Why Social Media Is the New Gallery
 

The below article brings another meaning to the term digital marketing.  The fact that artists can share their work and market their services via social media and individual websites is changing the idea of a "starving artist".  While I admit social media can be an effective networking tool as well as a convenient way to keep up with friends and acquaintances, the prevalence of it in today's society sometimes irks me.  Visual artists and people with marketable skills using the social media platform to advertise their work and services is a great example of a benefit of social media. 

 

Industries such as the culinary arts, visual arts and other service providing industries are using social media platforms more and more as a means to promote a skill or talent.  As a result, there seem to be more of these types of artists popping up around the world, regardless of their ultimate success, many people are trying their hand at a marketable talent-based personal business.  I have a few friends who are visual artists, such as painters as well as illustrators, and they have fully taken advantage of creating a platform to share their work on social media.  One artist has been contacted to do logo work for small startup companies, while another has been asked to commission a drawing for a friend's tattoo.  Without this exposure, these artists might not be able to get much work doing what they love.  As much as I believe that social media is taking over younger generations and potentially affecting the ability of young people communicating effectively, this use of social media in industries where networking and word of mouth is essential is a great outcome. 

 

Source:

http://mashable.com/2012/01/20/artists-social-digital-media/