Types of Artist Websites

Brochures, Shopping Carts, Blogs

Brochure Site

Many artist websites are essentially online 'brochures'. This type of site is usually just a few well-organized pages and will present:

• information about the artist (bio, resume, artist statement)

• a thumbnail gallery of the artist's best work to view larger when clicked on

• a listing of upcoming exhibits and  galleries where the work can be seen and purchased

• and, if the artist is actively building their sales, a form to sign up to the artist's mailing list

If the artist also has a blog, or a shopping cart, those would be linked to their static 'brochure' site.

Shopping Cart

Artists who want to make sales directly from their website or blog may need a shopping cart. For example, an artist who sells note cards and prints, may want to sell those directly from their website, while directing people who are interested in buying their fine art originals to a local gallery. In this case, a shopping cart would be added to the 'brochure' site or blog and set up with the prints and note cards.

You can also sell your original work through a shopping cart, although buyers often want to see an expensive piece in person before they buy. There are ways to work around this. For example, you might give purchasers a 100% refund guarantee if the piece is not what they imagined it to be. In this case, you need to be prepared to process returns, along with sales.

Selling directly from your website requires that you ship anything that is purchased, so you'll want to have shipping costs worked out when the shopping cart and products are installed.

If you have just one product to sell, such as a book that your work appears in (or a handful of note cards, for example), then you probably don't need a full-fledged shopping cart . Items can be sold individually through payment processors such as PayPal.

Blog

Blogs are generally used when you want to have a conversation with your visitors, because they are uniquely designed to allow visitors to comment on anything you post there. Blogs are also easy to start and maintain, and allow quick posting of new thoughts, images and information. Search engines love blogs, so they're great for getting organic search engine traffic to your site.

Think of a blog as an easy way to do an online journal or newsletter designed to help you build relationships with your visitors. Keep in mind that your latest article is what visitors will see when they arrive at your blog. Today's blog platforms often allow you to create static pages that appear in a menu on the blog for things such as your bio and resume. Some even allow you to create a gallery page of thumbnails of your work.

If you're just starting out with your 'place' on the Internet and want to manage it all yourself, a blog can be the place to begin. Longer term, think of a blog and static site that are coordinated. Your blog is more casual, and where you may want offer work for sale, while your website could be a more formal presentation for galleries, etc.

Many artists start with a brochure site, then later add a blog as a way to generate traffic to their main site.

What's Right for You?

If you're uncertain, we'd be happy to help you sort through the factors and choose the right option for you. Click here to contact us.