Tag Archives: artist websites

Common artists website mistakes

(T̶e̶n̶) Thirteen biggest website mistakes artists make – Part VI

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shopping_cartWhile on the topic of common website mistakes many artists make let me add this big one:

10) No shopping cart

Does your site offer a shopping cart? If so, you are ahead of the curve. Your site undoubtedly takes time to maintain and keep up-to-date. You spend your valuable time, and/or hard earned money, maintaining your web presence. Why not have your site work for you by helping generate some sales in the process? Many WordPress sites come with easy to install shopping carts. But shopping carts can be pretty easily added to any website. In fact, when I teach my workshop: Create Your FREE Website in a Day (scroll down on linked page), I show participants how to create a site that includes a FREE shopping cart.

For reasons too many to list and explain in this blog post, I don’t necessarily recommend artists price, or generally attempt to sell, their originals off their website. However, I do encourage artists to sell lesser priced items, such as giclees, off their sites.

If you are not sure how to do it, you may wish to seek help. My upcoming workshop would be a good place to start.

For your reference, as an example, my own art shopping cart offers giclees in various sizes of many of my oil paintings. It is viewable at: www.Liron.com/signed_editions.php

It’s an easy to maintain online shopping cart. As new artworks become available they are easily added in multiple sizes and on various substrates. The cart incurs no fees to maintain. It is integrated with my Paypal account and allows buyers to securely pay online using any major credit card, and/or using their Paypal balance. I only pay Paypal’s transaction fees when artworks sell.

Looking for a success strategy for your art business? From website improvements to attracting your ideal clients? I provide step by step instructions on art business strategy, marketing, and selling in my downloadable workshop: The Art of profiting from your Art.

Ready to share your experience with your online shopping cart? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section.

By the way, if you just come across this post, I suggest you read my previous posts on the biggest website mistakes many artists make. See: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V.

Liron Sissman is a professional artist and an MBA. She coaches artists at ArtistAdvisory.com. This article was originally published in her ArtistAdvisory Blog: The Art of profiting from your Art, which is sent to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your free subscription today and read more articles like this at www.artistadvisory.com

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Artist websites, Common artists website mistakes

(T̶e̶n̶) Thirteen biggest website mistakes artists make – Part V

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social_media_share_buttonsAllow me to continue this blog series by describing yet another common artist website mistake many artists make. If you are new to this blog topic please see Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV where I discussed the first eight common website mistakes I see many artists make.

I’ll continue where I had left off with the next common website mistake:

9) No social media share buttons

Social media buttons broadly fall into two categories. The first category is the ‘Hey come check out my Facebook page’ one. This type actually takes visitors off your website and brings them to your Facebook page which is not nearly as valuable as the second type; which is what I call the ‘Share’ type. The ‘Share’ type buttons are those social media buttons helping your site’s visitors share your site with their network be it on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Twitter. Done right it helps visitors share a link to your website along with a description of your artwork and possibly an image or two simply by clicking a button. And, it does all that while leaving visitors on your website! You can pre-define what gets shared when setting your social media buttons. It’s a great way to help spread the word!

Looking to gain more insights into how to become a successful artist? Learn what you need to know and be guided through the process, step by step. This is what my Art of profiting from your Art workshop is all about. And the best part is it’s now available online for you to study at your convenience. Click to learn the secrets only successful artists know and see your income grow! This workshop will more than pay for itself in no time!

Have you implemented any website changes that resulted in higher subscriptions and/or increased sales? I would love to hear from you what they were and what were the outcomes!

Copyright 2014, Liron Sissman, ArtistAdvisory.com. All rights reserved.

Would you like to share this article on your blog or newsletter?

If so, all you need to do is include the following with it:

Liron Sissman is a professional artist and an MBA. She coaches artists at ArtistAdvisory.com. This article was originally published in her ArtistAdvisory Blog: The Art of profiting from your Art, which is sent to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your subscription today and read more articles like this at http://artistadvisory.com

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Artist websites, Common artists website mistakes

(T̶e̶n̶) Thirteen biggest website mistakes artists make – Part IV

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So far in this blog series (Part I, II, and III) I have addressed six common website mistakes I see many artists make. Are you one of them? I’ll continue in this post where I left off.

7) Not using your website email

Most artists that email me are using an email provider such as: gmail, yahoo, hotmail, mac, and optonline rather than their own website domain email. As a result their email address typically varies from something as cryptic as: xw3evei69@gmail.com to at best something like: jmartist@gmail.com. While the latter is better than the former neither is as good as it ought to be. If you have a website you should be using your own website email for your art correspondence. That would be something like: Joe@JoeArt.com, or in my case: Liron@Liron.com. Using your own domain email will put your website in front of everyone you email with. Why advertise gmail when you can advertise your own art? Using your own domain email will also help in other ways. I talk about it in my workshop: The Art of profiting from your Art which is downloadable here.

If you are already paying for your website hosting, chances are you are already paying for your own domain email as well. Some template websites do not include it. However, there is still an easy way to set it up.

Use YOUR brand! Let people know what you are about!

8) No email address

Some artists’ Contact pages do not include an email address, just a Contact form. Are you one of them?

If so, I realize you may be worried about getting spam emails but there are other, better, ways to fight spam. While a contact form gives visitors a way to reach out to you, some people expect and prefer to use email. Unlike contact forms, an email retains a copy of the correspondence in the outgoing box of the sender thus making it easier to follow up on, or refer to, later.

Also, an email is more likely to offer a larger screen area to craft, review, and edit one’s message. I sometimes open a Word document just to conveniently write and edit my message before I copy and paste it into someone’s contact form. Why make people take extra steps to reach you?

Additionally, having your email, like having your phone number, clearly listed on your website will help visitors, and prospective clients, feel they know how to find you if they need to. It will let them contact you without the need to pull up your website and fill out forms.

Lastly, a contact form runs the risk of the person filling it misspelling their email address which could prevent further communication.

If your website offers a contact form, consider adding your email to it as well.

Have you recently made any website, or email, modifications that you found helpful? Please share your experience!

If you find my blog helpful, please share it! And, subscribe for future updates!

Copyright 2014, Liron Sissman, ArtistAdvisory.com. All rights reserved.

Would you like to share this post on your blog or newsletter?
If so, all you need to do is include the following with it:
Liron Sissman is a professional artist and an MBA. She coaches artists at ArtistAdvisory.com. This post was originally published on her ArtistAdvisory Blog: The Art of profiting from your Art, which is sent to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your subscription today and read more posts like this at www.artistadvisory.com

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Common artists website mistakes

(T̶e̶n̶) Thirteen biggest website mistakes artists make – Part III

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From my website: Liron.com – Please sign in for future updates!

Let me continue this blog series by pointing out an additional common website mistake many artists make. Are you one of them?

While I’m addressing common artists website mistakes in no particular order I suggest you read this blog series starting with ‘Part I’ and ‘Part II’. These two earlier posts cover five common website mistakes many artists make. I’ll continue where I had left off.

6) No signup form

I coach many artists seeking to take their art business to the next level. But often times, when I first look at their website, I realize an important element is missing. I’m speaking here about an easy, convenient, way to convert visitors into subscribers. It’s called a ‘Signup form’.

People are not likely to email you out of the blue just to ask you to add them to your mailing list, keep them posted of your new artworks, or inform them about your future art events. However, if you facilitate the process and make it easy for them to keep in touch and stay informed, they would like that.

They came to your website either to see your art, or if your keywords are set up to attract your target market, one of the topics I cover in my Art of profiting from your Art workshop to find art like yours. Either way, they have separated themselves from the crowd. Help them connect and stay informed. Give them an easy way to share their name and email address with you. Then nourish the connection.

Your website is not just your business card. It’s also your active 24/7 guestbook (and store front – but that’s for another post and for those downloading my workshop which is now available online for your convenience!). Make your website work for you!

You can easily create and add a signup form using an email service such as Mailchimp, ConstantContact, or iContact. While at it, you may wish to consider making it what’s called a ‘popup signup form’; namely a form that actively solicits visitors to leave their contact information by opening a separate popup window asking them to do so. You can then specify what you will offer them in return.

Have you recently added a signup form that helped make a difference in your subscriber rate? Please share your experience.

Copyright 2014, Liron Sissman, ArtistAdvisory.com. All rights reserved.

Would you like to share this post on your blog or newsletter? If so, all you need to do is include the following with it: Liron Sissman is a professional artist and an MBA. She coaches artists at ArtistAdvisory.com. This post was originally published on her ArtistAdvisory Blog: The Art of profiting from your Art, which is sent to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your subscription today and read more posts like this at www.artistadvisory.com

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