Do you want to drive more traffic to your Artist website? Blogging is an important part of digital marketing. In this post, you will discover how to be a successful blogger so you can start building your online presence that will attract your target audience to your artist website.
How To Be A Successful Blogger – Artist Blogging Tips
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As you might already know, I have been involved with online sales for over 17 years and I have seen many changes happen before my eyes. Even though there have been many changes over the years one thing still remains the same. In order for you to sell your art, you need to build an online presence.
How do you make an online presence?
Where do you start?
First, you will need patience, goals, and the drive to work at building an online presence.
I have started many blogs and have used many different platforms. Along the way, I have learned everything I could about blogging so I could effectively build a following and drive traffic to my art. Not everything that I have tried worked as well as I planned. That did not discourage me, instead, I learned from it. I started from ground zero and learned everything from, SEO, keywords, content length, content layout, how many times to publish, titles, inbound links, outbound links and so on.
Along the way, I have learned everything I could about blogging so I could effectively build a following and drive traffic to my art. Not everything that I have tried worked as well as I planned. That did not discourage me, instead, I learned from it. I started from ground zero and learned everything from, SEO, keywords, content length, content layout, how many times to publish, titles, inbound links, outbound links and so on.
The most important lesson I have learned in the beginning was to build a solid foundation for my blog. Don’t waste time on all of the shiny bells and whistles before you have a solid foundation. That was where I went wrong in the beginning.
In this post, I want to help you build a solid foundation so you can start to see your organic growth increase immediately instead of wasting time like I did in the beginning. I want you to know how to be a successful blogger.
Vision and Goals
I want to start with vision and goals.
You can not accomplish anything without a vision or a goal.
You can not change something if you do not know what you want to change.
Take the time now before you start your blog to have a game plan.
Research other artists to see what is working for them.
Watch this video and be inspired by some artists who are successful in blogging.
The video below is a part of my eBook – 28 Day Blogging Challenge – Day 1 Vision and Goals. Watch the video so you can learn how to develop a plan that will work best for you.
Download – 28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists by Dave Nevue
Kindle – 28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists by Dave Nevue
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Art Blog Branding
Now that you have an idea of what you would like to accomplish with your blog, you will want to take some time thinking about how you would like your art blog to look.
Think of your blog as your home. You want to make it inviting to guests but you want to show your style and personality.
A few key tips:
- Your logo and tagline should be the same on all of the platforms you will be using to promote your art online.
- The colors should enhance your art not distract it.
- The font should be easy to read. Fancy fonts might look nice, but you will discourage the reader by making it difficult to read. Keep in mind people will be reading your posts on different devices.
- Try to stick with Serif fonts like Times New Roman, Palatino, Georgia, Garamond, Courier, and Bookman.
- Use black font on a white background for your text. People are usually reading posts on the fly. It is easier for someone to read a black font on a white background. Your goal is to keep your readers on your site, not discourage them and make them want to leave.
- Use plenty of white space. White space makes it easier for someone to scan the post. Large paragraphs take longer to read so break up your paragraphs into smaller paragraphs.
- Always have an image of your artwork on your posts. A reader might not purchase it right then and there, but you will put a bug in their mind so when they are ready to purchase a painting or a drawing they will think of you.
- Include a call-to-action. At the end of the post tell them what they should do next. This will keep your reader on your site for a longer period of time. In return, you will rank higher in search results.
- It is important that your blog is not perceived as a personal blog. Your artist blog is a business blog. It is ok to be personable and you want to have your audience get to know you as an artist, but keep your personal life separate.
Schedule Blogging Time
It is easy to put things off if we do not like doing them.
How many times have you said, “I’ll get back to that?” or “I will do that tomorrow?”
How many times has tomorrow never come?
Blogging or writing is not a favorite pastime for most artists.
Unfortunately, it is a big part of digital marketing and making a presence online. People need to know that you are an artist before they can purchase your art.
Selling art that you have created might be one of the best jobs in the world. However, work is work and there will always be things that you will not be fond of doing but they are beneficial to the business.
Instead of thinking to yourself, “I hate blogging.”
Say, “Blogging is going to help me do what I love most, create more art.”
The best way to not procrastinate on blogging is by blocking off some time each day to write. It does not have to be a big chunk of time. But it should be scheduled at the same time every day. Soon blogging will become a part of your daily routine.
Content Creator
Your blog is to tell your story about you as an artist and the inspiration behind your art. Each piece of art you have created has a special meaning. Tell your story to your audience. You want your audience to feel connected to each piece of art you create. The more they get to know about you and your message, the more they will trust you.
Many artists ask me, “Why would someone want to know more about me?”
They want to know more about you because you are an artist and they admire your talent and artistic style.
Don’t take blogging lightly like many bloggers. Write great content your audience will love.
The more you write, the more people will get to know you and trust you. The more they trust you the more they will purchase from you and share your story with others.
An extra bonus is that Google will see you as an authority in your niche and start to rank your site higher in the search results.
Here are some posts about writing great content:
- How to Write a Content Marketing Plan That Increases Art Sales
- The Importance of Good Content For Your Art Business
- Art Marketing Basics: Pillar Content Generates Traffic
- What Is Good Content?
Editorial Calendar
An editorial calendar is just a way for you to keep your future posts organized. The more organized you are the more productive your time will be. I wrote about this in-depth in my eBook The Productive Artist – How to Live Your Dreams.
Every month take some time to write what you will be covering on particular days. This will make it easier when it is time to sit down and write. You will not be wasting time staring at a blank screen.
Your time is valuable. Make the most out of every minute of your day.
Besides planning your month blogging schedule, create a list of everything you will want to cover. The list of topic ideas will make it easier for you to create your monthly plans.
Some artists will put a list of “Upcoming Articles” at the bottom of each post. This will give the readers something to look forward to.
Here are a couple of posts to help you with your editorial calendar and blog list:
- How To Create a Blog Editorial Calendar
- 110 Art Blogging Ideas
Support Other Artists
I truly believe that if you help others, you will be rewarded. Throughout the month schedule in some days that you will be showcasing other artists art.
Talk about artists that inspire you.
Write about the people who helped you on your art journey.
All of the people who helped you throughout your art journey are the people who made you who you are as a person and an artist.
Favorite musicians talk about musicians they have learned from.
Famous actors and actresses talk about their favorite entertainers.
Famous athletes talk about people they have watched growing up.
You should acknowledge the people who inspired you and helped you.
Not only will your readers enjoy fresh material but the people you mention will also be grateful. They might even spread your word which will help you to meet new people.
I love to help people reach their goals. That is why I have been teaching guitar and bass for over twenty-five years and I have built this website. I want to help you reach your goals. Art makes the world beautiful and I want to help artists share their art to the world every way I can.
You might also be interested in:
- Selling Art Like a Pro Best Strategies
- How to Sell on Pinterest Tips for Artists
- Sell Art Online Startup Plan
- 3 Best Digital Cameras For Photographing Artwork
- Elevator Pitch for Artists
- How To Write Great Art Descriptions That Sell?
28 Day Blogging Challenge for Visual Artists
Are you ready to start building an online presence?
Download your copy today, or Purchase on Amazon.
The Productive Artist How to Live Your Dreams The right mindset and time management skills are essential for any business. These topics are often not talked about but are key elements for your success. You will learn how to have a winning mindset and time management skills necessary for operating a successful art business. Available at Amazon or Download today.
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