Best Social Media Platforms for Selling Art

Not all social media platforms are created equal when it comes to selling your art. After a decade of running my art business full time, I’ve tested just about all of them. In this article, I’ll walk you through the best social media for selling art, and which ones usually waste your time. You can watch the full video right on this page, and the article expands on the main points.

Watch the Video

Why Some Social Platforms Don't Work

Some platforms sound promising but don’t deliver when it comes to actual art sales. X (formerly Twitter) is one of them. It’s built around text conversations, not visual storytelling. Sure, you can post images or videos, but the platform favors tweets that spark discussion, not artwork that leads to sales. According to Statista, X ranks among the lowest platforms for product discovery in e-commerce, making it a poor fit for artists trying to reach buyers.

Pinterest is another one that might look like a good fit but tends to attract DIY browsers and hobby crafters. Data from Pinterest Business shows that while people do use it for home decor inspiration, over 85 percent of users are planning projects, not necessarily shopping for finished art. Unless you’re using an auto scheduler that posts there without extra effort, I wouldn’t invest hours into Pinterest if your goal is to sell your artwork. Now, if you're selling art courses or other how to content then Pinterest can be great.

Instagram and LinkedIn Have Limited Reach

Instagram used to be one of the top choices for artists, but growing a new account today is tough. A 2024 Hootsuite study showed that organic reach on Instagram for business accounts has dropped to around 9 percent. If you already have a following, it can still work, but new accounts often struggle to gain traction. Artists who go viral often spend a lot of time on video creation and trend chasing, which may not be sustainable if you’re also trying to paint and ship orders.

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for wholesale or B2B relationships, especially if you’re trying to connect with galleries, licensing agents, or gift shops. But for individual art buyers, it’s just not where people go to shop. Shopify’s B2B benchmark reports suggest LinkedIn performs better for wholesale lead generation than consumer sales. I’ve had success using it to pitch bulk sales, but not for direct-to-consumer art sales.

Why TikTok Might Not Be Worth the Effort

TikTok allows native selling through their shop, which sounds great in theory. But in practice, it’s not that simple. The platform’s primary user base is under 30, and they tend to follow trends quickly and impulsively. According to internal TikTok data, most users spend under 60 seconds watching any video. That means you need instant hooks, fast edits, and constant entertainment, which doesn’t always align with showcasing fine art.

I ran a test where I posted daily and set up a TikTok shop. After months of effort, I made only two sales. So unless you love making TikToks and your art appeals to a younger demographic, you’re likely to find better return on your time somewhere else. That said, if your products are low cost and easy to ship, TikTok may be worth testing, but I wouldn't make it your main focus.

Facebook Is Still a Strong Option

Facebook continues to be the highest performer for my art business. It’s especially useful for artists who don’t have their own website yet. You can sell directly through Facebook Marketplace or set up a Facebook Shop. If you’re willing to meet buyers in person for local pickup, Facebook Marketplace is completely free to use and has very little competition in most areas.

As of 2025, Facebook remains the most-used platform in the United States, especially for users over 35 - a sweet spot for many artists. Business pages now receive better organic reach than they did a few years ago, and Facebook Groups focused on local buying or art appreciation can also be valuable. Posting three to five times a week with storytelling captions or questions can increase your visibility in the algorithm without needing to spend money on ads.

YouTube Builds Deeper Connections

YouTube is a long game, but it can be incredibly effective. It doesn’t offer native selling features like Facebook, but it gives you a place to tell your story and build real trust with potential collectors. According to Think with Google, 70 percent of viewers say YouTube helps them feel more connected to creators than any other platform.

Evergreen videos (the kind people search for all year long) are especially powerful. You can use these to reach your target market without being pushy. For example, I could make a video on how to photograph your cat and naturally mention that I’m an animal artist who paints custom cat portraits. The people watching that type of video already love their cats, so they’re often the perfect audience for my art. That kind of indirect marketing tends to feel authentic, and it works.

If you’re going to commit to YouTube, plan on posting three to five Shorts per week and one longer video per week. Try to focus your topics around things your potential buyers would be searching for, not just other artists. It takes effort, but the depth of connection makes it worthwhile.

Useful Art Business Tools for Selling Online

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you).

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of social platforms out there, but not all of them are worth your time when it comes to selling your art. My advice is to focus on where your target audience actually spends their time and where your content can stand out. For most artists, Facebook and YouTube are still the best places to focus, especially if you use them strategically and consistently.

And if you’re ready to take your next step online, I recommend reading my article on the Easy Way to Build an Art Website. I show you how I built a website to sell art in about an hour - no tech skills needed.

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