Looking to create an artist website to show off your art and connect with a global audience?
Then you are in the right place!
I’ve created a series of posts that walks you through the steps needed to get started on creating your own artist website using free WordPress software. It covers everything from what is WordPress and why you want to use it all the way through launching and customizing your new art website.
The guide is broken down into six modules:
- WordPress.com vs WordPress.org – There are two different forms of the mighty WP and a good place to start is with a brief explanation of the two.
- Domain Names – To have your own website you are going to need a domain name. I cover exactly what a domain name is and also offer some thoughts on how to choose one.
- Web Hosting – Something else you’ll need if you are going to have your own website. I’ll talk about exactly what you are paying for as well as offer some advice on how to pick a good service.
- How to Install WordPress – Once you have your domain and hosting in place this is the first step to launching your artist website.
- How to Design Your WordPress Site – WP makes it easy to customize the look at function of a website through the use of themes. (Themes are like artist website templates.) Here we will talk about what a theme, where to find them, and how to install them.
- How to Add Features & Functions – It’s your website and it should do what you want it to. Through the use of plugins you can easily add many great options to get the most from your artist website.
The guide starts with a topic that is often confusing to any new to WordPress and that is the difference to the .com version and the .org version. And if you didn’t know there are two different versions this is the place to start because picking the wrong one can cause a lot of headache down the road.
WordPress.com and WordPress.org
Which do you need to create an artist website? The short answer is you need the dot org version.
This is because the .org version is content management software that is limitless and the .com version is a blogging service that is very limited it what it offers and how you can use it.
I created this brief video to cover the basic differences of the two:
If you don’t have time for the video here are the basics:
- Blogging service
- Free with premium options
- Limited design & function
- User must pay to have ads removed
- Can not be used for commercial purposes
- Long URL (yourdomain.wordpress.com
- Content management software
- Thousands of designs to choose from via themes
- Many features and functions via plugins
- Open source
- Domain name and hosting account required
- Responsible for backups, security, and upgrades
Please let me know if you have any questions either in the comments below or via my contact page.
Daryle, that’s a great overview on the differences between the two. WordPress certainly has come along way since it was first introduced as blogging software back in 2003. It’s really blossomed into a full featured content management system that even artists can use, as your templates nicely prove.
Thanks for the comment Stephen.
And with an estimated 20% of the internet being built on WP there is a big support community out there to help when questions come up.