The Art of Business: Why It’s Vital to Build Your Digital Presence, And How to Do it Effectively
teamLab, Universe of Water Particles on a Rock Hill where People Gather, 2018, interactive digital installation. Courtesy of .art Domains.
Guest Work Agency is your go-to source on art business – we want to provide you with useful insights, resources and tips on the day to day running of an art-oriented business.
In this story, our friends at .art Domains share some tips on how to effectively build an online presence and the role of domain names in building your brand.
There’s no doubt about it: having an online presence can make or break any business, and the art world isn’t exempt.
Deloitte’s analysis in Connected Small Businesses found that digitally advanced businesses earned two times as much revenue per employee, experienced revenue growth over the previous year that was nearly four times as high, were almost three times as likely to be creating jobs over the previous year and had an average employment growth rate that was more than six times as high. On average, 30% of consumers won’t consider a business or service if it doesn’t have a website.
By not actively trying to establish a stronger online presence, you lose out on potential sales and loyal clientele. Again, the art world is no exception. In fact, online art sales value has continued to grow, totalling an impressive $4.64 billion in aggregate (according to the latest annual Online Art Trade Report). A strong online presence helps nurture relationships and consumer trust. Having an up-to-date blog or website, for example. If you enable reviews and comments, for example, as an expert in your business, you’ll be able to answer any queries quickly and thoroughly. Any glowing praise that is publicly available will build your online presence and show even brand-new customers that you’re a reputable business. In today’s age, transparency and authenticity is everything.
Being online also enables effortless marketing. Consumers are able to browse your website and ensure that they’re happy with their choice without feeling the pressured of having to immediately buy: they can return to your store in their own leisurely timeframe, without worrying about being eyed by sales associates. The added beauty of this is that you needn’t be present for this process to take place - even at night, customers can browse and buy your products or services. Plus, marketing yourself online can cost as much or as little as you decide. You don’t have to spend money on expensive flyers; you can simply share news on your events via a newsletter. If you do choose to advertise your products, you can test run the ads for a limited time, and assess what works and what doesn’t. And, if you focus on improving your SEO, then the search engines will work in your favour. Assessing the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts by tracking metrics is relatively easy to do, too. This helps you see numerical proof of what works and what doesn’t. If you share a new blog post about a specific topic and see a huge spike in visits, then you’ll know you’ve hit on some content that your audience likes to see. Likewise, if you choose to collaborate with a brand or an individual, and see a direct increase in interest in traffic, it’s a good idea to collaborate with that person again. Now that we’ve established that enabling your work or services to reach the widest audience possible by building a strong digital presence is clearly beneficial on virtually all fronts, the next question is: how do you go about it?
Why You Need a Website, and Why The Domain Matters
In 2018, 75% of people admitted to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on website design. People are more likely to do business with a company they trust, and a website is the first place they go to check for credentials, reviews, press, and more. While it’s true that many individuals and small businesses don’t have an endless amount of resources or a lot of time to spend building a website, in today’s hyper digital age, this is no longer a problem. It can be extremely basic, but it should contain the fundamental information customers – both existing and potential – need. The endless amount of website builders on the market - from Wix to Weebly to Squarespace - ensure that you needn’t be a coder, or know much about website building at all, to have an aesthetically pleasing yet effective website.
One of the key things about a good website is the user experience, as this is all important to increasing your traffic and sales. Always make sure that your website is user-friendly and designed with the customer in mind. Making it easy for customers to navigate and use the interface is particularly important as if people struggle to find what they are looking for, it’s more than likely they will quickly leave the site. You should also make sure that your website is responsive and optimised for mobile. If you’re starting from scratch and not sure what your website should include, survey your existing customers. Whether you send out an email asking for their input or mention it casually in person, it’s the best way to get the insight you need – people love to be involved and share their opinions. Be careful not to rush through this process, though — if you have a bad website design, it might repel customers. You have 10 seconds to leave an impression on website visitors and tell them what they’ll get out of your website and company. So aesthetics, clear and concise copy, and a user-friendly experience really do matter.
Lastly, don’t underestimate the importance of a powerful domain name. If you have the slick design, the brilliant copy, and the seamless user experience, an unappealing, muddled domain name can ruin everything and even repel your website visitors. But why does a domain name actually matter? From a marketing point of view, you can create a lasting brand image with the right domain name. You should think of it as becoming a part of your brand identity - like a storefront window, where your audience, with a mere glimpse inside, can deduct a strong sense of what you and your work is about. Plus, a solid domain increases your search engine ranking. As you build your business and develop your website with quality content, your domain name will become increasingly more recognisable in search engines, drawing more customers to your website.
Remember: domain names serve as a memorable representation of the content your website visitors will find on your website, and an original, catchy and short domain name can make a huge difference. That’s why it’s important to do your research and take your time in choosing a domain name: make sure that your choice of a domain is perfect for what you want it to represent. Be creative and imaginative - the more interesting your domain name, the better the chances for it to become popular. It’s wise to stick to something short that is both easily spelled and easily memorised by your audience.
The journey to establishing a strong online digital presence may not always be straightforward, but it is absolutely essential if you want to be seen, heard, appreciated and profitable. Take your time, do your research, and see what works for you. But most importantly remember: you’ve really got nothing to lose by trying.
.art is the art world’s digital domain, free of industrial and geographical constraints. It’s a place where artists, institutions, art professionals and creatives can register a clear and concise website address that helps to mark one’s kinship with the great world of art. Begin the search for your perfect creative domain name now – visit get.art
At Guest Work Agency we believe that obtaining practical legal advice is an important step to take when building your online presence. We regularly advise our clients on IP issues relating to domain names and registering trade marks. Need advice? Get in touch.