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Artist Websites: How to Stay Authentic to Your Art Online

Expand your reach and create a beautiful artist website to showcase your work. Here’s everything you should include in an online art portfolio.

How many times have you seen an artist's website and thought, "Wow, this is so different from anything I've ever seen before!" or "I wish I could come up with something that cool”? There's a good chance the artist who created that website felt the same way when they were starting out.

They wanted to stand out from the crowd and be original. But as time goes on, it's easy to lose sight of what made your work unique in the first place. This can lead to a diluted artistic voice and a loss of authenticity.

It's important to stay true to your art, no matter what medium you use. Whether you're a painter, sculptor, photographer, or musician, there are ways to ensure that your website represents your work in the best light possible.

What are the benefits of an artist website?

An artist website is a great way to promote your work and connect with your audience. It can also be a valuable tool for networking and collaboration.

Some of the benefits of having an artist's website include:

  • Share your work with the world: Your website is a great way to share your artwork with the world. With a few clicks, anyone can see your work and get an idea of your style and technique.
  • Connect with other artists: When you have a website, you can connect with other artists and art lovers from all over the world. You can find out about new artists, get feedback on your work, and collaborate on projects.
  • Sell your work: If you're looking to sell your artwork, a website is a great place to start. You can set up an online shop and reach a global audience of buyers.
  • Connect with your audience: A website is a great way to connect with your audience and build a community around your work. You can interact with your fans, get feedback, and even collaborate on projects.
  • Market your work: As an artist, you need to market your work in order to succeed. A website is a great platform for marketing your artwork and reaching new fans.
  • Show your portfolio: In order to get hired for jobs or commissions, you need to showcase your portfolio. A website is a great way to do this, and it's easy to update and keep current.

Artist website examples

Now that we've gone over some of the benefits of the artist websites, let's take a look at some artist website examples.

  • Kari-Lise Alexander's website has an incredibly simple design that lets the artwork take center stage. The artist's name and contact information are easy to find, and there is a clear call to action to view the portfolio.
  • Meredith Brickell's website has a fun and quirky design that reflects the artist's personality. The website is easy to navigate, and the portfolio is prominently featured.

10 Steps for creating an artist website

Your website is one of the most important tools you have for promoting your work and connecting with your audience. So how can you make sure that your website stays true to your art? Let's get started.

1. Choose a domain name

Your domain name is your website's address on the internet. When choosing a domain name, try to keep it short, memorable, and relevant to your brand. You can use your name, initials, or a keyword related to your art as your domain name. For example, if you're a painter named Jane Doe, you might choose www.janedoeart.com or www.jane-doe-art.com.

How to come up with a domain name?

If you're having trouble coming up with a domain name, you can use a domain name generator to help you brainstorm ideas. Once you've found a domain name you like, you can register it through a domain registrar. The most popular domain registrars are GoDaddy and Namecheap, but there are many others to choose from.

2. Find a hosting provider

A hosting provider is a company that stores your website's files on their servers and makes sure your site is available to visitors 24/7.

What to look for in a hosting?

When choosing a hosting provider, look for one that offers 24/7 customer support in case you have any technical issues, as well as a money-back guarantee so you can get your money back if you're not happy with the service. Once you've found a hosting provider, you can set up your account and choose a plan. When choosing a plan, choose one that offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, as well as a free domain name.

3. Choose a website builder

A website builder is a program that allows you to create a website without any coding or design experience. There are many different website builders to choose from, so it’s a good idea to do a website builders comparison so you can choose the best program for your needs. We recommend using Mailchimp’s website builder because it's easy to use and has pre-built professional layouts to help you customize your site.

How to set up a site with Mailchimp’s website builder?

Setting up a site with Mailchimp’s website builder is a very straightforward process. It’s free to use and easy to get the hang of. All you need is a domain name and an idea of what you want your website to look like. You can then select one of the pre-designed themes and customize the layout to reflect your brand’s unique identity.

With Mailchimp’s website builder, you can create a beautiful, professional website in under an hour.

4. Select a theme

A theme is a pre-designed template that you can use to give your website a specific look and feel. You can access the tons of paid and free themes available, so you're sure to find one that fits your style.

How to install a theme with Mailchimp’s website builder?

If you're wondering how to design a website, you just have to install a theme that matches your personality. With Mailchimp’s website builder, you’ll have access to various pre-designed themes and color palettes that you can use for your own website. All you have to do is select a theme, customize it, and Mailchimp will automatically apply it to all the pages of your website.

5. Add web page sections

With Mailchimp’s website builder, you will be able to easily add and edit sections to your website pages. There are various types of sections that you can add to your web page, such as an intro section, subscribe section, or contact section. You can also customize the style of each section.

How to add sections?

To add a new section to your web page, click on the Sections panel and then select the name of the section you want to add. Then, click Add Section and choose the type of section you want to add. You can then choose the layout for the section and add any videos to the page.

If you want to edit a page, click on Edit Site, hover over the specific page you want to change, and click on the Edit Page button.

6. Customize your website

Mailchimp’s website builder has several customization capabilities which allow you to change the look and feel of your website without having to know any code.

How to customize your website?

With Mailchimp’s website builder, you will be able to customize every aspect of your website. You can customize the layout of the website, the color scheme, the content, and so much more. Mailchimp provides very easy instructions that will walk you through exactly how to customize your website.

7. Connect integrations

Integrations are third-party apps that get connected to your website so you can easily share information from one account to another. For example, if you have an e-commerce store, you can connect it to Mailchimp and your contacts and customer information will automatically sync.

There are many different types of integrations that you can connect to your website with Mailchimp. Some popular types of integrations include analytics, customer service, design, and social media.

How do integrations work?

Connecting a third-party integration to Mailchimp is quite simple. You just need to locate the platform of your choice on the Integrations Directory and select the one you want to add. You’ll then be given a link to begin the connection process.

8. Promote your website

The best way to do this is by creating high-quality content that your target audience will find useful. In addition to writing blog posts, you can create infographics, eBooks, and video tutorials. You can also promote your website on social media and in online directories.

Why promote your website?

The more people that know about your website, the more traffic you'll get. And the more traffic you get, the more likely you are to achieve your business goals.

9. Analyze your website’s performance

It's important to analyze its performance to see what's working and what's not. The best way to do this is by using Google Analytics, which is a free tool that shows you detailed statistics about your website's traffic.

How to install Google Analytics?

You can install Google Analytics by following these instructions.

  • Sign in to your Google Analytics account.
  • Click on the Admin tab.
  • In the left column, click on the +New Account button.
  • Enter a name for your account and click on the Get Tracking ID button.
  • Copy your tracking code and paste it into the header of your website.

10. Backup your website

It's important to back up your website regularly if something goes wrong. Fortunately, you can back up your website directly in Mailchimp.

How to backup your website?

When you backup your website with Mailchimp, all of your data is stored on a database shard. This shard consists of three servers: Primary, Secondary, and Extra Backup. This way, we are triple prepared, so if anything goes wrong with one of the servers, there are always two extra backups. This is how we ensure your data is always protected and properly stored in Mailchimp.

To sum up, these are the 10 essential steps for creating the best websites for artists:

  1. Choose a domain name and hosting provider
  2. Install Mailchimp’s website builder
  3. Find a theme
  4. Add pages and posts
  5. Customize your website
  6. Install plugins
  7. Promote your website
  8. Analyze your website's performance
  9. Keep your website up-to-date
  10. Backup your website

Tips to keep in mind when creating a website for your art

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Test your website for responsiveness on multiple devices.
  • Use high-quality images to showcase your work.
  • Keep your website's design simple and uncluttered.
  • Make sure your website is easy to navigate.
  • Include a call to action on every page.
  • Ensure your website's content is well-written and error-free.
  • Make sure your website is secure by installing an SSL certificate.
  • Stay up to date with the latest trends in web design.

Build your website with Mailchimp

You can use the complete guide to building a website to build a professional website that reflects your creative energy and gives potential clients essential information about your art and how to buy it. Are you ready to create a free website using Mailchimp's easy-to-use tools?

Mailchimp allows you to create beautiful websites without having to learn any code. Plus, it comes with various templates and themes that you can use to get started. In addition, Mailchimp also provides detailed analytics about your website's traffic and performance. Start building your artist website today!

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