As an artist, it is important to have a strong online presence. A website is a great way to showcase your work to potential clients and collectors, and it can also help you to build a community around your art.
Your website should be visually appealing and easy to navigate. It should also be informative, and it should give visitors a good sense of your artistic style and vision.
Why I built a website as an artist In the early years of my art career, I only shared my work on Instagram. But as I started to participate in more exhibitions and competitions, I realized that I needed a website.
Whenever I was at an exhibition, people would ask me for my website. And when I submitted forms for competitions and art events, they always asked for my website.
This made me realize the importance of having a website as an artist. A website is a central place where you can showcase your work, tell your story, and connect with potential clients and collectors.
So, during the lockdown, I started learning how to build a website. It took me a few months, but I'm really proud of the website I created. It's a simple website, but it's effective and it showcases my work in a way that I'm happy with.
Here are some of the benefits of having a website as an artist:
Showcase your work: A website is a great way to showcase your work to a wider audience. You can use your website to display your portfolio, write about your process, and share your upcoming exhibitions.
Tell your story: Your website is a place where you can tell your story as an artist. You can share your inspiration, your goals, and your vision. This helps people to connect with you and your work on a deeper level.
Connect with potential clients and collectors: A website makes it easy for potential clients and collectors to contact you. You can include your contact information on your website, as well as a form where people can request more information about your work.
Now, let's go to the technical part. I created my website using Wix, and it is a great platform for beginners who want to create a website. There are other alternatives as well, but because I created mine using Wix, I am going to guide you on it in this blog.
Table Of Contents:
Create an account with Wix
To create a Wix website, start by going to the Wix website and clicking the "Get Started" button. You can sign up using any of the standard methods, such as your email address, Google account, or Facebook account. If you already have a Wix account, you can use that to sign in.
Please note that you can create multiple Wix websites on one account, but you will be charged the full price for each site.
Creating your first site
Once you have created a Wix account, you will be asked a few questions to help you get started with your website. For example, you will be asked to choose the type of website you want to create.
The next question you will be asked is of given your business a name but you skip that. For now we give a name to our website.For now I have named the online store as PortraitArtist. This domain might have to be changed if its already in use. You can check that using through other websites like DomainWheel. With DomainWheel, you’ll be able to generate names and immediately purchase the domain.
After completing the previous steps, you'll arrive at the following page, where you'll be prompted to specify what you want to include on your site. For instance, if you aim to showcase your artwork, you can choose the "portfolio" option. In the "view more" section, you'll find additional features and elements that you can incorporate into your website.
It's important not to overwhelm your site with an excessive amount of content or features. Instead, take the time to plan your website layout and content strategy carefully. Select the elements that align with your goals and objectives, ensuring that each addition serves a purpose and enhances the overall user experience. A well-thought-out approach to building your website will result in a more organized and effective online presence.
Following this, you will land on the most important page. You will be asked whether you want your website to be custom built (using artificial intelligence; also referred to as the Wix ADI) or picking a theme and customizing it yourself with the Wix editor.
I prefer customizing your website yourself. This will allow you to learn every detail about your website from the ground up, even though you will be given a template. You will not be limited to the theme and format designed by the ADI, and you will have the freedom to be creative and make changes in the future.
Use the Wix Editor to build a website
Selecting the first option, you will land on the above page where you will be given different templates. You can choose any of them according your needs. I selected the first template. This took me to the editing page where you can edit the website. The latest updates have AI integration where you can add details about the content you want and AI will modify it accordingly.
Once you've selected a template, it will appear in the Wix editor, ready for you to personalize. Simply click on any element to explore the editing options.
For instance, if you click on a strip background element, you'll be presented with a range of choices to customize it. You can adjust colors, upload new images, select from pre-made backgrounds, change formats, and even replace it with a video.
You have the flexibility to customize your website further. On the left side of the screen, you can find various elements to enhance or remove. Add boxes, buttons like 'subscribe now' or 'READ NOW,' insert new sections, or create additional pages. For even more functionality, consider integrating other apps by selecting the "Add Apps" option. The key is to keep exploring and find the elements that align best with your objectives and goals.
When crafting a page or incorporating new images or videos, it's essential to pay attention to SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO is a crucial aspect that can significantly boost your website's visibility on Google and other search engines. It's a practice that I'm actively engaged in, continually seeking ways to enhance and refine to achieve better results.
Effective SEO involves various strategies, such as optimizing your content with relevant keywords, creating descriptive and engaging meta titles and descriptions, and ensuring your website is well-structured for search engine crawlers. Additionally, backlinks, mobile-friendliness, and site speed play pivotal roles in SEO success.
The journey to improve SEO is an ongoing one. Regularly analyzing your website's performance, monitoring keyword rankings, and staying updated with industry trends can help you make informed decisions to enhance your website's search engine ranking. Remember, SEO is a dynamic field, so staying curious and adaptable is key to its continual improvement.
Preview and save your site
In the top right corner of the screen, you'll find a crucial tool: the preview option. It's not just a feature; it's a necessity in the website design process. Regularly previewing your site is an essential step in ensuring its overall quality and functionality.
Why is this step so important? Well, here's the breakdown:
1. Desktop and Mobile Considerations: Websites are viewed on a variety of devices, from large desktop monitors to small mobile screens. By using the preview option, you can toggle between the desktop and mobile views of your site. This dual perspective is invaluable because what looks great on a desktop might not translate well to a mobile device, and vice versa. It allows you to fine-tune the design to ensure a seamless user experience across all platforms.
2. Design Assessment: Previewing your site allows you to step into the shoes of your site's visitors. You can assess the visual design, layout, and overall aesthetics. Is everything visually appealing and easy to read? Are the colors and fonts consistent and engaging? Is the content well-organized? These are all questions you can address during the preview phase.
3. User Experience Optimization: The goal of previewing is not just to spot issues but also to optimize the user experience. You can identify areas where adjustments are needed to enhance navigation and user engagement.
Publish your site to make it live
To make your website accessible to the public, you must publish it. Click on the "Publish" option in the top menu. By default, Wix will make your site available on their subdomain.
However, for various reasons, this isn't the best choice. Unless you're just experimenting, it's advisable to connect a custom domain name. This will require you to upgrade to a paid plan.
With each Wix plan, you'll receive a complimentary year of domain registration and a free SSL certificate. Additionally, you'll gain access to a well-structured knowledge base and receive 24/7 assistance from their customer support team.
For a breakdown of the variations in features and pricing, please refer to the table below:
This is how you can create your website using Wix. Keep in mind that there are numerous other website-building platforms available, so it's essential to do your research and compare options before making your final decision.
If you require any assistance or have further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm here to help, and I'll respond to your inquiries promptly. Good luck with your website-building journey!
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