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| 'A Summer to Remember' 5x7 pastel on board ©Karen Margulis |
So maybe you want to start a blog for your art. Or maybe you have one but don't see how it is helping. As a blogger since 2005 I'd like to share some things I have learned along the way. First if you aren't convinced an art blog is for you then you might like to read my post about the benefits of blogging HERE. There are lots of things I could share about blogging but I will narrow it down to three things. Consistency, Content and Clarity.
1. CONSISTENCY: You should be prepared to post on a consistent basis. You don't have to post every day. (It is a habit for me) I would recommend a new post every week. 2-3 times a week is better but once a week is a manageable goal. Why post consistently? One of the benefits of having a blog for your art is to establish connections with collectors and other artists. You want people to check in and follow you. If you are sporadic or erratic in your posting you risk losing your audience. You may have wonderful work and interesting posts but if there is nothing new on your blog week after week, your readers will stop visiting. If you are always pressed for time you can write several posts when you have time and save them as drafts. Then you have new material to spread out and share when you are short on time.
2. CONTENT: Your readers not only want to see your work they want to hear what you have to say. I am not interested in following an artist who posts nothing but images with prices. I want to read about the art or the artist. A blog is your opportunity to connect with others. Take the time to write something to accompany your art. I recommend starting by writing about the piece, how you did it, the inspiration behind it. Once you start writing the ideas will flow. Just be yourself! ( I took a blog triage course 2 years ago with Alyson Stanfield and she recommended that we decide who are audience is and write to them...I decided to focus my posts on information of interest to other artists)
Another reason for including content is to help you get found. The search engines like content. I will be talking more about search engine optimization in another post.
3. CLARITY: Make sure your blog layout reflects your art. I try to have my blog clean and easy to read. I don't like to have a lot of clutter on the sidebar, just the essentials. I could do a better job though! Make sure you have good photos of your art. Make sure the photos are clear and in focus with accurate color. I have discovered that some Blogger templates allow the photos to show larger so be sure to test out the template you plan to use to make sure the photos are big enough.
I will be presenting a personal development class at the upcoming IAPS convention. I'd love for you to join me but if you can't I'd like to have your help! What questions do you have about social media for artists? Your questions will help me develop a comprehensive presentation! Ask your questions in the comments or send me an email karenmargulis@gmail.com
2 Hour Seminar, Saturday, 8:00 am - 10:00 am . . . $70
Social Media Savvy for Artists
Spend less time on social media and more time creating. Social media is important for artists but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Karen will share her strategy for social media success and will demystify the world of Facebook, Instagram, blogs, Pinterest and more. Learn how to share your work and art story with Karen’s simple approach.
1 comment:
As a reader of art blogs, I would also add that artists should ensure a photo shows up in the email of the blog. I am on a slow connection and it takes forever to click on links and go through to web pages, so I read and view the email blog most of the time. Some artists only include a few lines of text in the email with no image whatsoever. I end up unsubscribing from them because I just don't have the time to go to web pages.
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