Why isn't my social media working to sell my art?

Most artists fail on social media because they treat it like an ‘art gatling gun’—constantly posting image after image of their work, different angles, studio shots, works in progress, with little to no personal content. This approach never works because social media is meant to be a conversation. Think about how you’d behave at a gallery opening: you’d introduce yourself, have normal conversations about where you’re from, your interests, your creative journey. You’d build a relationship before discussing the work. On social media, if people can’t get to know, like, and trust you as a person, they won’t buy from you. Your art posts are actually the commercials—and no one watches a channel that’s only commercials. You need to create ‘programming’ (personal content, stories, behind-the-scenes of your life) to earn the right to show those commercials. The algorithm isn’t rigged against artists; it’s simply a proxy for whether you’re interesting as a human being. Share who you are, not just what you make.

---

Asked by artists struggling with social media · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-06-22