ONLINE BUSINESS TOOLS FOR ARTISTS
This free directory contains listings and links to useful tools of all types for visual artists growing small businesses. Click each one to learn more about their services. Some listings may contain affiliate links.
CREATE GRAPHICS, PRESENTATIONS, MARKETING COLLATERAL
Canva – Popular and versatile site for designing graphics, advertisements, videos, social media posts, logos, collages and much more. Starts at a free level.
Pic Monkey – Design and photo editing tool to create compelling images for your small business. Edit photos and videos, do touch ups, animate, make collages, logos, banners, use their stock photo library. Starts at $8/month.
VistaCreate – A graphic design tool with thousands of free templates to choose from for banners, ads, collages, social post images and more. Starts at free level, or upgrade to Pro for $10/month.
Designrr.io – Expand your content into new formats for sharing and promotion! Create ebooks or flip books instantly from a URL, and make transcriptions from audio, podcast, or video. Variety of templates to make a finished, professional presentation. Free trial.
Art Rooms App – Select an interior from their wide selection, and drop your art image in to make a realistic backdrop showing your art in situ. Includes mat and frame choices to enhance your image if desired.
Visme – Create captivating presentations, infographics, and social media visuals, elevating their communication and effectively showcasing their artistic narrative. Offers a free level.
PHOTO EDITING, RESIZING, REFORMATTING
MockCity – Bulk generate mock-ups from PSD templates with this tool. Browse their library, drop in your image and get results in seconds.
Photopea – Free to use, you can make any image smaller and also LARGER. Change images to be any type of file like .tiff to .jpeg, or create a pdf.
PicResize – Versatile and free online tool to crop, resize, compress and reformat your images.
PhotoMarks – This app is for Windows and Mac, it allows you to instantly watermark batches of photos. It has a free trial.
Zamzar – A converter tool that lets you change file formats and compress files easily. Works for visual, audio, video and document files. Their handy service performs fast conversions and can handle large files.
IrfanView – Optimize image viewing and editing. A lightweight yet powerful downloadable tool for quick edits, conversions, and batch processing, streamlining the handling of visual content. Free for non-commercial use.
VIDEO TOOLS
Lumen5 – Transform text into engaging videos effortlessly with Lumen5, perfect for artists to create visually captivating content for social media, promoting their work and connecting with a wider audience.
Streamyard – Record a video, podcast, webinar or stream a live video directly to Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Perfect for hosting online live sales of your art. Starts at a free level.
Vimeo – Elevate video content creation with this AI-driven platform. Effortlessly produce polished videos, enhancing their online presence and effectively showcasing your artistic process and creations.
Invideo – Craft professional videos easily, powered by AI. Create promotional content, event highlights, or visual stories, boosting engagement and visibility in the digital space. Starts at a free level.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING
HootSuite – Schedule posts, monitor engagement, and manage multiple platforms in one place, optimizing your online presence and marketing efforts. Pricing starts at $99/year, with 30-day trial.
Buffer – Enhance your social media marketing efficiency by scheduling posts, analyzing performance, and engaging with followers seamlessly. This service offers a free level, or upgrade for $6/month.
MeetEdgar – Use automation to schedule and recycle your social media content across platforms, ensuring a consistent online presence. Small business pricing is $25/month, with a 7-day free trial.
RecurPost – Calling themselves the “Swiss army knife for social media management” this platform can schedule posts, repurpose content, and automatically post for you. Iinterfaces with Canva and ChatGPT. $25/month
Later – Plan and schedule social media posts on multiple platforms, with analytic feedback. Use their “LinkInBio” feature to expand your profile link menu on Instagram and TikTok. Starts at $17/month.
Linktree – Personalize your social media presence by expanding the menu in your profile link. Add links to your other social media, your art store, press mentions and more. Starts at a “free forever” level or upgrade for $5/month.
EMAIL MARKETING
Constant Contact – Strengthen relationships with your collectors and audience by sharing updates, promotions, and exclusive content. Keeps you organized with analytics and outstanding customer service. Starts at $12/month.
GetResponse – Create targeted email campaigns, automate marketing processes, and analyze performance for effective audience engagement. Free trial, then starts at $16/month.
MailChimp – Elevate your email marketing with visually appealing campaigns. Build subscriber lists, and track engagement, enhancing communication and promote your art to a wider audience. Starts at a free level.
3D ONLINE GALLERIES
Online Viewing Room – Show your work through an immersible experience in a virtual gallery where collectors can view and even purchase your artwork. Starts at a free level.
Exhibbit – Create customizable, virtual art exhibits, self-directed by the viewer on desktop or mobile. Embed on your own website or use a link to pop up the exhibition in a new browser window. Prices start at $10/month.
Art Spaces – Plan, curate and create 3D exhibitions in a choice of spaces to match your theme. Up to 15 exhibitions can be shown from your account. Starts at a free level.
PRESS OUTREACH
Smart Sheet – Free press kit templates and free marketing calendar templates to organize your press outreach and give the most professional presentation.
PDF Filler – Free fillable press release templates, printable, downloadable and instantly sendable. With instructions on how to structure an effective release.
Adobe Express – Hundreds of press release templates to promote your news, event, new business or upcoming show. Fillable forms make it easy to construct. Printable into a flyer or download and send.
PR Log – Free press release distribution service to search engines. Discounted distribution to news websites and journalists.
FILE STORAGE AND TRANSFER
DropBox – A cloud storage service which keeps your files secure online. Edit, collaborate, share and access files across devices. Starts at a free level.
WeTransfer – Send large files quickly and easily, up to 2 GB. Starts at a free level for occasional use.
Toffee Share – Transfer files, peer-to-peer instantly and securely, with no file size limit and no need to store anything online.
Google Drive – This services offers cloud storage, document sharing, and real-time collaboration, enabling seamless teamwork and secure access to creative assets.
BUSINESS PLANNING
Business Plan Generator – Free to use. Create a road map for the next 3-5 years with this online tool. Save it online and update your plan as needed.
LivePlan – Designed for small businesses, this AI- powered site offers hundreds of sample plans, decision-making tools and even personal help. Starts at $15/month.
MindMeister – Small business collaborative mind mapping tool for use on any device. Get focused, plan your business, work on projects. Make up to 3 maps free, pricing starts at $6/month.
SBA Business Calculator – From the Small Business Administration, this free tool will help you calculate startup costs, determine your breakeven point and plan for funding.
Todoist – Keep your To Do list current and get more productive with this app. Their task manager helps you prioritize, keep track of recurring activities and even delegate, all in one central location. Starts at a free level.
STUDIO MANAGEMENT
Artwork Archive – Organize and manage your artwork inventory seamlessly. This site offers streamlined cataloging, sales tracking, and portfolio creation and helps increase business efficiency. Starts at $8/month
ArtCloud – Simplify art business operations from inventory management to sales tracking. This all-in-one platform is like a virtual assistant that empowers artists to efficiently manage their business. Starts at free level.
ArtLogic – Streamline your art inventory management with a robust set of tools for cataloging, sales, client management, and exhibition planning. Starts at $55/month.
SELF-PUBLISHING
Kindle Direct Publishing – Artists can self-publish and distribute their art books or portfolios globally through Amazon with KDP, reaching a broader audience and generating revenue from book sales.
Blurb – Create and self-publish high-quality books, magazines, or portfolios with Blurb. Showcase your artwork in print or digital formats, to attract a wider audience.
Lulu – From print to ebooks, artists can reach a global market with this vendor. Templates and tutorials make it easy to create and get your book to market.
CONTENT CREATION
ChatGPT – This popular free artificial intelligence tool can create all types of content for artists, including artist statements, website content, social media posts, email templates and more, all using correct spelling and grammar. Regenerate results as needed.
CommonTools – Very useful free site with over 100 tools. Clean up your original written content, create graphs, make invoices, create graphics and more.
Grammarly – Edit your original content, or get assistance with AI generated content. Editing tools fix spelling and grammar, check for plagiarism and give a polished, professional feel to your business writing. Free level available.
TEACHING AND LEARNING PLATFORMS
Thinkific – Drive additional income to your art business by creating courses. Thinkific is the #1 online course platform with options to sell your original classes, building communities and sell memberships. Extensive tutorials plus lots of marketing tools.
Teachable – Monetize your expertise by creating and selling online or downloadable courses or your coaching services. This platform supports artists in sharing skills, building a brand, and generating income.
Skillshare – Join a vibrant creative community where you can share and monetize your skills through online classes and diversify income streams, reaching a global audience.
CROWDFUNDING
Patreon – Expand your reach and receive ongoing financial support from fans through Patreon. This platform allows artists to offer exclusive content, build a community, and secure a sustainable income.
Podia – Build a membership community with support from fans, incorporated into your own website. Starts at a free level, then $4/month and up.
BuyMeACoffee – Cultivate direct support from fans and receive virtual tips or “coffees.” It’s a simple and artist-friendly way to generate income and engage with patrons.
Ko-Fi – Artists can enable direct fan support using Ko-Fi. Fans can support their favorite artists, providing a straightforward and friendly way to receive financial encouragement.
Kickstarter – Launch creative projects successfully with Kickstarter, where artists can crowdfund ideas and connect with backers. Ideal for funding ambitious art projects, products, or exhibitions.
WEBSITE HOSTING
WPEngine – The premier host for WordPress websites. Great customer service, virtually no downtime, and a stellar reputation. Artsy Shark is hosted by WPEngine and we believe it’s the best!
