How to manage the social media profile of an art gallery

HOW TO MANAGE THE SOCIAL PROFILE OF AN ART GALLERY OR MUSEUM

Lately I’ve been doing some consulting for cultural institutions that have asked me to explore the techniques of communication of art through social networks.
The question I’m asked most often is:

‘how do I manage the social profile I’ve opened to talk about our initiatives?’.

So I decided to summarise my answer in this post, which I usually present in a series of meetings with specific examples and practical exercises.

How to manage an art gallery’s social media profile

Managing the social media profile of an art gallery is certainly an excellent opportunity to promote it, engage the public and share interesting content related to the collections and exhibitions.
However, it is an activity that requires effective planning and the identification of clear objectives.

Here are some tips on how to manage a gallery’s social media profile:

SETTING GOALS

Before you start posting content (text, video or images) on social media, it’s important to establish the objectives you want to achieve with the museum’s social media profile.
Objectives may include increasing the institution’s profile, increasing the number of visitors, promoting events and exhibitions, and educating the public.

Together with all the gallery staff, prepare a document in which the objectives are clearly stated, but without overdoing it. It is better to focus on a few aspects rather than trying to do too much and failing to focus on what is really important.

IDENTIFYING YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

It’s important to understand who we’re addressing on social media and to create content that is interesting for the audience we want to attract. And that’s what I always recommend to those who manage a collection of works of art, especially because it helps the staff understand, for example, why a museum should use social media.

If the gallery deals with modern art, for example, the target audience could be art enthusiasts, collectors of ancient art and art history students. If, on the other hand, the gallery deals with contemporary art, the audience it can address could be young artists and collectors or enthusiasts of 20th century art and art up to the present day.

CREATE INTERESTING CONTENT

To engage your audience, it’s important to create content that is original, interesting and visually appealing.
Content can include photos of the artworks, exhibition displays or videos of events, interviews with curators and artists, behind-the-scenes stories and much more.

MAINTAIN A CONSTANT PRESENCE

To keep the public interested and involved, it is important to maintain a constant presence to get the right attention on social media. This means posting content regularly, responding to followers’ comments and questions, and participating in conversations.

Some of the content created for the promotion and enhancement of the museums of Mantua

COLLABORATE WITH OTHER GALLERIES, BUT ALSO WITH MUSEUMS AND INSTITUTIONS

Collaborating with other galleries and cultural institutions can be an excellent opportunity to expand your audience and create engaging content. For example, you can organise a joint exhibition, share content on social media or participate in events together.

Collaboration with other institutions is essential, especially when it comes to building joint communication projects.
It’s rare for galleries to collaborate with each other; more often they compete, but to understand what opportunities can be opened up by a union between two organisations, even if they’re different, I’ll share a project that I personally curated.
I created a project for the Municipality of Mantua that aimed to promote Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Te, two important museums that are different in terms of history and architecture, as well as being managed differently: one is a state museum while the other is a civic museum.

The project I developed aimed to raise the profile of these two places, which are in the same city, and to involve a different audience.
For this reason I decided to involve some bloggers and instagramers, who have different audiences (travellers, art lovers, the generally curious) and who were able to describe the two museums from different points of view and at different times.
This generated the involvement of different users, increasing the social visibility of the two museums and emphasising the fact that they are different but for this reason both interesting.

Here are some of the contents created and still visible on the web:

• https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/Mantova Art post Blog
• https://www.megliounpostobello.com/cosa-vedere-a-mantova-in-un-giorno/
• https://www.viaggiascrittori.com/mantova-sulle-orme-dei-gonzaga/

MISURARE I RISULTATI

MISURARE I RISULTATI

To understand if we are reaching the objectives of the social media profile of the gallery it is important to measure the results. This means monitoring the number of followers, interaction with the content and traffic on the website.
We mustn’t forget that the website is the main point from which all our communication must start and that social channels are an extension of what is on the site.

Take a look at the website of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Social communication is an extension of what is on the site and helps create that emotional involvement that the site alone cannot give.
Essentially, the museum’s social media channels give us the illusion of seeing what’s happening at the museum today, even if we’re thousands of kilometres away, making me want to be there.

In conclusion

Managing the social media profile of a gallery or museum requires time and dedication, but it can be an excellent opportunity to promote your business, the exhibitions you organise and your initiatives, and to engage with the public.

In the Contact Us section you’ll find the details you need to write to me and ask any questions you may have.