Congratulations, you have decided to take your online art business to the next level. You have heard me talk about the importance of developing a content marketing strategy (blogging) so you can drive your target audience (people who are interested in your artistic style) to your art listings. This art blogging for beginners post will help you to get your artist blog up and running in no time so you can start reaching your art collectors.
Art Blogging For Beginners
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links on this post are affiliate links and will be clearly marked as so. I will earn a small commission when you purchase a product or service from an affiliate link at no extra cost to you which helps with the costs of operating Nevue Fine Art Marketing. I will only recommend products I have used, found helpful to my business and are companies I trust.
So you are excited to start your art blog so you can start to sell art online.
But the question that has you stumped is how do you get started?
With so much information on the web and everyone telling you to do different things, it is no wonder why starting a blog can feel intimidating.
Who do you listen to?
Where should you start?
Can I do it alone?
Maybe it will be easier to just put starting an art blog on the back-burner again and just post on Facebook.
How many people actually see your Facebook posts?
Related Post: How Many People See Your Facebook Posts?
I can still remember those same feelings you are having until I just dove in and started. It did not take me long to realize that starting a blog was not as difficult as I was making it out to be.
I did not know much about computers when I started selling my art online and started my blog.
I was lucky if I could sign into my email account. So if I could learn how to start a blog I know you can to no matter what your experience is with computers.
In this post, I am going to show you how to start your art blog in just four steps.
That’s right. It will only take you four steps to create your blog.
Before we get started let’s talk about the benefits of blogging.
6 Reasons you will want to start your art blog today:
- Blogs generate traffic
- Blogs generate leads which turn into sales
- Blogs build authority
- Blogs generate long-term traffic (unlike Facebook)
- Blogs help to grow email lists
- Blog posts build brand awareness with social shares
You can read more by visiting 6 Blogging Benefits You Can’t Ignore
It is easy to see why starting a blog is so important for businesses. In fact, it has been said that companies who blog on a regular basis generate 6x more money than companies that do not have a blog.
Here is a quick video of one of my favorite content marketing success stories.
Now that you are motivated, let’s get started.
Art Blogging For Beginners For Step Plan:
- Choose a blogging platform
- Choose a web hosting service
- Set up an art blog with your unique domain
- Design your new artist blog
Choose A Blogging Platform
You are excited to start an art blog so you can start to sell art online.
You have learned that if you write content on a regular basis you will be able to build a successful online art business overtime.
The question is where do you start?
What is a blogging platform?
Think of a blogging platform like Facebook.
Facebook is a platform that allows you to post various types of content like text, video, and images on your newsfeed.
People can visit your Facebook newsfeed and view the content you have posted.
A blogging platform is similar to your Facebook page.
You will be able to add various types of content on a platform where people can visit and enjoy what you are sharing and selling.
You might be asking why can’t I just use Facebook to build my business if it is so similar?
That is a great question.
The most significant difference is that you will own your blog.
You will have total control over what you can do with the look and feel of your site.
Facebook has complete power over who sees your posts and what you can publish on your newsfeed.
Do you really want to rely on Facebook to share your content with people so you can build your business?
Don’t get me wrong, Facebook has its place in art marketing but you want to own the platform you are going to use to build your business.
Related Post: How Many People See Your Facebook Posts?
So what is the best blogging platform for online businesses?
In my opinion, WordPress outshines them all.
WordPress was launched in 2003 and is the most popular blogging platform in the world with over 82 million active users.
Businesses of all sizes, professional bloggers, and the blogging hobbyists have trusted WordPress for many years.
Best Free Blog Sites
Owning a WordPress site is not free. You will have to pay for a domain name (Domain name is the part of a network address that identifies it as belonging to a particular domain.) and web hosting (Web Hosting is the activity or business of providing storage space and access for websites.)
Depending on your needs, your cost to start a WordPress website can range from $100 to $500 to $3000, to even as high as $30,000 or more. It’s important to know what type of website you are building, and what you’ll need for it because that will directly affect your cost. (Source: WPBegginer)
Starting a WordPress site is relatively inexpensive, as your business grows you might be interested in purchasing premium themes and plugins, but to start all you will need is a domain name and web hosting which will cost you around 10 dollars a month (depending on what service you use).
Even though I highly recommend starting with WordPress as your blogging platform I also want to provide you with some free alternatives so you can decide on what will be the best solution for your art business.
Related Post: Art Blog Hosted vs Self-Hosted Site
Here are the top three most popular free blogging platforms:
You might be asking why should I pay for a domain name and web hosting if I could use a free blogging platform?
This is another great question.
I have tried all three of those platforms and the main reason I switched over to WordPress was that I didn’t own my site and the options available (like the themes, plugins and widgets were limited). I could not brand my site the way I envisioned it to look like and I didn’t feel comfortable having someone else be in control of my destiny.
I concluded that if I truly wanted to build an online business I would have to use a platform that is used by some of the largest businesses online, WordPress.
What prevented me from doing so, in the beginning, was that I didn’t know better and I had no idea how to build a WordPress site. It was intimidating, to say the least.
After I decided to start a WordPress site I soon realized it was as easy to use as my Facebook Page and the free blogging platforms I started with.
The main difference was I was in total control of what type of content I could add as well as the look and feel of the site. Basically, it made my site look more professional.
So why do I recommend starting with WordPress?
I recommend it because all of the time I spent on the other platforms was wasted. When I launched my WordPress site I was starting all over.
Choose A Web Hosting Service
At this point, you will have to decide if you would like to start a blog using a free blogging platform like Blogger or start with WordPress.
If you would like to get started with a free blogging platform just go back up and look into the three platforms I suggested earlier.
But if you would like to own your site and use WordPress you will need to purchase a domain name and web hosting.
A domain name is the URL of your website. It is the address that links directly to the home page of your site.
For example, my domain name is www.nevuefineartmarketing.com. If you click on the link or type in the address into your search bar you will be directed to the home page of Nevue Fine Art Marketing.
You will want to take some time to think about what will be the best domain name for your business. A domain name should be easy for people to remember as well as something that will describe what your site will offer.
Related Post: How to Choose a Perfect Artist Domain Name
Hosting is basically storage for your site and all of the content that is upload on it. Think of it like a hard drive to your computer. The only difference is the hosting service puts it on the internet so everyone can see it.
The two most common services for bloggers just starting are:
BlueHost (affiliate link)
HostGator (affiliate link)
Set Up An Art Blog With Your Unique Domain
Launching a WordPress site with either BlueHost or HostGator are easier than you think.
After you have decided on a domain name just follow the steps below.
Enter Your Account Info – The next step is to put in your account info. Make sure you are using a working email because this is where you receive important information including login information.
Hosting Package – The next step will be to choose which hosting package you will be using.
Billing Information – After deciding on what hosting package you will be using you will have to fill in your billing information.
Create A Password – Once you have finished entering your billing information you will be asked to create a password. You will have the option to use the password generator or you can create a unique password.
WordPress Quick Install – You are now signed up and ready to get started installing your WordPress site. Locate the WordPress quick install and follow the easy instructions. This process will only take a few minutes.
How To Start A WordPress Site with BlueHost
Related Resource:
WordPress Dashboard Guide eBook
Design Your New Artist Blog
Now that you have your artist blog live it will be time to make your blog look exactly how you want it to look.
The first impression of your site should let people know that you sell art online. Make it clear to the everyone who lands on your site what you have to offer. You might not get a second chance.
How do you change the look of a WordPress site?
Themes allow you to change the look and flow of a WordPress site.
There are thousands of free and premium themes available for WordPress that will allow you to build your dream site.
To choose a new theme, log into your WordPress dashboard go to Appearance> Themes and install a free WordPress theme.
If you are interested in a premium theme like I use visit StudioPress Themes for WordPress. (affiliate link)
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking on an affiliate link, Nevue Fine Art Marketing may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Tailwind, Skimlinks, SareASale and StudioPress. To learn more visit Affiliate Link Disclosure Policy
Blog Design Tips:
- Reflect your business brand
- Reflect you as an artist
- Compliment your artwork
- Easy to navigate
- Clean
- Provide call-to-actions
Conclusion:
Congratulations on launching your new artist blog.
The next step is to write content that will drive traffic to your paintings for sale or drawings.
Art Blogging For Beginners | How To Start A Blog That Sells Art Overview:
- Choose A Blogging Platform
- Best Free Blog Sites
- Choose A Web Hosting Service
- Set Up An Art Blog With Your Unique Domain
- Design Your New Artist Blog
You might also be interested in:
- How Artists Get Found Online?
- 7 Effective Steps For Writing Art Blog Posts That Generate Traffic
- 8 Effective Blogging Strategies For Art Blogs
- 9 Effective Tips On How To Sell Your Art Blogging
- Best Way To Sell Art Online | Strategies That Work
28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists
Are you ready to start building an online presence?
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