Art Business Info. for Artists
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  • MARKETING
    • How to write an Artist's Statement >
      • What is an Artist Statement?
      • Why you need an Artist's Statement
      • TIPS How to write an artist statement
      • The Language of an Artist's Statement
      • What an artist statement should contain
      • Examples of Artists Statements
    • How to write an Artist's Resume or CV >
      • Social Media summaries
      • CV for Artists
      • Resume for Artists
      • Biography for Artists
    • How to sign a painting, drawing or fine art print
    • Business Cards for Artists
    • How to write a press release for an artist
    • The Private View Invitation
    • Publicity for Juried Exhibitions
    • Websites for Artists >
      • Why websites matter
      • Options for Websites
      • Web content for Artists
      • Web design for artists
      • Keeping Google Happy
      • Writing for the Web
    • Image & Video sizes for Social Media Sites
    • How to be mobile-friendly
  • SELL ART
    • Trading Law & Regulations for Artists (UK)
    • E-commerce for artists
    • Art Exhibitions & Competitions >
      • Juried Exhibitions & Art Competitions
      • Juried Art Exhibition Checklist for Artists
      • How to cost a juried exhibition entry
      • How to make labels for an art exhibition
    • A Guide to Art Agents and Consultants
    • A Guide to Art Dealers & Galleries >
      • How to find the right gallery
    • The Artist-run Gallery
    • The Vanity Gallery
    • Art Fairs
    • Alternative Options for Exhibitions
    • How to Sell Art from Home
    • Open Studios
  • FRAME ART
    • List of Recommended Picture Framers
    • Conservation Products
    • Framing for open exhibitions and art competitions
    • Framing Videos
    • How to hang a picture
  • SHIP ART
    • How to pack artwork >
      • How to pack and ship pastel paintings
    • Packaging materials
    • How to ship art internationally >
      • Rules of Origin
      • Export Licences for Cultural Goods
    • How to ship art to exhibitions
    • How to mail art - Post & Parcel Services
    • UK & Ireland: Art Transport Services
    • USA Art Transport Services
  • COPYRIGHT
    • Copyright and artists' rights
    • BASICS: Copyright Infringement and Fair Use
    • How to protect artwork online
    • How to do a reverse image search
    • What to do about copyright infringement - for artists
    • Global Conventions on copyright >
      • Copyright in the UK
      • Copyright in the USA
      • Copyright in Canada
      • Copyright in Australia
  • MONEY & TAX
    • How to work out profit from an art sale
    • How to Price Your Art >
      • How important is price when buying art?
      • Options for Pricing Art
      • Terminology and Formulas for Pricing Art
      • Art Experts on Pricing Art
      • How artists price their art
      • The price of affordable art
    • Payments to Artists >
      • Paying Artists
      • How to create an Invoice
    • VAT for Artists
    • Tax Tips for Artists >
      • Tax on prize money
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      • UK: Self-Assessment Video Tips
      • USA Tax Tips for Artists
      • Ireland: Tax for Artists
      • Australia: Tax Tips for Artists
    • Insurance for Art and Artists >
      • Insurance for Art Teachers
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      • USA & Canada: Insurance Policies for Art and Artists
    • Artists' Grants & Scholarships
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    • The Art Legacy >
      • Estate Planning for Artists
      • Estate Planning for Art Collectors
      • Famous Artists Estates
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      • After the Death of an Artist
      • Copyright and Resale Rights after Death
      • Art and Inheritance Tax
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​Why websites - and website design - matter to artists​

Websites enable you and your art to be found online.

But why have one?
This page looks at:
  • Why an artist needs a website
  • Why the design and functionality of the website matter
  • Why your business name matters
  • How to have an impact on the internet

Why have a website?

Picture
They are ubiquitous
  • They are now a normal part of many artist's marketing toolkits
  • Virtually all painters now have websites.  It's now 'normal' for professional artists have one
  • Younger artists are now much more web aware. They might prefer a blog or Tumblr site to start with.
  • Check out my blog post about The Websites of Contemporary Painters in the UK. This contains my observations made about the current status and state of play of artists' websites in the UK.
  • Plus this is my update - Artists websites in 2018 - about what has changed and what has not - and what needs to change! It looks at: the plus points, the design, the words, the weaknesses and the faults.

They help get your name known
  • If artists have websites which use an 'own name' domain name, they can be found online pretty quickly and easily. With a little effort it's possible to rank #1 in Google (but see 'Your Art Business Name Matters! below')
They help market your artwork
Your website provides information about your credibility and authenticity.
  • Galleries now screen artwork online rather than via portfolios
  • Collectors often screen an artist's work online before making an investment ( "who is this artist?" / "what else have they produced? / where have they exhibited? )
  • Include current information about galleries and/or exhibitions - and people know where to go to see your art 'face to face'.
BUT you still MUST be active in marketing yourself and your art.

"Build it and they will come" concepts of websites were debunked a long time ago. Just creating a website will NOT generate traffic!


They help sell your art
  • You can sell your art direct from your website
  • You can link direct from a painting on your website to the gallery which is selling it
  • You can link direct to the third party site where you are selling art

Why design and functionality matter
​


Websites stand or fall by their DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY as well as their content. 

​See also Web design for artists


Picture
Photo by Edho Pratama on Unsplash
Websites can impress if they work well.
  • Some websites are very impressive
  • BUT some provide a very poor impression
    (e.g. the images are too small, the design is 'poor' and/or amateurish and/or they load too slowly)

Speed is increasingly important as a factor determining how websites rank in Google.
  • Some websites load very fast while some are very slow. This often depends on whether both code and image file sizes have been optimised for fast loading.
  • You can check out the speed of your site - and how to improve it - using Google's PageSpeed Tools.

​Browsing is increasingly done via mobile devices.
A website is not fully functional if it cannot be viewed on a tablet or a smartphone. The emphasis is now on websites which can be viewed on any device of any size.

To do this you MUST use a responsive template which enables a version of your website to be viewed on every format and size of screen.
Image size and quality is very important for artists
  • Tiny images do NOT help to sell art.
  • People linger longer on websites which make it easy to see the images.
  • Some websites display good sized images of artwork which load fast.
  • Other artists have websites which make it difficult - for galleries, art collectors or ad hoc purchasers - to review images
  • I can't think of a faster way to lose visitors than to make people review artwork one by one in the order determined by the artist.

NB - Flash does NOT help to impress.
  • Not all artists are aware that the iPad does not support Flash. Hence any website that uses Flash cannot be browsed via an iPad.

Your Art Business Name Matters!
​

You need to decide pretty early on what you're going to be known as online - and what your 'trading name' is going to be

Check out what happens when you search the internet for your name. 

Have you got competition?
Picture
examples of domain names for artists
  • Having an unusual name means less difficulty in finding you - if people know how to spell it!
  • Having a very common name can mean you will remain anonymous and unknown on the internet. You need a website domain name which ends in 'art' or 'artist' or 'fine art' or 'painting'.
  • Having the same name as a famous person causes confusion. Consider how best to highlight how you are different from the famous musician/sportsman/politician/actor etc. Try using initials or use a different professional artist name for 'trading purposes'.
  • Banks require a trading name. Check with your bank about what documentation they require if you trade in a name different to your own and maintain a bank account in that name.
REFERENCE:
  • It's all in the domain name! This is about: (1) How to make a website domain name work for you as an artist and (2) One reason why your artist's website is NOT found on the first page of Google when people look for it.

How to have an impact on the Internet!
​

If you've been selected for an open exhibition / art competition...

Make sure you use the opportunity for some free publicity to raise your profile via your website.

DO make sure that:
  • You get a website sorted BEFORE the announcement of selected artists or the shortlist for the big prize!  Even one page with one image and details of how to contact you is much better than nothing at all. (see About.me and Squarespace cover pages - this is my about.me page)
  • You place an image of the chosen work in a pretty prominent place on your website - and then highlight this using the name of the competition. You'll find that one action will generate traffic.
  • Create a news page on your website and keep it up to date - including announcements of all art competitions you've been selected for.​
  • You use the same name for the competition and your website - it makes it a lot easier to find you!
All about you!

Make sure your website includes the basics. These are
  • your name - it's absolutely amazing how many artists' websites never reveal the name of the artist!
  • how to contact you - you can use a form; you don't need to reveal your email address. You can also use an image of an email address as opposed to a live link (see my 'about me' page on my portfolio website to see what I mean)
  • Your biographical information - this should identify what is unique about you (eg where you live and/or have your studio).
  • an image of you personalises a website and makes it more friendly to viewers. It doesn't have to be a "studio portrait".

BACK TO: Websites for Artists
GO TO: 
  • ​Options for websites
  • Web content for artists
  • Web design for artists
  • Writing for the web

Banner image is by Edho Pratama via Unsplash
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ABOUT ART BUSINESS INFO. FOR ARTISTS
This website aims to provide a compendium of resources about the art business for artists. Please read "PLEASE NOTE"

It helps artists learn how to do better at being business-like, marketing and selling their art and looking after their financial security.
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  • CONTACT ME
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If you've got any suggestions for what you'd like to see on this website please send me your suggestion
PLEASE NOTE:
1) Content and the law change all the time. It's impossible to keep up with it if you're not working on the topic full time. 
​2) I research topics carefully. However, I am totally unable to warrant that 
ANY and/or ALL information is 
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  • Home
    • Art Business Information Index
  • NEWS
  • PRACTICE
    • Starting Out - Tips
    • Being a Professional artist >
      • Working Lives of Professional Artists
      • Artists' Side Hustles
      • Artists' Residencies
      • Artists Unions
    • Best Art Business Books
    • Learning Opportunities >
      • Art Schools in the UK
      • Art Business Courses
    • Image Management for Artists >
      • How to photograph art
      • How To Scan Artwork
      • How to back up image files
    • Law for Artists >
      • Legal Matters
      • Data Protection for Art and Artists
      • Brexit Guidance for Art and Artists
    • Business Management for Artists >
      • Risk Management for Artists
      • How to spot Art Scams / Fraud
      • Life in an Art Market Recession
      • Coronavirus COVID-19 and Art
  • MARKETING
    • How to write an Artist's Statement >
      • What is an Artist Statement?
      • Why you need an Artist's Statement
      • TIPS How to write an artist statement
      • The Language of an Artist's Statement
      • What an artist statement should contain
      • Examples of Artists Statements
    • How to write an Artist's Resume or CV >
      • Social Media summaries
      • CV for Artists
      • Resume for Artists
      • Biography for Artists
    • How to sign a painting, drawing or fine art print
    • Business Cards for Artists
    • How to write a press release for an artist
    • The Private View Invitation
    • Publicity for Juried Exhibitions
    • Websites for Artists >
      • Why websites matter
      • Options for Websites
      • Web content for Artists
      • Web design for artists
      • Keeping Google Happy
      • Writing for the Web
    • Image & Video sizes for Social Media Sites
    • How to be mobile-friendly
  • SELL ART
    • Trading Law & Regulations for Artists (UK)
    • E-commerce for artists
    • Art Exhibitions & Competitions >
      • Juried Exhibitions & Art Competitions
      • Juried Art Exhibition Checklist for Artists
      • How to cost a juried exhibition entry
      • How to make labels for an art exhibition
    • A Guide to Art Agents and Consultants
    • A Guide to Art Dealers & Galleries >
      • How to find the right gallery
    • The Artist-run Gallery
    • The Vanity Gallery
    • Art Fairs
    • Alternative Options for Exhibitions
    • How to Sell Art from Home
    • Open Studios
  • FRAME ART
    • List of Recommended Picture Framers
    • Conservation Products
    • Framing for open exhibitions and art competitions
    • Framing Videos
    • How to hang a picture
  • SHIP ART
    • How to pack artwork >
      • How to pack and ship pastel paintings
    • Packaging materials
    • How to ship art internationally >
      • Rules of Origin
      • Export Licences for Cultural Goods
    • How to ship art to exhibitions
    • How to mail art - Post & Parcel Services
    • UK & Ireland: Art Transport Services
    • USA Art Transport Services
  • COPYRIGHT
    • Copyright and artists' rights
    • BASICS: Copyright Infringement and Fair Use
    • How to protect artwork online
    • How to do a reverse image search
    • What to do about copyright infringement - for artists
    • Global Conventions on copyright >
      • Copyright in the UK
      • Copyright in the USA
      • Copyright in Canada
      • Copyright in Australia
  • MONEY & TAX
    • How to work out profit from an art sale
    • How to Price Your Art >
      • How important is price when buying art?
      • Options for Pricing Art
      • Terminology and Formulas for Pricing Art
      • Art Experts on Pricing Art
      • How artists price their art
      • The price of affordable art
    • Payments to Artists >
      • Paying Artists
      • How to create an Invoice
    • VAT for Artists
    • Tax Tips for Artists >
      • Tax on prize money
      • UK Tax Tips for Artists
      • UK: Self-Assessment Video Tips
      • USA Tax Tips for Artists
      • Ireland: Tax for Artists
      • Australia: Tax Tips for Artists
    • Insurance for Art and Artists >
      • Insurance for Art Teachers
      • UK Insurance Policies for art and artists
      • USA & Canada: Insurance Policies for Art and Artists
    • Artists' Grants & Scholarships
    • Retirement and Pensions for Artists
    • The Art Legacy >
      • Estate Planning for Artists
      • Estate Planning for Art Collectors
      • Famous Artists Estates
      • Artwork Inventory
      • After the Death of an Artist
      • Copyright and Resale Rights after Death
      • Art and Inheritance Tax
  • About + Help
    • Would you like me to help?
    • Privacy & Cookies Policy
    • Contact