Facebook and Instagram key players in the global art world
Facebook Connections by Michael Coghlan. For full credit see end of article.
Facebook and Instagram are the two most important social media platforms in the art world, according to the Hiscox Online Art Trade Report 2015.
Some 52% of respondents surveyed by Hiscox said Facebook was among the most important social media channel for art-related purposes, followed by 34% who said Instagram was the most important.
“Facebook’s first place position is not surprising as the network is globally ranked second only to Google,” states the report. “As such it is one the best examples of an environment in which buyers interact on personal and professional levels concurrently.
“The ‘engagement’ factor of both Instagram and Facebook far outweighs their stereotypes of ‘photo sharing’ or ‘social updates’, with their success based instead on how easily users can interact with content.”
The report found that 91% of online (prospective) buyers spend anywhere from one to 12 hours on social media per day, with 79% spending up to three hours per day,
It says that social media naturally aligns with the core structure of the art world, which is rooted in personal relations, but also influences the balance of power among key constituents.
Works listed on social media are aimed at attracting the attention of these prospective buyers and directing web traffic to the online selling platforms.
In 2015, 41% of respondents surveyed by Hiscox said they had discovered an online transactional art platform through social media, up from 34% last year.
“While 47% state there is no correlation between social media and the art they buy online, 24% of buyers said they recognised the link and 30% said they were unaware of its effect on their buying habits,” states the report.
“As the social media ecosystem continues to narrow the gap between personal and professional internet use, the influence of social media on buying habits will become stronger and more apparent.”
Picture credit: Facebook Connections by Michael Coghlan/Creative Commons license.