Let’s Talk about Artist Websites
While working, I come across a lot of abandoned artist blogs and websites. What do I mean by abandoned? Imagine something along the lines of a ghost town. You can tell someone once lived there, but they left and haven’t been back for a long time. An artist builds a site with good intentions. It includes information about the artist and interesting work, but you can tell that it hasn’t been updated for some time.
One of the likely reasons for this is that many business owners, including artists, assume that it will automatically bring them business if they get a website up and running. When it doesn’t do this, they are not motivated to update or maintain the site.
An artist’s website is not a field of dreams. Just because you build it, it does not mean they will come.
This post is not meant to discourage you. It does not have to be this way. But, you have to do more than just build it.
Think of your website as a brick and mortar gallery. A first time visitor is interested because they’ve never seen the work before. But, if they visit a second or third time and the display has not changed, will they want to come back? You need to keep your site fresh so that people want to engage with it time and time again. Then, you need to go out and attract some visitors.
Here are three things you need to do to make your website a successful component of your art marketing strategy.
1 – Start blogging.
Adding a blog to your website allows you to update it frequently with new information about your work and business. This encourages visitors to know that your content is updated frequently. And, your site will rank higher with search engines when you are adding new information regularly.
2 – Identify your Target Audience
Who are the people most likely to purchase your art. Read more about this topic here and here.
3 – Identify the Best Marketing Channels for Your Site.
Depending on your audience demographics and interests, you should identify the places you will find them online. Once you do this, you can then share your website and individual blog posts in these places.
Build it Right and They Will Come!
You can’t wait for your audience to find you. You find them, and then when you do, engage with them and invite them to visit your vibrant and informative site. Without targeted paid advertising, this is the most powerful way to drive people to your site.
If you’re interested in seeing how all three of these actions work together to make a cohesive art marketing system, sign up for my free Blogging to Build Your Art Business presentation.
