Inside this brief, our team highlights all the important dates, trends and products that we’ll be featuring and, more importantly, customers will be searching for in the coming Back to School season.
Our Back to School marketing campaign will run from early July through September and it’s all about refreshing spaces for summer and beyond. Whether going back to school, back to the office, or decorating a now empty room, our Back to School collections are designed for all those transitions into and after summer. Keep this in mind as you consider uploading new designs and creating collections your customers will love.
Calendar of Key Events
This season is full of opportunities to promote your business. Below we’ve outlined the main events and shopping moments to keep in mind throughout the “Back to School” time of year.
July
Our Back to School season officially kicks off on July 7th right after our Fourth of July sale ends.
August
Back to school shopping is in full swing as students head off to college and back to campus. The end of the month is highlighted by our Labor Day sale as summer comes to an end.
September
Fall is on the horizon and customers are spending more time at home. Shoppers will be looking for the final touches to put on their new spaces.
Back to School Trend Report
Your roundup of trending themes that customers can’t get enough of. Whether you are an illustrator, pattern designer or photographer, we can’t wait to see how you interpret these trends in your own unique style.
Trending Themes
Retro Pastels
Get inspired by the Gen Z aesthetic with groovy graphics in pastel tones.
Featured art: Cute Pastel Cow Spots Pattern \\ Multicolor Gradient by tartagain
Eclectic Contemporary
Subdued, earthy tones in abstract or plant-inspired patterns are a timeless favorite.
Featured art: The Joy by Joao Incerti
Modern Abstract
Abstract, colorful designs are a go-to for making a big impact even in small spaces.
Featured art: Striped shape cut out collage 2 by Little Dean
Bohemian Floral
Add some life to your artwork with bold floral patterns – they’re a customer favorite!
Featured art: Grandma’s Garden by Alja Horvat
Vintage Nature-Inspired
This trend is a callback to the classics. Think natural tones, vintage-style posters of flora and fauna and your favorite wing of a natural history museum.
Featured art: Chart from “Geographical Portfolio” by Levi Walter Yaggy, 1887 by Maria Popova
Trending Search Terms
These are the top 10 terms that customers are searching for again and again. We’re seeing many trends remain consistent with a few newcomers. Consider adding these as tags to relevant artwork or use them as inspiration to create something new.
1. Matisse
2. Pink
3. Vintage
4. Cat
5. Retro
6. Music
7. Beach
8. Blue
9. Floral
10. Abstract
Pro Tip: When tagging your designs, focus on the content of the artwork and be precise with the tags you add. When possible use single word tags. If you do want to use more words, keep it to a maximum of 3 and use dashes (-) in between words instead of spaces.
Trending Products
We’ll be focusing on a key list of trending and high-demand products throughout the Back to School season. These twenty products are best sellers during this time of year and will continue be featured in our marketing campaign.
1. Art Prints
2. Framed Art Prints
3. Posters
4. Throw Pillows
5. Shower Curtains
6. Wall Tapestries
7. Rugs
8. Blackout Curtains
9. iPhone Cases
10. Comforters
11. Canvas Prints
12. Duvet Covers
13. Wall Murals
14. Bath Mats
15. Throw Blankets
16. Rectangular Pillows
17. Framed Canvas Prints
18. Backpacks
19. Hand & Bath Towels
20. Wood Wall Art
Trending On Social
From Tiktok to Instagram we are seeing a celebration of color, or dopamine decor, that leads to an instant mood boost. Whether it’s wall art, rugs, pillows, or tabletop accessories, the goal is to create a hit of happiness with attention grabbing tones and patterns that intrigue the eye. While some users create color-explosions in their home with every shade under the sun, many people find it easier to lean into dopamine decor by incorporating just a few select colorful pieces with their existing items.
When it comes to social strategy, it’s all about consistent content if you want to shine through summer and grow your audience before the back-to-school season! Consider new styles of content that you haven’t yet experimented with, including:
- Storytelling through longform captions or voice overs in short form video
- Process videos on TikTok/Reels or carousels that show each step of the journey to create your design
- Art-in-action posts that show users how your designs look IRL (in real life) when hung on the wall or used in home decor.
Ask yourself this: what’s a fresh way to show up for my ideal audience?
Image: Instagram @society6
Image: TikTok @nicolekramer_
Community Team Tips
Connect with us on TikTok! Follow our channel to see behind the scenes, artist features, community team tips and more. Plus, we’re always looking out for great content to repost and share on TikTok. Tag us in your posts or send us a message for an opportunity to be featured.
Optimize your shop pricing. Did you know you can set your prices on all products? Check out this helpful blog post with advice on what to consider when adjusting pricing in your shop. This year we’re expecting shoppers to continue to be price conscious. Look for ways to offer your designs on products across different price points.
Utilize our new tools to share designs with your followers. We recently added new design first tools that make it easy to share your designs and allow customers to choose which product they want to purchase. Consider sending customers to the design page in your shop from your social media accounts or website. Learn more about these pages here.
Create custom Back to School collections. Use our new collection tool to build curated collections highlighting back to school trends and popular products featuring your unique designs. Collections make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for in your shop. Check out this video for all the details on how to create collections.
Earn more on the sales you refer through our Artist Affiliate Program. Make sure to include your affiliate link on any links you share (especially the link in your IG bio!) to earn an extra 10%.
Cheers to a successful Back to School season!