Why a Website is Crucial to your Success.
Having a functional website is essential for any artist. Based on my experience and feedback from buyers, it can be quite off-putting when a website is difficult to navigate, has challenging color schemes, or lacks clear options to view your work. As someone who looks for new artists, I often feel discouraged when I find a promising talent, only to encounter an outdated or non-functional website. It’s especially frustrating when I click on a link and end up at a blank domain or a broken page.
I wanted to offer my professional opinions and suggestions on creating and designing websites and to offer some insight as to why their setup is so crucial. It may seem silly to some, but an appealing and functional website will easily make or break sales. Having a great website is easy and attainable, even for someone who is crazy busy with limited time to create a detailed website or for someone who isn’t tech savvy. Here are the most common situations I run into when scouting for artists.
Images
It’s challenging when scrolling through a website, only to be subjected to an endless stream of images with no easy access to contact information or additional links (typically they end up at the very bottom, but it takes so long to scroll when the images just keep loading). Best practice is to keep the menu at the top of the page, and the privacy policies, shipping info etc., at the bottom. You also want to have a specific section dedicated to your images and/or storefront. It’s also best practice to include an email address with your contact options, as many people prefer confirmation in their sent folder rather than using a contact form.
Modernized
It’s important to keep your site looking updated. I’ve seen many sites that appear to be from the early days of the web, which can be off-putting. While your website doesn’t need to be cutting-edge, it should represent you and your artwork well. A well-organized site that invites visitors in can make a big difference. It’s best to strike a balance: avoid overwhelming visitors with too much information, but also ensure there are enough details and visuals available. Additionally, having a plain website with minimal images and basic text/graphics is a turn-off and likely does not accurately represent your creativity.
Visibility
Show your products! I can’t stress this enough. While a full storefront isn’t necessary, having a gallery to showcase a variety of your work is incredibly beneficial for both me and potential buyers. It’s like looking at a menu before going to a restaurant, you want to see what they have to offer. Keep in mind that not everyone can make it to a show to see your work, so having your website accurately display your artwork can get you sales even when a show is over.
Main Location
Finally, remember that social media can be a powerful tool, but it also has its challenges. Your Facebook or Instagram page should not be the main place where you showcase your business and artwork. It should be considered a supporting entity, but many people are not fans of social media and/or do not want to create accounts just to get in contact with you. I’ve come across it many times where the only way I’ve been able to view someone’s work is through their Instagram, where no email is available, and many times, no external links are provided. I don’t always want to log into my account to send messages or even just to view the page. Making it easy for people to come to see you virtually can essentially be what secures a sale for you. If the buyer can’t click a website to see your work and easily contact you, they may lose interest and not want to reach out.
It's okay to take a break from orders, but you should still have images of your work on your website or Etsy so that potential future customers can see what you do for future orders when you come back. If you put a return date, follow through with it and come back then, or update the page with a new date so people aren’t coming and seeing you were coming back last month and you’re still gone.
The staff at IndieMe are here to support you and would be more than happy to take a look at your website and provide feedback! Please don’t hesitate to reach out!
If you would like more information on any topic, let me know!
Jessica
Development Manager | IndieMe Marketplace
jessica@indieme.com