How I Manage 11 social media Platforms as an artist Without Losing my Mind

Apr 14

Spoiler alert: If you’re spending more time posting about your art than actually making it... you’re doing it wrong. Let’s fix that.

This article includes affiliate links, but I would never recommend a tool that I did not already use myself and highly recommend.*

Social Media Shouldn’t Eat Your Life

I run two art businesses, post to 11 platforms, and I’m only spending a couple of hours per week on social media.

Not because I’m a productivity wizard, but because I use a social media scheduler, specifically Buffer.

Check out the image above, I’ve got hundreds of posts queued up across multiple channels without having to manually copy/paste every day like it’s 2012.

Because I have a process:

Only 30% of your time should be on marketing.
60% should be making art.
10% goes to admin (email, invoices, crying, etc).

If you’re spending more than that on content... we’ve got a problem.

Why I Use Buffer Over Other social media schedulers

There are a million schedulers out there, Later, Planoly, Metricool, etc.

But here’s why I love Buffer:

Works with more platforms (including Threads and Bluesky)
Web app is stable AF, less crashing and glitches
Interface is clean, minimal, and weirdly delicious to look at
Very few “Oops, your post failed” moments (which are the worst)
Free for up to 3 platforms! With $12 per additional channel.

Yes, it has a link-in-bio tool...But honestly? Just make your own landing page. Here’s mine for inspo, womenofillustration.com/links

It’s branded, has my top offers, latest products, and newsletter opt-in all in one place. Plus, if they’re already on your site... they’re one click away from buying.

If Your Brain is Made of Bees and ADHD (This is for You)

As someone with ADHD and autism, I cannot do social media in real-time. I WILL spiral.

Instead, I batch content in a way that works with my brain:

I write quick one-liners for Threads, Bluesky, or Facebook
I see which get the most engagement (shares, likes, comments)
I turn the best-performing ideas into video hooks, carousel text, or even T-shirt ideas
I repost those pieces everywhere else (YouTube Shorts, Reels, TikTok, etc.)

This system reduces decision fatigue, executive dysfunction, and the classic “I forgot to post all week and now I’m spiraling” moment.

If you want to steal this exact system (with templates, batching hacks, and pre-made content prompts), grab my Artist Reset Planner. It’s like a digital support buddy with zero judgment and so many ideas.

Use CapCut for video editing to make batching content wayyyyy easier

If you’re gonna batch content, especially videos, please don’t edit inside TikTok or Instagram.

Use CapCut instead.

Why?

You can save templates with your brand fonts, colors, and logo
Add text overlays and use their built-in library of stickers and effects
Never forget your custom CTA, you can bake it in at the end of every video
Export high-resolution videos for every platform in under 20 minutes

Yes, there’s a free version.

But I HIGHLY recommend paying for it ($12.99/mo), you’ll unlock all the bells and whistles and avoid wasting time re-editing every time a platform glitches out.

Plus, CapCut has a huge library of royalty-free commercial music, so you don’t have to worry about copyright when scheduling your videos via Buffer.

Just make sure to add the music during editing, because schedulers can’t add trending audio. That’s a platform thing, not a Buffer fail.

a reminder to Lead with Hooks, Not Products

Since we are talking about social media, I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating:

Most of you are trying to sell your art like this:

“Here’s a T-shirt I made. It’s available in my shop!”

Boo.

Instead:

“This design was born from a meltdown in the Goodwill parking lot. Now it’s on a hoodie.”

Lead with a story. Add value (humor, vulnerability, education). Then drop the product link.

Need help crafting hooks like that? Check out this post on storytelling hooks. You’ll never post “new art!” again.

always Add a Call to Action And Automate It with ManyChat

If you're not telling people what to do at the end of a post or video, they won’t do anything.
No click. No sale.

Instead of yelling “link in bio,” use ManyChat to send people exactly what they need, right in their DMs.

For example:
When someone comments “planner,” on my Women of Illustration IG they instantly get a message walking them through options like:

Use Auto-DMs from Comments

Inside ManyChat, you can use Ready-to-Go Templates, like:

“Comment the word ‘snag’ and I’ll send you a link for this limited print!”

You can even customize up to 20 different comment auto-replies so it doesn’t feel too repetitive. Having turned on comment replies are important so people know to check their DMs long after they have forgoton they’ve comented!

Keep the Clicks Low, Conversion High

To legally start a DM convo, Instagram requires your audience to click a button in the chat.
So start every flow with a simple question:

“Before I send the link, what’s your vibe?”
Button 1: Cottage-core
Button 2: Gothic AF

Once they click? You can show a product image, send a direct link, even offer a coupon.

Less clicks = higher conversion. Skip the link trees. Send them straight to the thing they need.

I’ve even made a 20-step automation I call "on crack", and yep, it works like a charm. I’ll be sharing templates for it soon, so be sure to sign up for my Free Art Boss Newsletter to snag it when it comes out.

TL;DR: Your New Game Plan

Download Buffer and schedule your posts weekly
Create one landing page like this instead of Linktree
Use CapCut to edit videos with music. text hooks, and CTAs
Automate comments with ManyChat to drive more conversions
Learn how to batch like a beast using my free content batching article
Use hooks and storytelling instead of boring product blurbs
And please, have a website for people to land on, I love Shopify and Squarespace.

Wanna Make posting & planning Even Easier?

Grab my Artist Reset Planner to get:

✔️ Done-for-you content ideas
✔️ Templates for batching like a pro
✔️ Step-by-step help with social media pillars
✔️ An entire chapter on content batching
✔️ And systems so social doesn’t suck the joy out of your life

Let’s stop letting social media be the boss of you. Let’s get back to making art that matters.

Mindset

Dean Rodriguez

Every day I combine my 10 years of design experience to create lettering that entertains, engages and inspires a community near you. The kind of design that’s custom-made to attract your audience through the combination of beautiful letters and handmade illustration.

Over the past five years, hand lettering has been the primary focus of my career. What started as a hobby drawing letters for a few hours every day, quickly turned into a full-time passion doing client work for companies like American Greetings, Wacom, and Penguin Books.

Since 2013, I’ve worked with over 300 carefully selected clients working on everything from apparel design to chalk murals for businesses all over the United States.

Early on I started teaching everything I know on lettering and freelance so I could better understand my craft to help others do the same. I started blogging, writing books, and began to live stream my work on Twitch twice a week so I could build a creative community around my hand lettering.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve named 2017 as the year of art education for my brand. I’ll be traveling the country teaching lettering and the business of illustration at design conferences like Creative South and Design Week Portland. I also recently landed an opportunity at the Pacific College of Fine Arts teaching Illustrated Lettering once a week.

All this teaching means I’ll be devoting my time and skills to just one new client a month. So if you are looking for an artist with a broad range of lettering styles with a proven track record of happy customers, then I invite you to fill out my Project Questionnaire to get started on your next creative idea.

https://womenofillustration.com