by Becky Sciullo | Jan 16, 2021 | Audience
Find Your Blog Audience with Google Alerts
Google Alerts allows you to consistently monitor the web for specific topics. If you have a Google account, you can go to Google Alerts and list terms and phrases you would like to search. It’s easy to use. You enter a word or phrase, and Google then alerts you when it finds new mentions on the web.
Here are some examples of how you could use Google Alerts to find your audience.
Working in a niche
Are you creating work that speaks to a particular niche? When growing the Bluegrass Painter Blog audience, I had Google Alerts set for keywords and phrases such as bluegrass music, bluegrass art, bluegrass festivals, and more.
Find An Audience for Your Workshop
If you are a teaching artist, you could set up an alert for different types of workshops. This helps you to find groups and organizations that might be a place you can teach. You will also discover forums and publications where you can connect with potential students.
Find an Audience in Your Region
If you are looking to grow your following within a specific region, never miss another opportunity to show your work. Set up google alerts for art-related events in that region. For example, if you are an artist looking to grow in the Pittsburgh area, set up Google Alerts for phrases such as Pittsburgh Artist, Western Pennsylvania Art or Pittsburgh Art. Search related terms to alert you to an event or opportunity in the region you are interested in growing and meeting interested collectors.
This is what the Google Alert will look like:
What are People Saying about Your Work?
You can also monitor the web for mentions of your name. You might be surprised where your name pops us. Don’t miss out on positive press!
Alternative to Google Alerts
If you don’t have and don’t want a Google Account, try Social Searcher, as an alternative.
One Step in Finding Your Audience
Finding and growing your audience is an ongoing process. Web-monitoring is one way to start getting ideas about where you can find your audience. Once you identify this audience, you will want to work on connecting with and nurturing it.
We will talk more later about how you connect with and nurture this audience, but for now, start getting some google alerts and see if you come across anything interesting.
If you like posts like this, I hope you will sign up for my email newsletter for artists about blogging and maintaining a web presence.
by Becky Sciullo | Jan 14, 2021 | Artist Blogging 101, Events
Free Presentation! Use Blogging to Build Your Art Business
Join me for Blogging for a Visual Art Business on January 16, 2021.
Start the new year off right. Attend this free presentation about how to use blogging to create an effective marketing system for your visual art.
This presentation uses my personal experience and real-life examples to outline a system any visual artist can use. The information is relevant for many popular web platforms such as WordPress, Weebly, Squarespace, or FASO. Learn how to consistently share work with an audience across various marketing channels such as social media and email marketing using an easy to use blogging platform as the driver for your business.
My goal is for you to gain a new enthusiasm for building a web presence, whether you are starting from scratch or improving upon an existing website. Blogging to Build an Art Business offers advice for starting and maintaining this system in a manageable way.
Reserve your spot at the link below.
Blogging for a Visual Art Business
January 16, 2021
10:00 am EST
by Becky Sciullo | Jan 11, 2021 | Learning
Here are some marketing ideas for your Monday Morning.
Seven Art Marketing Ideas
1 – Keep track of marketing ideas. Do they pop into your head? Have a sound system for keeping track, so you don’t lose those moments of inspiration. A dedicated notebook or folder will help you follow through and ensure they don’t get lost.
2 – Build a profile for your art business on ALL major social media networks. Then, link back to your website from each of these profiles. You can decide which profiles you want to build, but maintaining a solid profile at a minimum will ensure that people find you no matter where they look. Use a consistent user name and image across all platforms.
3 – Valentine’s Day is coming soon. Can your art inspire a gift for someone? Gift guides for Valentine’s Day too? You can use the same marketing strategy that you did for the past holiday season.
4 – Ornaments may no longer be on your mind but think about creating one with your art for the 2021 holiday season. I LOVE to purchase ornaments from artists. Your fans will love a new way to appreciate your work and they can be easy to ship. My favorite ornament purchase this year was this one from Audra Azoury. If you’re from Pittsburgh, you’ll get it! She does a fantastic job of marketing these ornaments.
5 – Feature a “piece of the month” in your email newsletter, social media and blog. Every month, share your favorite work completed that month with your followers. If you give it extra attention, it will get extra attention!
6 – Social media platforms allow you to have shopping features that make it easier for followers to shop directly on your profile. Consider using them if you aren’t already.
7 – Create a group on Facebook where you are the teacher or facilitator.
Get More Art Marketing Help
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by Becky Sciullo | Jan 8, 2021 | Artist Blogging 101, Learning
I recently read this article, 8 Ways to Overcome Imposter Syndrome as an Artist, from one of my favorite resources, Artwork Archive. It got me thinking about how blogging is an excellent way for an artist to overcome this common anxiety.
We all start somewhere. No matter where you are in your art business journey, give yourself the credit you deserve. If you struggle with this, read this article. Then consider how blogging can support the recommended solutions to overcoming it.
How Blogging Can Help Artists to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Blogging helps you to achieve the proper mindset about your work. The act of proactively writing about your work will help you to get into the right mindset about your position as a professional artist.
Starting a blog can feel like taking a risk. It gets you out of your comfort zone. However, the reward of consistently blogging about your artwork is much more than the risk.
It functions as a “brag box” – what better place to showcase your awards and successes.
Blogging helps you to become more comfortable sharing your work. And, you can be as selective as you want about which pieces to show.
Blogging allows you to mentor your audience. You can do this by sharing a technique, posting a video of a demonstration or an artist talk.
Finally, blogging helps you to find your voice. The process of writing about your work regularly better prepares you for communicating in other areas of your business.
Hopefully, you feel the confidence you should about your work. If not, consider blogging to help shed “imposter syndrome.”
Want to learn more?
Join my newsletter for more information about how to blog for your art business.
Photo by Tamara Gak on Unsplash
There are affiliate links in this list for some of the products and services that I recommend.
by Becky Sciullo | Jan 4, 2021 | Learning
Here are some art marketing ideas for your Monday morning.
Six Art Marketing Ideas
1 – You’ve probably heard of the “wedding singer.” Have you heard of the “wedding artist” – an artist who paints live during a wedding. Even if painting portraits or images of people or painting live aren’t your jam – there are other ways this could work. What about a custom painting of the wedding bouquet? Could you do an abstract inspired by the couple’s first dance? There are endless ideas if you put your mind to this one. Many weddings are on hold right now. Get out in front of the wedding wave that will eventually happen with your concept.
2 – Focus on existing customers. Based on their experience, the chances of an existing customer purchasing from you is far more likely than with a new follower who is still getting to know your work.
3 – The new year has me thinking about calendars. Have you ever consider selling a calendar featuring your art? What an inexpensive way for people who love your work to enjoy it throughout the year.
4 – It’s been a bit dreary where I live. Help your fans beat the winter doldrums with a virtual studio tour using Zoom or Facebook live.
5 – Subscription boxes are all the rage. I purchased this one for my daughter. Maybe you could create a version for your art business? Put that thinking cap on again and see what you come up with.
6 – Make sure you include social sharing links at the end of your blog posts to make it easy for your readers to share your work and content.
Get More Art Marketing Help
Would you like weekly updates with information like this to help your art business? Sign up for my mailing list here.
If you’re signed up for my email newsletter and NOT receiving my weekly updates, please check your spam folder.
