Simple Weekly Marketing That Grows Art Income In 2026

That’s what Step 4 of my 7 Step Plan to Artistic Success is all about: how you’ll be seen and heard by the people most likely to love and buy your work.

Who I’m talking to

I create this work for artists over 50 who feel like they missed the marketing memo.

You might:

• Post a painting and only get likes from your sister and one very enthusiastic friend

• Walk into a gallery or café and think, “I’m too late – everyone else is already established”

• Hear people talk about “content strategy” and “funnels” and want to run a mile

You don’t want to become a full-time content creator. You just want your art to be seen and to lead to real enquiries, bookings and sales.

I’m Simone – abstract artist and former Senior Business Analyst (including at American Express). My old corporate job was turning big, fuzzy strategies into “this is what we do on Monday” plans. Now I use that same brain for artists like us.

What marketing really is (and isn’t)

Marketing isn’t shouting, pretending to be 22, or posting three times a day forever.

At its heart, marketing is simply:

Letting the right people see you often enough that they can say yes.

In Step 4, we turn “I know I should really market my work” into a one-page, realistic plan you can follow for the next 90 days – even with health issues, caring, grandkids and a tired brain.

Here’s how.

1. Start with your buyer and your offer

Most artists start with, “What should I post?”
That’s how you end up with random content that feels exhausting.

Instead, start with two sentences at the top of your page:

• Who am I talking to? (your ideal buyer from Step 2)

• What do I want to invite them into? (your main offer from Step 3)

For example:

• “My ideal buyer is a woman in her 50s who wants joyful, colourful originals for her home.”

• “My main offer is large abstract paintings with payment plans, plus a few limited edition prints.”

Those two lines become your compass. When you don’t know what to share, you come back to them.

2. Choose 1–3 places to show up (not 10)

You do not need to be on every platform.

Pick 1–3 places where:

• Your buyer actually spends time

• You can show up without wanting to throw your phone in the sea

Examples:

• Online: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, email newsletter, Pinterest

• Offline: local galleries, art fairs, cafés, open studios, printed postcards

Next to each one, write why:
“Instagram – my buyers are here and I like sharing process shots.”
“Local markets – in person suits me better than reels.”
“Email – feels calmer and more personal.”

3. Design your gentle marketing rhythm

Think of this as your “default menu” for tired-brain days.

For example:

• Weekly: 1 studio story, 1 “new art” post, 1 behind-the-scenes photo

• Fortnightly: 1 short video or adding one new piece to your website

• Monthly: 1 email newsletter or “collector note”

• Quarterly: 1 small studio sale or mini collection release

Then strip it back until it feels doable on an average week. That’s your first draft marketing rhythm.

4. Link every habit to an offer

Visibility on its own doesn’t pay the bills. Visibility connected to your offers does.

For each marketing habit, ask:

• Which offer does this support? (originals, prints, commissions, workshops, portraits, furniture, digital downloads…)

• How will I gently mention it? (one honest line in a caption or email)

For example:

• “New Art Friday” post → supports originals: “DM me or reply ‘PAINTING’ to see this in your space or ask about payment plans.”

• Studio story → supports commissions: “I open 2 commission slots each month – message me if you’d like one.”

Every time you show up, your art knows what it’s there to do.

5. Protect your energy with a Marketing Power Hour

Once a week, give yourself a Marketing Power Hour (30–60 minutes).

During that time, you:

• Plan your posts or emails for the week

• Write a caption or two

• Upload a few photos or short videos

• Reply to comments and DMs

• Notice what worked last week and decide what to repeat

Put it in your calendar like a doctor’s appointment. You are your most important client.

You’re not behind – you just need a rhythm

You don’t need a perfect strategy. You need a kind, imperfect plan you actually use.

If you do nothing else after reading this, try these three actions:

1. Choose 2–3 core marketing habits for the next 90 days

2. Link each habit to a specific offer

3. Schedule a weekly Marketing Power Hour and honour it

Your art deserves to be seen and you deserve to make income from your art in 2026.
And you are absolutely allowed to build a marketing rhythm that honours your age, your body, your story – and still leads to the income you want.