Digital Illustration Marketing via Blogs in the VKontakte Social Network

Abstract

Social networks provide a convenient platform for art dealing and marketing. Many digital illustrators have art blogs where they post and promote their work, which they may also exhibit at traditional offline galleries. The sphere of digital art is highly competitive and open to new effective promotion tools, which makes it a prospective research subject. This study featured an online community of digital artists in the VKontakte social network, as well as the methods they use to attract potential buyers and increase their fandom. The research relied on the information and communication method supported by such sociological tools as expert survey and content analysis. The expert survey made it possible to classify digital illustrators into those with maximal, medium, and minimal popularity, as well as to identify the most effective promotion tools for each group. The VKontakte social network offers a wide range of promotion tools, based on the algorithms of this social network. The popularity of young digital artists depends on such factors as relevant content and joint projects with mature digital illustrators. The research contributes to the development of the genre of digital illustration and the fine art in general.