Websites and Blogs

Painting by Karen Phillips

22 Tactics to thoughtfully invite people to visit your artist website (228)

Your website won’t attract visitors just because it’s pretty. You have to invite them—gently, consistently, and with purpose.

In this solo episode, I share 11 smart, doable tactics to get more eyes on your art (plus a link to download all 22). No sleazy tricks—just thoughtful ways to guide people to your digital doorstep and keep your work from staying hidden in the corners of the internet.

22 Tactics to thoughtfully invite people to visit your artist website (228) Read

Meg Casebolt

What artists need to know about SEO with Meg Casebolt (222)

SEO might not light your creative fire, but getting more eyes on your art definitely will. This episode is about improving your online visibility so people can actually find your work.

You’ll learn how search engines work, the simple steps you can take to help people discover your art, and which metrics to track to know if your efforts are paying off. Stop relying on algorithms and start showing up with intention.

What artists need to know about SEO with Meg Casebolt (222) Read

Jessica Burko

Presenting yourself professionally on your artist website with Jessica Burko (174)

Your artist website is your portfolio these days. It’s usually the first place people go to get a full picture of you and your art.

Your website is the 1 piece of virtual real estate that you have 100% control over. You select what people see and define how they will navigate the experience. Are you ready for them?

This is a focused conversation with Jessica Burko about artist websites.

Presenting yourself professionally on your artist website with Jessica Burko (174) Read

Installation of paintings by Sonya Kelliher-Combs at the Denver Art Museum | on Art Biz Success

Curating the Art on Your Artist Website

It’s difficult to curate a show of your own work—to separate your complex feelings following the creative process. It might be helpful when necessary to think about your art like a museum thinks about its collections.

Museums have permanent collections that they own, but they don’t keep the work in one place. They present fresh viewpoints, mixing up the pieces to give new perspectives. They also approach curating as an additive process. You start with the best and add only what will strengthen the curatorial thesis.

A museum would never try to cram as much as possible into one show.

Curating the Art on Your Artist Website Read

Textile art by Lisa Call

The Benefits of Blogging About Your Art with Lisa Call (66)

Blogging about your art may seem less fashionable these days, replaced entirely by the quick and simple posts of Facebook or Instagram, but Lisa Call has proved that nurturing a blog can be one of the most beneficial practices that an artist can pursue—for marketing as well as self-discovery.

Lisa dove headfirst into the blogging world back in 2005 and created such an excellent blog that I have referenced it many times both on this site and in the first three editions of my book. Unfortunately, her blog went up in flames before I could mention it in my fourth edition.

That major set back hasn’t stopped Lisa from continuing to create what I consider one of the best examples of a good artist blog.

Lisa makes textile-based art and uses hand dyed fabric to create large abstract compositions. She uses her blog not for marketing her work but as a place where she can share her opinions about art and learn more about herself and her work. In fact, Lisa credits her blog as the single greatest factor in her success as an artist. (Turns out it had been an unintended marketing tool all along.)

In our conversation, she shares the benefits of blogging and why she decided to revive her blog after all those posts disappeared. We also go over some of the steps she’s taking to republish old posts and how her blog has led her to opportunities that she otherwise never would have imagined. Of course, blogging isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy writing and sharing insights about your life as an artist, this is an episode you are going to want to listen to.

The Benefits of Blogging About Your Art with Lisa Call (66) Read

How to Promote an Art Exhibition on Your Website

Solo exhibitions, as well as 2- or 3-person shows, deserve your full attention.

If you have an important exhibition coming up, give it the (virtual) space it deserves. Create a page on your website for your show.

You probably already have a page for all of your exhibitions, but I’m talking about a single page that features only your special show.

This will be the premier place you send people for details about the exhibition, which will be easy for people to read because it only has one focus. It doesn’t include anything else.

Why would you share this info only on Facebook or in an email when you can create a storefront for your art? You’re paying for the virtual real estate already. Might as well use it!

Everything will be in one spot rather than scattered around online or in someone’s inbox.

The URL (website address) should be one that’s easy to share and to remember rather than a string of slashes and numbers. This isn’t always as easy if you have a template site, but make it happen if possible.

Here’s what your exhibition page should include, and I suggest listing everything in this order.

How to Promote an Art Exhibition on Your Website Read

Woman typing on keyboard

Writing A Guest Post for Someone Else’s Blog

Want more traffic for your website or blog? Write a guest post for someone else’s blog.

Guest posts broaden your audience instantly. You not only receive recognition on the other blog, but you’ll hopefully get a bit of traffic to your own. It’s free advertising and it’s more effective than paid advertising.

Think about it. If you paid for an ad, you’d get a small bit of space. With a guest blog post, you get about 500 words–a much larger virtual space + your images and credit. With a guest blog post, you’re being helpful to a community and generating good karma. Not so with an ad.

Write For This Blog

Please note: I no longer publish guest posts on this blog, but I’ve kept this here for 3 reasons:

  1. It might help you pitch your story to other blogs.
  2. I might write your story myself if it meets the criteria below.
  3. I might want to interview you on the Art Biz Podcast.

From time to time, I feature guest bloggers who share their stories of success (or utter failure). Do you have one to share?

Writing A Guest Post for Someone Else’s Blog Read

Must-Have Website Info That Should Be at Your Fingertips

Your website is a home base for your art business. It’s where you send people to see your work, sign up for your email list, or even buy your art.

In short, you need for it to be up and functioning at its best. All. The. Time.

What would happen if it crashed?

And … Who would you turn to if you needed a quick update to your site because you found out you were being featured in an article? Is that person always available for you?

You may have a great relationship with your web designer and hosting service right now, but you can’t predict what might happen in the future.

I’ve witnessed so many artists get stuck because they were abandoned by their webmasters and have no idea how to access their sites.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Maybe you have a DIY site, but it’s been awhile since you have worked on the backend of it. How do you get there?

You are a savvy artist-entrepreneur, so make sure you have complete control over your Internet presence–even if you are lucky enough to have someone helping you.

You don’t want to leave this to chance. You don’t want to learn later that your life could have been so much easier if only you had a few answers at your fingertips.

What follows is a list with all of the information you need from the people who maintain your sites, even if “the people” is only you.

Must-Have Website Info That Should Be at Your Fingertips Read

Revive Your Blog

I have witnessed a large number of artists build successful blogs. I have also, sadly, watched even more artists’ blogs falter.

There is plenty of room in the blogosphere for meaningful artist blogs.

With this article, I’m calling on all artists who have it in them to revive their blogs – to recommit to the practice of blogging and the art of improving what you write and share.

Why Blog?

1. Blogging adds fresh content to your site.

Your content is built on a virtual space you own – not Facebook, not Instagram, not whatever-the-next-great-social-media-site-is. It powers up your site rather than turning over the traffic to one that you have no control over.

You can always share your blog posts to the social media channels, but the traffic will then point back to your site.

2. Blogging helps you grow as an artist.

You learn a lot about your art and your goals as an artist when you blog and interact with people.

Almost every artist I know who blogs regularly has shared with me that

Revive Your Blog Read

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Consider 44 possible reasons why your art isn't selling.

Cover of free report: When Your Art Isn't Selling
  • External Factors
  • The Work Itself
  • How You’re Showing It
  • The Buying Experience
  • How You’re Connecting
  • How You’re Promoting It

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