While everyone’s art practice is unique, there’s no denying that a website is very helpful, if not essential, for all artists. Whether you are using it to simply showcase your artwork, sell your artwork, maintain a blog, or something else, a website plays an important role in an artist’s career. However, it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming undertaking—in fact, with website builders such as Wix, it can be quite approachable. If you need help, you may consider hiring someone to help you with the project.
This article will go over the many benefits—many of which are related—of having a website as an artist. If you are an artist who considers your practice a small business, you’ll find the article particularly helpful.
You Have Full Control Over the Presentation of Your Artwork
Sometimes, artists choose to have their work shown on the website of a local art organization that they are a member of, or simply rely on their social media to act as their website. However, as an artist, you might want to consider the benefits of having your own website in regard to how your work is presented. This way, you’re not completely beholden to another party to represent your work.
With your own website, you can update it with your new work or make small adjustments as needed at any time. You can also choose a layout that showcases your art the best. Website-building providers such as Wix offer many different templates so that you can find the perfect design.
Having full ownership of your creativity is important. You never know what will happen to social media platforms or other third parties going forward, but you can always rely on yourself if you have your own website.
It Helps You Build Credibility
Having a website dedicated to your art adds to your professionalism. When people are searching for you online, they should be able to find your website. If they instead can only find a Facebook or Instagram, they may be put off—especially because they may not be active users of social media and aren’t familiar with the platforms. Additionally, you’re definitely going to want a website if you are applying for grants or residencies. Using a website builder, you can make a very professional-looking site and provide potential clients with a direct way to reach you.
Forming your own professional brand is important, and a website is the first step to doing this.
You Can Utilize Blog Posts, SEO, and Email Marketing
The power of blogs and email marketing in today’s business world is irrefutable. Not everyone wants to spend time doing this, but it’s something to consider. You can direct a lot of traffic to your site through your blog using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) best practices. You can also build an email marketing plan—for more information on this, see our other post specifically on the power of email marketing for artists. It’s a very powerful tool that can seriously impact your success.
Wix has a variety of categories of websites available, such as a blog, portfolio site, business website, and online store. The portfolio site allows for many third-party integrations and other customizable features that make it a solid option for artists with various goals. By maximizing these different features that website builders like Wix offer, you can significantly increase your exposure and generate more consistent sales.
You Can Sell Your Artwork
Stemming off the last point, you can also choose to sell artwork on your website. On Wix, you can use eCommerce templates to implement an online store. Depending on what you are selling, you may be able to use the Wix Art Store which handles printing and shipping. For example, you could sell digital illustrations this way. However, Wix has a variety of eCommerce plans that come with their own features, so assess your level of need and go from there.
Using the techniques mentioned above, you can drive lots of viewers to your website and boost your sales. Having a website is just another avenue to sell your work—you can still sell it in-person at exhibitions, through a gallery, or on other websites such as Etsy.
The Power of an Artist’s Website
Having a website as an artist is crucial. Imagine if social media went away or dramatically changed its policies tomorrow—can people still find your work? Having full ownership and control of your art practice is a must.
With all the different website builders, you can perfectly customize your platform to meet your goals. If you’re not a technology guru and prefer to spend all your time creating artwork, consider hiring a freelance professional like myself who specializes in websites for artists and creatives to help you build a site.
Comments