by Becky Sciullo | Dec 11, 2020 | Learning
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.
Photo by Bob Bowie on Unsplash
by Becky Sciullo | Dec 9, 2020 | Events
Free Presentation! Use Blogging to Build Your Art Business
Registration is now open 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 | Dec 7, 2020 | Learning
Here are some marketing ideas for your Monday morning.
Ten Art Marketing Ideas
1 – Make a promotion plan for 2021. Identify different holidays and events that you can market around. Consider planning out blog posts, flash sales and other ideas to promote your work around these events.
2 – Instagram has recently become more search-friendly. Make sure you are using relevant keywords in your posts.
3 – Make sure you are collecting contact information from ALL of your customers so that you can stay in touch.
4 – Do you have an elevator pitch? Work on a quick statement to keep in your back pocket for when you need it. You might not be presently riding elevators, but there are other ways to use it, such as in email introductions and your social media profile. You will be surprised how often you can use it.
5- Do you have testimonials from clients about your work? Add them to your website. Feature them in a blog post.
6 – Don’t underestimate the importance of your bio. Make sure you add it to all of your social media profiles and your website. Consider that 50-word statement mentioned above.
7 – Come up with a list of seasonal keywords to weave into your blog posts to stay relevant and current with what’s going on in your clients’ lives.
8 – Do you create work that you can offer together as bundles for a small discount? Grouping multiple items together can encourage sales.
9 – Are you serious about selling to interior designers? Consider setting up a profile on Houzz.
10 – Always remember to follow-up. Have you answered all their questions? Was the client happy with the results? Can you stay in touch?
Would you like weekly updates with information like this to help your art business? Sign up for my mailing list here.
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by Becky Sciullo | Dec 2, 2020 | Artist Blogging 101
If you have an artist website, there are some critical pages that you should provide for your visitors. I posted about them here in this post, Don’t Forget Your Pages. In addition to the pages outlined in the post, you might want to consider adding a Frequently Asked Questions page.
Why Would You Want an FAQ Page on Your Artist Blog?
While FAQ pages certainly aren’t the most exciting page on your site, they can be beneficial. There are standard questions that people commonly ask when thinking about purchasing artwork. Then, your process may have some nuances that lead to more questions. This page can address the particulars of your work and business.
What Questions Should You Answer on your FAQ Page?
Here are some common questions, if they are not already clearly spelled out elsewhere on your page:
Do you take commissions or work on special projects?
Do you collaborate with other artists?
How much is it? If you aren’t providing the pricing for your work, you should give them some explanation of the range.
Do you offer a discount for multiple purchases?
Do you charge for shipping?
How can I pay for a purchase?
Do you offer a payment plan?
After you cover these questions and add those that apply to your business, think about other inquiries you commonly get when selling your work. Add them to this page.
How to Structure an FAQ Page
You can organize your questions in one big list, or if you could break them out by topic. For example, maybe you answer questions about purchasing work in one section and questions about your process, taking a commission, or signing up for a workshop in another. The bottom line – make the questions easy to read.
Adding this page to your artist blog makes it more likely that customers will feel comfortable purchasing your work.
For weekly updates and ideas to market your art, sign up for my Create! Sell! Newsletter here.
by Becky Sciullo | Nov 30, 2020 | Learning
Here are some marketing ideas for your Monday morning.
Seven Art Marketing Ideas
1 – What do you do with work that doesn’t get noticed or sold for one reason or another? This doesn’t mean the work is not great. And, you might be ready for it to move on. Offer a studio closet or clean out special. Set up a specific page for a “closet” collection of older work that might interest your clients.
2 – Have you wanted to make videos but are a little overwhelmed at the thought of putting a video production together. Can you start with a small step? Consider filming a one-minute art lesson offering a quick snapshot at something you do. Then, post your video to your blog and social media.
3 – Engage with your followers. End blog posts with I would love to get your comment on this piece? Email me or leave a comment below.
4 – Do you create scenes of places that might be familiar to your followers? Write a “guess where this” is blog post. Encourage your followers to write to you with their guess. You might start a conversation with someone new.
5 – If possible, figure out ways to offer your work at different price points. One way to do this is through a print on demand service such as Fine Art America. Fans can purchase your work in reproductions such as home decor, phone cases, and more. It’s an excellent way for people who aren’t in the market for original art to appreciate and enjoy your work.
6 – Create a web page devoted to images of your work hanging on your collectors’ walls. Ask them to send you photos of work in situ so that you can showcase it on the page.
7 – Make sure your website works well on mobile devices. For many people, their phones are more convenient and easier to use than their computers.
Do you have a marketing idea that you’d like to share? Send it to becky@artisan-advantage.com.
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