Pinterest for Artists & Makers

Whenever I talk to fellow artists and makers about online social media business strategy or where they think best place to sell art online is, the usual answer I hear is “Instagram.” PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. They don’t go on, they don’t talk to me about other platforms and they say that Instagram is really the only good place for their visual handmade products. Which is NOT TRUE! Don’t limit yourself to just Instagram because one of the number one questions I get asked all the time is, “how do I grow as an artist?” or “Can you tell me best place to sell art online?” Enter Pinterest.

I get it friend, It’s really hard to market and sell handmade or custom products on Facebook or Twitter, or any number of social media platforms. The marketing on those platforms for handmade products is super challenging because of the mindset social media users are in when they are using platforms like Facebook or Twitter. The kinds of products that perform well on those platforms tend to be digital products, or mass produced products where customers can get instant gratification on their purchase. Usually these are not best place to sell art online, when your products are handmade, high-quality, one-of-a-kind goods. Consumers on these platforms are into an efficient buying experience. That’s why the targeted ads on these platforms tend to be for more practical items, items they have already searched, or items sold at big box stores.

Art is usually not “practical” per se and if it’s handmade it’s not from a big box store. Usually, people buy art or wonderful handmade products for the beauty, for the story, or for their connection to the work that the artist is making. These products make their lives richer, deeper, and more beautiful. That’s partially why artists and makers seem to get more traction on Instagram. Instagram is a platform built for aesthetic and it’s all image based. However, due to the algorithm, it’s gotten harder and harder for artists to figure out how to sell art online on the Instagram platform! Additionally, once you’ve posted an image on Instagram it’s lifespan is usually only a few hours maybe a couple of days before is lost forever, never to receive more likes or attention. So where can I sell my art?

Enter Pinterest. When people are using Pinterest they are there to dream. They’re pinning things they want to try and buy. Pinterest users are there looking for beautiful products. When a user is on Pinterest almost every pin and object a user sees is taken personally. “Do I like that recipe?” “Would I wear that blouse?” “Would I put the painting in my living room?” The user is in a personal frame of mind because they are searching for the things they like and are interested in. Pinterest users are more open-minded and are more click-happy then they are on other platforms when it comes to saving and purchasing from pins, making it one of the best places to sell art online.

In addition to the user mindset being different on Pinterest than on other apps, the Pinterest algorithm works almost in direct contrast to Instagram algorithm. Instagram content has a short life-span, just a couple of days, like I previously mentioned. Pinterest’s content is evergreen. Meaning Pinterest won’t stop showing one of your pins to people just because it’s old. As long as people are still searching, liking, and engaging with a pin of yours, Pinterest is going to continue to serve it to users. In fact, some of your oldest Pinterest content may be the most successful because it’s been building up steam and rolling into a snowball of engagement over years.

And that’s the reason I want to scream from mountain tops to artists that if you’re not on Pinterest you’re missing a huge segment of your target market. You want to know one the best place to sell art online? Start by using Pinterest as a main part of your marketing strategy. People want to find your beautiful art! Pinterest personally drives over 60% of my website traffic and drives a ton of my online sales. Joining Pinterest and using it as a marketing platform is one of the best things I ever did for my business.

Join the Pinterest for Artists & Makers to get started rolling on your Pinterest marketing.