Artists & The Internet -- Part 1: Blogs & Domains

There is no denying it, the technological age is upon us! The internet has not only changed the cultural landscape, but it has changed the way people are seen and how they do business. 

I’d like to share some of my experiences and thoughts on the internet and how it’s affected my creativity and art.  So, this is Part One of a three part article on artists and the internet. I’ll cover blogs, domains, websites, social networking, electronic newsletters, on-line sales and taking electronic payments.   There may be something you, the reader, are interested in, shared, or experienced yourself; but also I hope to dissolve some of the intimidating mystery and perhaps make it feel more accessible. If you're an experienced user, be encouraged to share your experience by leaving a comment so beginners can benefit from your knowledge.

The publishing industry has been changed radically by the internet as electronic readers like the Kindle™ and Nook™ put bookstores on the endangered species list. The music industry underwent dramatic change as LP’s became tapes, tapes became discs, and then discs became .mp files loaded on a tiny ipod.  Even the real estate industry has been affected as people looking for new homes can conduct so much of their search alone on line, and many important contacts, which are critical to the business, are established through social networking.

The world has become much smaller, made so by social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and now Google+, making it possible to correspond regularly with people on the other side of the world.  Entire families are hooked up on Facebook sharing pictures, plans and information, and the potential to find long lost family members or to end estrangements is immense.  There is also incredible pressure to jump on board the social networking train, yet doing so can be time consuming and intimidating to the new user. While each of these websites and programs have their pros and cons, what does all this mean to the artist?

Blogs

I started blogging in 2008, and the more I did, the more comfortable I felt.  There are a number of excellent blog programs out there that are free and easy to use.  The ones that come to mind immediately are Wordpress, Blogger, Typepad, Tumbler, and Weebly.  My personal blog is on Blogger. Blogger, Typepad and Wordpress have been available for a long time, while Tumbler and Weebly are more recent.  Each of them have super easy point and click methods to make your blog look the way you want it to, including templates for the overall graphic look.  

Your blog’s publishing ability is only as smart as you are, so if you’re a beginner, it will stay at your pace, and it won’t do anything unexpected.  Point to remember: Your blog is public and visible to everyone unless you set security parameters.  But in my opinion, what’s the point of blogging if you don’t have an audience? 

A blog is not mandatory for an artist, but I know artists who blog rather than use a website and its works very nicely.  The artist can introduce new work, advertise upcoming shows, and even share their creative process or thoughts on a blog.  The possibilities are endless.

Domains

A domain is a private name or an address on the internet that you must purchase to own.  These are not free, but you can find one reasonably priced at approximately $15.00 per year.  This is how it works.

My website is called www.donnalouisefaber.com, and I had to pay for that name (domain) so I could use it for my art site. No one else can use that name. Most free blog sites do not require the user to purchase a domain.  However, they will plug their name into your blog’s address.  My blog is on blogger, for example, and the name of my blog is www.dancingdonna.blogspot.com (by the way, that’s not my real site).  If you want a simpler or more personal name, like www.dancingdonna.com, what do you have to do?  You have to purchase a domain.  Then, your blog site will have instructions on using it.

An artist who wants a website for their work (not a blog, but a website) absolutely must purchase a domain.  Your domain name will make your site searchable on engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.  If you want to be findable, and the point of all this is to increase your visibility, avoid using an obscure or kooky name.  That kooky name might mean something to you, but to the interested buyer who only knows your real name, searching a kooky name on line can be confusing or off putting.  Keep it simple.  Ask your peers about their domain and where they purchased it from. Some internet service providers are better than others.

The next installment in this series will cover websites and social networking.  View it right here.

By  AGP Board Secretary, Donna L. Faber at donnalouisefaber.com .