Online Presence for Visual Artists is a Must in 2019
I first realized the above statement in the early stages of my painting career and I knew I had to learn how to build my own artist website from scratch to maximize my brand outreach & sales
Keep reading and I will be sharing with you my experience in building my own artist website from scratch
I will also be sharing the resources which have helped me take control of my own online presence
Decide Your Niche
You probably have heard of this many times and some people know what it means and others just don’t
Creating awesome artwork is great, however the most successful artists often seem to have a story to them, or a niche
The best way I can explain this is by sharing with you how I formulated my own niche. Couple of years after I became a full-time artist I experienced what some people call a spiritual awakening
My entire outlook in life changed and so did my artwork
This had such impact in my life that I quickly realized I had found my niche… I began pairing my creations with spiritual quotes or even mystical experiences I kept having along the way
Now, I don’t expect you to go meditating for hours until you can find your own spiritual awakening and make art about it
Your niche could be something as silly as your love for cats (but even then you must find your own unique way to be the cat artist) or even your hobby.
You can paint about that specific subject and eventually promote yourself and find others with same interests and they will appreciate your work
This doesn’t mean you have to stop making the kind of art you REALLY enjoy making… but it does help people to find out who you are when you offer something THEY like
Think Unique Domain
Your Domain Says Everything About You
Use your full name if you are branding all your creations under one umbrella (this is perfect for those artists who work on more than one medium)
In my case I used my full name because I seem to have built a following back from my bartending years so everyone just knew me by name
I’ve seen other arists who use domain names such as abstractpaintingsbyjulie.com or oilpaintingsbyjulian.net. If you have narrowed down your niche you can even use specific keywords such as southbendartgalleries.com or doggieportraits.com, etc.
Once you have narrowed down your options and thought of the best domain name is time to get it registered.
I’m currently using Hostgator and we love it because their customer service is always on point.
Click the button below for more help on how to choose a domain name
Below are of the most popular providers where you can choose one that best fits your budget.
Website Hosting
Website hosting is when you rent space on a server so everyone can see your domain. So think of it as your domain being your body of work and the website hosting is a gallery space that you rent to showcase your body of work.
Website hosting will vary depending on service provider and how long you choose your membership plan.
The most popular providers are the same as the ones listed above for the domain name.
How to pick the right website host
Website Builder & Content
WEBSITE BUILDER: So you chose your domain name and you have registered your domain at your favorite website hosting provider. Now what?
The next step on building your own artist website from scratch is to actually build the way your site looks. This means choosing a website builder that best fits your budget and your style.
Over the years I have tried everything from the free website builders such as Wix.com to WordPress and they are all great depending on what you are looking for. I created this website you are reading with WordPress .
If this is your first time around I would recommend practicing with the free website providers so you can test your own skills and see if this is something you are willing to commit to. Check out the links provided on how to choose the best website builder.
CONTENT:
Your content is the most important part of having your website. In my opinion selecting your artowrk inventory in the early stages of building your website can help you have a clearer idea of how/what you want your site to look like.
If you are a creator like me who has hundreds of paintings laying around then you are going to have to narrow down your inventory to fewer pieces.
I am not going to tell you an exact amount of pieces to select because it varies from artist to artist, however I can tell you that the cleaner your website the easier to navigate therefore your visitors will be engaged longer on the content you are offering.
The Best Website Builders
10 Most Popular Website Builders Reviewed
If budget is not an issue for you, I recommend using WordPress and register for the Elegant Themes and the Divi Software. Watch the video below for more info:
Your Website Core Elements
From layout to design to the information you include: every artist website needs these core elements, or else they may instantly turn away potential buyers.
YOUR NAME
SHOP
ABOUT
CONTACT
This is only the beginning to get you started. I will be covering more on how to install an ecommerce section to receive payments and the basics on SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Thank you for reading my blog and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the topics we covered in this blog. Email me at julianalcantart@gmail.com
Latest News
Check out my latest endeavors here!
Recent Comments