The Internet is an important sales venue for artists. It can be particularly effective for marketing special niches like Christian art because there are so may ways an artist can differentiate himself and his work. As tempting as it is to cast a wide net to get the art in front of as many people as possible, a well-targeted marketing plan makes the best use of the artist's time and money because it puts her art in front of the people most likely to purchase it.

Start a Christian art blog. Use it to post photos and descriptions of your work, and also to write about your artistic inspiration, passion and techniques. Several blogging platforms can be found online. Choose one that allows you to have your own domain name as your URL, or Web address.

Create a website from which to make direct sales. Keep the design clean. Write simply and to the point. Size your photos so that they load quickly. Include contact information and an interactive form users can use to order art or make inquiries about it. Place links to your site on the blog so that your blog readers can find the site easily.

Create a Facebook page for Christian art. Use it primarily to engage your friends and acquaintances in conversations about art -- yours and other artists'. Develop a reputation as an authority on Christian art. Don't go overboard in hawking your work here, but do post links to new blog entries and new pieces listed for sale on your website.

Open vendor accounts on Internet auction sites and arts and crafts malls. Auction work that isn't selling, and include links to your website and blog in each listing. Use the arts and crafts malls as showcases for your work. Take advantage of networking opportunities that might widen your exposure, such as creating collections of favorites from other Christian artists. Encourage other artists to add your work to their favorites. Link your profiles on these sites to your website and blog.

Develop a Christian-based following on Twitter by searching terms like "Christian" and "Christian art" and following the people who "tweeted" about them. Use Twitter to post links to new blog posts and works for sale on occasion, but use most of your tweets to share information that benefits your followers. Bible quotes, links to Christian websites and blogs you enjoy reading and short devotions are all things you can tweet regularly to keep yourself in front of the target audience for your work.

Join Christian-themed Internet forums and participate in discussions that interest you. Add a signature line to your messages that links to your blog. Talk about your art if the subject comes up naturally, but don't force it. As you get to know other forum members, you'll have opportunities to mention the fact that you're a Christian artist.

Seek out other Christian bloggers. Offer to act as a guest blogger every now and then, and invite them to guest-blog for you. Leave thoughtful comments on their blogs. Your comments will link back to your own blog and help to drive traffic there.

Create a Christian-themed email newsletter. Write about general Christ-centered topics of interest to the people likely to buy your art, but don't write about your art, per se. Include a boilerplate at the bottom of each newsletter with a short bio and links to your website and blog.

Tip

Pick a "funnel" -- one online venue to serve as the hub of your online efforts. Funnel your other Internet efforts into that hub. Many online marketers use their blogs for this purpose.

Research "search engine optimization" (SEO) on the Internet to learn how to create blog and website content ranks well on Google and other search engines.