Social Networking Sites

Chrissy D · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 1053 Location: Queensland

(Apologies if this thread has been done before, I did do a search).

I am noticing more and more people are using Facebook as either their 'Website' or as a side avenue for displaying work to their website.

It seems like there are so many options out there now, that we are using multiple services (especially the free ones) to get our art out there and seen by more people.

As this is becoming a trend, I wonder if it is worth having two or more sites that do relatively the same thing, ie Your own website and something like facebook. As it would be doubling up on everything of your time and effort to keep these things updated etc.

I know Amanda, Catsgrin and Wendy has FB artwork pages and Stephen has this huge list of sites on his signature.

For me, I haven't ventured into doing this yet. I might.

So what other programs do you use in addition to your website i.e. do you twitter? Does MySpace still exist and you use it? Do you use your profile on Hotmail/MSN or Gmail? deviantART ....and the list could go on. What ever else is out there that you use.

belle2 · Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 189 Location: Newcastle

I've got two sites which is a bit of overkill but got carried away. I thought about Facebook but am a bit concerned about copyright issues there. The two sites I use have some safeguards in place.

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

I do have a few different sites for my art work,
I have low res images on my website so they load faster and cant be copied as easily.
The face book page has by far been the most beneficial thing I have ever done.
I dont think it takes too much time to run both... Face book is some where I like to catch up with friends anyway..... the website , I try to update monthly...
The blog I have really doesnt get much of a look in, and despite advertising it alot, the feedback just wasnt coming in as I would have liked, the FB page is fairly similar to blogging, but the network side of it and the traffic it gets is astronomical. People from all over the world have shown an interest in what I am doing.
I tried blogging regularly... but FB is easier.
I am not too concerned about the copyright issue, I think that if they wanted to copy , they would.
The more people that know the original is mine, then the more likely a copy cat wont get away with it unrecognised.
Again, low res images mean they cant print posters of my work without permission.
Face book has resulted in some sales, and has also seen me getting enquiries on a weekly basis.

marri · Joined: 28 Aug 2009 Posts: 267 Location: Western Australia

That's interesting Wendy. How did you build the network? All I tend to see on my facebook is "so and so just joined the i like chocolate group" and stuff like that.

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

Marri, to begin with I just added a few friends that I knew, then their friends either added me or vise versa.... I posted artworks , waited for comments, people linked in together and I met other artists, from there is grows pretty fast.... people that are interested add you and inturn you add interesting people....
When I first started my fan page, I had 35 people who I had added the way I just described, (I asked them to join my fan page) then some of them asked their friends to join.
To get the ball rolling, I offered a give away of a small painting ( they could choose one of two) when the number reached 100 fans....
I had over 200 join the same day as I had offered this give away.... I asked people to invite others to join.
I also added my artwork to a couple of other art network sites on Facebook and that also generated interest.
After the give away, numbers still increased by 10 to 50 per day, then dwindled off to a couple a day....
when the number hit 500 I offered an unadvertised give away, just to say thanks for the support and comments, the number grew by 45 the same day, and has climbed by one or two a day since.
I post new work regularly, and add comments, and thank people for their comments...
It seems to be going well!
Loads of interest, 2 sales and alot of people awaiting new works!!
The biggest kick is having people who's art I really admire following my work!! I still have to pinch myself about that!!
If this is what you want to do, find me on facebook, and I will share your link around with my contacts... This is how it grows!

Chrissy D · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 1053 Location: Queensland

Sounds interesting...maybe I might give it a go Wendy, but I would rather people go to my site to view the image which they wouldn't if I posted the pics on FB.

So how does it work then with privacy settings? So you create a page...is this linked to/the same as your FB account? Or is it separate. I have my profile so only friends can see. So do you create another account separately just for your art?

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

Chrissy, they are seperate...you have your face book profile which is for you, your private life etc... then on the left hand side somewhere...there is a link that says adds and pages, from there you can click a link to make a page...it does link to your personal one, so you can access it from there, but for other people looking at your page, there is no link to your private account....
If you go to my page,Wendy Olsen Art (@ facebook) there is no link to me as such.... but to type in just my name, with out the art, links to my private page...
Alot of people have low res photos on their art pages with links to their websites so that people can view the work larger if they wish.
I was getting about 15 people a week to my website, but somedays up to 480 people per day looking at my work on Face book.
I think they can link together fine.

greenfrog · Joined: 10 Feb 2006 Posts: 795 Location: Fairfield

How do you know how many people are checking out your facebook?
Is it from them leaving comments?

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

There is a statistics counter , viewable by the person who manages the page.
I dont know the accuracy of it, but I do know the numbers of folowers keeps growing, so there are people linking together and spreading the word.
The statistics also give the percentage of male to female followers, age and country demographics, and the percentages of people looking who arent listed as fans.
There are other specifics also, these things allow a more targeted marketing campaign if that is what interests you...or know how to do it !!

King Julian · Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 118 Location: Madagascar

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

King Julian · Joined: 08 Jun 2009 Posts: 118 Location: Madagascar

I want to go fishing. Here..

Sincere apologies to Chrissy for hijacking her thread.

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

Yes..... that looks like a good spot.
I have some kids we can use as bait.

jasmine · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:58 am Post subject: Re: Re - Social Networking Sites

jasmine · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:49 pm Post subject: Re - Social Networking Sites

ok. i did just that!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-by-Jaz/123770004308840?ref=ts

feel free to fan me! Very Happy