What's the real reason artists and photographers struggle to gain traction online?

Artists love hiding behind the canvas and photographers love hiding behind the lens. We know everything about what you create, but we know very little about who you are as a person. There’s no story, nothing real. The artist can no longer hide behind the canvas and the photographer can no longer hide behind the lens. Story is critically important. If you’re not putting yourself out there as a multi-dimensional human being—not just posting about your work, process, and finished pieces—you cannot get the engagement, likes, comments, and shares you need. People don’t bond with one-dimensional content; they bond with real humans.

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Asked by an artist wondering why they’re not gaining traction · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2026-02-09