Get Your Domain, Get Your Website: Don’t Put All Your Eggs in the Social Media Basket
This isn’t only advice, this is a warning: get your domain, get your website. Own a patch of real estate on the World Wide Web.
The number one thing that any artist can do right now in the Online Realm is to get a domain and get a website. Pay some money. Own that space. And control the message. Your message. Your art. Your life.
If you’re not willing to put your money where your mouth is, then you’re not serious. Not really that serious about what you post on social media. This is probably through no fault of your own. We’ve all come to this realization at different times. But if you’re reading this now, it’s time to figure out your next move.
Advantages of Owning Your Own Website
There are many benefits to owning your own domain, website, and hosting.
Professional online presence
Creative control
Branding and identity
Portfolio management
Customization and flexibility
Direct control over content and monetization
Enhanced discoverability
Analytics and insights
Long-term stability
Expanded communication channels
You only get watered-down versions of these traits on social media platforms. Why?
Because they’re free. You just post and play by their rules. Or you risk posts being removed and banned from the platforms altogether.
I’m not telling anyone to not use social media. That’s the wrong message to send. My point is, if you’re an artist and you’re sharing online already, then you should own that space and use social media as tools, as calling cards, not as a basket to put all of your creative eggs.
Let’s expand on the above points.
Professional online presence: A website provides a dedicated space to showcase your art in a professional manner. You can create a visually appealing and personalized platform that reflects your unique style and brand.
Creative control: With your own website, you have complete control over the design, layout, and content. You can tailor the user experience to best present your artwork, create portfolios, organize galleries, and even sell your pieces directly.
Branding and identity: A website allows you to establish and reinforce your artistic brand. You can showcase your artistic vision, share your artist statement, and provide background information about your work. This helps you build a distinct identity and differentiate yourself from other artists.
Portfolio management: Websites enable you to create comprehensive and organized portfolios that showcase your artistic journey and evolution over time. You can categorize your work by medium, theme, or style, making it easier for visitors to explore and understand your artistic range.
Customization and flexibility: Unlike social media platforms that have predefined templates and limitations, a website offers more flexibility for customization. You can choose your own domain name, experiment with different layouts, and integrate various multimedia elements to create a unique browsing experience.
Direct control over content and monetization: While social media platforms may change their algorithms or policies, a website provides you with direct control over your content and monetization strategies. You can decide how to monetize your art, whether through selling original pieces, prints, merchandise, or offering commissioned work.
Enhanced discoverability: By optimizing your website for search engines, you can improve your visibility in online searches. This helps potential collectors, art enthusiasts, and collaborators find your work more easily, even if they are not actively searching on social media platforms.
Analytics and insights: Website analytics provide valuable data about your audience, such as the number of visitors, popular pages, and referral sources. This information helps you understand your audience's preferences, tailor your marketing efforts, and make informed decisions to enhance your online presence.
Long-term stability: Social media platforms can change or even shut down, affecting your visibility and access to your audience. With a website, you have a more stable online presence that can persist over time, regardless of the evolution of social media platforms.
Expanded communication channels: While social media platforms are primarily focused on short-term interactions, a website allows you to build long-term relationships with your audience through features like contact forms, mailing lists, and blog sections. You can engage with your visitors, share updates, and provide behind-the-scenes insights.
What Should My Domain Be?
This is my personal opinion. Your domain should be your first name and last name Dot com, as in www.CraigBoehman.com.
Why?
As an artist, your name is your work and your work is your name. And you’re not in a band. You don’t work for Nike (or maybe you do?). You are your own brand. Don’t hide behind something that really isn’t you. Be yourself and let others know how to find you and see/hear/experience your work.
You’ll notice there’s a lot of crossover in benefits for using your name as the domain and owning your own website.
Personal branding: Using your first name and last name as your domain establishes a strong personal brand identity. It allows you to present yourself as an individual artist and create a direct connection between your name and your artwork.
Professionalism: A domain that consists of your first name and last name portrays a sense of professionalism and seriousness about your art career. It demonstrates that you have taken the effort to establish a dedicated online presence.
Easy to remember: A domain that comprises your name is typically easier for people to remember. When someone encounters your work or hears about you, they can easily recall your domain name, making it more likely that they will visit your website directly.
Discoverability: Using your name in the domain can enhance your discoverability in search engine results. When people search for your name specifically, your website is more likely to appear at the top of the search results, making it easier for interested individuals to find you.
Unique identity: By using your first name and last name, you create a unique online identity that distinguishes you from other artists. This is particularly important if your name is relatively common, as it helps ensure that people find your website specifically when searching for you.
Flexibility and scalability: Your first name last name dot com domain allows you flexibility and scalability throughout your art career. As your portfolio grows and evolves, you can continue to use the same domain without the need for frequent changes or updates.
Ownership and control: Having your first name and last name as your domain gives you complete ownership and control over your online presence. It eliminates the reliance on social media platforms or other third-party platforms, providing you with the freedom to present and market your work as you see fit.
Email address consistency: Using your name in your domain allows for email address consistency. You can create professional email addresses that align with your domain (e.g., info@craigboehman.com), enhancing your overall branding and making it easier for people to contact you.
Trust and credibility: A personalized domain with your name can enhance trust and credibility among potential clients, galleries, and collaborators. It demonstrates your commitment to your art and professionalism in the industry, making others more likely to take you seriously.
Long-term asset: Owning a domain with your name is a long-term asset that can persist throughout your entire art career. It provides stability and permanence in the ever-changing digital landscape, ensuring that your website remains accessible to your audience even if you switch platforms or social media trends change.
Who Should I Use for My Website Hosting?
I’m not going to link out to all the options that are out there and mention the usual names, including Squarespace, whom I use for my hosting. Part of the song and dance is doing your own research to see which hosting will benefit you based on what you need.
Some things to consider.
Reliability and Uptime: Look for a hosting provider that offers reliable and stable hosting services. Check their uptime guarantee, which indicates the percentage of time your website will be online and accessible to visitors. Aim for a hosting provider with a high uptime guarantee, preferably 99.9% or above.
Speed and Performance: Website loading speed is crucial for providing a positive user experience. Choose a hosting provider that offers fast servers and utilizes technologies such as SSD storage, content delivery networks (CDNs), and caching mechanisms to optimize website performance.
Scalability: Consider the scalability options provided by the hosting provider. As your art career and website grow, you may need to handle increased traffic and resource demands. Ensure that the hosting plan allows for easy scalability and offers options to upgrade resources as needed.
Storage and Bandwidth: Evaluate the amount of storage and bandwidth offered by the hosting provider. Depending on the size and number of your art files, you may require sufficient storage space. Bandwidth determines how much data can be transferred from your website to visitors. Ensure that the hosting plan provides enough resources to accommodate your website's needs.
Security: Website security is crucial for protecting your artwork and visitors' data. Look for a hosting provider that offers robust security measures such as SSL certificates, firewall protection, regular backups, and malware scanning. Consider additional security features like DDoS protection for added peace of mind.
Support: Good customer support is essential, especially if you encounter any technical issues or need assistance with your website. Check if the hosting provider offers 24/7 support through multiple channels such as live chat, email, or phone. Prompt and knowledgeable support can save you time and ensure smooth operation of your website.
Ease of Use: Consider the user-friendliness of the hosting provider's control panel or interface. A user-friendly interface makes it easier to manage your website, set up email accounts, install software (such as content management systems), and perform other essential tasks without technical expertise.
Compatibility: Ensure that the hosting provider supports the technologies and software you plan to use on your website. Check if they provide compatibility with popular content management systems like WordPress or allow customization with programming languages and frameworks you may require.
Pricing and Value: Compare the pricing plans of different hosting providers and assess the value they offer. Look for a hosting plan that fits your budget while providing the necessary features and resources for your artist website. Pay attention to any additional costs, renewal prices, and available discounts.
Reputation and Reviews: Research the hosting provider's reputation and read reviews from other users. Look for feedback on their reliability, customer support, and overall satisfaction. A hosting provider with a good reputation and positive reviews is more likely to deliver a quality hosting experience.
What Can I Do Right Now?
Unless you’ve already done the legwork and you just needed a nudge to get you going, then you’re probably not quite ready to purchase hosting and get started. But there’s one thing you can do right now, right after finishing my article, to get started.
Purchase your domain!
First name, last name Dot com.
Now, here’s the catch. When you sign up for hosting on many plans these days you’ll often get a complementary domain for one year. So if you’re really on a budget, the best thing to do right now is to do all the research and purchase a plan and grab your domain.
Otherwise, purchase your domain now. An extra domain won’t go to waste necessarily if you have that option. Having an extra domain name gives you either a shortcut to finding you or another way for your audience to reach you. And if you’re not happy with it, just let it expire after one year and let your name domain do the talking.
What to do if someone already has your domain?
If a slight variation of your first name last name dot com domain is available, you can consider modifying it slightly. For example, you could use your middle initial or add words like "art" or "studio" to the domain. Be creative and find a variation that still represents your brand effectively.
This is just my opinion once again, but don’t get any extension except Dot Com. There are arguments for using other extensions if your own dot com isn’t available. But to be honest, people don’t take them as seriously, at least people who are willing to pay for your work. I believe everyone still wants to see a dot com after your full name. Will it sink your career if you don’t? Of course not. But the goal should be to nab your very own dot com and get things rolling. Dot org, dot net, dot whatever, won’t cut it.
Where To Purchase My Domain?
This doesn’t have to be complicated but there are several ways to purchase your domain. I’ll mention the three that I’ve used in the past and now. But again, do your research. Somebody might be running a special discount on the first year of the domain. And if you’re not on a tight budget, purchase two or more years of your domain to get a discount.
My recommendations are based on what I’ve actually used, in alphabetical order.
Blue Host
GoDaddy
Namecheap
I’m currently using Namecheap and have been using them for years, probably because at some point they were offering a great deal and I’ve just stuck with them ever since. Don’t get too caught up in who you use if the prices are roughly the same. You can always transfer your domain to another service (yes you can do this) if you’ve got OCD and want all your domains in one place.
You Know What To Do and Why To Do It — So Do It
I’m not writing this article to sell you anything. I don’t get any kickbacks from hosting or domain sites. I truly believe that artists should own their own websites and control their online presence.
If you take me up on this, let me know what your new domain is in the comments.
