Digitalization is an essential element of modern business practice. It encompasses several aspects, each with its own specific needs - one of them being mobile phones. Of the 6.4 billion smartphone users in the world today, it only makes sense that a large percentage of people use them to shop. 73% of e-commerce in 2021 is done via mobile phones, a trend that obviously includes the art market as well.

Whether you have already set up actions for mobile or not, Artsper presents to you today a few essential notions for your digital strategy as a gallery or artist.

1. Be present on social media

The importance of smartphone purchases starts with social networks. Think of them as paths that lead directly to your doorstep. Without them, it's possible to get to you, but mostly for those who already know you. A simple share of your content on social media can make you visible to hundreds of collectors who would not otherwise have heard of you. 

Social network popularity for art-related content, worldwide from 2015 to 2020. Since 2017, Instagram has largely dethroned Facebook as the preferred platform for users

2. Don’t underestimate the potential of Instagram

You may already have established your social networks and you may be active on them. But have you really optimized them? Take Instagram, which is the most widely-used platform for art-related content today. Part of its success comes from the many features it offers to professional accounts such as yours. For example, including a link in your Instagram bio - which may seem obvious. But it's not enough if you don't encourage your followers to click on it! Mention it in your posts, point out that they may only access information through it. Be careful, you are only allowed one link. It can redirect to your main sales channel (your Artsper page, for example!) or you could also opt for a Linktree, which allows you to present multiple channels in a single link, and track the number of clicks in real time. Finally, you can also make your Instagram profile a sales channel in itself, using the "shopping" feature. By tagging your products directly in your photos, you allow potential customers to see your prices, but also to act on their impulse if they see something that they like.

Your professionnal Instagram account allows you to showcase your product catalog, consult your profile's performances, and provide a link for your followers to click on: here, a Linktree (via Lnk.Bio) redirecting to various artist's pages on Artsper

3. Think simple 

Keep in mind that mobile users are solicited from all sides, day and night, on their screens. The battle is therefore about getting their attention. A key rule to remember is to minimize the number of actions between the moment they land on your space and the moment they confirm their purchase. Beyond Instagram, this mostly implies maintaining a streamlined process on your sales channel. Make sure the user has as few actions as possible to do, when browsing your catalog, to obtain information, to enter their information and even to pay. Don't discourage potential buyers with too many steps: simplify your interface as much as possible.

Once you have the user's attention, maximize your chances to make a sale by optimizing your site for mobiles

4. Optimize your website for mobile

It goes without saying that having a mobile-friendly website is essential. Google offers a free mobile experience test that constitutes a good first step. Your website should perform as well on mobile as it does on desktop, and that requires a flexible and responsive model. At Artsper, we're constantly looking for ways to make the user experience on our mobile interface as smooth as possible. Feel free to redirect your followers to your Artsper page, as you'll be leading them to an efficient platform with streamlined processes, of which the performance is regularly improved without you having to work on it yourself.

The mobile version of the Artsper website only presents the most essential information on the users’ smaller screen, with one visual card at a time so as to avoid overwhelming amounts of information

5. Apply your mobile strategy to your communications as well

How do you communicate to users who already know about you? When we talk about the importance of mobile, we mean that it has become even more important than the computer: in 2021, over 50% of global online traffic has come from smartphones. 

Think about the content you send to your customers: newsletters, ads, invitations... These are largely received and processed by their recipients on their phones. At Artsper, for example, 43.4% of newsletters to collectors are read on cell phones! It can be useful to rethink your content by putting the mobile as a priority, with a vertical interface and information presented in a clean and obvious way. Take advantage of the features your newsletter platform offers: the most common ones, such as Mailchimp or Mailjet, allow you to work your content in this way. Finally, make sure to reduce the weight of your media files by compressing them. Heavy images will be slow to load for a user who doesn’t have an excellent network - in public transport for example - and heavy emails are likely to be treated as spam by inboxes. To avoid this, use one of the many free online platforms (TinyPNG, Compress JPG...) and stick with the .jpeg format.  

Artsper’s newsletter for galleries, optimized for vertical format with streamlined information for mobile users

6. Use mobile language

The formats you choose to share information with your customers can also work in your favor. Instead of an email, why not send a text message? Inherently suited for mobiles, it allows you to catch the recipient's attention outside of a mailbox saturated by commercial newsletters. You can't include images, and the number of words is limited, but it’s concise aspect is what makes it effective. Be careful: use it sparingly, at the risk of giving your customers the impression that you are invading their privacy. 

In the same type of strategy, some businesses offer a WhatsApp number as an alternative to email, in order to make it easier for users of their site who are already on their phone to get in touch. An idea that is easy to implement, adaptable to any business model, and particularly appealing to a generation for whom WhatsApp is a true comfort zone!

To sum up… 

If you want to master the digital market, you absolutely must think about the importance of smartphones. It accounts for a growing share of online traffic every year, a trend that is not going away anytime soon! From the formats you use to talk to your collectors, to the interface you present to them, to the networks through which you make yourself known, there are many actions to be put in place. Start by taking stock of what you already do, and proceed step by step from there. You will have a solid mobile strategy in no time!