Tips for increasing the chances of your ART to be found online - my experience

Hello lovelies, I know this title has nothing to do with my gallery/museum tours as I promised before.
But wait a minute, really?  The reason I created this post is because I've received a lot of questions on a topic that I know is important to most of you.  How do you find buyers, custom clients, and overall how is the best way to sell online.  So, I wanted to stop and write this post and try to provide my highlights/successes in marketing.

First of all, if you have an online presence - shop or web... you have to start to promote! It is not likely you will maximize your success if you have all your eggs in one basket.  So, start with one site, gain comfort and develop and presence there and then move slowly to expand to the next one.  Often, the experience and learnings from one endeavor can prove valuable in the next.   There is lots of information and help online, so just pick one.  Examples: blog, pinterest, twitter, instagram, facebook and so on.... not in any particular order :).  If I was just starting, I perhaps would pick first social platform - Pinterest.  My shop stats show that most of my viewers are generated from Pinterest.  When someone "likes" your image, they can pin and others will re-pin it, spreading your art even farther to friends, groups, and teams...

Second, and this is very important ...  so pay attention .... the title of your artwork or any work you upload/publish online HAS TO BE NAMED PROPERLY! what is this means is: The most important and descriptive words that are used to describe your art/product should be in the title. But don't name it like a title of your art, it maybe familiar to you, but it unknown to your potential buyers yet. So, be more descriptive!

Third, and this is also very important (and I learned from my mistake).... so let me help you to avoid it. Every image you post on the internet/uploaded from you camera has to be named properly. What this means is .... those descriptive words that you chose to use in the title of your work should also be used in the naming of your file for that art.  In the example below, instead of a generic non-descriptive name, I chose to upload this art as "new york-illustration.jpg".   This creates a tag for search engines (like google search) to look for New York Illustration in search.

link

New Watercolor NYC

More online selling tips will follow..... so my best wishes for you lovelies entrepreneurs and let me know if you have more questions or tips to share! And don't forget about killer headline - it has to be want to click and read!!!

Now, your turn! Leave me a comment, I will visit your blog as well :) 
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                                             xx, Lana

Metropolitan Museum NYC

 Hello, dear creatives! First of all, thank you! I cannot even begin to describe how much all of your comments on my blog lately have meant to me.  The fact that you are willing to share your encouragement is so inspiring to me.  Being an artist (freelance) is challenging in a lot of ways, but the support of the art community and friends is amazing! It is unlike anything else I have experienced.

Next, from now until Thanksgiving I will be posting about my art related trips to various cities and museums.  It will be my diaries of self-proclaimed expert from the art field :) Over the last few years I traveled all over the world and always made time to visit the galleries, museums, or art studios. As I reviewed the pictures and experiences it has put me in reflective mood and I want to share some of that with you.

Each weekend I will focus on a different museum or a different artist that I admire.  From modern/contemporary to the big (and maybe small) names in art and fashion design... anyone who set out to use the paintbrush, palette, hands and heart to make a creative living.

The first stop is New York at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I just added some new creations to my NYC collection of ongoing illustrations :).   It was such a great experience to see one of the world's fashion icon's work - Alexander McQueen.   Please excuse my silly photos.... I can't help it... visiting the museums and galleries is for me the same experience as a kid in an amusement park ...lol

Have you ever felt like that?

Degas - I think every museum I visited has one of this little dancer

Monet - my inspiration ... never tired to look

Andy ... what a prolific artist! another favorite

We each have an unique way of seeing that which is surrounding us. Depending on where we focus and at what angle can lead to varied perspectives.... so in the same picture we can see different things or meanings.  Some of us focus on details, but some will be looking at the large picture.  I remind myself to take a different view, stand back, refocus the eyes, then come back and look again -  just like this artist who is copying a master in the museum. I spent many years studying and practicing classical art in Russia.  The object in one class was to restore and and copy masterpieces of some of the great, classical artists.   

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Seeing Alexander McQueen's collection of Savage Beauty was so amazing I can't even describe in words, such a bummer that it was prohibited to be photographed. So, here is a link to the Met article about this exhibit - let me know what do you think?

Here is my old interpretation of Andy Warhol inspired Pop Art style works.... but with my contemporary approach .... maybe I will do more of this Rock n Roll twists in the future....! But for now GN my friends! - xx, Lana

Washington, DC Inspired Collection

Hello my friends, I know what are you thinking.... it's not the 4th of July yet.... but I like to say I have reason to make this post honoring those who we lost during 9/11 - Never Forget and Always Remember - History's challenges and failures should be something we learn from, understand, and never repeat!

This picture was sent to me from a recent buyer from San Diego, CA. Thank you Brian and I hope you enjoy my artwork for many years to come! Actually, I sold three paintings from United series this month. The Collection inspired by my trip to Washington, D.C. (and New York) and the artwork of American expressionist painter Jasper Johns.  I always admired Jasper Johns magnificent work and seeing it in the National Gallery was such a treat.  I think every American should have the opportunity to visit our Nation's Capital once in their lifetime. The magnitude of the Memorials and significance of the Museums will inspire and influence my work for many years to come.  This is why I still enjoy creating the series entitled "United".  So far I have sold all 25 pieces from this collection and will be happy to add more piece  to this collection this week.

Visit and save 10 % off using coupon code: ART2014 

during direct checkout! During this month only! 

P.S. I will have to spend more time to preparing and organizing my photos from my DC trip and by the end of this week I will post them .... if nothing happens :)  Do you have an inspirational story to share, if so, please share with me in comments! I would love to hear from you ... always!

with love,

Lana