ramonn90
What to Do When Losing Social Media Popularity - How to Meet New Art Friends
Published: August 6th 2024, 6:54:15 pm
A few days ago, I was answering some of your messages, and one patron asked me for advice on how to regain the social media popularity he had lost and how to meet new artist friends. This question led me to share a few thoughts with him on how to address this issue, and I figured it would be good to share with others who might have the same concern.
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About Social Media Reach
a couple of questions are worth asking:
What do you think your art had back in those days that it does not have now? Be honest and list as many characteristics as you can. You may not know what brought that traction towards your art, and it’s possible it's not even your fault. However, since you cannot control people's reactions, algorithms, and so on, what you can do is evaluate yourself in search of that little thing that 'worked.'
I'll suggest you split your analysis into two:
1. Theme/subject/concept/story
2. Execution (art technique)
Why? Because good technique might capture attention, especially if it is realism, but in my experience, stories or concepts might have greater responses, even if the execution is very rough or sketchy. Ideas are powerful.
I'll give you an example. When I was posting shares every day, I noticed how some subjects were more popular than others, but I was not sure what it was. So, I explored as many subjects as I could and also shared them in different places, not only on my socials but in art groups. I also joined anything I found fun to try, such as challenges, etc., to increase visibility. I also did fan art of trending topics at the time.
In conclusion, there are plenty of strategies that can increase your visibility, but to be consistent, you must pick challenges that excite you. Regardless of the consequences (visibility), you will feel a sense of accomplishment to some degree that will keep you motivated to try new things tomorrow. Success is not nailing one post that goes viral; success is achieved through the capacity to keep trying over and over, and one of those attempts will often be the one that reaches notoriety. But by that point, it won't really matter because the next day, you will continue doing what you find meaningful.
About the subject of your art:
What are you telling?
What is important to you?
Are you making art to meet others' expectations?
I like my art to be a mix of what I care about first and a few things I know people like to see. There's a chance that what you consider valuable or interesting is not really resonating with anyone. Ask yourself why. For instance, you might find it interesting to see a portrait in X style, but for most people on social media, it is not really interesting. Pay some attention to what people react to in your art and others. What's the discussion behind highly popular subjects or even pieces of art? Is it comedy? Tragedy? Technique? Why? Make some assumptions and explore. Finally, make sure your art goes beyond your channels, as it might be possible that what you really need is some extra eyes. Just make sure that your art is shared in groups that somehow relate to the subject of your art. If you share portraits in a group that values shooter games, there won't be much of a reaction.
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About Artist Friends
What would you like to accomplish out of an artist friend? A nice conversation? Hanging out on Saturdays? A walk in the park every day after work? You don't need to be that specific, but it's easier to get what you want when you define it to some degree.
Based on that, I'll suggest you take the initiative. Organize something fun, like live drawing, drawing in the park, or something you might find fun or consider to be fun for others as well. Go to art schools and invite people to your event or reunion. Participate in others' events as well, and there you can also invite them to yours. I think, in a way, helping others like you who feel alone might also bring meaning to your life and, why not, some friends as well. But hey, you might need to be the change.
It's important to say that these are just opinions I had. They are suggestions that seek to spark curiosity in readers, encouraging them to ask and answer questions by themselves. Explore, think, and do is my advice.
Before concluding this subject, if you are seeking new friendships, I'll be open to exploring new creative Discord challenges that boost engaging, fun, and interesting conversations, which is how I think a friendship can start. Feel free to message me with any creative ideas you might have. Take care!.