The artist and social media

We live in an incredible age of technology!  It is an age where you can post a blog post like this, and have no idea that the world is potentially reading your post.  It is an opportunity to express your craft, your interest, your work to the world through the simplicity of written word, and photography.  Wow.

Social media can be a force for good, or our utter destruction.  So here is my advice:

• Start a blog.  There are some great choices which are free!  I am a fan of wordpress because i have found it easy to write a post, insert pictures, and do what i need to customize the site.
• Sign up for Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and before you start promoting your business have content there… photos, information, education, whatever pertains to your business.
• Link them – When i post a blog post there is a link in linked in, and facebook.  When i post a picture on instagram it posts to facebook and twitter.  Keeping everyone informed, spreading the message to all of your followers is a good plan.
• Post routinely. Develop your audience by regular posts.  I use this blog to provide a flow of communications about the business, what we are up to, and what we are learning.
• Share updates on the business – keep your customers and audience informed of what is happening.  I just posted a short blurb about a new gallery that accepted our merchandise and quickly had 10 responses.  That was great feedback.
• Don;t just sell, sell, sell – offer other things.  In social media it is quite the turn off when every post is another shameless add for something one is selling.  I dont want to alienate my friends and customers.  Instead i would rather offer updates on what we are learning, which may help others.

Social media is such an important force in marketing.  Always remember who your audience is.  That is tricky because the whole world is potentially there at your electronic door.  So my advice is write like you are talking to a friend (in most cases this is true), be honest, and offer encouragement.

Why am i thinking about social media these days?  In my review of the electronic places i maintain i have discovered that this blog alone has received visitors from 81 countries this past year…. some places i would have never imagined.  What brought them?  I don’t know how to answer that… search words o n the search engine, maybe they picked up my business card, or maybe they stumbled on it.  Whatever the reason, i am more aware that the world is reading, watching, lurking around.  Thank you.