Comments on: Multiple Websites for Multiple Businesses

By: Susan Delaney

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 02:02:32 +0000

I’ve been hunting and hunting for a discussion of this problem and am so glad I found this, what a lot of great ideas…. Any thoughts on working under a “pen name” for a second style of work?

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By: Lorraine

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 17:19:36 +0000

I was researching your website because I had a similar question to Rebecca’s and found this so helpful. I am a fine artist, but I love many forms of art and even subjects. I specialize in flower oil paintings, but recently I’ve been painting acrylic dogs on the side (pretty random, but I got inspired and am having fun with them!) Two totally different audiences, so I didn’t want to merge them. I’m for sure going to create separate websites, but was wondering about my Facebook page too. People are pretty used to seeing flowers and things there, I wasn’t sure if sharing the new dog work would shock people or cause them to know I’m more well rounded then just flower paintings. I think the struggle is we want people to know that we have other talents so that if the particular art we are showing doesn’t suit their needs, maybe another style or subject we do well at would. Also, as artists, it’s great to have a focus, but also we don’t want to get stuck in a box. It’s the balance between being open and free as an artist to share the full bodies of work and not feeling like you’re living a double-life (flower painter by day and dog artist by night). However, then also being professional about things and not causing confusion to those who may visit our websites. So much to think about as an artist! Thankful for all this great advise, thanks Alyson!

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By: Jann Alexander

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:42:05 +0000

What a juicy question, with a thoughtful resolution laying out the pros and cons. I’ve got to agree that it’s necessary to have different sites, or at the very least, different landing pages for the varying audiences and distinctive marketing. I’m committed to my fine art and photography website, http://AustinDetailsArt.com/ with its distinct section for my http://VanishingAustin.com landing page (among others), and two blogs — one for each topic and audience. In addition, I have a marketing/design website that’s completely unique and unrelated to the fine art sites. It is one heck of a lot of work to keep them all current, and to post regularly to two blogs, and to continue to actually make art, paint, photograph, design, write, etc — all of the talents you so cleverly describe as common to “all artists ~~in your predicament~~ who are lucky have so many talents.”
What is my takeaway about this? Focus. Looking back, if I could begin again, I’d simplify all of this in some way. Connect it more, pare it down, make less marketing work for myself so I could spend more time creating. That’s my recommendation, anyway—be careful what you commit yourself to! Of course nothing is forever. Things can be changed. Creatives are always all about experimenting with shiny new things. So we have to get more focused about what really counts, too.

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By: Rebecca Finch

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:07:15 +0000

By “overarching pages” would you mean something like the contact page being the same exact page/web address for all three pages? etc. Sorry, I’m trying to understand and examples help me best. Thank you.

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By: shane

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 01:33:27 +0000

Why not have 3 disctinct sites for your distinct target audiences but also have a overarching pages to link the 3? This makes SEO much easier but also allows you to target clientelle.

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By: Kim Bruce

Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:51:15 +0000

In reply to Rebecca Finch.

Hi Rebecca
I am an artist as well as a designer. I have two distinct sites – http://artbiz.ca and http://kimbruce.ca
At my fine art site I link back to Artbiz.ca in my menu but I keep it discreet. At Artbiz.ca I link back to my fine art site on my about page and also show an RSS feed to my fine art blog in the footer widget area.
Also when I write a blog post at kimbruce.ca I will sometimes create a link blog post at artbiz.ca to send people there to read. I don’t do this for everything I write about at my fine art site, only posts that pertain or cross over in subject matter.
The other advantage of having your practices split into different sites is that when you link to them you will be increasing your SEO rankings. Search engines give weight to linkbacks.
I think at your analogy of the potted plant really sums it up perfectly.
Hope this helps
Kim

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By: Sari Grove

Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:17:48 +0000

Rebecca, hire Kim…Kim Bruce above…

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By: Rebecca Finch

Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:08:12 +0000

Thank you everyone for your help and examples, if you know of anyone else who has done this well, would you mind to post their website? I’m trying to visualize what it would look like to have a different feel to each site (soft for paintings and more clean/contemporary for my design) but still keep them unified.

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By: Kim Bruce

Wed, 23 Oct 2013 02:00:20 +0000

I talked with an architect yesterday who posed this exact same question. Should she simply add her art as a few pages to her existing architecture site.
My instinct said it wasn’t a good idea.
A gallery owner once told me that a gallery wants to see that the artist is dedicated to their art and has a single focus no matter what they may do to make a living.
Having a website with more than one focus may dilute the impact of both practices.

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Tue, 22 Oct 2013 15:49:37 +0000

In reply to Sari Grove.

Oh my goodness, you make me laugh. May I please have a gluten-free doughnut?

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