The Algorithm Doesn't Care About Your Art. Let's Fix That. (Art Marketing Podcast)
If your social media feels like shouting into the void, this episode of the Art Marketing Podcast might just change everything about how you think about posting online.
Table of Contents
Why the algorithm ignores your art posts (and what it rewards instead)
What a meme actually is, and why artists are already halfway there
How a 77 year old museum curator got 9 million views with Gen Z slang
The Marco Rubio couch meme: proof you don't even have to try
Free tools that make meme creation embarrassingly easy
The Algorithm Has a Favorite, and It's Not Your Art
Here's the uncomfortable truth this episode lays out right at the top: the algorithm rewards shares, watch time, and laughs. Not your latest painting. Not your most polished photograph. Most artists treat social media like a gallery wall, posting art after art after art, and wondering why nobody sees it. This episode flips that thinking completely on its head and offers a wildly different approach you can start using this week.
Meet the 77 Year Old Museum Curator Who Went Viral
One of the best moments in this episode is the story of Alison Luchs from the National Gallery of Art. She's 77 years old, started making Instagram Reels using Gen Z slang, and racked up 9 million views. Nine million! That story alone is worth pressing play. It proves you don't need to be young, trendy, or particularly tech savvy to win on social media. You just need to be willing to have a little fun with it. If Alison can do it from inside a museum, you can absolutely do it from your studio.
Memes Are Not Beneath You
This might be the biggest mindset shift in the whole episode. Memes aren't just silly internet jokes. They're a language. And artists, of all people, already understand visual communication better than most. The episode walks through real examples, from Devon Rodriguez on TikTok to brands like Duolingo and Scrub Daddy that have built massive followings by being entertaining first and promotional second. The core idea is simple: charge up your "engagement battery" with content that makes people laugh or share, and then the algorithm will actually show your art to the people who want to see it.
Your Homework (Yes, Really)
The episode wraps with a challenge that honestly sounds like a blast. Make one meme about being an artist this week. Just one. Post it. Then compare the shares to your last art post. The host even lists free tools like Imgflip, Canva, and Supermeme.ai so there's zero excuse not to try. No design skills needed, no learning curve, just pick a template and type something that makes you laugh.
So here's my question for the community: have any of you ever posted a meme or something funny on your art account? Did it outperform your regular posts? I'd absolutely love to hear those stories!