making the most of online resources
DESCRIPTION
Presentation to the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art ClubTRANSCRIPT
Making the Most of Online Making the Most of Online ResourcesResources
A Primer forA Primer for
Professional ArtistsProfessional Artists
OverviewOverview There are many resources available on the There are many resources available on the
Internet that can help you increase exposure Internet that can help you increase exposure and communication with collectors, galleries and and communication with collectors, galleries and prospective students. prospective students.
Venues such as e-mail marketing campaigns, Venues such as e-mail marketing campaigns, blogs, social networks, video/presentation sites blogs, social networks, video/presentation sites and others will be discussed in detail in the and others will be discussed in detail in the context of marketing your work. context of marketing your work.
This presentation will provide the information This presentation will provide the information you need to decide which of these resources is you need to decide which of these resources is right for you in order to maximize exposure and right for you in order to maximize exposure and communication with your target audience.communication with your target audience.
Beyond the Web Site…Beyond the Web Site… Your first venture into online communications Your first venture into online communications
likely will be your web sitelikely will be your web site But if you build it, will they come?But if you build it, will they come? There are other tools and venues that will There are other tools and venues that will
increase your exposure and expand your reach:increase your exposure and expand your reach:
BlogsBlogs E-mail marketing campaignsE-mail marketing campaigns Social Networking sitesSocial Networking sites Discussion Forums / Bulletin BoardsDiscussion Forums / Bulletin Boards Slide and Video sharing sitesSlide and Video sharing sites
BlogsBlogs
A blog (or Web log) is A blog (or Web log) is often used as an online often used as an online journal or method of journal or method of ongoing communicationongoing communication
Articles, announcements, Articles, announcements, tips, presentations, tips, presentations, support materials, support materials, instructioninstruction
Encourages interaction Encourages interaction and discussion with the and discussion with the audienceaudience
BlogsBlogs Features:Features:
FREE!FREE! Easy to set up, no web Easy to set up, no web
design experience neededdesign experience needed Audience can easily Audience can easily
subscribe to postssubscribe to posts ““Tags” draw traffic to your Tags” draw traffic to your
site as well as automatic site as well as automatic traffic generation from new traffic generation from new postsposts
Track visits, stats easilyTrack visits, stats easily Provides real time access Provides real time access
to your news, events and to your news, events and new worknew work
Comments can be Comments can be moderatedmoderated
Things to keep in mind:Things to keep in mind: Updating required, Updating required,
bloggers sometimes lose bloggers sometimes lose interest in their blogs and interest in their blogs and stop posting regularly, this stop posting regularly, this significantly reduces repeat significantly reduces repeat traffic from subscriberstraffic from subscribers
Make sure content is Make sure content is relevant, fresh and relevant, fresh and informativeinformative
Keep posts brief, you are Keep posts brief, you are writing an article, not a writing an article, not a novelnovel
Use images whenever Use images whenever possible!!!possible!!!
BlogsBlogs
Resources:Resources: www.wordpress.comwww.wordpress.com www.blogspot.comwww.blogspot.com www.blogger.comwww.blogger.com
Art Blog listings (links to other art blogs):Art Blog listings (links to other art blogs): www.artblogs4u.comwww.artblogs4u.com www.artbloggin.comwww.artbloggin.com
E-mail Marketing CampaignsE-mail Marketing Campaigns Announcements, Announcements,
newsletters, invitations newsletters, invitations sent via email instead of sent via email instead of regular mailregular mail
Administered by third Administered by third party email serviceparty email service
Service provides Service provides database maintenance, database maintenance, opt out capabilities, opt out capabilities, reports and trackingreports and tracking
Keeps your name in front Keeps your name in front of your target audienceof your target audience
E-mail Marketing CampaignsE-mail Marketing Campaigns
Features:Features: Low cost (typically under Low cost (typically under
$150 per year for 500 $150 per year for 500 contacts)contacts)
Easy to set up, no web Easy to set up, no web design experience neededdesign experience needed
Audience can easily Audience can easily subscribe (or unsubscribe) subscribe (or unsubscribe) to e-mailsto e-mails
Track mail opened, bounce Track mail opened, bounce backs, and other stats backs, and other stats easilyeasily
Things to keep in mind:Things to keep in mind: Need to be careful about Need to be careful about
frequency of mailings – do frequency of mailings – do not go overboard or you not go overboard or you will be perceived as a will be perceived as a Spammer!Spammer!
Keep your lists up to dateKeep your lists up to date Keep a back up copy of Keep a back up copy of
your contact database in your contact database in Excel, Outlook, or other Excel, Outlook, or other spreadsheet / mail format spreadsheet / mail format on your hard driveon your hard drive
E-mail Marketing CampaignsE-mail Marketing Campaigns
Resources:Resources: www.constantcontact.comwww.constantcontact.com www.patronmail.comwww.patronmail.com
Social Networking SitesSocial Networking Sites Examples: Facebook, Examples: Facebook,
MySpaceMySpace Builds online exposure in Builds online exposure in
a passive waya passive way Adjunctive to blog, web Adjunctive to blog, web
sitesite Somewhat youth-Somewhat youth-
oriented, but that is oriented, but that is changingchanging
Some provide opportunity Some provide opportunity to sell art onlineto sell art online
Great way to market Great way to market workshops/classesworkshops/classes
Social Networking SitesSocial Networking Sites
Features:Features: Good for reaching a Good for reaching a
youthful audience: for youthful audience: for example, prospective example, prospective studentsstudents
Great for getting Great for getting exposure with exposure with prospective prospective galleries/collectorsgalleries/collectors
Things to keep in Things to keep in mind:mind: Be careful how much Be careful how much
personal information personal information you share about you share about yourselfyourself
Don’t become a slave Don’t become a slave to postingto posting
Don’t post high Don’t post high resolution images of resolution images of your workyour work
Friends vs. Fans PagesFriends vs. Fans Pages
Friends page is a personal pageFriends page is a personal pageFans page is for marketing your workFans page is for marketing your work If you use both and allow people you don’t If you use both and allow people you don’t
know to become friends, be very careful know to become friends, be very careful about the type of information you put on about the type of information you put on your personal pageyour personal page
Having 2 pages (one for friends and one Having 2 pages (one for friends and one for fans) allows you to separate personal for fans) allows you to separate personal items from business/networkingitems from business/networking
Social Networking SitesSocial Networking Sites
Resources:Resources: www.myspace.comwww.myspace.com www.facebook.comwww.facebook.com
Discussion Forums /Discussion Forums /Bulletin BoardsBulletin Boards
Announcements for Announcements for exhibits or classesexhibits or classes
Job resourcesJob resources Submission callsSubmission calls Gallery listingsGallery listings Art Supplies / Art Supplies /
Equipment for sale or Equipment for sale or purchasepurchase
Meeting other artistsMeeting other artists
Discussion Forums /Discussion Forums /Bulletin BoardsBulletin Boards
Features:Features: FREEFREE Easy to useEasy to use Geographic and limited Geographic and limited
demographic targeting demographic targeting capabilitiescapabilities
Anonymous communication Anonymous communication capabilitiescapabilities
Give / receive critiques of your Give / receive critiques of your work and that of other artistswork and that of other artists
Things to keep in mind:Things to keep in mind: Be careful how much personal Be careful how much personal
information you share about information you share about yourself yourself
Don’t get into heated Don’t get into heated discussions with other discussions with other participants, they may be trollsparticipants, they may be trolls
Be careful if you engage in Be careful if you engage in online critiquing, especially if online critiquing, especially if you sell professionallyyou sell professionally
Limited graphics capabilitiesLimited graphics capabilities For sale items best limited to For sale items best limited to
art supplies and equipment, art supplies and equipment, not original artworknot original artwork
Discussion Forums /Discussion Forums /Bulletin BoardsBulletin Boards
Resources:Resources: www.craigslist.comwww.craigslist.com www.etsy.com (more geared toward crafters www.etsy.com (more geared toward crafters
rather than fine artists)rather than fine artists) www.myartspace.comwww.myartspace.com
Slide & Video Sharing SitesSlide & Video Sharing Sites
Share portfolios and Share portfolios and presentations of your presentations of your workwork
Gallery proposals and Gallery proposals and communicationcommunication
Student handouts & Student handouts & demonstrationsdemonstrations
Slide & Video Sharing SitesSlide & Video Sharing Sites
Features:Features: FREEFREE Easy to useEasy to use Adjunctive exposureAdjunctive exposure Interactive, multi-media Interactive, multi-media
capabilities, slidecasts, etc.capabilities, slidecasts, etc. Great for instructors: Great for instructors:
classroom handouts and classroom handouts and demosdemos
Things to keep in mind:Things to keep in mind: Some proficiency with Some proficiency with
Power Point or video Power Point or video editing capabilities requiredediting capabilities required
Be sure to put copy right Be sure to put copy right symbols on your materials symbols on your materials and artworkand artwork
Don’t over-package Don’t over-package materials, less is more materials, less is more approach often works bestapproach often works best
Slide & Video Sharing SitesSlide & Video Sharing Sites
Resources:Resources: www.slideshare.netwww.slideshare.net www.youtube.comwww.youtube.com
SummarySummary
There are many resources available There are many resources available You need to develop a plan that profiles your You need to develop a plan that profiles your
target audience and your goals: whom do you target audience and your goals: whom do you want to reach and what do you want to say to want to reach and what do you want to say to them?them?
Use the information provided to match your Use the information provided to match your needs to the resources availableneeds to the resources available
You don’t have to use everything that is out You don’t have to use everything that is out there—pick and choose carefully to maximize there—pick and choose carefully to maximize exposure and productivity!exposure and productivity!