Social Media: Back to the roots – Why less is sometimes more
Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, consume and present art. However, as with any major change, there are light and dark sides. For me as an artist, social media was an indispensable tool for a long time, but I now think that less is more. Why is that? In this post, I share my thoughts on the pros and cons of social media and explain why I focus on my own website and direct communication.
The advantages of social media
Social media undoubtedly offers a number of advantages that make it attractive for many artists and creative people:
- Greater reach: Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest make it possible to reach thousands or even millions of people with a single post. For artists, this means enormous visibility.
- Direct contact with the community: Likes, comments and DMs make it easy to get in touch directly with fans and interested parties.
- Free promotion: Compared to traditional advertising methods, publishing content on social media is largely free.
- Variety of formats: Whether photos, videos or stories – social media offers many creative ways to present content.
These advantages have contributed to social media becoming an important part of many artists’ careers. But what about the disadvantages?
The disadvantages of social media
As practical as social media is, there are significant disadvantages that cannot be ignored:
- Corporate rules: As a user of platforms such as Meta or TikTok, you are at the mercy of corporate rules. Content can be blocked without warning, and sometimes absurd guidelines apply, which particularly affect nude photography.
- Dependence on the algorithm: When platforms change their algorithms, this can have a drastic impact on visibility. Posts that used to reach thousands of people can suddenly hardly reach anyone.
- Superficiality: Many users just scroll through their feeds without really taking in the content. A work of art on social media often does not have the same value as a printed image or a book.
- Time required: Regular posts, interactions with the community and understanding the algorithms take up a lot of time and energy that could be better invested in the art itself.
Back to the roots: focus on your own website
In the midst of these disadvantages, it is clear that it is time to take a step back and focus on your own platform. Why? Because having your own website offers decisive advantages:
Independence
On my website, only I make the rules. I decide what content I post, when I post it and how I present it. There are no algorithms that restrict my creativity or reduce my visibility.
Quality instead of quantity
A book, a calendar or a high-quality print have a much greater value than a picture on social media. They are tangible, long-lasting and are consciously perceived instead of simply being scrolled through. I can present these products better on my website and focus on their uniqueness.
More creative freedom
Without the restrictions of social media, I can work more creatively on my website. Whether it’s detailed blog posts, comprehensive galleries or special product pages – the possibilities are almost limitless. Visitors to my website get a much more immersive and personalized experience than on any social media platform.
Time for the essentials
Reducing social media activities leaves more time for the actual art. Instead of investing hours in creating and publishing posts, I can focus on new projects, series and products.
An example: Collectors Edition and Modern Madonnas
On my website, collectors can find my exclusive works such as the Collectors Edition and the Modern Madonnas. These series stand for the combination of aesthetics and precision craftsmanship. Each work is a signed unique piece or part of a strictly limited edition that reflects the high standards of quality and exclusivity.
The Modern Madonnas in particular are based on photographs that I took of my models and that create a new, fascinating world through close collaboration with my art director. Loud, colorful, provocative, trashy, sensual and always an eye-catcher – these works are also a silent protest against the censorship craze on social media. Where we wanted censorship, we did it ourselves – through creative techniques such as overpainting, collages or other ideas that inspired us. The result is art that defies the rigid rules and stands out at the same time.
A look into the future: a new product for beginners
In order to make art more accessible to new collectors, I am working on a new product that will be of particular interest to newcomers to the collecting scene. It will offer an affordable way to own a piece of my art without having to invest in a life-size original print. Details will follow soon – stay tuned!
Perspective: Use social media sparingly
That doesn’t mean that I’m giving up social media completely. It remains a useful tool to announce new works, reach a wide audience and draw attention to my website. But the focus is clearly on my own platform, where I have full control and can offer my visitors a better experience.
Conclusion
Social media has its advantages, but also its limitations. For me, my own website is the ideal basis for presenting my art in an authentic, creative and sustainable way. This is where my rules apply, this is where real appreciation for my work is created. Social media remains a tool, but the core of my work is back to my roots: the direct connection to my community – on my own platform.
So it’s worth visiting martin-wieland-arts.com regularly to discover new series, exclusive products and exciting insights into my work.
