(And How to Get Found Online and Make More Sales)
If you’ve ever looked at your shop full of artwork and wondered why sales are low or nonexistent, you’re not alone. A lot of artists start to assume the platforms are just too saturated, or that success online is only for people who got there early. But that’s not what I’ve seen in my own business.
In this post, I’m breaking down why SEO has been one of the most powerful tools in my art business, how it helped my print-on-demand shop keep earning for years, and how you can start using it to get your own work found online.
Watch the VIDEO
This post is the written version of a podcast-style episode from my Art Biz Unfiltered Series. You can watch the full video on YouTube, or just listen while you’re working, walking, or organizing your studio!
Prefer reading? Keep scrolling, because I’m walking you through the full strategy right here.
Why SEO Matters So Much for Artists
A lot of artists are asking the same question: Are all these platforms just too saturated now?
And I get it. When you upload your work, and it disappears into a sea of thousands of other listings, it can feel impossible to stand out.
But here’s the truth: people still find art the same way they always have on online platforms. They type words into a search box. Then the platform shows them art.
That means if your work isn’t connected to the right words, it’s going to be very hard for buyers to find you.
SEO is simply the bridge between your art and the people who are already searching for it.
How SEO Works for Art: If someone can’t find your work by typing words into a search bar, then how are they supposed to discover it? That’s the big question.
When a buyer searches for something broad like floral, flower pattern, or modern floral, they’re entering a crowded space with a huge number of results.
But when they search for something more specific, that’s where opportunity opens up.
What I’m looking for is that sweet spot between something too broad and something too obscure. I don’t want to compete on a term with thousands of results, but I also don’t want to choose something so niche that no one is searching for it.
The goal is to land in that middle zone where there’s clear interest, but not overwhelming competition.
My Real Spoonflower Numbers: I always like to show real examples, because I don’t want this to feel theoretical.
I stopped actively posting on Spoonflower around 2020 when I shifted more of my energy into my membership. And even without adding new designs or doing maintenance, that shop has continued to earn because of SEO.
Here’s what that looked like:
- 2016: about $1,000
- 2017: $3.8K
- 2018: $12K
- 2019: $14K
- 2020: $44K
- 2021: $22.5K
- 2022: $21.3K
- 2023: $20K
- 2024: $17.6K
- 2025: $17K
That’s a shop I haven’t touched in years. And I want to be really clear here: this wasn’t because people were searching my name. That shop was under a different name, built with my husband, long before I had a personal brand or knew how to use Instagram. The reason it kept performing was search visibility. That’s the power of SEO.
How I Approach SEO for My Art
1. Start with words, not finished art. This is the biggest mindset shift. If your goal is to sell online, words come first.
That doesn’t mean you have to make art you hate. It means you begin by choosing themes, subjects, or categories you actually enjoy making art around, then you research how those words perform.
I like to start with themes I genuinely enjoy and then organize them in a spreadsheet so I can track which ones seem promising.
2. Look for the sweet spot. I’m not trying to rank for a term with 2,000 results. I’m looking for terms that have enough search demand to matter, but not so much competition that I’ll never be seen. That might be:
- hobbies
- specialty interests
- cultural themes
- specific animals
- seasonal niches
- sports
- trending lifestyle topics
For example, instead of making another generic floral pattern, I’d rather make something around a more focused term that has fewer pages of results and a clearer buyer.
3. Follow the platform’s own SEO rules. Every platform works a little differently.
Spoonflower has its own best practices. Etsy has its own. Redbubble, Society6, Shopify — all of them have different priorities.
So once you choose your words and make the artwork, the next step is to use the platform’s SEO tools and recommendations as carefully as possible: titles, tags, descriptions, categories, file naming where relevant.
You don’t need one universal formula. You need to work with the platform you’re on.
4. Let sales guide your next collections. In the beginning, you’re making educated guesses. You post your work, see what gets traction, and pay attention.
Then once something starts selling, that’s your signal to go deeper. If one tennis-themed pattern does well, maybe that becomes a whole collection: tennis rackets, tennis balls, women playing tennis, tennis phrases.
That’s how you build momentum. You don’t keep reinventing the wheel. You follow the clues your shop gives you.
5. Use AI for support, not art-making. I know a lot of artists feel wary about AI, and I understand that.
But I think there’s a big difference between using it to make art and using it to support your business.
For SEO tasks, AI can help with things like:
- organizing spreadsheets
- brainstorming keywords
- drafting tags, titles, and descriptions
- helping you clean up a shop that already exists
That kind of support can save a huge amount of time without replacing your creative work.
If You Already Have a Shop, Start with a Makeover
If you already have a POD shop that isn’t performing, you probably don’t need to start over. You may just need a makeover. That means looking at: designs that aren’t selling, weak or overly broad keywords, outdated titles and tags, missed niche opportunities, collections that should be expanded.
Take the Next Step:
Inside The Studio, I have a full series on how to make over on print-on-demand, including research tools, keyword help, and ways to use AI to make the process easier. Try The Studio FREE for 7 days.
Join us in The Studio
- My step-by-step courses
- Real-world product testing + reviews
- Strategies for sustainable growth
And yes—you can try the membership free for 7 days.
