There are two things you need to do online to succeed as an artist

I’ve studied icons, built platforms, and helped publish artists... this is what most people miss

Icons, I’ve been deeply studying them for the past two years. I know how they move from private life to fame to cultural permanence. Through this research—and the writing of my forthcoming book, Iconicism—I’ve been able to innately understand what each of us can do as artists to build a sustainable creative ecosystem online.

It revolves around two foundational elements of iconicity in the social media era: the work and the content. Artists, icons, need both, not just one. That’s what separates them from content creators and influencers. That’s what builds lasting, impactful careers.

The work

As an artist—a writer, a painter, a musician, a photographer—you need a consistent output of work. As a writer, that means new writing—on Substack, in a book, on a blog, what have you. As a musician that means new music. A painter, new artwork. A photographer, a new gallery. This is all rather quite obvious, I’m sure you’re thinking exactly that right now. But I’ve fallen victim to this trap many times. In fact, I’ve spent the past few years focussed solely on content without producing any new books. I see many of my friends doing the same, trying to draw attention to a piece of work that came out 5+ years ago to the same audience that has been with them that whole time. The work is what defines you publicly as an artist. Of course, you can still be an artist without something to show—but without visible output, your impact will be minimal. The work is the art. Thus, it is quite necessary.

It’s not about creating all day every day and putting it out into the world. The frequency is flexible but the recency is crucial, and consistency is key.

The content

So if the artist has a strong foundation of the work, they must also have a consistent content cycle. Content in this context refers to anything that is secondary to the work but is still the creative output of the artist. It’s anything created in support of the artists’ image and work. It can be social media content, a documentary, an op-ed, a showcase… but for the sake of this essay let’s just look at social media content. The content is something the artist makes within their own control (as opposed to media/public-made interpretations and content) that is used to draw attention to them and their work.

Content is not just marketing. It’s how communities get built in the social media era. Content is how artists can value add to their creations and make them broadly accessible. Content builds the bridge between strangers and the work. And often, the content can become the work itself. An abstract painter might film vlogs of trying to get their work into galleries, taking their audience on a journey with them. This establishes connection, emotional resonance, attachment. Suddenly, an art piece that used to look like scribbles on canvas takes on new meaning. To the audience, it represents the plight of an artist trying to ‘make it’.

Ultimately, you can no longer just put your art out into the world and expect people to first find it, second understand or enjoy it, and third want to support you and your journey. Sure, that sometimes happens, and yes that’s very nice, but that’s an entitled way of thinking. People don’t owe you anything just because you made art. Making the art is just the first step, reaching the audience is the second, nurturing your community and telling your story continually, perpetually, is third.

We need both

Many artists I work with have one or the other—some only write books and release them into the void, others only make content and hope to get picked up by a major publisher with no manuscript to sell. I have also done both extremes of this; I published my first book while still in obscurity and I rose to virality without any new work for years. I don’t recommend either—one led to stagnation and the other burnt me out.

A writer I deeply admire is Clementine Morrigan. She publishes regularly—Substack essays, zines, and (might I add) a book coming out with me through Revolutionaries later this year. On Instagram, she shares a steady stream of content: strong, clear statements about her ideas, politics, and lived experience. Often these are drawn from her Substack, but they’re tailored to speak directly to her Instagram audience. Each post adds value in its own right—no link in bio required. That’s how I first found her. It worked on me. And it’s worked on over 111,000 others.

The magic happens for artists when the work and the content move in rhythm with one another. Work sustains integrity and builds authority—while also providing a strong economic base. Content sustains reach, inspires, and provides support through community.

You don’t need to do more, you need to do both, with intention. Let the work and the content support each other, as two sides of the same expression. Build your ecosystem in a way that best supports you. Momentum and visibility will compound over time—just be consistent, be recent, be regular, and stay relevant.