Having a Web Presence

Welcome to the twenty first century

empty The world changes and evolves. Whereas ten years ago, you might buy an advertisement in an industry publication to advertise your wares or services, now it seems like you have to be online.

So what kind of presence do you want? Many folks are looking for email, a website to announce their products/service, and a way to sell things. Cost and technical expertise may be the deciding factor in determining the type of features utilized.

The simplest presence can be having an email address and participating in various forums (e.g., web chats, email lists).

For some, the best choice may be a “store;” others may want the flexibility of their own website. Others may simply want a way to communicate with their customers/clients through an emailing list or blog. Some will look to a combination of things.

The most complex set up can be hosting your own site and domain, blog, email lists, chat forum and more on the internet.

This article will look at some of the factors to determine the type of online presence that will work for you by examining a number of options and the factors of using (or not) those options.

The scope of these web pages will not address setting up a complex system (computer directly on internet as server) as it involves a great deal of technical (i.e., computer) knowledge that is usually years of learning and a monetary expenditure beyond what most artists are willing to invest to get a web presence.

These web pages are meant to be United States-centric. Some information is applicable for international users, some is information is inaccurate for international users; please check the terms of service for each entity/organization you are interested in doing business with for your particular country of interest.

But perhaps the most important thing when having an online presence is keeping it up to date. Nothing bugs me more than going to an artists’ site to find out that nothing’s changed in a couple of years. I have no idea if the artist has moved websites, stopped creating, died or what.

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