Facebook: A Promotional Tool For Creatives
As I have stated before, as a freelance artist… you also are your own personal Marketing and Public Relations Manager. This means it is up to you to promote your work, whether it be illustration or photography or copywriting. Getting your work out there to be seen is very important.
For many artists, Facebook is a necessary evil. Yes, Facebook collects data on its users. Yes, if you do not manage your time on Facebook properly you can waste several hours reading posts from friends. But if you do manage your time wisely on Facebook it can be a great promotional tool for your work.
Setting up an artist page…
Being a NYer that lives in Germany, I see social media in two different ways. As an American I love to share my personality and who I am. However, from a German standpoint, it is believed that keeping personal things private is more important. Thus, setting your normal Facebook page to Private and creating an Artist Page is a solution. You can still express your personality on your Artist Page, but in a more professional manner.
Setting up an artist page only takes a matter of seconds. Then you can immediately start sharing links, work, and updates.
Using hashtags…
Just like many forms of social media, Facebook has integrated hashtags into their platform. I do notice that my reach is much high when I utilize hashtags on Facebook, so it is important to learn how to do so.
With Facebook, I feel three to four hashtags per post is acceptable. If you start hashtagging every other word then you have probably gone a little overboard. This could possibly annoy some of your audience. So be smart and wise about what to hashtag and what not to.
However one could post something like this…
Here is my latest creation featuring fan art from @Blizzard Entertainment’s @WorldOfWarcarft.
http://www.linktoproject
#DigitalArt #CharacterDesign #ArtStation #GrpahicDesign #WacomTablet #AdobeIllustrator #BlizzardEntertainment #WorldOfWarcraft #FanArt
Notice how I included other hashtags after the link. This makes it less painful for viewers. See how terrible the following looks.
Here is my lates #Design featuring #FanArt from #BlizzardEntertainment’s #WorldOfWarcraft.
Too many hashtags in a sentence just looks ugly.
Engage your audience…
This is not always that simple. But if a fan does comment on your post, then you should add a reply. Showing that can connect to your fans supports a sense of community. But do not simply reply with “thank you” all the time. Sometimes you need to be a little more deeper in your replies. Engage them, they took the time to write about your work… you should be able to take a moment to do the same. Fans love acknowledgment and it is great having fans! So make sure to create some friendly banter with them… it can really do wonders!
Also, do not always think about yourself. My Facebook deals a lot with my artwork and projects that I am working on. But it is also important to share things of interest. For example, if a specific artist or creative inspires you, the share his or her work and tel your followers why you like this person’s artwork. If you read an article that you love (hint hint) then share it on Facebook page. Sometimes I may read something on Medium that is interesting and share the link on my page. Also, if there is an event that you are attending…. talk about it. This could enable fans and potential employers to attend the event and meet you in person! Facebook is first and foremost a community. Make sure you engage your audience. Ask questions, spark their interest…. this will make your page more HUMAN.
Facebook Ads…
Should you use Facebook Ads to boost a post? I think when you are first starting a page it is not necessary. You need the content on your social media feed first to attract people to stay on your page. So, I would wait until you have created several posts and then if you want to start experimenting with Facebook Ads you can. It does not hurt, but you have to create a reason for people to visit your feed first.
Links to work or Images as Posts…
Is it better to share Links or Images as Posts? Well, this all depends. I tend to share links to projects, where people can learn more about the process and the reason the artwork was created.
However, like all social media sites… Facebook has algorithms at work. See Social Media platforms such as Facebook or LinkedIn want you to remain on their site longer. Thus, posts without links tend to be placed higher on your follower’s homepages. So it really depends on how you prefer to post.
It Takes Time…
Just because you set up a page on Facebook does not mean over night you will have a 1000 likes. With social media, you have to build up a following. And with Facebook, you can start with friends and colleagues. If you add the link to your online portfolio or blog, then you can start attracting your audience. The next step is simply all about networking… share via other social media platforms that you are Facebook. Be patient and do not give up in one week. Let it build up. Example… I now have a decent following onmy personal Instagram art feed…. it took time and it is still growing. If I would have given it up in one week there are some doors that would not have opened up for me. You never know when or where your talent will be discovered… so do not give up.
PIXELATION…
Originally graphics were really pixelated when shared on Facebook. This is due to compression. Over time, the pixelation has become less and less. However, it is still wise to upload high resolution graphics or images.
Wrap Up…
As a creative, it is important to share your work with the public. This can lead to new clients and potential jobs. Facebook is one of the many tools that you can utilize. Yes, Facebook is probably not the nicest company in the world, but is a great way to reach several people. So it is kind of a necessary evil in many ways. Should you manage your time efficiently on Facebook? Yes of course….
It takes time to build up a following. There is also a lot of trial and error to see what works for you. Just because I post one way does not mean my type of post would work for you. So be yourself and experiment. You will discover what works best and if you are patient people will start following your work on Facebook.
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