Mar 26 2009
Artists and the Website – Part 2
The most obvious is a blog such as this one. While this is one type of blog: it of necessity has a lot of ads, (but then I am getting paid for each article I produce here – hence the blog’s need to produce revenue for the provider of the blog.)
There are two types of blogs that might be of benefit to the artist. Type 1 is the “artist community” of which there are more than I could list here. These may or may not have a blog look. Some have a limit of the number of works you can present, and others have a limit on the “look and feel” that you can use: you cannot customize that look to be different than what the website host of the blog has provided. You must also accept the advertising that goes along with the blog. Some even have (to many – objectionable) pop-up ads or permanent ads that detract from the quality of your site and your artwork. However, if you search “artists blog communities” you will find a number of very good (free of ads) sites to use for you artwork. Here is one I just set up – for this article: it’s of the “wordpress” type. (insert link) Benefits of these blogs: ease of set up, promotion and search engine rating (usually on first page of search engine find) and an opportunity to commune with other artists – in fact, this blog offers you an opportunity to be able to customize your blog – free – go see mine… (Link problem will post on the side bar when corrected.)
Type 2 is the self-promotion type. These are usually the “blogger.com” “livejournal” and “wordpress” blogs. With the exception of “livejournal” these are easy to set up for the non-knowledgeable computer person (do they still live?)
You have to drive your own traffic to get any traffic. I have used both (and still have both types, but mostly for fun, though there is a link to my commercial website.) Blogger has no advertising and there are thousands of ready-made templates to give your site a really good look. Blogger’s only requirement is that you leave the navigation bar intact, because it offers you an opportunity to see others’ blogs - visiting other’s blogs and leaving comments bring those people to your blog. In the blogging community – you read my blog, I’ll read yours. My first web sale was on my blog. Comments? Happy to give more info in the comments, as requested. – Enjoy the my latest sketch.
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