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I have been working on setting up a web site to promote my artwork. It's finally as put together as it's going to get right now. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to promote it.
it's set up through Google sites, so I imagine it's already able to be found that way. I'm just not sure what else to do.
the link is in my signature, if anyone wants to take a look.
oh, I chose to start a new thread instead of hijacking momma's thread asking for advise on her blog ^_^
Hi, hheath541!
Are you looking to sell your artwork, just want to display it, or both, please?
With either way or both, I can help to show you how you can get better exposure when people do searches for the kind of things that you do.
Thanks!
For the time being I am mostly displaying it. Later on, when I have the capabilities to fill orders, I am planning on selling it.
Hi again, hheath541!
We seem to be on here about the same time. Hopefully, we'll be on here at about the same time tonight!
Thanks!
Wow, I really like your artwork hheath!
I like the "Sacred Space" one, very nice.
Hi,
Neat and clean site. You have a sitemap which helps search engines. I did not look at the source, but you need descriptive titles on all pages and an even more descriptive meta tag on each page. Search engines read these first to ascertain content.
The term is SEO or Search Engine Optimaization. It deals with submission and placement. You can go to various search engines and submit your address for the spider to crawl; the description contained on the page will determine its categoration.
One note; you ought to add an embedded (sub-list) for your other two photo pages since they only link from two places.
Peace,
Clarke
The site is hosted through Google sites. Wouldn't that mean it's already in google's search engine?Quote:
Originally Posted by crigby
I'm not sure what you mean by 'meta tag.' is that something at the top of the page? Bottom? Invisible to visitors?
How do you suggest I make the page titles more descriptive? I don't want them too bogged down with words. I prefer things to be a little more simplistic, not overly embellished or wordy.
Do you think my photo sub-pages should be included in the sidebar, or at the bottom of my gallery pages with the other links?
And, thank you, shaz. That is actually one of my 'pagan' pieces, and one of my favorites.
Hi,
Here is the content of the head element of one of my sites (the base href is the address - the comments have a purpose) and the different metas can be seen.
It is XHTML, hence the self-closing tags. The title of the page is important, but the spider also reads the keywords for classification. This site is mostly links, so another tag tells the robot not to follow them on those pages since it would leave instead of looking at the pages locally.HTML Code:<head>
<title>Computer Publications Worldwide</title>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/>
<meta name="keywords" content="computer publicatons,computer magazines,African computer magazines,African computer publications,Arabic computer publicatons,,European computer publicatons,European computer magazines,Asian and Pacific computer publicatons,Asian and Pacific computer magazines,Latin American computer publicatons,Latin American computer magazines,North American computer publicatons, North American computer magazines,American computer publicatons,American computer magazines,computer magazine publishers,publications,computer book publishers,computer magazine publisher portals,computer publication portals"/>
<meta name="author" content="Clarke Rigby"/>
<meta name="copyright" content="© 2009 Clarke Rigby"/>
<meta name="description" content="Links to computer magazines' websites worldwide, those in print or online only"/>
<!-- <base href="crigbypubs.tripod.com"/> -->
<link href="crigbypubs.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" media="screen"/>
<link href="print.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" media="print"/>
</head>
Generally the sitemap is submitted to search engines. I could not tell you if Google automatically puts their hosted sites at the head of the queue, but submitting will. This can be done at the various sites, or you can pay someone to do it.
Peace,
Clarke
OK, I still have no idea what a meta tag is. I only know the basics of coding (how to post links and pictures and a little of how to change font size, style, and color). Also, how would I go about submitting my web site to search engines? I'm not finding anything to click on that looks like what I want.
Hi again, hheath541!
How do you want people to find your site? By the name of your site or your personal name? Or, by what you do and where you are, please?
Thanks!
By what I do, first. By the name of the site, second.
Searching for it by my name, at least at this point, is pointless. I don't have my real name associated with the site in any way. It's under a name I use frequently, lovely.
Please click, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
On the first, at least several of the pages on the searches on Google, it will be about what I do, where I am and also for a couple of websites that I run for others.
It's the same way on most other search engines. Those are not the only things that I advertise on the Internet...
The reasons that they're so well exposed is because of the particular sites that I use; the words that I use on them and the way that I word and phrase the sentences.
Now, someone might come along and say that, "What happens if you leave out the words "Quad Cities" or "Quad City?"
Please click HERE. I'm the one that's listed as "Absolute". I beat all of the competition if someone is looking for a piano tuner in Rock Island, IL. One of the ways that Google operates is alphabetically. Not all of the search engines work that way.
If I was advertising for what I might do as an artist, especially around where I live, the results would be the same. Because I'm so well exposed in searches, I've gotten calls from around the U.S. for the types of services that I can provide. So obviously, the people who might call me from California or New York State, aren't necessarilly looking for what I do, where I live.
Thanks!
I still don't know how to submit my site to search engines. It does come up in Google, so they submit sites they host automatically. I've looked and haven't found anything on how to submit a site on other search engines.
as far as adding keywords to my site to get noticed, I should rewrite my homepage a bit, shouldn't I? I really have no experience and very little knowledge in web design and marketing.
thank you so much for all your suggestions. As soon as I figure out how, I will be putting them into practice ^_^
Hi again, hheath541!
You don't have to submit your site to search engines. I've only done that for a couple of the sites that I run for others, and that was to submit them to Google. None of the other things that you see about me on the Internet have ever been submitted by me to a search engine. If you want to submit your site to search engines, that's your choice. But, I've never found it to be necessary.
If you need help adding keywords and phrases, I can help you to choose the ones that will get you the most exposure. You also need to be on more than one site for your main site to be optimally exposed. I'm not meaning that you need to create another site entirely, but you need to "plug and hawk" your site on other sites where you're allowed to do that.
Thanks!
How would you suggest I find sites where I can market mine?
I've already found many of them. You don't have to go searching for the.
The link is below, for one of the main ones that you should join, if you would like to be better exposed when people do searches for what you do; what you have to offer, be it a service or items for others to view and/or for you to sell, and where you're located when they do the searches that are location specific.
http://www.hoobly.com/
There are a number of other ones. And, I'll be glad to share with you about them, as we progress here.
Please join hoobly.com, if you're willing to do that.
Thanks!
Joined, and posted my web site as an announcement/ad/thingy. Anything else I should do on there?
Okay, that's great that you joined hoobly.com! Before posting things on the advertising sites, please wait so that we can discuss the words, phrases and sentences that would be best to use.
Would you please post the link to what you posted on hoobly.com?
Thanks!
sure. I basically just posted the link, because I wasn't sure what else to post at that point ^_^
http://www.hoobly.com/0/0/1002015.html
I found the link. http://www.hoobly.com/0/0/1002015.html
To be better exposed, you need to put a lot of other things in your post there. Posts on hoobly.com, can show up within minutes on a Google search, if people post the correct things to get them exposed.
There are literally thousands of people who write things like, "Check Out My Web Site".
In order to be optimally exposed, you need to set yourself apart from the rest...
I've even had people, whom I don't know, contact me by email wondering how they can get better exposure on the Internet.
Of course, I offer that service at a cost. I do so on this site for free.
Thanks!
You beat me to the post! Let's work on the words for your ad.
Thanks!
OK, let's work out wording. Where would you suggest starting?
and I am VERY grateful they you help out for free on here. Thanks ^_^
It's my pleasure!
What's the name of the nearest LARGE metropolitan area to where you are, please?
Thanks!
Cleveland Ohio large enough for you?
Yes! Please give me a minute...
The Cleveland Orchestra is probably my favorite orchestra in the United States!
Thanks!
Please click on the following link.
Cleveland - Google Search
You'll see a number of websites that have to do with art, in and around Cleveland, OH.
We can use words that are used on the sites on your ad and also on your website so that you'll come up on the first page in a Google search. Some of the words on those websites will be hidden, but we can find them. The words that are hidden are used to attract people to the websites and so that any particular site will be more likely to come up in the first pages of searches.
What are the things, specifically that you would like to promote concerning your art, please? I'm looking for the types of art that you do.
Thanks!
Well, I work mainly in miniatures, and ceramic. I like it be functional as well as decorative. I also do a lot of multi-media work.
What is the medium used for the miniatures, please?
By multi-media, what specifically do you mean also, please? Knowing that will help us to narrow down as well as broaden out the words to use concerning promoting your website and subsequently ads that you might place on your website and/or on other sites.
Thanks!
My miniatures are mostly ceramic.
My multi-media pieces can be any combination of ceramic, paper, leather, metal, wood, paint, ribbon, stone, fabric, and any number of other things. I really have worked in pretty much every medium I can think of.
I also have a lot of photography on my site.
Thanks for the intro!
What I would like for you to do, is write an introduction for who you are, what you do and where you are. Please do so on this thread. Where you are can be fictitious. Please also, don't put any contact information for you in what you write.
I would also suggest, that anything that you put on the Internet on your website, in ads or otherwise - like a site that's for businesses to promote themselves, that you use the most correct spelling and grammar that you can; use proper capitalization and lower case letters; and not be afraid, outside of this site, to use your first and last name on your website and also in any ads that you post. Doing so, will help to give you credibility and respect. For instance, I don't have much respect for and don't care much to interact with or be involved with someone who has an email address that's listed as being [email protected] who is trying to promote a business or anything else they have to offer that's legitimate for people. It just looks really unprofessional. Mine is clough@... I'm sure that you get the point here.
Not using your first and last name on this particular site is perfectly fine, because you're not trying to advertise anything but to get and offer help from and to others.
As you can see by the links that I provided earlier, both my first and last name are listed all over the Internet. Providing my first and last name is one of the reasons that advertising on the Internet is as successful as it has been for me.
In the meantime, I'm going to work on some keywords that you can place in your ads and also on your website.
Thanks!
I don't really worry about using my first and last name online that much. It's such a common combination that unless you know a LOT about me it's almost impossible to find the right 'me' online. Not only that, but googling my name gets more horticulture hits than people.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clough
I made sure when I set up my first email several years ago that it was professional enough to use on college applications. My username is actually the first part of most of my email accounts.
Oh, and I ALWAYS use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. I can't stand it when people type in text-speak. It's only in informal writing that I let my capitalization slack.
OK, now for an intro...
My name is Heather Heath. I am an art student in the Cleveland area. Most of my artwork is miniatures and functional pieces. While I prefer working in ceramic, I work in several mediums; including metal, paper, leather, acrylic paint, stone, wood, and photography. Many of my pieces are multi-media; incorporating several mediums.
Even though my work tends to be minimalistic, it is always well-refined and finely crafted. I let the pieces stand for themselves, without needing embellishments to add to their beauty. I pride myself on being able to make even the smallest pieces functional and as detailed as their larger counter-parts.
I've already done some work for you that I would like to share. Please tell me if you're available to teach what you do concerning art, please?
Thanks!
I don't have the space right now to do so, or I would. When I finally graduate I'm actually thinking about being an art teacher.
Do you mean that you don't have the time? If you don't, I can understand...
When I was in college, I only took on very few private music students to be their teacher.
Thanks!
No, I don't have the space. I live with friends and there really isn't the space for me to hold art lessons. Not only that, I don't have access to a kiln right now.
Here are some ideas for another title for your hoobly.com ad. Cleveland, OH Artist Looking for Work, Cleveland, OH, Art Student Available for.. An Art Site in the Ohio Area That You Might Enjoy Visiting! Artists in Ohio, Etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by hheath541
Please use the introduction for yourself that you posted, in your ads.
I've made some additions to what you posted above that are highlighted in RED.
Listed below, are some tags (keywords) that you might like to add to your ads as well as your website. Keywords aren't exactly the same things as "tags". But, they will perform the same functionality.
Multi-media art in Ohio, Ohio ceramic art, Cleveland OH, paper art, art mediums in Ohio, art for sale in Ohio, City of Geneva, Ohio, arts and crafts in Ohio, Ohio art show, Lake Erie, Ohio, things to see in Ohio, visitors guide to Ohio, Geneva Ohio photographer, photographers in Ohio, Cleveland Ohio stonework, Ohio craft fairs, ceramic crafts in Ohio, Cleveland art museum, miniature art in the United States, Ohio miniature art, Ohio artists, arworks in Ohio, art products in Cleveland Ohio, Cleveland Ohio art stores, Cleveland Ohio arts and crafts
Thanks!
My pieces are just functional, as whatever they are. I've made 1/4in boxes with lids that are hollow inside and 1in maracas that rattle and 2in drums with stretched hides. They're just... functional. It's too hard for me to explain in just a few words.
Also, right now I can't honestly advertise that I can take on commissions. There's no guarantee that I'll have the money, supplies, or access to needed equipment at any given time. Since most of my work is ceramic, I have to have access to a kiln in order to work. The last thing I need is a commission I can't fill.
Is there a way to make those keywords invisible, but still searchable, on my web site?
There should be a way to make them invisible. I would need to check with the websites that I have with them concerning the formatting of the text. But, it's very late for me now, and I'm really fading here...
Here are links to some other sites that are essentials to join.
Naymz: Over one million people use Naymz to build professional relationships.
https://www.linkedin.com/?trk=linked...FdFL5Qodl2fHmA
DomesticSale - The Effective Free Classifieds
MerchantCircle.com | Find new customers.
ZoomInfo
StumbleUpon: Personalized Recommendations to Help You Discover the Best of the Web
There are more sites. I'll be glad to work with you at a later time...
Goodnight!
Thanks!
thanks for the help. Talk to you later ^_^
Hi,
Apologies! I have wriiten HTML with a text editor for over 13 years.
The example contains several meta tags. The first is used by braowsers and validators to help render the page.
The search engine will grab the title tag contents and use the keywords to try to classify it. The description is added info, but repetitiive info. The others are superfluous except to another author. Many others are possible; such as the aforementioned tag to keep the robot from taking an external link and leaving. This one of the reasons a sitemap has become so important to a spider trying to classify and categorize a site; it contains only internal links (in an optimal situation.)
Many sites exist that will submit sites to search engines. Some will do it for free, to an extent. The more work that you do (and the less they do) determines that. They can write the meta tags, etc. for you before submission and generate the submission forms for you for a price.
For free submission, try:
Free Search Engine Submission, Submit to 20 Popular Search Engines
You have to check Google to see if their business units align in such a way that hosting and submission coincide.
Peace,
Clarke
PS Look at that site to get your info ready offine (the twelve keywords/terms) and then return to fill it out.
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