What to Write for First Art Blog Post on Wordpress
My art blog turned two years old this calendar week! So, in celebration, I thought I'd write a feature on how to outset an fine art blog. It is based on my own experiences, mistakes (yes, there are many) and some successes as well.
You encounter, since starting to blog about art in Birmingham (and now across) I have been on an incredible journeying. I have talked with talented artists, had drinks with a dinosaur at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, blogged for the BBC, written text for museum exhibitions, been featured in a Channel iv art documentary, and contributed to magazines almost fine art.
More recently, I take even started to make money from the web log itself. What started as a hobby has surreptitiously taken over my life!
So, hither'southward my advice for starting a web log about art.
1. Find a focus for your art blog
Why do yous want to beginning a blog? What are y'all going to focus on? Volition you write exhibition reviews, or do you want to share your own artwork? Brand a list of potential weblog post topics which you'd desire to write almost. Are you motivated enough to invest your time in this? Is there enough content for regular features on your blog? These are all crucial considerations.
I decided to outset a blog most art in Birmingham for 5 main reasons:
1. There's a really keen cultural scene in the metropolis, with lots of exhibitions, museums, galleries, art fairs and auctions.
2. No 1 else was really writing about art in Birmingham. No newspapers, magazines and very few other bloggers.
3. Fine art is what I dear. In my gratis time I visit museums and galleries, inquiry new artists and collect art. I studied art history at academy, then I feel like I know (mostly) what I am talking about.
4. I wanted to share my experiences with other people and encourage everyone to access the arts.
v. I needed a creative outlet outside of my job.
I felt similar I had a real reason to start a weblog, as well as focus to information technology: art in Birmingham. The rest is (art) history!
two. Handbag yourself a blogging platform
Not that I have favourites just, well, WordPress is fantabulous! I really like WordPress for ii chief reasons: it's piece of cake to use and information technology's free. It was recommended to me past another blogger, and I am passing this advice on. I could soon see why it's the most pop choice for a costless blogging platform. I was able to set my web log up in no fourth dimension at all and customise it creatively.
3. Make up one's mind on a domain name
The outset thing you will then need to do is set up a domain proper noun. It'south your identity and brand online, so get-go thinking about this as shortly equally possible. Shorter is ameliorate, as is easy to pronounce! I decided to opt for my name, which is some other option. Now, by default your costless WordPress address is yourblog'sname.wordpress.com. But I think information technology's worth paying a small fee per month to make this more personal, professional and make it your ain with a .com or .co.uk.
How do you do this? Login to your blog's dashboard, click the arrow beside Upgrades in the sidebar, and select Domains. Enter the domain or subdomain you lot want to add to your site in the text box, and click Add domain to web log. If you lot entered a new domain you desire to register, WordPress volition make sure the domain is available and then present you lot with a form to register the domain. Enter your data, and so click Register Domain. Done!
iv. Select a unproblematic but striking theme
Next, you'll demand a theme.
WordPress has thousands of themes! So, endeavour them out and see what looks all-time for your weblog. Every bit you're setting up an fine art web log information technology will need to be aesthetically pleasing. Y'all don't want it to look like a dull business website. I tried out around thirty themes before selecting mine. I knew when it was the right one and I receive lots of compliments for my weblog's appearance. It was worth investing the time in this decision.
If you're an creative person, this is your portfolio. So, which theme best showcases your artwork? Just like in a gallery, y'all don't need information technology all on show, and so be selective about what features on the homepage/different pages.
5. How to write an art blog post
When I first started the blog I wasn't sure how to write a blog post virtually art. I had written lots of academic essays about art history only these were all pretty dry and not the virtually engaging to read. I wanted my blog to be accessible to a much wider audience, and encourage people to visit fine art exhibitions. I realised that I needed to change the way I wrote.
Then, to write nigh artwork for a blog post you need to take fun. Appoint your audience. Inspire them. Include interviews with artists, quotes from curators and add captions to whatever images included.
Are you an artist? Include personal insights into your practice, shots from your studio, sketchbook drawings, and advice for other artists. Y'all are selling your brand.
Break the blog post into subheadings, and include a tricky title if you can think of one.
Lists are always popular e.g. besides as 'How to' articles such equally this!
And brand sure you include some loftier resolution and bonny images, usually around three or 4 per blog post.
If yous're bored re-reading the weblog postal service, your audition will be too. So, go along it fast-paced and interesting.
Finally, proofread each blog post earlier publishing to minimise grammatical and spelling errors that may make your blog less easy to read.
half dozen. Your offset article
Y'all're all fix but nervous well-nigh starting. My communication for your kickoff weblog mail: simply write it. You can edit it later. Reach out to an artist you lot're interested in, cover an exhibition you loved or hated, ask a curator for an interview, introduce your own artwork. I observe that people are commonly willing to help yous and want to be featured on an art blog! I wrote up lots of interviews with gallery owners or curators in my early on blog posts. Plus, if you write about an artist or gallery'south bear witness, they volition as well share the content with their followers.
My beginning article was far from my all-time. The images are all over the place, at that place are no captions on them, and the formatting is off! Nonetheless, I soon developed my own style. I await back at this and meet how far I've come. So, only become stuck in!
7. Let your blog develop
Which articles are the almost popular? Which do you lot relish writing the virtually? Permit your readers and ain experiences guide what you write about. I at present include theatre reviews, covering fine art and wider culture in Birmingham. I take as well found that arts careers advice is a popular topic, such as 'How exercise I become a chore in an art gallery?'. While sticking to my blog'south focus, I accept into consideration what people desire to read about and what content can actually help people.
8. Invest in a decent camera
You should also invest in a good camera. This means you can include your ain images from exhibitions, events, fine art galleries and artists' studios. Of class, once yous are on press lists, organisations will send y'all over high res images too. Only calculation your own photos is much more personal.
nine. Promote your art blog ###
Social media is obviously key to sharing and promoting your blog online. I set up a Twitter account to promote my blog: I followed museums, galleries and curators across Birmingham. I also joined blogging communities online. I then started to button out my content on Twitter.
I before long learnt that Sat afternoons are the worst time to post on Twitter. People are by and large busy so (although I use that time to blog). Instead, Sundays are much better, especially in the evening.
I came across localised networking hours such as #BrumHour, which is a great way to share your content with an active audience from your area. Other fine art and museum blogger groups and hours include #MuseumHour and #CraftHour.
.
Also, make certain you USE IMAGES. Tweets without images receive far fewer retweets and likes. I institute this out from experience.
Once I had mastered Twitter, I moved on to Instagram. This obviously suits sharing images of artworks, as does Pinterest. And for whatsoever arts careers-related articles, I share my blog posts on LinkedIn. On Facebook I take joined blogging communities such every bit Brum Bloggers, where you can interact with other blogs and observe opportunities through brands seeking bloggers.
The blogging community is welcoming, then make the most of it.
10. Sprinkle some SEO magic on your art blog
If you want to rank in the superlative art blogs then you'll need to include some SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) magic. I didn't beginning to do this until recently, and have seen a real difference in my page views from organic traffic.
Put simply, SEO allows people to find your art blog from their search terms. You will need to start past researching what people enter into the search box e.m. how to beginning an art blog!
In that location are plenty of free SEO tools out in that location, including Google AdWords Keyword Planner. You can get search volume and traffic estimates for keywords y'all're considering, such equally 'sell art online' or 'best places to buy fine art in Birmingham'. If the terms are popular, you then need to include them in your blog post on the topic.
So much has been written on SEO, and I recommend checking out advice such as this beginner's guide from Moz:
moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo
11. Don't give up!
When I outset started my art weblog out I was getting just a handful of readers for my posts. They were probably (definitely) my friends and family who I had emailed the link to. It has taken two years for me to receive over 10,000 views per month.
And then, don't exist impatient.
12. How to monetise your blog
Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. Simply, in time, you may be able to make money from your weblog. In that location are two main ways in which I do this:
- Affiliate marketing is the easiest way to brand money from your art web log. I have an account with Amazon, and make a small committee on books and other products sold via links on my blog.
- I also make money past using the weblog to showcase my writing. I take on paid projects, writing for artists, museums, galleries and magazines. The blog is, in issue, my writing portfolio. Want to work with me?
If you're an artist, you can use the blog to sell your artwork online. For example, include links to your Etsy store, or offer commissions, or link to a gallery selling your fine art.
Eat, sleep, blog about fine art!
If you're however reading so you must be interested in starting an art blog of your ain! Do it! If y'all put yourself out there, you will be presented with some not bad opportunities to share your beloved of art, observe new artists and perchance even make some money.
Looking for more tips? You can as well check this helpful article on how to start an art web log on 9mousai.
And invest in a coffee machine. This is the one I bought which has saved me a fortune in java shops!
Best of luck with your very own art blog!
Ruth x
Source: https://ruthmillington.co.uk/12-steps-to-success-how-to-start-an-art-blog/
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