Outlined here are some ways to promote your work online. You certainly don’t need to use all of these services and the list is in no way exhaustive, but getting the right combination of one or two of them can help you find a bigger network and get more support to continue doing the things you love.
Twitter is a great place for freelancers and artists, it’s the new water cooler and can be a fun way to build online relationships that could open your business network. Some people use it just to promote their own work, but really it’s about finding people you respect and building relationships. Read Twitter’s guide for business to find out more about how businesses successfully use Twitter.
Facebook can be used by both individuals or businesses. We suggest setting up a Page for your business and keeping all business related updates there and your personal updates on your profile. Facebook Pages are a great way to keep people informed about your business and are less intrusive than launching an email campaign. Also, if someone in your network “likes” or comments on your Page, then their network in turn will see their activity. This makes it easy to spread your content through people you already know. Find your core group of supporters and ask them to Like your Page.
BÄ“hance
BÄ“hance.net is an online community specifically made for artists and creative types. You have to apply to become a part of the network, but once you are in, the benefits are immeasurable. You can build a network with other artists, you can upload your best pieces and host a portfolio, you can get a lot of exposure and it’s all free!
Now that LinkedIn has teamed up with BÄ“hance, it creates a perfect opportunity for artists to display their work from their BÄ“hance profile on Linkedin. You only have to maintain the portfolio on BÄ“hance, but can push it out to your network on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great place to get professional connections and recommendations.
Google Alerts
While not a social network, Google Alerts allows you to monitor online activity regarding your brand. You can set it up to send you an email once a day with all of the mentions of your brand name that Google found on the web that day. It’s a good way to be able to thank bloggers for mentioning your work, or to address an issue with a potentially unhappy customer. People are going to talk about you online, it’s best to stay two steps ahead and be able to address the positive and negative feedback as it comes along.
This is the third and final installment of our Online Portfolios for Artist Series, read Part 1: Inspiration or Part 2: Building your Portfolio Online.
