Should I invest in paid opportunities like magazine features or curated art showcases?

It depends on the credibility of the opportunity and your current business stage. If it’s a well-respected, high-profile publication or platform (like a major home and design magazine), the investment can be worth it for the credibility, exposure, and engagement it generates. One artist paid for a feature in a prestigious magazine and saw immediate, significant engagement on social media, leading to a major commission that covered months of expenses. The key is that the feature provided social proof and validation that resonated with their audience. Before committing, consider: Is this publication or platform respected in your niche? Will it reach your target audience? Can you leverage it in your marketing afterward? If yes, and you have the budget, it can be a smart investment. If it’s a lesser-known or pay-to-play scheme with no real audience, skip it.

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Asked by an artist considering a paid magazine feature · Answered by Hava Gurevich and Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-06-28