Email, Social Media, or Both?

 

If you’re an artist trying to get your work in front of people, the big question is usually:

Should I focus more on social media or email marketing?

Short answer:
You probably need both, but email is where the most reliable sales and repeat collectors usually come from, and the numbers back that up.

Let’s walk through it in plain language, with real stats, and then I’ll give you a simple plan you can actually use.

How many people actually see your stuff?

Email in the arts world

Across industries, email open rates usually sit somewhere between 20–40%.

For creative fields like performing arts and entertainment, one provider found average email open rates around 34.6%.

So if you have 1,000 email subscribers, it’s realistic that:

• About 300–350 people open your email
• A few percent will click through to your website, shop, or show info

On top of that, email marketing is famous for its return on investment:

• Multiple studies show an average of about $36 in revenue for every $1 spent on email marketing (3,600% ROI).
• Some reports show ranges up to $44 per $1 for certain businesses.

And a big marketing survey from HubSpot found that for B2C brands (which includes artists selling to individual buyers), email is the #1 channel for ROI, beating social media.

Social media reach (Instagram, Facebook, etc.)

Social media feels big because you see likes, comments, and views. But the algorithms show your posts to only a small slice of your followers.

Recent benchmark data shows:

• Instagram average reach is around 3.5–4% of your followers per post, and that number has been dropping year over year.
• Facebook average organic reach is often measured between about 1–6% of a page’s followers, with some studies as low as 1.37%.

So with 1,000 followers:

• Instagram: maybe 35–40 people see a typical post
• Facebook: maybe 10–60 people see a typical post organically

Compare that to 300+ people opening your email out of 1,000 subscribers. Email simply puts you in front of more of the people who said they want to hear from you.

Pros and cons for artists

Email marketing for artists

Big advantages

1. You actually own the audience

• Your list is yours. If Instagram or Facebook changes the rules or your account gets hacked, you still have your subscribers.
• This is why many marketers call email an “owned channel,” not rented space.

1. Higher chance of real sales

• With email’s average ROI around $36 per $1 spent, and email ranking as the top ROI channel for B2C brands, it’s one of the best tools for turning fans into buyers.

1. People expect more depth

• Email is a better place to:
• Tell the story behind a piece
• Show process photos
• Talk about your values, your journey, your wins and struggles
• Present a collection launch, commission offer, or show announcement

1. Great fit for arts & entertainment

• The “Performing Arts and Entertainment” category (close cousin to visual arts) sees open rates around 34.6%, which is above average.
• That means arts audiences are more willing than average to open and read emails when they care about the creator.

1. Segmentation and VIP treatment

• You can tag:
• People who’ve bought originals
• People who like prints
• Locals vs out-of-town collectors
• Then send more relevant offers. A lot of email ROI comes from these targeted, segmented campaigns.

Drawbacks

• You have to grow the list on purpose
• Email doesn’t magically “go viral.” You need to ask for sign-ups at:
• Shows and festivals
• On your website
• On social media
• In person, with a QR code or sign-up sheet
• It feels more “official”
• Some artists get anxious writing emails because it feels more permanent than a post.
• The fix: keep the tone conversational, like writing to a friend.
• There’s a bit of tech to set up
• You’ll need an email service (Mailchimp, MailerLite, etc.) and a simple opt-in form. Once it’s set, though, it mostly runs in the background.

Social media marketing for artists

Big advantages

1. Discovery machine

• Social is fantastic for getting discovered by new people through:
• Shares
• Hashtags
• Reels/TikToks
• Location tags
• It’s often your top-of-funnel: where strangers first see you.

1. Visual-first platforms

• Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are built for images and video, so art naturally fits.
• Short videos of you painting, setting up at a show, or unboxing a print can perform really well.

1. Social proof

• Likes, comments, and followers make you look active and “real,” which can help with:
• Gallery interest
• Show organizers
• New collectors checking you out

1. Easy to post small updates

• Quick behind-the-scenes
• Work-in-progress snaps
• Stories from an art fair

Drawbacks

1. Most followers never see your posts

• With reach often around 3–4% on Instagram and 1–6% on Facebook, your work is hidden from most of your followers unless you go viral or pay for ads.

1. Algorithm roulette

• One week your posts do great, the next week they die. You don’t control the platform’s priorities.

1. Rented audience

• You don’t own your followers. If your account is banned, hacked, or the platform fades in popularity, that audience can disappear overnight.

1. Great for attention, not always for sales

• Many brands and creators still find that more actual sales come from email and their website, not from people clicking “buy” directly in a feed.
• In fact, when marketers rank channels by ROI, social media usually comes behind email, and organic reach keeps dropping.

So… which one actually works better for artists?

If we look strictly at numbers and control:

• Email wins for:
• Percentage of audience reached
• Consistency
• Direct sales
• Ownership of your list
• Social media wins for:
• Discovery
• Growth of new people finding you
• “Vibe” and social proof

Most marketing data says:

Use social media to find people. Use email to keep them and sell to them.

Given the average ROI of $36 per $1 in email and the much higher reach compared to social, email is the channel most likely to generate the best long-term results for an artist, especially when it comes to reliable income and repeat collectors.

A simple, real-world combo plan for artists

You don’t have to choose one or the other. Here’s a very manageable setup:

1. Pick one main social platform

For most artists, that’s usually:

• Instagram (visuals + stories + reels), or
• Facebook (if your buyers are a bit older or local groups are important), or
• TikTok (if you enjoy short video and your audience skews younger)

Post consistently:

• 3–5 times per week
• Mix of:
• Finished pieces
• Work-in-progress
• Studio shots
• Show/festival behind-the-scenes
• Short videos telling the story of a piece

Always include a CTA like:

“Want first dibs on new work? Join my email list (link in bio).”

2. Grow an email list on purpose

• Put a simple sign-up form on your website
• Use a QR code at shows that links to a VIP list
• Offer something small in return:
• Early access to new work
• A studio story email
• A mini behind-the-scenes PDF or process video

3. Email your list regularly

Start simple:

• 1 email per week or every other week is enough
• Rotate themes:
• Story email: the meaning behind a piece
• Behind-the-scenes: process photos and what you’re experimenting with
• VIP access: “Here’s a collection preview 24 hours before anyone else sees it”
• Scarcity: “Only 3 spots left for holiday commissions” or “Last 2 prints of this edition”
• Show/festival updates: where to see your work in person

4. Use social to feed email, not the other way around

Whenever you do something exciting (new collection, big show, commission slots opening):

1. Tell your email list first
2. Then share on social and invite people to join the list so they don’t miss the next one

Over time, email becomes your core and social becomes a feeder instead of your whole marketing strategy.

Bottom line

• If you only have time for one “serious” marketing channel for sales, make it email.
• If you want to grow your audience and be discovered, use social—but use it to build your email list.

Think of it like this:

• Social media = the busy art fair where people first notice you
• Email list = your personal collector club where people actually buy