Congratulations, you made it! You finally feel comfortable sharing your art with the world. There’s only one problem: the digital art landscape in 2023. On one hand, the world is your oyster because you can reach audiences from across the globe. On the other, the enormity of the internet makes it feel like you’re shouting into a void.

How do you ensure your work isn’t just another drop in a swirling ocean of online content? How do you stand out, get noticed, and turn your passion into a sustainable career? Learning how to market yourself as an artist is the next step in your artistic journey, and our actionable strategies will help you chart a course for success. 

Whether you’re a seasoned artist looking to expand your reach or a novice taking your first steps, our tailored tips will arm you with market-ready insights for 2023.

Harness Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

While it might sound like corporate speak at first glance, your unique selling proposition (USP) simply describes what makes your art yours. Every artist has their own perspective, voice, and story. If you haven’t thought about what sets you apart from the tens of thousands of artists on a digital marketplace, it’s time to start.

Pinpointing your USP isn’t an exact science, nor is it about being “the best” at a certain discipline. You’re probably familiar with work that isn’t exactly museum-grade, yet it commands top dollar from an enthusiastic audience. That’s because the artist has a look and feel their audience identifies with them.

Embrace what makes you “you”: the themes you explore, your creative use of color, and your innovative combinations of traditional and novel techniques. Anything representing your artistic thumbprint should be showcased in your portfolio, promotional materials, and social media.

Engage With Your Audience (Don’t Just Promote!)

These days, simply posting your art on your website and Instagram isn’t going to be enough. You need to show off your personality, too. Cultivating an art following today means having a presence and relationship with your audience. 

Engagement is the new currency of digital art marketing. You still need to showcase your work, but you seal the deal through interacting with your community to give them a more personal connection to it. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and create content that fosters a sense of community. Also, while social media is invaluable for artists, don’t spread yourself too thin. Instead of dividing your attention across multiple platforms, pick two or three that align best with your target audience and style. For example, if you primarily work with 3D art, time-lapse videos on YouTube are a great fit. You can easily cut long videos down for platforms that favor brevity, like Instagram. The goal is to maximize your reach without overextending yourself.

Diversify Your Offerings

Here’s a tip that hits both your artistic and marketing goals when you’re exploring how to market yourself as an artist: don’t just sell art alone. Make tutorials, create behind-the-scenes content, and show off videos of your process. And all this extra work isn’t just good for sales, it can be good for you too! Walking other people through your unique approach can give you a new perspective on your technique, and sharing guides cements you as an expert.

Whether you give these assets away for free or charge a fee is up to you, but offering value beyond your art is crucial in cultivating a community. Once you begin showcasing your process on different platforms, people will reach out with questions. They might stumble on a certain step and ask for your help. This is your opportunity to engage! Be wise, patient, and generally awesome to your online students. They will likely become future customers.

Optimize for Search Engines

You may have heard of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) already, and the fact is, it isn’t just for marketing agencies. You want your portfolio, marketplace storefronts, and social media to be instantly discoverable. Take the time to learn which keywords work best for your audience, then apply them to your work. Consider consulting an SEO analyst or company to assess your existing presence and suggest best practices.

Of course, anything you submit online should be created for humans first and search engines second. But neglecting the way search engines operate is a surefire way to have your work ignored. Consider the terms potential buyers or fans may use to find art like yours and incorporate them organically into your posts, blogs, videos, and product descriptions.

Join an Artist-First Digital Marketplace

Where you set up shop is just as important as knowing how to market yourself as an artist. And while there are dozens of choices for a first-time seller, none of them are as friendly and financially transparent for artists as Cubebrush. 

Cubebrush is not just another digital art marketplace; it’s a community tailored for artists just like you. Whether you want to sell your art, learn from other artists, or share your expertise with like-minded creators, Cubebrush offers a platform to meet your unique needs. 

Here’s why Cubebrush is perfect for sellers:

• Revenue Split: Cubebrush offers one of the most artist-friendly revenue splits in the industry. 
• Marketing Tools: Customizable storefronts and promotional features help you maximize your visibility and sales.
• Resources and Tutorials: Upskill and add new assets to your toolkit, or sell your own tutorials to open up another revenue stream.

Ready to rock 2023 as the next digital art sensation? Join Cubebrush today to discover the audience and sales your work deserves.