Resource ThursdaysSocial Media Tips for Artists

Presented by:

For more information and to follow our blog, visit: http://art-spark.org/

Pinterest 7/13/20131. Post images, videos, and snapshots/stills of your work. 2. All images and videos should link back to your website.3. Be personable – show your customers what inspires you.4. Use captions (with keywords).5. Organize your images/pins into boards.

For the video, visit: http://bit.ly/JsLh8x

6. Link your Pinterest account back to your other social media platforms.7. Consider what your target audience will find interesting.8. Find content from other websites and blogs to pin.9. Pin a couple times a day.10. Comment on other pins.11. Follow other pinners.12. Accept invitations to pin on group boards or start your own one.13. Use the widget-builder to add a Pinterest button to your website.14. Visit MarketingProfs for interesting statistics that you can use to your advantage when pinning.

For the full image: http://bit.ly/12ebizC

LinkedIn Tips 6/27/20131. Complete your profile.2. Make connections.3. Create a customized URL.4. Tell your story.5. Request recommendations.6. Join groups.7. Use key words.8. Use LinkedIn’s “Answers” section to ask a question.9. Look at “Who’s Viewed your Profile” under your home page. 10. Post an update every few days.11. Increase your work's exposure via: the “projects” option, a website and/or social media platform URL, & “publications” option.12. Make your profile public.

Google+ Tips 6/20/2013View Google+ videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/googleplusupdates 1. Have your profile

picture reflect what you do as an artist. 2. The background graphic is much larger than that of Twitter or Facebook, so use the space wisely, such as a collage of your work.3. Have your profile name be your name then your occupation, and

always make sure that your profile name is consistent across all your platforms.4. Use “hangouts” to talk about topics with other professionals in your field. 5. Create a circle for individuals that you trust to provide you with quick feedback on a work in progress.6. Archive images (and videos) of your work in a photo album. 7. Have your tagline describe what you do, but keep it short.8. Consider making a Google+ page for your work.9. Look at other artists’ profiles on Google+ to get ideas.

Social Media in 2013 6/13/2013

For the full image: http://bit.ly/UUWUbz

1. A quarter of users check their Facebook pages more than 5x a day.2. Consumers are marketing on behalf of businesses via Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.3. Facebook and Twitter are still the two leaders of social media.4. Google+ is continuing to rise in popularity.5. Another growing platform is Instagram.6. Providing a price with your pin on Pinterest is appreciated as it will likely result in more re-pins.

Swarmtag 5/16/2013

For more info, visit: http://swarmtag.com/

As a designer, you can submit your designs. As a person or company looking for quality design elements (e.g., a logo, graphics for a website), you can purchase winning designs. Plus a cut of every sale goes to the artist (as it should…).

There’s also an online community for designers to connect with each other (including a “swarmwall” of members), plus ongoing design challenges.

Nonprofit Study 3/27/2013

For the full image: http://bit.ly/10L6z65

1. Online revenue for nonprofits is growing.2. Monthly giving is WAY UP (+43%).3. Social media presence for organizations has increased dramatically4. Facebook continues to be the larger social media presence.5. Email response rates and click through rates were down, and even more so for fundraising.

Crowdfunding for Nonprofits 3/21/2013

For the full image: http://bit.ly/UGAPge

1. A crowdfunding campaign is like a political campaign,2. Crowdfunding is NOT a sustainable way to keep $$ flowing to you/your organization. 3. Crowdfunding campaigns need others’ help, and A LOT of it. 4. Crowdfunding demands that you ask everyone and anyone for $$.5. Remember that crowdfunding is only one part of keeping you/your organization afloat. Think broadly and strategically about fundraising, including both online and in-person strategies.6. READ about crowdfunding – there are lots of resources online, including many testaments from people who have tried it, both succeeding and failing. Learn from their successes and failures.

Content Marketing 3/14/2013

For the full image: http://bit.ly/13xLoNo & http://www.gailperry.com/

What makes this infographic a favorite?

-Visual clarity -Nice clean design -The right amount of data (not too much, not too little) -Icons (recognizable) -Color -Minimal scrolling

I actually really LOVE this infographic because it succinctly describes the social media process from beginning to end (including that it’s a repeating cycle), AND also simplifies what many people believe is a very onerous process.

Free Visual Images 3/7/2013

For the more images, visit: http://www.vectors1.com/freebies/

Two of ArtSpark’s favorite treasure troves for free visual images:1. Flick.com images with a Creative Common license. Do an “advanced search” and scroll down to the Creative Commons area.2. Vector Graphics: There are lots of “vector graphic sets” out there that can be used in myriad ways, including making digital art. Some vector sets cost $$ to use, while others are FREE.

For info copyrights, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/

Social Media & Raising Funds 2/28/2013

For more info, visit: http://charityhowto.com/blog/?p=3852 & http://bit.ly/1bjOCon

1. Beth Kanter’s slides from a webinar by charityhowto.com this morning on “Simple Steps for Measuring Social Media Results” – Beth’s take on measuring the impact of social media for nonprofits is unparalleled, IMO, and the suggestions are equally sound for artists. Really liked her “crawl, walk, run, fly” approach.2. Post by Stephanie Bleyer on Creative Capital‘s blog: “How to Raise Funds for Your Socially Engaged Project, Part 3: Funding from Other Sources.” Stephanie also gets it from an artist perspective since she’s a filmmaker. Especially enjoyed her take on crowdfunding (she doesn’t like it because it takes so much time) and her suggestion to check out grantmaker affinity groups.