by Becky Sciullo | Nov 16, 2020 | Artist Blogging 101
Everything Starts with A Vision
My daughter came home from her youth group meeting recently with this vision board a few weeks ago. I’m not down with getting a cat, but otherwise, I love it! It got me to thinking about how your business vision should influence your art blogging plan.
Do you have a vision for your art business?
One of the first things you should do if you are serious about starting an art business is to map out a vision. Things you can as yourself include the following:
Where do you see yourself in five years with this business?
Who is purchasing your work?
Where is it being sold?
What kind of projects do you undertake?
The questions and answers that contribute to your vision will be unique to you. When building a blog based website, it’s also important to have your business vision in mind.
How Your Vision Impacts Your Blog
Just like your business, you have to have an end goal in mind for your blog. There are many different things you can do with your blog. You can focus on a niche, post instructional videos, or blog about the inspiration for your work. Your vision will help you to understand what kind of content to publish. It will direct the type of information that you offer to your visitors. Be mindful of your vision as you put your blogging system into place.
Things to Consider
Use your business vision to guide the steps you take in the following areas:
Content
What kind of content will you publish on your blog? New work is an obvious choice, but what about work in progress or behind the scenes shots and explanations?
Audience
Who do you anticipate will purchase your work? How can you craft your blog to appeal to this audience? Where will you share your blog to find this audience?
Income
Is there a way that you can earn income directly from your blog based website? Can you provide a way for people to purchase originals right from your site? Is it easy to get in touch with you to request a commission? If offering workshops, can they register directly on your site? Have a clear idea of how you will make money with your art business, and then set your blog up to facilitate the sales.
Consider an Artist Blogging Statement
You probably have an artist statement. Consider the same principles, and put together a blogging statement. You don’t have to publish it, but use it to remind yourself why you are going to the effort of publishing a blog about your art. Like your artist statement, it helps put together a written outline that defines who you are, what you do, and what you want to share with your audience.
Use your blog vision to stay on track with your blog to meet your overall business goals.
For more help with your art marketing, join my Create! Sell! Newsletter.
by Becky Sciullo | Oct 26, 2020 | Audience
Dilemma Two: How do I reach my target audience?
Last month, I posted about how to figure out who the audience is for your work. Once you figure out who the audience is you want to target, you have to figure out how to reach them.
If you’re using a blog-based website for your art business, it’s not good enough to start blogging, hoping that your audience finds you. The key to a thriving art marketing system is finding this audience and connecting with them proactively.
Use Marketing Channels to Reach Your Audience
Think of these places that help you find them as the marketing channels for your art business. They are the spokes in your art marketing wheel. Here are a few marketing channels that can help you to connect with your audience.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a universal channel that every artist can use. If you already have a list of contacts who have agreed to receive news and information from you, you can contact them directly via email with updates and information about your work. Your best bet is to use an email marketing service to do this. Share new work, events, and any other information that you think would interest them.
If you don’t have a list, that’s ok. You can start by asking friends and family if they would like to receive updates about your work. Then, every time you interact with a customer or fan, make sure you give them the opportunity to receive your email.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are examples of marketing channels. Depending upon your audience, one may be better than the other. For social media, don’t worry about being on all platforms. Choose the ones that make the most sense for your business and focus on sharing work there.
Publicity
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-written press release. You get to decide what is newsworthy for your audience. Have you won an award? Did you complete a series of work? Are you offering a workshop? Do not overlook sending out a press release to media outlets and blogs that have audiences potentially interested in your message.
Your Art Marketing System Can’t Run without an Audience.
Remember the example of the art marketing wheel? Your audience is the tire – a critical part of moving your business forward. First, identify your audience, then figure out how and where to reach them. Use your artist blog as your home base for all of the content you want to share with them.
Follow this blog as we start to dig into the details of art marketing channels and audiences over the coming weeks.
Join my Create! Sell! Newsletter here.
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
by Becky Sciullo | Oct 26, 2020 | Learning
Dilemma Two: How do I reach my target audience?
Last month, I posted about how to figure out who the audience is for your work. Once you figure out who the audience is you want to target, you have to figure out how to reach them.
If you’re using a blog-based website for your art business, it’s not good enough to start blogging, hoping that your audience finds you. The key to a thriving art marketing system is finding this audience and connecting with them proactively.
Use Marketing Channels to Reach Your Audience
Think of these places that help you find them as the marketing channels for your art business. They are the spokes in your art marketing wheel. Here are a few marketing channels that can help you to connect with your audience.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a universal channel that every artist can use. If you already have a list of contacts who have agreed to receive news and information from you, you can contact them directly via email with updates and information about your work. Your best bet is to use an email marketing service to do this. Share new work, events, and any other information that you think would interest them.
If you don’t have a list, that’s ok. You can start by asking friends and family if they would like to receive updates about your work. Then, every time you interact with a customer or fan, make sure you give them the opportunity to receive your email.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are examples of marketing channels. Depending upon your audience, one may be better than the other. For social media, don’t worry about being on all platforms. Choose the ones that make the most sense for your business and focus on sharing work there.
Publicity
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-written press release. You get to decide what is newsworthy for your audience. Have you won an award? Did you complete a series of work? Are you offering a workshop? Do not overlook sending out a press release to media outlets and blogs that have audiences potentially interested in your message.
Your Art Marketing System Can’t Run without an Audience.
Remember the example of the art marketing wheel? Your audience is the tire – a critical part of moving your business forward. First, identify your audience, then figure out how and where to reach them. Use your artist blog as your home base for all of the content you want to share with them.
Follow this blog as we start to dig into the details of art marketing channels and audiences over the coming weeks.
Join my Create! Sell! Newsletter here.
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
by Becky Sciullo | Oct 22, 2020 | Events
I want to thank the Pittsburgh Society of Artists for inviting me to present Building a Dynamic Web Presence during their member meeting via Zoom last weekend.
We discussed how visual artists could use blogging to strategically and systematically promote their work.
While I’d rather meet artists in person, I’m thankful that technology provides a way for these programs to continue.
Interested in having me present to your group? Please contact me at becky@artis-advantage.com.
by Becky Sciullo | Oct 22, 2020 | Events
I want to thank the Pittsburgh Society of Artists for inviting me to present Building a Dynamic Web Presence during their member meeting via Zoom last weekend.
We discussed how visual artists could use blogging to strategically and systematically promote their work.
While I’d rather meet artists in person, I’m thankful that technology provides a way for these programs to continue.
Interested in having me present to your group? Please contact me at becky@artis-advantage.com.
