How You Can Make Money As An Artist Without An Audience

Summary

In this video, Mimi discusses strategies for artists to earn income online without a large social media following. She emphasizes the power of an online audience for sales and brand partnerships. Mimi suggests focusing on platforms with search engines like Etsy, and using SEO and marketing to reach potential customers. She also highlights the importance of making a strong first impression through quality photos and descriptions. The video is sponsored by Skillshare, an online learning platform that can help artists learn necessary business skills.

Takeaways

• 🎨 **Creating Art Online**: You can earn income from your art without a large social media following by focusing on platforms where your target audience can find you.
• 🌐 **Growing an Audience**: Building an online community is powerful for earning income and fulfilling, but it takes time; consider earning while growing your audience.
• 📈 **Audience Value**: An engaged online audience is valuable for selling products, securing sponsorships, and brand partnerships.
• 🔍 **Searchability**: Focus on platforms with search engines like Etsy, Google, and Pinterest to increase the chances of being found by potential customers.
• 🛍️ **Etsy for Artists**: Etsy is highlighted as a marketplace with a built-in search engine, ideal for artists to sell their work.
• 📸 **Quality Photos**: High-quality photos are crucial for showcasing your art and products, even for digital offerings.
• 🔗 **Building Trust**: Establish trust with new customers quickly through professional presentation, clear communication, and a strong first impression.
• 📝 **SEO Importance**: Implement SEO strategies to improve discoverability and increase the chances of being found by search engines.
• 📈 **Content Marketing**: Use content marketing to provide value to customers and direct them to your products or services.
• 💡 **Skillshare**: Skillshare is recommended as a resource for learning business and creative skills to enhance your art career.
• 🚀 **Two Approaches**: You can either build an audience first and then sell to them or sell immediately and focus on being found through search engines and marketing.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to discuss how artists can earn money online without already having a large audience on social media.

What is the significance of having an online audience for artists?

Having an online audience is significant for artists because it allows them to market their products or services directly to a group of people who may be interested in purchasing them, as well as increasing their value to brands for sponsorships and partnerships.

What does the video suggest for artists who want to start earning before building an audience?

The video suggests that artists who want to start earning before building an audience should focus on platforms that allow their target audience to search for what they're offering, such as Etsy, print-on-demand sites, YouTube, Google, and Pinterest.

What is the role of SEO in selling art products online?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plays a crucial role in helping artists' products get found by using the best possible words or phrases that people use to search for things, maximizing the chances of being discovered by potential customers.

Why are good photos important when selling art online?

Good photos are important because they can quickly catch the interest of potential customers, show the quality of the product, and build trust, especially when selling to new customers.

What is the benefit of content marketing for artists?

Content marketing benefits artists by creating free content that provides value to customers and then directing them to the artist's products or services, helping to build trust and a relationship with the customer.

How does Skillshare relate to the topic of the video?

Skillshare is mentioned as a resource where artists can learn new skills and business strategies, such as SEO, to improve their online presence and income opportunities.

What are the two main approaches to earning an income as an artist discussed in the video?

The two main approaches discussed are: 1) Building an audience first and then selling valuable products or services to them, or getting paid for content views or brand sponsorships; 2) Starting to sell straight away and focusing on being found through online search engines and marketing.

What does the video suggest about the importance of first impressions when selling to new customers?

The video emphasizes that first impressions are crucial when selling to new customers, as it's important to quickly establish trust and interest through elements like photo quality, titles, and website design.

How does the video suggest artists can grow their audience while also making money?

The video suggests that artists can grow their audience on the side while making money by slowly building a community on social media platforms, which can eventually lead to more income opportunities.

What is the host's personal experience with earning a full-time income as an artist?

The host took a slow approach to earning a full-time illustration income by first building an audience, which then brought most of the income opportunities. This approach worked for her due to living cheaply and initially focusing on improving her art skills.