How can visual artists effectively use their online presence for self-marketing?

This qualitative research discusses artists’ use of their online presence for self-marketing. Marketing in the arts has developed from an application of classical marketing theory to a separate discipline. In the context of arts marketing, specific focus can be set on the entrepreneurial artist who is typically combining his creative profession with managerial tasks such as self-marketing. These entrepreneurial artists are expected to demonstrate high levels of professionalism and face various challenges related to an increasing market orientation. As online channels are gaining more and more importance in all parts of today’s arts market, the aim of this research is the discovery of their importance for the individual artists’ marketing practice and the formulation of practical implications. This can be summarized in the overall research question How can visual artists effectively use their online presence for self-marketing? In order to answer the research question, data has been collected in 17 interviews with visual artists as well as several intermediaries and analyzed in a qualitative manner. The results show an overall professional approach towards self-marketing, including the commercialism often connected to it in the arts. The use of online channels such as personal website, social media and third-party publications is used as a costeffective tool for promotion or even sales in most artists’ marketing activities. Nevertheless, also this type of marketing requires specific skills and especially time, which can be difficult to combine with the creative work. Despite the awareness that self-marketing is a necessity of the profession and even expected to some extent, the findings show how much the enthusiasm towards and investment into (online) selfmarketing can differ between individual artists. As possible explanations for those different approaches, goals and personality are discussed. Concluding, not one winning formula for the most effective use of an artist’s online presence for their marketing can be given. Rather, it should be determined individually based on several factors such as the personal marketing orientation, the type of art, goals and personality.