Choosing A Social Media Channel to Promote my Art.

For some time I have been struggling as to how to best use Social Media to benefit my art promotion. By Social Media, particularly I mean: Facebook and Twitter; but also my Blog, my Website, and my opt-in email list.

For me, Facebook has been a mess. It is a very flexible tool, but as I have used it, it mixed family messages with my Art business messages. But recently Facebook has introduced its Fan Page which change the whole picture.

As a result I now have:

• My Website - which is a database of my recent paintings; a database of various articles that I have published designed for Art Collectors (potential Art Buyers of my paintings), and for Artists and others who are interested in how I create my paintings; and a database of older paintings which will soon be launched.

• My Blog - which I use to introduce new paintings; new articles of interest to Collectors and/or Artists; and occasional commentaries on Art related subjects.

• My Twitter - which are very short emails that go to self-selected followers of my twittering. I use Twitter to spread the word about new entries to my Blog; new events such as upcoming show openings; major changes to my website. Each brief twitter usually includes a website link to a longer message with more details.

• My new Facebook Fan Page - which I intend to be for longer writings about new paintings, website articles, new Blog entries, and discussions with other Art enthusiasts.

    One of the advantages of the Fan Page, is that a fan or follower of the page does not have to have their own Facebook listing. Like Twitter, such a person is a self-selected follower who gets to hear about my postings (usually by email messages), but may participate in writings and discussions on my Fan Page. Also, like Twitter followers, they may leave at anytime.

    At this time I have a mix of family, personal friends, and Art friends on my Facebook. I plan to invite each Art friend to join me on my Fan Page as a Fan, and for some, remove them as Friends from my regular Facebook page.

• My opt in email list - which I will continue, much as before, is for those who prefer this method of occasional communication. This list consist of people who have expressed interest in knowing of only the most important events of my Art life.

Now to invite people to follow my activities by one or more of these paths.