Why start a blog? Should Every Artist Have An Art Blog?

In the age of the internet, we are surrounded by millions of articles on art and drawing. How do we make a dent in a world that is overpopulated with other striving artists? Why start a blog? Isn't social media better for artists?

When you jump onto any social media platform with the thought of sharing your work, you are immediately surrounded by fellow artists all trying to accomplish the same thing. Your work is watered down as people scroll down quickly and you become one of the thousands of artists, that is if the algorithm gives you a chance to even be seen.

In contrast, a blog can be a cozy nook where art lovers and drawing enthusiasts can look at your work and feel connected to you. These connections can be made by sharing your journey and experiences as a fellow artist. Blogging can be a process of strengthening your ideas while sharing valuable lessons that are relevant to those who love art.

While the reach I have is small presently, I know these lessons are answering some questions for those who consume them.

I feel that most of what is written on the web is written for large audiences. We are advised by most media gurus to chase scale and page views. I certainly followed that advice and dampened my spirit and personality while trying to build this blog... But no more!

I have learned that by chasing a large number of page views we forgo the ability to create meaningful, unique contributions to the network. By being an art blogger with a smaller audience, and creating posts that are made for intended audiences, I get to deliberately seek exceptional individuals.

You might be thinking at this moment... All this sounds great but...

Isn't Blogging Dead?

Nope, and it won't stop for the next decade either. To all those who believe that blogging is dying, I hope you will ponder the following. Anytime you have a question and type it into your search engine, what do you find? Articles solving your problems... Blogs.

Art bloggers today share their knowledge and help fellow artists build their careers. They write about their experiences as lessons for others to learn. Blogging has certainly changed since the dawn of the internet. Bloggers who have survived are the ones whose work is in service of others.

If you are questioning yourself about starting, here are a few pointers to help you begin blogging.

Improves your writing ability

Creating regular blogs can be tough at first. Writing challenges your existing beliefs and encourages you to articulate your ideas. Putting words to thoughts helps to find your voice, thus enabling you to discover who you are.

It takes consistency and tenacity to maintain the habit of sharing your ideas regularly. Eventually, your writing will become a sharp-edged tool to spread the message of your work.

Influence small groups of people

Even if you are not an expert, share your learning experiences. How would others benefit from what you learned setting up an art shop or learning from a particular artist? What you write could potentially impact people’s lives and they will likely revisit your blog and share it with others too.

The messages that you share through your blog might start friendships with other artists, build a career or enhance your self-development. Blogging puts your unique take on your art subject, your personality and helps you get noticed.

Helps build a subscriber list

Building a one-on-one connection with your blog followers is one of the most rewarding things you can do. You don't have to compete with algorithms to get their attention. Also, people have different preferences for their choice of social media platforms, but almost everyone has an email account. These connections build trust and are much more intimate. Those who love your blog may end up buying your art and even telling their friends about it.

Blogging helps with SEO

Blogging is an opportunity to add appropriate keywords to help you be searchable on search engines. And we love people visiting our websites, don’t we?! Other art websites that link to yours serve as a confidence booster to search engines and rank you as trustworthy.

Learn new skills

Blogging consistently will help you understand the ever-changing landscape of technology and how it affects the lives of people. The simple fact is that we are going to be more technologically reliant in the future and those who don't have the skillset will be left behind.

While you are editing pictures, deciding fonts, learning SEO, and building your brand, you are also soaking up valuable information about the technological age we live in. These skills will be with you no matter where you decide to go in the future.

Finally, should you start a blog?

In the age of video content, it's easy to believe that writing is a dying art. What we write about might not go down memory lane as literature, but we get to share our experiences.

For the moment, forget going viral with fast content that burns bright and dies quickly. Think instead in diverse ways that contribute distinct ideas and challenge the network as we know it. Nurture thoughts that won't get lost in feeds. Encourage ideas worth sharing and returning to.

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