Last week I asked how you’re going to be marketing your art differently now that Facebook Reach is plummeting.
It’s tempting to just jump to another social media site. Google+ anyone? I would encourage you, as I always have, to build up content on your site first.
As this Facebook brouhaha has reminded us, we don’t own social media sites. Their stockholders do. We will never be in control of what they do with their platforms or how they make money.
But we do own and can control our own sites. We can build up beautiful content, links, and Google juice on a blog.
Wouldn’t you rather have the traffic than sending it all to Facebook?
Here are four reasons why your blog is a gold mine.
1. Blogging helps you become a content juggernaut.
When you commit to blogging, you commit to creating content. This means publishing articles and images on a regular basis.
After a period of time, you might begin to leverage that content by repurposing it for guest posts, magazine articles, brochures, exhibition labels, grant applications, and more.
With a horde of content under your belt, it’s much easier to say Yes to opportunities because you are confident you can follow through.
How do you think I’d Rather Be in the Studio was written?
2. Blogs help you build an audience by connecting with readers on a personal level.
Facebook does this, too, but we’ve already been over that.
It’s easier to build relationships with people after you’ve proven they can trust you. [Tweet this.] You create a supportive community by listening and responding to blog comments.
Since your mailing list is your #1 asset, it’s critical to do what you can to add more people to it.
3. Blogging makes you an expert.
If you want to be a leader in, for example, the collage or metalsmithing world, you’d better be blogging.
Building content shows potential students, workshop venues, and publishers that you know what you’re talking about. And you can take it to the bank that other artists interested in the same status will also be blogging.
4. Blogging leads to self-discovery.
You can’t help but learn more about your art, yourself, and your dreams when you blog and interact with people.
Almost every artist who blogs regularly has shared the above benefit as their #1 reason for blogging.
Start Mining
How are you going to turn your blog into a gold mine?
Alyson Stanfield is an artist advocate and business mentor at ArtBizCoach.com. This article was originally published in her Art Biz Insider, which is sent weekly to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your subscription now and read more articles like this at http://artbizcoach.com
