Online Marketing 101 for Artists
TweetWhen it comes to online marketing for artists, it can be an overwhelming experience.
Artists have a number of choices these days to help their art get noticed. The only challenges to creating the right combination of tools is time, skill, and money. By determining your goals, you can pick and choose from a plethora of options without getting in over your head.
I ask artists to take a moment to figure out what you need. Not everyone needs a fancy website. If you already have a growing fan base, a Facebook page listing your events and updates may be enough.
If you’re just starting out, and no one even knows about your art, you can try a free platform with limited template choices, place your info and a few pictures, and voila – you have a simple webpage. You can later link this to something more sophisticated, and use it as a landing page. The most important aspect of this page is the name. If it is not named after you, you must make it something easy to remember. Making it easy to find on a search is called SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which is it’s own topic.
If you want a static website that does not need updating, but simply gives contact information and ways to reach your promoter or agent, a website with your picture, logo, or a good sample of your art is sufficient. There are a number of new platforms that allow users to create a simple website, either for free or low cost, to established templates. Websites do not have to be expensive; however, the more professional the logo work, the type of applications, and kinds of things you run on the website, the more costs may be associated.
Want to bump your interaction with your fans a notch? Create an attractive webblog, design a professional logo, and use plug-ins to track stats, catch spam, insert relevant advertisement, and sell your products: art, frames, music cd’s, dvds, podcasts, iTunes songs, costumes, accessories, books.
Now, why would I tell you what what to do with your marketing options if that’s what Hips For Hire services does? Because having your own site and having a premium service listing with Hips For Hire is not mutually exclusive. You can have multiple sites, and many people do. Rather, Hips For Hire focuses on getting you hired by listing you among elite artists who have a collaborative vision. The brand recognition works to get you noticed.
When you pay for premium services, you get a coaching session on how to market yourself and your art. You’ll select the options that work best for you, and grow your business from there. When you’re ready to go, Hips For Hire recommends your art to hiring event planners and organizations. It’s that simple.
Finally, what if you want to go for broke? You’re ready to create a splashy website and blog, sell product, write content, and maintain your own site? I’d highly recommend using a WordPress platform, for its versatility and ease of use with new applications and plug-ins. To set it apart from the rest, however, do invest in a good designer, who can create a logo, set templates, and cast an over-all vision for your online advertisement.
Creating a webblog and website can take a lot of careful planning and time. Archiving past data, incorporating other sites onto the new site, and getting people to notice requires constant care. If your artistic pursuits don’t allow time to do these things, you might want to let someone else do it for you.
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