Summary: Nova Color’s step-by-step guide for artists to grow authentically on social media by focusing on the right platforms, creating value-driven content, and building genuine community connections, all without burning out or chasing trends.
Key points:
- Focus on 1-2 platforms where your audience already is.
- Post consistently. 3-4 times per week is more than enough.
- Share process content, stories, and tutorials to add value.
- Use scheduling tools to save time and reduce stress.
- Work with the algorithm using strong hooks and niche hashtags.
- Make it easy for followers to buy or commission your art.
- Build community through engagement, shoutouts, and collaborations.
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTock, Snapchat, Xiaohongshu, , Behance, Cara, X, and the list goes on and on. As of February 2025, Statista1 estimates there were roughly seventeen social media platforms for artists, with millions of active users. And for many of us, usually, there’s only one of us—a voice and vision in a sea of millions.
You pour your soul into your art, but do you often feel invisible online? Millions of artists, just like you, struggle with this. Growing a social media presence and following can feel like shouting into an empty hallway. This guide aims to help you cut through the noise, connect authentically, and use social media as an artist's tool to build your presence, community, and sales.
Let’s take a look at exactly what’s working right now, as of writing this, on the best social media for artists, and how you can turn passive scrolling into meaningful growth.
Step 1: Pick the Right Platforms for Your Style and Audience
If you’re currently trying to be everywhere all at once, you may quickly find yourself spinning your wheels toward a quick burnout. Focus your energy on where your audience is already looking for art.
The Best Social Media for Artists Currently:
Despite changes, Instagram remains the go-to for visual storytelling. Use the platform’s Reels, carousels, and behind-the-scenes posts to stay top-of-mind.
According to SocialInsider2, Reels are the most engaging content type, averaging a 0.55% engagement rate per post. Reels have an average engagement rate per post of 0.50%. What all that SEO jargon translates to is that Reels and Carousels drive more comments and the highest number of saves than other forms.
TikTok
It is still the current king of reach (Reach, in this case, refers to the number of unique individuals or households your content gets exposed to). Quick time-lapses, in-progress works, and “day in the life” content continue to thrive here. TikTok also provides a user-friendly interface and localized content, and it is extremely easy to share your content with others, even outside the platform.
Ideal for long-tail discovery (also called Long-Tail SEO, a technique for generating high-value organic website traffic), Pinterest remains a search powerhouse. It’s built for intent-driven discovery, where users actively seek visual inspiration.
YouTube Shorts
If you teach, explain, share tips and tricks, or do tutorials, YouTube shorts are gold for these and process breakdowns. YouTube shorts have increasingly appeared in Google search results, which provides a boost beyond the platform itself as well.
What does this all mean? It means that before you begin considering making social media posts, it’s important to choose the one that works for you and your audience. This helps prevent the rapid burnout of attempting to navigate multiple platforms with multiple different algorithms, which can be immensely time-consuming and frustrating to try to keep up with.
And let’s be honest—you most likely want to be making art, not positing about it, and your time is not infinite.
Step 2: Learning How to Build a Social Media Following
One of the biggest challenges and frustrations we hear from fellow artists is: I don’t want to change my style just to get views. The good news? You don’t have to.
Here’s how to grow on social media while staying true to your artistic voice:
Consistency Beats Virality
Pick a schedule that works for you and your time and energy levels. Consider posting 3-4 times a week to build trust. In some cases, some social media platforms will allow you to upload several pieces of content and schedule them to post, saving you from remembering to post on time. You need to stay visible, not viral.
Educate and/or Entertain
Timelapses, mistakes, short tutorials, and “how I made this” posts work well because they offer your audience value. This is not to suggest that your artwork does not, but offering value through content will foster long-term engagement and trust with your audience, which can lead to more effective and sustainable social media growth.
Use Storytelling
It doesn’t have to be prolific or a novel, but instead of posting a finished piece, adding tags, and hoping for the best, talk about what inspired you, what went wrong, and how you fixed it, or what went right. Speak on techniques, tips, or tricks that helped you through a rough section. Your audience wants to hear your story.
Engage
It may be unrealistic for your lifestyle to reply to every single comment, thank your followers, and interact with other artists, but do your best. Many social media platform algorithms reward engagement and relationships.
Step 3: Saving Time and Effort with Tools and Systems
No single artist’s life looks the same. Between painting, sculpting, preparing for shows or booth tables, packing orders, keeping up with the art supplies, and trying to navigate your daily life? That can be a lot for one single person. Here are some fantastic tools to consider playing with to help you stay consistent without sacrificing studio time:
Buffer – Free Plan available
Buffer presents itself as a social media scheduling toolkit, with a free plan. It allows you as an artist to schedule 10 posts per channel (up to 30 if you have the 3 channels), and much more. It is also designed to work across multiple social media platforms.
You can check out its free features here.
Planoly – Subscription Based
Planoly provides two products: a Creator Store and a Social Planner. The creator store assists in selling your art through your link in bio, while the Social Planner can assist in planning and posting your social posts.
Planoly, however, is not free and has different subscription payment tiers. You can explore what Planoly offers here.
Of course, there are hundreds of other free and paid social media tools you can use, but the most important thing is to find the one that works best for you and can help you batch-create content.
Nova Tip: Try batch-creating content on 1 day of the week, schedule it, and reclaim the rest of your week for art!
Step 4: Use the Algorithm Without Chasing the Newest Trend
Algorithms change constantly, but human psychology mostly doesn’t. Here’s how to stay visible even when the rules shift from day to week:
- Post engaging hooks early. Example: “Watch me ruin this canvas (and fix it later!) can stop a user in mid-scroll.
- Use the most relevant hashtags sparingly. Mix large (#acrylicpainting) with niche (#novacolorpaints).
- Share your process. Process content consistently outperforms static, finished pieces.
The above is how growing a social media following becomes sustainable, not dependent on trends, fads, or filters.
Step 5: Turning Your Followers into Collectors
If you’ve been actively posting and following all of the advice above, but still aren’t seeing sales? Here’s where to focus:
- Add a link-in-bio to your shop, website, or portfolio.
- Mention availability. “This piece is available—DM me for details!”
- Use highlights or pinned posts to showcase pieces for sale, commissions, or even FAQs.
Remember, people want to support artists—they just need to be reminded and nudged as to how.
Step 6: Build Your Community, Not Just a Following
You must give first for more shares, comments, and connections with people looking for your art and fellow artists. What do we mean by that?
- Shout out fellow artists you admire. Share other artists' work you love.
- Collaborate, if possible, or run fun challenges to inspire and encourage creativity
- Ask questions in your captions to spark more conversation
When you focus on building a community of artists and art admirers, the algorithm stops feeling like a fight and begins to work for you.
The Art of Staying Visible Without Losing Yourself
Social media should not feel like a second or third full-time job for artists. It should feel like an extension of your creative practice and a tool. By focusing on the right platforms, sharing purposefully, and building genuine relationships, you can grow your following without sacrificing your style, vision, or sanity.
No, it’s not always easy. But with the right mindset, thoughtful consideration of your time, energy, and a few strategic tools, you can thrive, not just survive, in your social space.
Don’t just grow a following, ignite a community to create alongside you. Find the colors that fuel artists nationwide and explore the Nova Color Collection now.
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