Whether you are an emerging artist interested in selling artwork to people worldwide or an artist interested in furthering your art career, a professional website is a must. With so much competition in the art world, a website is one of the best ways to showcase your work and attract new buyers. However, building an effective artist website can be challenging, especially if you are not familiar with web design or coding.
The good news is that there are website builders that allow you to create a website without any coding knowledge. In this article, we will highlight some of the best website builders for artists as well as some tips on how to create an effective artist website.
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Why An Artist Needs A Professional Website
Many artists find themselves wondering why they should use a website builder to sell art online. After all, there are many platforms out there that allow you to sell your work without the need for a website.
However, there are several advantages to using a website builder specifically designed for artists. First of all, it gives you complete control over the look and feel of your site. You can showcase your work in a way that is true to your brand and style.
Second, a good website builder will provide you with powerful tools to help you market your work and reach a wider audience. You can use SEO to optimize your site for search engines, and you can use social media integration to promote your work on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Finally, a website builder will give you the ability to accept payments directly on your site, making it easy for customers to purchase your work.
When you weigh all of these factors, it’s clear that using an artist website maker is the best option for selling art online.
Some of the most popular features artists look for in a website builder include:
- Ecommerce features to sell online
- A portfolio that is easy to update
- Blogging tools to share news and articles
- Social media integration
- Search engine optimization
- Responsive site design
- 24/7 customer support
- Drag and drop functionality
- Unlimited storage
- Custom domain
- SEO tools
While all of these features are important, they may not all be necessary for your artist portfolio website. It’s important to consider what you need and can afford when choosing a website builder. For example, if you are searching for the best website builder for illustrators you might be looking for features like a gallery, eCommerce solution, and blog.
Benefits Of Having A Website
An artist’s website can be a powerful tool for marketing and networking. It can help an artist to reach a wider audience and to sell their work. A website can also be used to build a portfolio, which can help secure commissions and exhibitions. In addition, a website can be a great way to connect with other artists and find collaborators. For many artists, a website is an essential part of their business.
The main reason to consider having a website are:
- A platform where people worldwide can purchase your art
- A way to showcase your work to galleries, collectors, and art dealers
- A space to blog about your process, artistic influences, and musings
- A place to sell high-quality prints of your work
- A method of networking with other artists
- A means of building a fan base or mailing list
- A tool for marketing your art to a broader audience
Related Post – How To Sell Art & Handmade Products Online Free
What Are The Drawbacks Of Not Having A Web Store
The internet has made it easier for artists to reach a global audience. However, without an e-commerce store, many artists find it difficult to sell their work.
There are several drawbacks to not having a web store, including:
- Potential customers may be unable to find your work if it is not listed online.
- You may miss out on sales if you cannot accept online payments.
- You will likely have to pay higher fees to galleries and art fairs to compensate for the lack of online sales.
- Connecting with other artists and finding collaborators can be challenging without an online presence.
Overall, having a website is essential for any artist who wants to sell their work or build a career in the art world. While there are some drawbacks to not having a web store, the advantages of having a website far outweigh the disadvantages.
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Website Built For You?
Building online stores can be relatively affordable, depending on your desire’s complexity and features. A simple web store could cost as little as $500, while more complex sites with custom features could cost upwards of $5,000. However, most artists will fall in the middle range and spend between $1,000 and $2,500 on their website.
How Difficult is it to Build a Website?
The difficulty of building a website depends on your level of technical expertise. If you are tech-savvy and comfortable working with computers, and have some basic coding knowledge, you should be able to build a simple website on your own.
However, if you want a more complex site with custom features, you will likely need to hire a professional web developer.
What Are Website Builders
Website builders are software programs that allow users to create, customize, and launch a website without the need for coding or design experience.
While some website builders may require a subscription fee, many are available for free.
Most free web builders have paid plans that offer more tools to customize the site and marketing tools that will help you to market your business.
What Is The Difference Between Website Builders And Websites Built By A Professional
When you’re looking to create a website, you have two main options: hire someone to build it for you or use a website builder. Both have pros and cons, so it’s essential to understand the difference before deciding.
Generally speaking, websites that are built for you tend to be more expensive. This is because you’re paying for someone’s time and expertise. However, this also means that the final product will be tailored specifically to your needs. If you have a complex website in mind or need something particular to your brand, then hiring someone to build it for you is probably the best option.
Website builders, on the other hand, are usually much cheaper. This is because you’re not paying for someone’s time; instead, you’re paying for access to the builder itself. This means that there will be some limitations in terms of customization, but it also means that the process will be much quicker and easier. A website builder is probably the way to go if you’re looking for a simple website that doesn’t need any specific features.
What are the Benefits of Using Website Builders?
Website builders offer several advantages, including:
- They are usually much cheaper than hiring a professional web developer.
- They are easy to use and allow you to create a website without prior coding knowledge.
- They offer a wide range of templates and designs, so you can easily create a unique website that reflects your brand.
- They often come with built-in features, such as contact forms, all the eCommerce features, and social media integrations, saving you time and money.
What are the Disadvantages of Using Website Builders?
While website builders offer many benefits, there are also some disadvantages to consider, including:
- They can be more limited in design and functionality than custom-built websites.
- They may not offer the same level of customer support as a professional web developer.
- You may need to upgrade to a paid plan to unlock certain features or remove branding from your site.
Best Artist Website Builders
Below are some of the best website builders for artists:
WordPress
WordPress sites is a popular content management system that helps artists sell products and services online.
It is a good choice for artists because it is easy to use and has many features that help artists manage their websites.
For example, WordPress has a built-in eCommerce system that helps artists sell their products online. WordPress also has a lot of plugins that help artists manage their websites, such as plugins for marketing, SEO, and social media.
In addition, WordPress is a very popular content management system, which means a lot of support is available. This can be very helpful for artists just starting to sell products online.
Overall, WordPress is a good choice for artists selling products online because it is easy to use and has many key features that artists need.
Benefits of WordPress:
- Flexible and Adaptable website builder for artists. It allows you to easily change the function of your site while your art business grows.
- User-friendly. You can purchase hosting and a domain name and have your website live in just a few clicks with BlueHost.
- Unlimited Themes and Plugins will allow you to brand your art business and connect your site to your social media accounts.
- WordPress websites tend to rank higher on search engines.
- WordPress has a built-in blogging tool to help you drive more traffic to your art listings.
- Most themes are mobile responsive, making it a more pleasant experience for your viewers looking at your site using mobile devices.
- WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that allows you to showcase and sell products on WordPress.
- WordPress is a free website builder software for building professional websites for artists. (You will have to invest in a domain name and website hosting)
- Most WordPress Premium themes are optimized for search engine optimization.
- WordPress plugins make it easy to have your content shared on social media.
- WordPress has more customization options than other site builders.
Watch this video to learn how to launch a WordPress artist website with BlueHost.
Shopify
Shopify is an e-commerce website builder for artists that allows anyone to set up an e-commerce store for selling products and services online.
Unlike WordPress fees (you only pay for hosting and a domain name), Shopify charges a monthly fee, and the monthly payments will differ depending on what features you decide to use.
Shopify provides a broad range of customizable templates that will allow you to brand your online art store without knowing the code.
HTML editing is optional if you are more advanced with coding.
The basic Shopify plan offers:
- Online store
- Unlimited products
- 24/7 support
- Sales channels
- Manual order creation
- Discount codes
- Free SSL certificate
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Print shipping labels
Shopify Pros:
- Easy to integrate print-on-demand companies like Printful so you can quickly sell prints of your artwork.
- Shopify has analytics that shows you how your website is performing.
- The eCommerce platform is easy to use, but there is a slight learning curve.
- Shopify offers modern and clean templates.
Shopify Cons:
- A poor blogging feature makes it challenging to drive organic traffic to the site.
- Advance modifications for the templates require knowledge of code.
Related Post – Best Shopify Print-On-Demand Sites
Weebly
Weebly is an easy-to-use platform that makes building websites for artists effortless.
Weebly is a popular platform and an excellent tool for artists who want to build web pages for their artwork quickly.
Weebly’s websites are optimized and guaranteed to have fast load speeds, which help in search rankings.
Weebly’s pricing plans range from Free to $26.00/mo. (The free version has limited features)
One negative is that Weebly does not offer a high-quality management system (blog), making it more challenging to drive traffic to your fine art website with organic search engine traffic. Organic traffic is free traffic from someone clicking on a link in Google’s search.
Weebly Pros:
- Weebly is user-friendly and offers a variety of customizable templates that can create beautiful artist websites.
- Apps are available to track visitors.
- Weebly allows you to sell tangible and digital products.
Weebly Cons:
- People complain about the bugs that happen often.
- Additional functions and addons are an extra fee.
- Data downloads do not allow you to choose what you can download.
FASO (Fine Art Studios Online)
Faso is an intuitive website builder that was built especially for artists.
Over 12,000 artists use FASO artist websites to sell artwork online.
Faso offers mobile-friendly website designs, domains, emails, blogs, and newsletters for a monthly fee.
Pricing ranges from $8/MO to $35/MO.
There are a variety of template designs, but they are not as customizable as WordPress themes.
FASO Pros:
- FASO’s websites for artists to sell work is easy to set up and manage.
- Excellent customer service.
- FASO offers multiple templates.
FASO Cons:
- Templates are limited.
- Artwork images are smaller due to the extra white space.
- Poor blogging platform making it difficult to drive traffic to the site.
- Poor newsletter templates.
Art Storefronts
Storefronts offer everything you need to run an online art gallery.
ArtStoreFronts started as a print-on-demand site but has incorporated an e-commerce solution for artists.
Art Storefronts Features:
- Build a professional-looking online gallery that will convert the maximum amount of visitors into buyers
- Get all the tools you need to run your online gallery business
- Get marketing education & ongoing coaching to help you acquire customers
According to Art Storefronts, artists and photographers who run their art galleries sell anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 annually.
ArtStoreFronts Pros:
- An excellent resource in marketing, making it easy to learn how to promote art online.
- It is a full artist website-building platform connected with a print-on-demand service.
- Unlimited technical support.
ArtStoreFronts Cons:
- They stress coupons and discounts, which could lower the value of the artwork.
- Limited options for customization.
- No email hosting
- 10% print sale fee.
- 5% original art or other products sold fee.
- Steep learning curve.
ArtPal
Artpal is an online platform connecting artists with buyers interested in purchasing their work.
Artpal makes it easy for artists to showcase their work and sell it to a broad audience of potential buyers.
Artists can easily create a profile on Artpal and upload artwork images. They can also set their own prices and add descriptions of their work.
Buyers can browse the Artpal website and view the artwork that is available for sale. They can also contact the artist directly to purchase a piece of artwork.
With over 136,000 artists selling art on ArtPal, you can feel confident knowing it is a reputable platform.
Start selling your art on ArtPal with no membership fees and no commissions.
Etsy
Etsy started in 2015 and has become one of the most significant creative marketplaces for buying and sell art and crafts.
Etsy allows you to set up a storefront to sell your art, prints, or crafts.
Related Post: How To Sell Art Prints On Etsy With Printful
If you are interested in an easy way to start work online, Etsy might be the perfect eCommerce builder for emerging artists.
Even though the site builder has limited customization features, potential buyers won’t see the lack of design options as an issue if they only look for a one-of-a-kind product.
Etsy also promotes products on Google and all major social media platforms.
If you want to focus on your business plan and less time on website building, Etsy will be a great choice.
Artfinder
Artfinder is a juried gallery that showcases a selection of talented artists.
You also have a chance that Artfinder will feature you as an artist, giving you extra visibility.
Artfinder Features:
- Have your art seen by a global audience of more than 500,000 art collectors.
- Have control of your store, pricing, and listings, and receive performance stats and insights.
There is a 33% commission fee Artfinder takes for artwork sales.
Saatchi
Saatchi showcases over 65,000 artists around the world.
Creating an account on Saatchi is free, plus it offers secure online payments and artist protection.
Saatchi makes selling art by shipping your artwork to the collector for you. You only pay for the shipping costs.
Saatchi is more than an online art gallery; they also organize fairs, and promote artists and curator groups.
Like every platform for artists, it will be challenging to have your art noticed on Saatchi with many artworks posted. But if you develop a strategic online art marketing plan, you could see your art sales grow on Saatchi.
Fine Art America
Fine Art America is a POD (Print On Demand) site that offers a free artist website for artists and photographers interested in selling artwork prints on museum-quality prints, canvases, frames, acrylic, and other merchandise.
Fine Art America makes it easy for you to generate more money by selling prints of your original artwork.
You have to create a listing, and Fina Art America will fulfill and ship the product directly to the buyer when purchasing a giclee print.
You can also promote your original artwork on the listings.
Related Post – How To Get Started Selling On Fine Art America.
Artplode
Artplode was created in 2014 and designed for galleries and dealers to buy and sell artwork. They also allow artists to sell their artwork to private customers, making this a unique website builder.
There is a $60 listing fee rather than paying a commission fee when a sale occurs.
You will have complete control of the sale, including the content and images of the listings and the ability to contact people interested in purchasing your art.
Artfire
Artfire is similar to Etsy and connects people worldwide to crafters creating unique handmade crafts.
Crafters can sell handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies.
Artfire is a marketplace where millions of people connect to make, sell, and purchase unique products worldwide.
Plans range from $4.95/MO – $40.00/MO
Amazon
Have you considered selling your art on one of the biggest e-commerce platforms?
Amazon launched its Amazon Art section in 2013, a legitimate way for artists to get their artwork in front of a broad audience.
You will have to be pre-approved if you are interested in selling your artwork on Amazon, and if you are excepted, there is a $39.99 per month shop fee plus additional selling fees.
Amazon is becoming more popular with artists and crafters, so it will be challenging to have your artwork noticed. With a well-designed art marketing strategy, you might discover that Amazon might be the perfect fit for your art business.
Society6
Society6 is a print-on-demand website that allows you to sell prints of your artwork on art prints, canvases, and other merchandise such as bath mats, carry-all pouches, iPad and Laptop Skins, and more.
Society6 Features:
- You control the rights to your work.
- Easy to upload images.
- Unlike other POD sites, you can set the prices for your art prints.
Hundreds of thousands of artists and photographers upload and sell their original artwork on over 30 premium products.
RedBubble
Redbubble is an Australian POD (print n demand) company founded in 2006 and is similar to Society6.
Redbubble is an easy-to-use platform for artists interested in selling prints of their artwork on a large variety of merchandise.
RedBubble Features:
- Retain ownership and control of your artwork
- Have total control over what you sell your art for
- Handle all transactions
- Print and ship products to the buyers
- You collect the royalties
- You do not have control over setting the prices of your products.
Redbubble connects over 700,000 artists and designers worldwide with millions of passionate buyers.
Rise Art
Rise Art is an online art gallery where artists can upload and sell their original art.
Rise Art Features:
- Art sales, rentals, and client commissions
- You have total control over how you use your profile
- Art advisory service for personal recommendations
- Specialized seller console
- Professional framing service
- Shipping and logistical support
- Artist seminars and tutorials
- And more….
Other Website Builders
If you haven’t found the perfect website builder from the site builders mentioned above, you will want to take a look at these website builders.
These website builders are not as popular as those highlighted above, but they are still good alternatives.
Some of these alternatives are free websites for artists, but research to see all of the features available and if there is any costs associated with upgrading to a better plan.
Final Thoughts On Website Builders
To sell art online, you must have a platform that showcases your artwork and allows art collectors to purchase your artwork and products.
So, whether you’re looking to start an online store or showcase your artwork, it’s essential to have an online art portfolio website. Thankfully, many website builders are available that make the process easy and affordable. With the right website builder, you can create a professional online portfolio to help you grow as an artist. Have you chosen the right website builder that offers marketing and business tools and tailored solutions for your business needs? If unsure what your site should have, research some examples of artist websites online.
Whether you are looking for a sculpture artist website or an art photographer website builder, the list of site builders above will meet your needs.
FAQ
What are portfolio websites?
A portfolio website is an online platform that allows artists to showcase their work. Unlike a traditional CV or resume, a portfolio website provides a more comprehensive look at an artist’s body of work.
It is also a great way to connect with potential clients and collaborators.
Most portfolio websites allow artists to create an online gallery of their work and a blog where they can write about their process and share news and events.
In addition, many portfolio websites offer features such as social media integration and eCommerce functionality, making it easy for artists to sell their work online.
What is the best website builder for artists?
The best website builders offer important features to growing your art business. Look for a website builder with an easy-to-use interface, a drag-and-drop editor, marketing and business tools, and tailored solutions for your specific needs.
How much does it cost to build an artist’s website?
Costs vary depending on the artist website builder you choose. Some builders offer free plans with limited features, while others have monthly or yearly subscription plans. Before selecting a website builder, research the different features and pricing options.
Is Wix good for artists?
Wix is a famous website builder that offers a variety of features that can be beneficial for artists. Wix provides an easy-to-use interface, a drag-and-drop editor, marketing and business tools, and tailored solutions for your specific needs.
Is GoDaddy Website Builder a good choice for artists?
GoDaddy’s Website Builder is a good choice for artists. It offers an easy-to-use interface, a drag-and-drop editor, marketing and business tools, and tailored solutions for your specific needs.
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