Updated July 2024

As summer winds down, back to school excitement starts to kick into high gear. Not only do students swap vacation mode for academic readiness, parents and teachers need to shift mindsets for the new school year. This annual transition marks a fresh start at the end of summer, bringing with it a mix of joy, nervousness, and maaaaaaaaybe even a little bit of relief.

Classrooms are being readied. Supplies are being purchased. What are YOU doing to prepare? If you’re a Redbubble artist looking to make the most of the upcoming Back to School season, here’s some inspiration to help get you started.

Promote Back to School Essentials

First things first: Make sure your designs are formatted correctly and enabled on as many products as possible. Redbubble has loads of products perfect for every student. Back to school essentials include anything from a complete college room make-over (think blankets and wall art) to a kid’s first pencil case, t-shirt, or notebook.

Bundling

Another way to promote your design for Back to School is to bundle them with like-minded products. High schoolers might want to match a backpack with a studio pouch and stickers, while college students may be more interested in a tech accessories instead. By promoting bundles on social media, you can provide fans with more ways to express themselves (and/or their kids) for the upcoming school year. Try using the carousel options to share your bundles on social media. You can also create a themed collection on your Redbubble storefront!

Look for Trends

Not only does Back to School focus on popular themes, it drives many design trends that customers look for. Social media channels like TikTok, Pintrest, and Instagram are super helpful to find new ideas that have been emerging over the Spring and Summer. Keep an eye on Redbubble’s Fresh Finds page for inspiration and ideas on what’s popular.

Keep an eye on current promotions

Make sure you’re signed up to receive artist newsletters by clicking this link, checking the boxes for Artists and designers newsletter + Offers, discounts, coupons and news, and scrolling down to save changes. 

Don’t Forget the Parents

In many cases, parents have a lot of say over Back to School gear because they pay for it.   Why not offer a special selection of designs to send them on a mental vacation (even if only for a moment or two)?

Work Your Social Media

Social media can be a fantastic place to promote your art and shop. Meta offers free online training with Blueprint and you get a certificate upon completion. Now who’s going back to school?!

Offer a giveaway box featuring your designs on Redbubble products. A giveaway can be a great way to build excitement around your art. To make it extra fun throw in a quiz, a race to reach a social following goal, or other fun engagement approach.

Are the designs in your shop currently trending? Make sure to share these on your social media platforms so your fans know where to go. Not only does sharing keep your fans engaged with your shop but they look forward to keeping up with what you’re working on.

tl;dr

Back to School happens every year
trends are important
keep you store fresh
create themed collections
promote yourself on social media
don’t forget about parents
and
– most importantly –
HAVE FUN!