Do you remember the time when all the art content you need is at the tip of your fingers? Only that they aren't on apps but websites like Deviantart? A more recent example would be Tumblr until they started banning portrayals of sex acts, showing of genitalia, and "female-presenting” nipples. I wouldn't say that these days are long gone, instead, the internet has evolved into something that has greatly impacted the way we experience art. The fact that you're reading this article means that you're a part of the evolution and you'll continuously be a part of it whether you like it or not because for artists, social media is not your enemy here. It's a part of your world now and what better way to coexist with it than to utilize it and we'll show you how.
There could be a bunch of reasons why you refuse to put your work out there. We can talk about it one by one and understand how we can find a solution to your troubles. Because no matter how you put it, the smartest, most ideal way to reach a wide set of audiences, interact with them first hard, and share a part of yourself or your work without any filter would be through a social media account personally managed by you.
"It's not my type of game."
A lot of artists feel that social media simply isn't the right platform to experience art and that's partly true. While a lot of public or net art is mainly for social media consumption, a lot of works need to be seen personally to understand every bit of its essence. But it should also be known that social media is not simply a huge show and tell. It's a platform that allows you to share; it's not an obligation. If you believe that Instagram is not the right platform to view your works, then a glimpse of it might help. Give your audience a sneak peek into your works, your creative process, or your adventures. Lead them to where they can fully immerse themselves into your works. It may not be your type of game but it could be your audience's.
“[F]or artists, social media is not your enemy here. It's a part of your world now and what better way to coexist with it than to utilize it.”
Not every artist may be as sociable as others too and there can't be a better place to be yourself than social media. Branding is everything and for you to be yourself is already a brand fo it's own. True fans of you and your work would not mind the timid personality of the quiet presence you provide but appreciate your authenticity instead. It's something rare in the age of social media and something that people truly value once they see it.
Some artists also feel "too old" to be using social media but you'd be surprised how many older people can navigate through Facebook newsfeeds and Instagram discover feeds, some even still hit that Tweet button every once in a while. But you're not alone in finding a platform a little too intimidating that's why you should never hesitate in asking for help. There are a lot of people who would keen on helping you learn the ins and outs of social media. The only age limit these platforms have is that you should "at least be 13" not "at most 80".
"I don't have time for it."
Most artists would rather spend their time creating than sharing. There's a lot of truth to that. There is nothing wrong with wanting to spend more time on their craft that is why there are a bunch of tools that could help you plan your social media content beforehand and even schedule your posts ahead. The key is to balance the creative work and marketing work.
With this kind of thinking comes the part where people think that social media is a useless tool, but not all tools are created equal. You may not find its value or relevance now but even traditional media bows to what social media can do. Everyone seems to be asking for a follow, subscribe, share, and "don't forget to smash that like button" and it's all because we now live in an age where social media has become a free alternative to sharing. There's no social media regulatory board; you're always free to share what you want.
"My works will be in danger of being copied."
While it's true that everything you upload on the internet remains there for as long as plastics will remain on this earth, there are a lot of ways where you can avoid people copying or using your work without permission. You can license them under Creative Commons or add watermarks that would help people identify the work as your own. Make it so unique people wouldn't be able to edit your watermark out of it. Not to mention, today's copyright laws are being of help to a lot of artists remain protected even on the world wide web.