Web site value

[Cynthia Daniel]

Kim,

The whole site gets 100,000 - 130,000 unique visitors a month. I look more at visitors rather than hits. Hits for my site is about 2 1/2 million, but I don't think that tells me as much.

As far as individual artist statistics, I don't have access to all of those. There is a panel that shows "most accessed" and for the month of February those go from 53,453 hits / 2,934 visitors down to 19,32 hits / 1,326 visitors.

Doing the things you're doing are definitely worthwhile.

Cynthia

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

I've gotten one commission cold from my website. The person did a Google search for "New Jersey portrait artist" and found me, among others. Interestingly the portrait was for the 40th birthday of the CEO of a small lawn furniture business whose products we've bought over the years, so their connecting with me was quite a coincidence. This contact actually resulted in a completed commission; there have been other times when people have expressed an interest in commissioning a portrait from me after having visited my site, but when they discover that I'm in southern NJ they seem to cool quickly, even when I suggest that the distance doesn't need to be a barrier.

Mostly I use my site as an online portfolio that I can send people to so they can show my work to whomever else is involved in the portrait decision. I do get some visitors through SOG, as evidenced by my site meter, but thus far have gotten no commissions from any of them.

[Mike McCarty]

Aside from the obvious value of being able to show your portfolio, I think the biggest value is the ability of your web site to communicate and negotiate your fee in a detached and matter of fact way. This to me is a huge benefit, it's professional, and it takes the pressure off of both parties.

[Michele Rushworth]

...and it's a lot easier to update than a printed brochure.

When you do a four-color print job it gets very expensive, plus postage, and you may have to print 500 or 1000 copies -- and then be stuck for a few years until you get rid of them all! With my website Cynthia has my new images and price changes up in just a couple of days.

[Leslie Ficcaglia]

Originally Posted by Mike McCarty

Aside from the obvious value of being able to show your portfolio, I think the biggest value is the ability of your web site to communicate and negotiate your fee in a detached and matter of fact way. This to me is a huge benefit, it's professional, and it takes the pressure off of both parties.

Mike, how could I have forgotten about that benefit? That's a major use I make of my site. I often refer people there to look at my procedures and price ranges, with the suggestion that they get back to me after reviewing them. That way they don't have to be presented with a fee that they're embarrassed to admit is more than they expected to spend, in a face-to-face situation. So many people think a portrait is going to run them a couple of hundred. The sticker shock can be severe! Thanks for bringing that up.

[Tom Edgerton]

It's great too for separating serious shoppers from browsers. I refer all cold calls to my website first, and send the portfolio only to those who indicate they want a serious discussion. It's kept me from schlepping the book to the post office for nothing so much, like in the old days. Some have made the decision straight off the site, with no hard copy portfolio at all.

I've not gotten a lot of actual commissions from the site, but they've been juicy. The most recent, a commission to paint the past president of the Naval War College in Newport, RI--a quite distinguished admiral.

Plus, imagewise, it's just a must-have now.

Best--TE

[Cynthia Daniel]

Originally Posted by Tom Edgerton

The most recent, a commission to paint the past president of the Naval War College in Newport, RI--a quite distinguished admiral.

You've been holding out on me! I love to hear about things like this, Tom. Though I only rarely do a newsletter, I collect things like this and include them whenever I do the next one.