, graphic designers, and videographers can sell artwork online and earn a monthly commission for their displays
- Zazzle: You can sell your artwork on different products, such as Mugs, T-shirts, and hoodies.
Usually, the more channels you use for your sales, the more exposure your artwork will get and the more sales you will generate. For example, if you plan to sell your art on Etsy, you can also sell it on Society6 to boost your online presence. Etsy and Amazon have millions of viewers worldwide per month.
4) Determine the Pricing
If you are selling art online for the first time, putting price tags can be overwhelming. However, you can take several factors into account before finalizing your prices. For example, if you sell original artwork, you can put higher prices because the demand would be high.
Since shipping can be expensive for customers, putting high price tags can keep your shipping costs down for them. It is difficult, but you must understand that higher shipping costs can frustrate your customers. On the other hand, if your shipping costs are low, you can generate high online sales even if the product has a high price.
5) Market Your Products
After establishing your online presence, whether by building your online store or through your seller accounts, it is time to market your artwork. Again, relevant marketing strategies are vital so you can attract people who are interested in your artwork. For example, if Amazon is your selling account, you can use ads to promote your listings. In addition, you can use social media to connect with your target audience, whether it is through Facebook Marketplace or Instagram.
Here are the strategies that you can use to market your artwork:
- Pay-per-click (PPC)
- Joining relevant Facebook groups
- Implementing relevant search engine optimization (SEO) strategies
- Use content marketing to improve your SEO strategies
- Communicate with other artists to work on a specific project
Sell Artwork Online on Your Strikingly Website
With the technological advancements in recent years, selling art online is not a difficult task anymore. Strikingly is a classic website builder that allows you to build your eCommerce website without spending much money. Moreover, we also help you to add a touch of your personality to your branding.
Image taken from Strikingly
Since your focus will be on the gallery section, you must add your best artwork. The best artworks always prove attractive to the viewers, and this should be your plan. Remember to organize your images to look attractive to the eye when you sell artwork online.
Image taken from Strikingly
Strikingly benefits your business in multiple ways. Firstly, you can develop a multi-language website. If you have international viewers speaking different languages landing on your website, they can convert your website into English and go through your content. The multi-language option is vital to globalize your business and sell artwork online.
If you have built an art website on Strikingly, you don't need to worry about the security and technical aspect. The payment options will allow you to get your orders done even when you are not working.
Conclusion
When everything is done, you will realize that selling your art online is not an impossible task. On the contrary, innovative technology makes it practically possible to make money from your art and live your dreams.
Understand how to sell art online and develop your art website on Strikingly. Strikingly helps you to create a customizable website to sell art online and help your art look stunning to the crowd. You can consult with our Happiness Officers today if you cannot implement your ideas and fail to build your website. Then, create the art website of your dreams and make your dream a reality.
