Lately I’ve noticed a surge in questions by artists regarding internet exposure. I think everyone can use more exposure, even if they’ve been at their careers for awhile. You have to “feed the machine” as I always say and continually add to your internet exposure. If you don’t consistently provide the public with new information, they will soon forget you unless you happen to be Damien Hirst, for example. Given the short shelf-life of posts to Facebook, Twitter, etc., it’s especially important to keep the news coming. So here is a list of my favorite and most useful recommendations:
Website– This seems to be the most obvious but there are many artists out there that don’t have one. This should be your #1 priority over all other ideas listed here. Cost can be a big factor, so if you can’t afford to hire a designer, talk to talented students or freelancers that do this as a side career. You can probably get a better deal– just be sure to look at their portfolio beforehand. If this is not an option, you can also use WordPress to create a site in which you feature galleries of pictures.
Blog– Again, you can use WordPress for this, but there are many other options out there. Blogging is important to help build your name, increase your SEO ranking, and gives you an opportunity to connect with fans.
Facebook– I see many artists using Facebook, which is great, but far less have an actual Fan Page. First, Facebook expects that you will promote your business and conduct sales through your Fan Page, not your personal profile. Sure, Fan Page posts tend to get filtered out of the news feed, but in all fairness, Facebook is not taking a cut from your sales made via your Fan Page. Drive traffic to your Fan Page via your website, blog, etc. and include links to your Fan Page on other websites.
Twitter– Personally, I find Twitter to be overwhelming, but no matter your social media preference, it is important to be present on any and all. I have found that fans/collectors/potential collectors all have their own personal preference for following you, therefore you need to reach them through all of these sites.
Google+ – Some people still don’t know what Google+ is. To me it is just another version of Facebook, except without all the “flash.” No ads, no news feeds, no news feeds in your news feeds (haha), and it makes it much easier from the get-go to control your privacy settings and even per post. As far as I know, you still have to be “invited” to join so if you haven’t already, ask a friend to send you an invitation.
Blogrolls– Besides your own blog, increase your exposure by getting your site included in the blogrolls of blogs that you like. These are lists of sites that are recommended and tend to share similar interests with the blog listing them. Ask to trade links with your artist friends- their link listed on your blog and yours on theirs. You can also approach bloggers that you like to trade links.
Comment– One of the best ways to get noticed is to leave a comment. So many sites feature like buttons or share buttons, which are great, but don’t forget to leave a comment. If you have something valuable to add, do so! You don’t have to agree with the writer, either, just be civil. When posting, depending on the site, you may have the option of adding a photo of yourself- a Gravatar– or if you can sign in via Facebook or Twitter, use one as long as there is a photo. People are visual creatures. You’ll also have the option of including your website or social media link, too.
These are my best recommendations, but there are new sites being created all the time. If you have any ideas you’d like to recommend, please add them to the comments section!
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