Do you feel like your art business needs a boost? Would you like to generate more sales? In this article, Art Marketing Plan Analyze Other Blogs you will use a technique used by many great businesses.
Art Marketing Plan Analyze Other Blogs And See What Works For Others
You will notice you might start to develop tunnel vision after you have been in a routine for some time.
You have found a system that works, and you stick to it. You might stop analyzing the results because you have seen steady progress. You have worked hard to find your sweet spot.
If you are not careful, your sweet spot might become a cavity. You have to take care of what you have created.
Do not allow yourself to become fixated on the same routines. Before you know it, you will start to lose sales. There will be a time when you say, ”What happened to all of my sales?”
Stay focused, keep up with the changes (they are happening as we speak) and keep learning.
Schedule time during the month to see what others are doing and keep up-to-date with new digital marketing strategies.
Art Marketing Plan Analyze Other Blog Benefits
In my opinion, the main benefit you will receive from analyzing other blogs and websites is it will prevent you from going into tunnel vision.
Tunnel vision is the silent killer for many businesses. Businesses lose drive and motivation when they reach the top. There is no more competition. The statistics do not show as much growth from week to week. There is no more drive to develop ideas outside of the box.
Leaders can and will be replaced at some point. Someone will come and take their place.
Let’s use Apple for example. Apple was known for its innovation of iPods, iPhones and powerful laptops.
At one time Apple was leading the competition with new technology. Now other companies are taking the lead.
According to Felix Richter’s article on Statista, in 2013,
“Samsung managed to outperform Apple profit-wise for the second consecutive quarter.”
According to Counterpoint Research,
“In March 2016 Samsung Electronics accounted for 28.8 percent of the US market in terms of sales, while Apple slipped down to 23 percent.”
Apple is a prime example of how a top company can start to lose traction.
Only time will tell if Samsung will be the new Apple.
What Should You Examine
The primary objective of this task is to observe any change. What are they doing differently and why?
As you analyze other blogs, you can observe any changes a company is making.
As you see changes occur you will want to answer:
- Why are they making these changes?
- Are other companies following?
- Will this change benefit my audience?
- How can I make the change better?
Art Marketing Plan Analyze Other Blogs Checkoff List:
- Homepage
- Menu
- Categories
- Sidebar
- Call-to-Action
- Opt-in Email Form
- About Me Page
- Blog Posts
Homepage
The first page you will land on will be the homepage of a blog or website.
The homepage is the most visited page of any site and provides a flow the customer will take.
I do not think it is relevant to observe the colors and fonts of a company. Your objective with colors and fonts is to develop a unique brand everyone can recognize. You do not want people to look at your site and think of a different company because you have the same design, colors and font style.
Instead, you will want to observe the layout of the homepage.
What content is displayed above the fold and below the fold? (Above the fold is the area seen by a viewer when they land on a page without scrolling down.)
Above the fold should tell the story of the site. You might have heard the saying, “Do not judge a book by its cover.” Unfortunately, most people do.
The section a person sees when they first land on a page will determine their actions. If they like what they see, they will stay. If they are not captivated, they will leave and visit a different site.
Reverse engineering what you observe will help you to make better decisions for your site.
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Menu
The menu is usually located on the top of the homepage. The navigation menu is like a map or a directory that will allow readers to reach their desired destination.
Study the difference between your menu and others.
How many links do other sites have on their menu?
Is it easy to navigate on other sites and if so why?
Is it clear what the company would like to readers to do when customers arrive on the site?
Is your menu more customer friendly than others? If not, what can you do to improve your customer’s experience?
Categories
Take a look at other site’s categories.
Are the categories broken down into subcategories making it easier for customers to find what they are looking for?
Or are there fewer categories?
The objective is to make it easy for people to find what they are looking for with no effort.
People are busy and do not have the time to search deep into a website to find the information they are looking for.
It is easier for someone to go to a different site. Don’t be the site someone clicks off, be the site that provides an excellent customer experience.
Sidebar
The sidebar is starting to be ignored by many bloggers due to the rise in mobile traffic.
Study what some big businesses are doing with their sidebar. Take a look at their site from a PC and a mobile device so you can see what the differences are.
How are they getting their message across to their mobile and PC users?
The sidebar is still real estate you will want to take advantage of. Keep in mind the sidebar will not be viewable from a mobile device. You will need to be creative on how you can get your message across to your mobile audience.
Call-to-Action
Where are the top companies placing their call-to-actions?
Do they offer more than one call-to-action on a page?
If so, where are they located?
Are the call-to-actions easy for people to see from a mobile device and a PC?
Analyze what your competitors are doing as well as larger companies. Just because a company does not offer what you offer, does not mean you can’t learn from them.
Opt-in Email Form
Where are the top sites placing their opt-in email forms?
Are they offering something for free in return for an email address?
Are the opt-in email forms obnoxious or are they conveniently placed where a reader can choose to opt-in if they wish?
What is common with multiple sites?
About Me Page
Another area you will want to focus on is the about me page.
What content are they posting on the “About me” page?
Is the content personal?
Does it provide a story of how the business or artist started to where they are now?
Is there any contact information, call-to-action or an opt-in email form?
Contact Page
Is there a contact page?
Does the sight make it easy for a reader to contact someone if they need assistance?
How can a customer contact someone? Is it by email, phone or a contact form?
How long does it take for a customer to get a response?
Blog Posts
The last area you will want to take a look at is the blog posts.
What is the layout of the posts?
What is the length of the posts?
Does the post provide in-depth material or is it generic information?
Is the content easy to understand or does the writer use terminology the average person would not know?
Is there a call-to-action on the page? If so where is it located?
Is there an opt-in email form? If so where is it located?
Does the article direct a reader to a different post for more in-depth information about a particular topic?
Conclusion:
Today’s task is something you will want to put on your monthly to-do list. When you take the time with this art marketing plan analyze other blogs, you are preventing yourself from becoming stagnant. Stay in the game and be aware of what is happening around you.
To be successful in selling art online, you will need to have a plan. Implementing this art marketing plan analyze other blogs strategy will help you to develop a more strategic plan for your art business.
After
You might also be interested in:
- Art Marketing Basics – Revise an Old Post
- Art Marketing Basics Solve a Reader’s Problem
- Sell Art Online – Call-to-Action Strategy to Generate Sales
If you are just starting your online art business visit Sell Art Online Startup Plan.
If you are ready to take your art business to the next level visit the Content Marketing Basics Course.
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