Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn for Artists: 5 Reasons Artists Must Be on LinkedIn

Are you an artist looking to enhance your online presence, build your audience, and connect with potential clients or collaborators? Name an artist who isn’t – right?

But you and I both know that navigating the vast world of social media is almost as challenging as navigating the art world itself!

While Instagram and Facebook may be the go-to platforms for artists right now, there’s another place that’s often overlooked: LinkedIn.

I’ve been using Linked In for years and have been surprised by its powerful results. In fact, I’ve had such success that LinkedIn has named me as an “Influencer in the Contemporary Art World.”

I was honored by the reward and I’m going to share with you what I’ve learned about Best LinkedIn Practices for Artists.

Before I dive in, let’s look at some reasons why an artist might want to engage on LinkedIn.

What are the potentials?

1. Get Eyes on Work

Sharing your work and actively participating in the platform can expand your online reach, connecting you with a broader community of art lovers, potential buyers, and even collaborators.

But isn’t that the point of all social media platforms?

Yes, but where other platforms are so crowded with artists (I’m looking at you, Instagram), LinkedIn offers a great opportunity to be found. And the conversations are different on LinkedIn. More on that later…

2. Your People Are Here

Many artists tell me that they want to sell their work to corporate professionals but don’t know where to find them.

If you’re an artist whose target audience has a profession outside of art, this could be a great place to start making those connections.

Not only that, but LinkedIn provides a platform to network with professionals in the art and creative industries too. These are conversations that could potentially lead to collaborations, representations, exhibitions, commissions, and other opportunities.

3. Attract Professional Relationships

With an engaging profile that acts as both a portfolio and a CV, you can showcase your creative brand. And with consistent, targeted, and thoughtful posting you can attract clients instead of having to hunt them down.

For those artists who tell me that they “don’t like to promote themselves,” LinkedIn is perfect. We have more professional conversations here and you can post about a variety of subjects that would interest your target audience.

4. Find New Opportunities

Art gallerists and curators often use LinkedIn for professional reasons. So do interior designers. These are professional connections that may lead to new opportunities to show your work. It’s a way to get your work seen.

It’s also an opportunity to see what they’re sharing and to learn more about them.

5. Professional Growth

Staying updated with the latest trends and conversations in the art world nurtures your professional growth as well as your creativity. Insights from other artists and from mentors can help you advance.

If art is your work, you have to take it seriously.

So you’ve just learned 5 reasons why I believe that LinkedIn is a relevant platform for many working artists. In a few days, I’m going to share My 7 Best Tips for Optimizing Your LinkedIn Page.

This is where I walk you through LinkedIn success, step-by-step, so be sure to read it.

Now, I will leave you with a challenge. Are you ready to accept The LinkedIn Challenge?

To start, you will:

1. Create a LinkedIn account if you don’t have one.

2. If you do have a LinkedIn account, take a few minutes to view your profile. You don’t have to make any big changes right now. In a few days, I’ll send you a blueprint to get started so it shines.

3. Set your timer for 5 or 10 minutes and look around LinkedIn. See who’s there and what they’re posting. You don’t have to engage if you don’t want to. Just dip in to see what’s really happening there.

4. If you want extra credit, you can visit my LinkedIn profile.

If we’ve worked together and you have something to say about the experience, kindly leave me a review in the REVIEW section of my profile. You’ll not only get extra credit, but you will surely go to heaven.

Listen, while it may not be the conventional choice for artists, LinkedIn can provide distinct advantages that are often underused. I know from personal experience that there’s the possibility to achieve real results on LinkedIn for artists who invest their time on the platform.

Watch this space for the next instalment: My 7 Best Tips for Optimizing Your LinkedIn Page: A Tutorial for Artists

Yours in the Quest,

Crista

PS. Start date for The Working Artist Vision Quest is November 5th. There’s a space left. If you wonder if that space is for you, let’s talk. I’m curious to know where you’re at and where you want to be.

Book a free call from the link in The Vision Quest page.

Written by Crista Cloutier, artist mentor + founder of The Working Artist. (learn more about Crista here)