Attract attention (on social media) with this tip

GAIN AND KEEP A SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING

It can be easy for you to gain — and most importantly KEEP — the attention of anyone who lands on your profile. How does this work? Simple. In this post we’ll talk about art style: what an art style is, how it attracts attention, and what you can do to grow a larger social media following.

WHAT AN ART STYLE IS

An art style is how your art looks — it’s the vibe or aesthetic. An art style is created by choices you consistently make in your artwork. 

Line and shape, color palette, subject matter, composition, and texture all play a role. These are the 5 key elements of art style.

If you paint with thick outlines consistently in your work, that’s part of your style. 

If you never use the color gray, that’s part of your style.

If you always include text in your work, that’s part of your style. 

If everything is consistently blurry, that’s part of your style.

You can usually describe a style the same way you’d describe an aesthetic. 

Different art styles will incite a different mood, vibe, or theme. They will also attract different types of people. If you make bright, cheery, digital rainbow art with motivational quotes in them, you’ll have a very different audience than someone who makes dark and moody oil portraits. What you put out is what you’ll get back. How do you want people to feel when they see your work? Who do you want your audience to be?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT

In my post Start an Art Account on Instagram, I discuss how 70% of your posts on social media should be of your art. This is to showcase what you do (make art) and how you do it (art style, aesthetic, brand). 

When someone lands on your page, you have less than 3 seconds to make an impression. What do they immediately see? Is it your art, looking put together with a unified style? Or is it a bunch of dog pictures, family vacations, and food?

Sometimes all it takes is one look at an artist’s profile to fall in love with their work. I’ll smash the follow button in 2 seconds flat if I’m impressed with someone’s illustration style in those first 9 squares. This is what a great art style and posting mostly art photos will get you. 

Getting the initial follow, sign up, or positive in person experience is the most important part. That means they are interested in your work (usually) and want to know more.

BRAND RECOGNITION KEEPS ATTENTION

When someone’s art makes an impression on you, you follow them online. But that doesn’t guarantee you won’t forget about them by the next day. Brand recognition is what it’s called when people remember you and could pick your work out of a lineup of other artwork.

You want your social media following to be able to recognize your work before they see your name attached to it. Being able to be recognized by someone because they’re familiar with your work is the key to keeping attention of potential buyers. 

This is where an art style comes in to play.

When your artwork looks unified, consistent, and has a general theme or aesthetic to it, people can more easily recognize it.

For example, think of a time you met someone new. You had a conversation with them. Their voice sounds a certain way, their hair is a certain color, their face a certain shape. If you run into them a few weeks later and they sound, look, and act different, you won’t recognize them or remember their name. If they sound, look, and act similar, you’ll recognize them. It’s the same with the work you produce.

Consistent art style helps people remember you and it also keeps their attention. They followed you online because they liked what you were making. If you switch it up too much, they may lose interest. Of course you’ll gain different people to be interested in your work, but once you switch it up again, they won’t stick around either.

Consistency in style allows for brand recognition and committed followers.

DON’T GHOST EVERYONE — POST REGULARLY

Posting regularly is a key component of art style, brand recognition and sustaining a following. If you only have one piece of art, is it really a consistent art style? If you never post, how can you expect people to remember you? It’s like having a “friend” that you lost touch with 3 years ago. You’re not friends. So post regularly! 

How much is enough? It depends. Post at least once a week. Daily posts would be best. 

But if you’re like me, you connect with your audience in ways outside of social media as well. I have an email list, connections in person at art shows, and when people buy from me I get to send them things in the mail. I don’t post once a day because I speak to my audience daily in other ways. 

If daily posts sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. Most artists can’t churn work out that fast. Same. If that’s the case, post process videos, photos of you with a story about artist life, throwback to old drawings, and close-up shots of recent work. Get creative. 

You want to show off your art and your art style as often as possible to increase brand recognition. Frequency matters.

LET PEOPLE GET TO KNOW YOU

Your art style says a lot about you. The more people see your artwork, the more they’ll get to know you.

Each element of style reveals a different aspect of you. The colors you choose, the subject matter you paint, the sharp jagged lines in your drawing — they all say something about your personality. When I painted the Conservatory on Belle Isle in Michigan, my social media following could guess that I went there and liked it. When I painted a bunch of witchy, astrology-based designs, people could guess that I know my zodiac signs.

Getting to know the artist through their work is a good thing.

People buy from people. They’ll love your aesthetic, remember who you are, and once you become familiar, they’ll feel comfortable keeping in touch.

Consistent style and consistent posting creates trust. I mean, you wouldn’t want someone to describe you as “inconsistent,” right? That sounds pretty negative. I want my friends to feel like they know what I would do, consistent with what I’ve done in the past. When I show up late, they’re not worried. I always show up late. When you draw zombies and skeletons, no one will be surprised. You always draw spooky stuff.

When people can trust you’ll create work consistent with your style, they’ll be more likely to follow you and stay up to date on what you make.

Building a relationship by letting people get to know you is gold when retaining customers and followers. 

BECOME TOP OF MIND ONLINE

When people check their social media, there’s usually a few specific people they’re looking forward to seeing posts from. Be one of those people.

Whether it’s because your artwork always inspires them, because you always include a motivational quote with your paintings, maybe you always express that same feeling they feel and they want that sense of connection — be that person they look forward to seeing.

This “top of mind” quality is a form of connection and expectation that comes with consistent art style, trust, and showing up regularly. When you’re top of mind, followers check up on your progress and are continuously interested in what you create. 

Your social media following will think of you when they log on.

This goes beyond getting the follow, developing brand recognition, forming relationships, and goes into the realm of habit and expectation. They’re in the habit of seeing your artwork online, and they expect you to show up. If you were to take a vacation offline, they’d notice and miss you. This is a dedicated following that pays attention. You live rent free in their head!

When your art style is solid and you show up consistently, people will think of you in certain situations. I’ve had people send me other artwork and say, “this reminds me of your work!” because my art style is similar to that person’s. This is amazing!!! It means when people see certain things, it reminds them of me. 

Being top of mind is more than being thought of online, though. 

People will think of you for specific opportunities. Art shows you’d fit into based on your art style, people you’d like to meet, and gifts you could create for their loved ones that fit your vibe. This can bring you sales, commission requests, and opportunities to work on special projects.

ART STYLE IS THE KEY TO ARTIST SUCCESS

Art style helps get attention, keep attention, gain trust, build relationships, attract opportunities, make money and create a lifestyle you love.

If you’re ready to move forward with creating a signature art style of your own, you’re in the right place 🙂

Elements of Art Style is an online course that will guide you through transforming your artwork into masterpieces with a unified look, step-by-step. Your portfolio will be remarkable. Your confidence in what you can make will skyrocket.

When I created my art style, I fell in love with artmaking again. My creative process was streamlined and art became therapeutic. My social media following became more dedicated, I built community around my artwork and interest, and the work I attracted fit my aesthetic.

Creating a consistent art style was a game changer for my business.

Sign up for Elements of Art Style today and transform your style in just a few short weeks for $222! Doors are only open for a limited time. Learn more about the course here.