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5 Ways to Make Money as an Artist in 2023

Talent isn’t enough to make money as an artist today. You need to be able to market your art, and more importantly, build a brand.

In fact, you can build a brand right from your bedroom! There are so many tools that artists can use to make money. But it’s more than getting a quick buck: It’s about attracting an audience.

Here are 5 ways to make money as an artist in 2023.

Make Print On-Demand Merch

Print on-demand gives you the power to make your own custom merch without any extra hassles. You upload some awesome artwork, and the rest is taken care of: printing, fulfilling, shipping, even customer service!

You can start your merch shop with ZERO inventory at NO COST. And your merch is only printed when there’s demand. It’s an easy and passive way to make money as an artist.

All kinds of people use print on demand to make merch, but artists have an advantage. They already have art for their merch designs. Upload this art to hundreds of products and customize as you please! Payouts are super easy when you use Spreadshop, too.

Print On-Demand Perks:

You can start with ZERO inventory
Printing and shipping is taken care of
Customer concerns are handled
Choose from hundreds of products

Sell Custom Art on Fiverr

Custom artwork sells. People want something that’s unique, something that no one else can get. Fiverr allows you to provide that.

It’s FREE to set up your own account on Fiverr. Create you “gig”, which is basically what you offer to clients. Get as specific as you want with your offerings. Advertise that you can design logos, illustrations, website icons, etc. Use keywords to stand out in the market: custom pet drawing, T-Shirt designs.

Showcase previous designs in your portfolio so people can get a feel for your aesthetic. It’s incredibly important that you pick designs that best showcase your style. That way, it’s easier to build your client base and make money as an artist online.

Sell Products on Etsy

Etsy is a great marketplace for all kinds of artists and a key destination for custom artwork. It’s also a go-to destination for gifts. You can truly find something for everybody on your list! Capitalize on this by running sales and offering seasonal products around major holidays.

If you want to sell merch, there’s a way to do that, too! Sell print on-demand products to multiple points of sale, like Etsy, Amazon and Ebay, when you connect SPOD to Order Desk. This allows you to reach an even wider audience than you typically would with a standard print on-demand service.

Offer Commissions on Your Website

Having a website is a great point of contact for artists. It makes you look official and allows you to showcase anything and everything. And you can easily accept commissions.

You don’t need to be a web designer to build a website. Wix and Squarespace are easy-to-use platforms that give you creative freedom. Choose from hundreds of templates and stylize your site with your brand colors and imagery.

Create a tab specifically for commissions and be clear about pricing and other details. The more transparent, the better. Feature testimonials from previous clients to boost your credibility!

Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube is still a big money maker for creators and artists. You’re able to really build out your channel and tell a bigger story, something you can’t really do on TikTok.

It’s going to take some time to build your channel, but the rewards will be big once you do. Once you become an eligible channel (1,000 subscribers or more), you can take advantage of YouTube Product Tagging. This allows you to link your print on-demand merch in your videos and livestreams. You’ll be able to paint a bigger picture.

When it comes to content, quality is key. Here are some video suggestions:

Reinterpret trending topics in your style
Do a timelapse of your art process
Talk about the DOs and DONTs for beginner artists
Show your favorite art supplies
Ask your subscribers what they want to see from you!

Sorry, Your Merch Designs Suck

We hate to say it, but your merch designs kinda suck. And we know a thing or two about what makes a quality merch design.

Thousands of people use Spreadshop to create their own custom merch, but not everyone gets it right. We’ve seen too many shop owners make the same mistakes when creating their merch designs.

And the thing is: You don’t have to be a professional designer to make awesome merch. We’ll prove it to you!

1. You’re Doing Too Much

You can’t, and really shouldn’t, try to be doing it all with your merch designs. We get that you want to be creative and share your passions with people, but it can be overwhelming. It’s easier when you boil your merch designs down to a singular niche or interest.

And it can be whatever you want. Merch for pickleball enthusiasts, listeners of shoegaze, cartoon drawers, like Cartoonist Kayfabe. The list is endless. By targeting a niche, you make it easier to find your audience and sell merch.

Those are the people that you want in your corner. They’ll be invested in your merch from the jump and return to your shop whenever you drop new merch. That’s the key to success: returning customers.

2. Basic is Boring

No one’s going to buy basic, boring merch designs. Your audience deserves better than that. If you want your merch to sell, you’re going to have to put in some effort.

Find your brand colors and use specific imagery that resonates with potential customers. Mila the Chi is an adorable chihuahua whose funny antics have gained her over 100K followers. She often contorts herself into positions where she’s upside down.

Her owner capitalized on this and decided to make a merch design out of it. That’s the kind of thinking you need to have when it comes to your merch designs. What can you do that’s different from other creators in your field? And maybe that involves hiring a professional.

3. Don’t Go it Alone

You might just have to accept it: You’re not a merch designer. Design tools like Canva make it easy for people to make designs, but even then your options are limited. Existing graphics and templates aren’t enough to engage people.

That’s why we recommend hiring a professional. You can connect with hundreds of designers through Fiverr. Search keywords like “T-Shirt design” or “podcast design” for the right designer. Easily browse their portfolios for examples of previous work.

If price is an issue for you, many designers have affordable tiers. It’s worth paying $20, even $30, for a design that will sell. It makes your merch look more credible AND professional. Communication with your designer is easy and you can give them as many notes and rough sketches as needed.

Your designs won’t suck and you’ll sell more merch when you follow these tips.

We can’t wait to see what you do. Launch your own merch with Spreadshop for FREE (seriously) today!

Promote Your Merch Line

The journey isn’t over after you make merch; now it’s time to promote your merch line!

We’ve seen too many shop owners make the same mistake. They put time and effort into opening their shop: coming up with designs, customizing their site, building their brand. But when it comes time to promote their merch: crickets.

You’ve got to do some leg work if you want your merch to sell. Get the word out on socials with eye-catching posts and even giveaways. This helps generate excitement and engagement for your merch, and hopefully sales.

Find out how to successfully promote your merch line!

Promos! Promos! Promos!

Promos are a big incentive when it comes to promoting your merch line. When you launch your shop, your customers can get 15% off all orders from your shop for a limited time. And it doesn’t stop there.

We run exclusive promo offers every month! They range from FREE shipping to 20% off. You’ll find upcoming promos posted in your Spreadshop dashboard.

Use these promos to your advantage when promoting your merch. Plan merch drops accordingly to drum up even more excitement. People are more likely to support your merch line when there’s an incentive.

Create Standout Posts

It’s important to have a presence on the most relevant social channels for your audience. It makes it easier to promote your merch line when you know where your followers are. Then you can get to creating content that makes an impact.

But promoting your merch on socials is trickier than you might think. A lot of shop owners don’t know the best posting strategies and make common mistakes. Here are some dos and don’ts when promoting your merch on socials:

DON’T

Use screenshots of your merch or shop.

Rely on stock images to showcase your merch.

Copy and paste the link of your shop in captions.

Ignore comments or feedback from your followers.

DO

Take professional photos of your merch. Get family and friends to model your designs.

Direct people to a link in your bio to buy merch. Instagram now allows up to 5 links in your bio.

Respond to comments and repost positive feedback. Take any negative feedback and use it for your next merch drop!

Run a Giveaway

You don’t need to offer big ticket prizes when you run a giveaway. To effectively promote your merch line, offer a FREE T-Shirt or a merch item of the winner’s choosing as the prize.

There are a few ways you can go about setting up your giveaway:

Ask your followers to LIKE and COMMENT on a merch-related post.
Run a design contest. Your favorite will be included in your next merch drop!
Require people to sign up for a FREE newsletter or course you’re offering.

Consider Paid Ads

If you have some extra cash, it might be worth it to put some money behind your social posts. You don’t have to go crazy, either.

Think about your audience and where it makes sense to run paid ads. Boost an Instagram post you created using the DOs above. Market it to a specific age demographic and find keywords that resonate with your audience.

We recommend running these ads about a week out from your merch launch. This gives people plenty of time to make up their minds. This kind of targeted marketing makes it easier to reach your audience. Your merch shouldn’t appeal to everybody under the sun, so target the people that will actually want to buy your merch.

Do Dedicated Live Streams

Create an event out of promoting your merch line with a live stream. This allows you to reveal the stories behind your merch line and talk about the process of opening your shop.

YouTube has made it easier for eligible creators to sell their products in live streams and videos. Schedule your live and tag products from your Spreadshop.

At any point during the live stream, creators can pin any of the pre-selected products to prominently display it to their viewers. When your viewers click on these products, they’ll be able to purchase them directly from your shop.

Promoting your merch line isn’t as complicated as you might think, but there are some key things you should do to get the word out. If you take the time to design your merch and set up your shop, you want to make sure sales follow.

Want to design your own merch line? You can do so for NO COST with Spreadshop!

Custom Event Merch: Unleashing the Power of Branded Swag

In the world of events, creating a memorable experience for attendees is crucial. And what better way to enhance that experience than with custom event merch? From music festivals to conferences and everything in between, event merch has become an essential component of any successful gathering. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of event merch, discuss the types of events where it can be utilized, delve into design considerations, and explore effective promotional strategies. Additionally, we’ll highlight the advantages of incorporating both offline and online merch to maximize reach and engagement. Read more

Start Your Own Clothing Line

You don’t need to be a fashion magnate like Tom Ford to start your own clothing line. With Spreadshop, it’s easy to customize hundreds of clothing products/accessories and make money.

And because we’re a print on-demand merch service, it’s easy to design and manage your clothing line. You don’t need a third party supplier or even have to ship orders yourself. We take care of all of that at absolutely NO COST!

There’s no reason not to start your own clothing line with Spreadshop. Here are 5 reasons why you should…

Build Your Brand From Your Bedroom

Building a brand might seem daunting, but it’s actually easier than you think. Your brand is what makes sense for you. It can be an aesthetic – retro, streetwear, etc. – or in relation to a particular hobby, like tennis or gaming.

You should have a brand before you start your clothing line. This makes it easier for you to connect with the right audience. Your clothing line doesn’t have to appeal to everybody. And it shouldn’t.

When you find that niche, then you can market your clothing to the people that matter. You won’t have to worry about creating an intense marketing campaign. When you speak to your target audience, sales will follow.

Plenty of Product Options

We have no shortage of products when it comes to starting your clothing line. Beyond your standard T-Shirt, we have hundreds of products available in our assortment. Sell tote bags, stickers, water bottles, hats, sweatpants and more in your shop.

One of the best parts of print on-demand: you can toggle on/off products as you please. Sell products that suit whatever season you’re in. Only offer particular colors to create a curated clothing line. It’s totally up to you!

And the same goes for designs. If a design isn’t selling, you can easily remove it from your shop or only feature it on certain products. You won’t be losing any money in the process. Your clothing line can be whatever you want it to be.

Why Print On-Demand?

Starting your clothing line is easy with print on-demand. We couldn’t imagine it any other way. When you use Spreadshop, all you need to do is upload awesome designs and get the word out. We take care of everything else!

That means you don’t have to worry about fulfilling and shipping orders. We have facilities across the globe that take care of that. If there’s an issue with a customer’s order, our customer service team is on it. You don’t even have to get involved.

We want to make the process of starting your clothing line as seamless as possible. And getting paid, too. It’s easy to manage your monthly payments: Deposit directly to your bank account or a PayPal transfer.

Showcase Your Clothing

Having great products is one thing, showing them off is another. Your clothing line deserves the star treatment, and you can give it that when you customize your Spreadshop.

Customizing your site is a great way to solidify your brand. Upload your brand colors and any associated imagery. The Kind Mind Co. has one of our favorite website designs.

Emily, host of the podcast, used an image of herself in the banner for her shop. It’s welcoming and totally on brand. And her latest products/designs are available for purchase on her start page.

Taking the time to customize your site will create a more immersive experience for your customers. They’ll feel more connected to you and your brand. It puts your clothing line in the best possible light.

The Art of the Merch Drop

When you start your clothing line, it’s important to have a promotion strategy. A successful merch drop is dependent on you being authentic to your audience and brand.

Creating a merch drop can be a fun and easy way to get your fans involved with your brand. But, in order to make sure that your merch drop is successful, you need to put in some effort and develop a strategy. Here are a few tips:

1) Tease out your merch drop with little sneak peeks. Utilize the countdown feature on your Instagram stories or post about it on your other social media channels.

2) If you make videos or livestream on platforms like Twitch, wear your merch. This will get people interested and excited about what you have to offer.

3) You can also do a giveaway leading up to your merch drop. This will help generate interest and get people talking about your brand.

Ready to start your own clothing line? Do it today at NO COST with Spreadshop!