Three weeks into my "career as an artist"... What the hell am I doing?!?!?
I am proactive! I have a schedule that I stick to (kinda). I am creating!
But when it comes to navigating the world of marketing and networking, I have no compass. I'm constantly scrolling other websites and artists blogs for advice. What worked for them? What should I be focusing on? THERE IS SO MUCH! And everyone has advice.
One thing that keeps coming up in the conversation is Choosing the Right Website Builder!
WEBSITE BUILDERS!
Which web builder do you choose? There is no right answer. All the information out there is based on the experience and success of the individual! So, I tried them out for myself.
Wix.com I know. I used their free web builder 7 years ago when I first started dabbling in the web design world. I found it very intuitive and easy to navigate. I am not that computer savvy, so I liked Wix.com for those reasons. I came back to wix because its what I know. I still find it as simple and straightforward as ever! But, technology changes fast and frequently! So I took the advice of others and checked out a few other "top rated" web builders.
Wordpress.com came highly recommended from the faceless internet people. So I tried it out! I was very frustrated at first. The layout was confusing and seemed limited. It was not as intuitive as wix, at least not for me. But I didn't give up immediately (like I wanted to). After several days of exploration, I started to understand how it was all set up. I can see how wordpress.com has become a favorite among artists in particular. It has a lot of really nice page templates, and once you understand all of the editing tools and where to find them, you have the capability of creating a really unique and interesting website. This web builder, however, seems to be set up for those who are more in tune with technology - and that is not me!
Squarespace.com also ranked highly on several lists. I'm only just beginning to explore this one, but so far it seems easy! Its a lot like wix. It guides you through the setup process and the tools are plainly labeled and easy to access. I appreciate that the language and design are clear-cut and uncomplicated. The site also has numerous help options and video walkthroughs for when you feel lost!
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?
... After visiting the sites of other artists, reading the opinions and advice of other bloggers, and exploring only three of the multiple free web builders out there, I've learned that it doesn't really matter which one you use! The success and reach of your website depends on other factors:
A domain! - You have to purchase a domain so people can find you!
SEO's! - Your understanding and use of SEO's could make or break you! If this sounds like a foreign language (like it did to me), its time to research!
Clean design! - If your website is too busy, with too many unnecessary images and widgets, visitors might become impatient and leave your sight before it has time to load. OR they will become overwhelmed and won't be able to easily find what they are looking for.
So, for now, I'm sticking with Wix.com. I haven't even explored all the options it offers yet (like wix stores). Who knows what I'll decide as I learn more, but MY next step is to finally settle on a domain name and link it to my site so you can find me! I will continue to research SEO's and try to use them as best I can. And the website is an on-going project - I'm beginning to realize that maintaining it will take a larger portion of my time than I had anticipated. :)
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