How To Sell Art Online And Make Money In 2024 – Forbes Advisor UK

Whether you’re a professional or an experimental artist, the good news is there are more opportunities than ever to share and sell your art online.

Platforms for selling your work as an independent artist online include Etsy, Zazzle, and Instagram, not to mention directly through your own online store. We outline how to go about sell your art online to make money in 2024.

1. Decide what art to sell (and how to sell it)

There are a number of options to sell art online, and knowing what you’re going to sell and the medium through which you will sell it, is an important first step in the process.

You can sell your original artwork (which typically involves a higher price) but also digital files or prints to make money over and over again with one piece. Additionally, you can also make money selling other artists’ work online if you build a network of suppliers and an online platform on which to sell it. Here’s more on both options.

Sell original art

If you’re a painter or work with charcoal or other specialised materials, you could sell original artwork. This would be an exciting item for anyone to buy because people love to have bespoke artwork to decorate their spaces. You might want to price these items higher because they are individually created.

Sell copies, prints or digital files

If you work with digital art or are interested in leveraging your time by selling copies of your original photography or art, you can sell prints of your work in various sizes. While prints and digital files typically sell for less money than originals, they do present artists with a means of repeatedly making money with the same single piece of artwork.

Additionally, you could print your creations on t-shirts or mugs or even notebooks which can make great gifts. This approach also means no overheads as items are only created when someone places an order. You can even set up an on-demand service whereby orders are automatically printed and shipped every time you land a sale.

Sell other artists’ work

If selling your own art takes off, you can start hosting other artists in your online store as well. This would provide more variety for your customers and allow you to support other up-and-coming artists.

The approach is ideal for those who have large networks of fellow artists and those with marketing skills, as both will be key in getting traffic to your website.

With this in mind, consider your brand, or the type of brand you want to build. This will help you stay on track, and produce the right types of art that reinforces your brand and helps you go in the right direction.

2. Register your business

Before you start selling and making income from your artwork, it’s important to have all of your paperwork in order. Once you’ve settled on a business name, you’ll need to register your business with HMRC (the UK’s tax office).

If, like most start-ups, you are setting out as a sole trader you’re required by law to pay tax through the self-assessment tax system. This means you must file a tax return every year to notify HMRC of your earnings.

To do this you must first register for self-assessment. It’s important to be aware that as a sole trader you are personally liable for any business debts.

3. Choose your sales channels

Next, decide where you want to sell art. There are various e-commerce platforms that make selling incredibly easy, from Amazon to Getty Images. However, the sales channels that are right for you will depend on which type of art you are selling.

For example, a photographer might sell via Getty or Unsplash, whereas, a graphic artist might sell via Zazzle or Fiverr.

Here are some of the most popular platforms for selling art online:

• Direct: All art sellers are advised to create their own website to sell their products directly. Learn more about how to start an online store
• Art To Art: An online platform where you can list and sell your artwork online
• LettsArt: A website for more professional artists to sell original work
• Etsy: Sell all types of customised art, including original and digital work
• Amazon: Sell wall art prints. Or connect with buyers who value handmade goods by selling originals via Amazon Handmade
• Zazzle: Sell your art and graphic designs on products such as t-shirts, hats and mugs
• Art Gallery: Sell wall art, home decor, paintings and even creative clothing
• Social media: Sell via Facebook Marketplace and Instagram by leveraging and building on your current followers.
• Getty Images: Photographers, videographers and graphic designers can sell images online and earn a monthly commission for their work.

Generally, the more channels you sell on, the more exposure your art gets. And, with that, the more sales you have the potential to receive. Of course, you’ll need to factor in any listing costs charged by the website as well as set-up expenses and taxes. More on this below.

4. Determine pricing

Putting a price on your artwork is tricky. But it’s important to get it right and there are several factors to take into account.

If you’re producing original pieces of art to sell, you should consider pricing those higher because so much of your work went into the creation.

Pricing your products higher can also help to keep shipping costs down for the customer. This is important as high shipping costs can dissuade potential customers from making a purchase.

If you’re selling digital prints and reproductions printed on items, you might want to keep costs down to get your products out to more customers. After you build a customer base, you can start to raise prices and consider special offers and shorter runs to incentivise your products as collectibles.

5. Market your online art store

After establishing a presence online, whether that’s through your own online store or seller accounts through marketplaces such as Etsy, it’s time to begin marketing your art so that it reaches people who are looking for the types of artwork you sell.

For example, if you’re selling on Amazon or Etsy, you could use ads to promote your listings. Or, use social media to connect with people who are interested in your type of art, whether that’s through Facebook Groups, Facebook Marketplace or Instagram.

Here are the leading ways to market your art online:

• Optimise your website to help you rank in search engines (SEO)
• Promote your listings
• Try pay-per-click ads
• Join relevant Facebook Groups
• Create a Facebook Store
• Build other social profiles (e.g., Instagram, Pinterest)
• Use content marketing to bolster SEO efforts
• Use your existing network to promote your art
• Connect with other artists to collaborate on a project.

Like choosing your sales channels, it is generally advisable to market your art in multiple ways. This will help you reach a larger audience and drive more sales.