Brand yourself as an artist on Twitter

My teenagers were mortified to find me on Twitter. First blogging and now this! But don’t let yourself underestimate the power of social networking and microblogging services. Twitter is one of the fastest ways to build brand awareness for you and your art business.

What do I mean by brand? The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a “name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination thereof, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of others.” . sellers”.

A strong brand is invaluable and serves to communicate credibility to your potential customers and business partners. You want your brand to reside in the hearts and minds of your customers, collectors, prospects, and competitors. Twitter is the perfect place to start promoting yourself online. It’s true that some people use (or abuse) Twitter as a way to share their mundane lives with us. However, many smart minds share links, news, photos, websites, blog posts, videos, podcasts, and more. Finding and networking with like-minded people is a huge plus.

Here are some important branding tips to think about – add your suggestions by commenting below…

1. @Name: Your name is the first thing people will see on Twitter. Use the name you want to represent your artist brand. When I first started on Twitter, I just used my first name, but I quickly added the word ‘artist’ to the end of my name and quickly gained a following. It’s easier for people to associate me as an artist this way. Also, when people search for ‘artist’, my name comes up.

2. The Profile and Bio: Choose your profile wisely. This is a great opportunity to promote yourself on Twitter. These few words will tell the world a lot about who and what you are. Make it ‘catchy’, this description says a lot about you which helps people make a decision to follow you or not. A custom page is a great way to get noticed right away.

3. The profile photo: remember that you are building your artist brand. It is observed that most of the people relate and want to see a friendly face. If you’re not comfortable with this, choose a great image from your art that represents you and stands out.

4. Your website: Don’t forget to add your website to your profile. Make sure your portfolio is visible. Twitter will drive traffic to your site.

5. Best time of day to tweet:

12:00 midnight – 4:00 am PST: up to 6 tweets per hour 12:00 midnight – 2:00 am PST: 3 tweets per hour 8:00 am – 12:00 noon PST: up to 8 tweets per hour 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm PST: up to 6 tweets per hour 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm PST: 2 – 3 tweets per hour 8:00 pm – 12:00 midnight PST: approximately 1 – 2 tweets for hours

6. Be a Good Follower – Next, follow the people and organizations that could help you in your artistic career and are of value to your business. I suggest you follow galleries, museums, collectors, art coaches, fellow artists, and others you’d like to see. Don’t underestimate the average Joe or newbie Tweeter…he could be your next great collector! It’s good to learn how to be a better follower as well as follow interesting people from all walks of life.

7. The Tweet: Tweet, retweet, or post high-quality content that adds value to your followers. Remember, this is microblogging. People are looking for something of value to read and share or “retweet” with their followers.

On Twitter, I will sometimes share a photo using Twitpic to post a new painting finished or in progress. This is a great way to get feedback and build interest in your work.

I like to share my favorite quotes, insights and art tips. And, at the end of each Tweeting session, I leave a ‘tweet’ that has something of value to share.

Please be aware of what personal information, links, resources, and promotional materials you plan to post.

I read somewhere that a good rule of thumb for tweeting is: one personal tweet for every 10 informational tweets. Sometimes it’s tempting to get something off your chest or share some exciting news like I did when I taught an outdoor workshop in France or when a black bear leaped in front of me on a dark trail. A little bit of it goes a long way, but it also shows you a real human side.

Also, tweet frequently to build a following and brand awareness. This way, you can grow a small community of people with similar interests and who recognize your name and brand. With that being said, don’t bombard Twitter with numerous tweets and updates. You’ll find what works for you… and your followers will let you know if they don’t like it.

8. The Retweet/RT @: Re-tweeting is a great way to get the attention of an art organization, gallery, or someone you’d like to ‘follow’ you. The re-tweet shares valuable information with other like-minded people.

9. Etiquette: Don’t forget to thank people for Re-tweeting or replying to your ‘tweet’. Oh and don’t worry if you lose a follower or two… this happens every day and it’s the name of the game.

Be a human being, not a marketing drone. Otherwise, you’ll be considered a spammer if you consistently send direct messages to your URL or product line.

And finally…….

10. The golden rule of Twitter: “Tweet to others the way you want to be tweeted back.”