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Hang on Studio Wall
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John Mccloskey

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Has anyone created their own website to showcase their work? I know there are lots of companies out there eager for clients (such as Wix) but I'm interested in how easy it was, what are the pitfalls or hidden costs etc.  If there is a thread on this subject I would be keen to see it.
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Helen Martell

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Mine's a Wix website and I found it easy to set up. (I'm no techie!). There's lots of templates and styles to choose from. I pay about £75 a year for their basic package... there's all sorts of things you can add at additional cost, but as I'm only using it to show my pictures the basic is all I need. Plus about £30 every 2 years for the domain name. On my wesbite I have an 'about me' page, a few gallery pages, and a 'contact me' page.

Ellen Mooney

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My website is by Jackson’s. It was really easy to set up, with plenty of templates to choose from. The cost was very reasonable. 

John Mccloskey

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Thanks Ellen. I'll have a look at it

Tessa Gwynne

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My website is also from Jackson’s, and I have to say I find it difficult to make changes on and very frustrating, hence I hardly use it.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I had, and still have, someone working on mine - at present, I have no control over it whatsoever, and have been thinking of scrapping it entirely and starting again. I'd probably go with Wordpress, if I do. You might consider a blog (which can be linked to your website).  Blogger is free, you can even make a little bit of money on it if you allow advertising (and if advertisers think you have enough traffic to bother with) but (blushes guiltily and shuffles feet) you do have to keep feeding it - because no one's going to find it unless you advertise it, or stay with it if it hardly ever changes; same is true for pages on Facebook.  I have both, neglect both, very occasionally pay for advertising on FB - trouble is, I have too much else to do, and the impetus to do it (or anything else) is weakening as I get older..... and there never was much; ambition and I are distant cousins. But then, don't be like me!
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Alan Green

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I created my own using Net Objects Essentials, which is free and loaded with templates. I use widgets from other sites (Reverbnation, mostly) so that concert photos, gig diary and Youtube videos feed through automatically when I update them. Hosting and paying for the Domain is the only regular cost, although I notice I've not had to pay for the domain for several years now. Adding a shop might be the biggest challenge. I don't get much of my business from the website so it's not been necessary this far.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Some add an Etsy shop - used to be a cut-price emporium you wouldn't want to be bothered with, but I see more realistic prices on there now.  I wouldn't know how to add it to a website - which is why I farmed the job out; but my delegation of effort seems to have hit the buffers; a sign of the Covid times. I wouldn't have come back on this had not Alan Green said he didn't get much of his business from his website, because I did have a fully functioning website for quite some time (it just became out of date, tech support was withdrawn, etc): but it generated VERY little business; admittedly, that was partly my own fault for not maintaining a diary and schedule of exhibitions, but I've made around 95% more money from showing in exhibitions than has ever been forthcoming from a website.  It's a useful tool to support your work, and if you have a regular client base it's somewhere to send them when they're seeking more - but as for generating new leads; well, in my experience it didn't, and it seems that's been Alan's too. 

Linda Drury

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Robert I sell on Etsy, have done for almost three years, and although the first year was very quiet my sales have got better and better. Its easy to use and they don't charge a huge amount in commission. 

Anjana Cawdell

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I have very recently built a wix site and found it easy to build a shop. I also have an etsy shop - I found you need to have a minimum number of listings to get noticed and need to use the tags and titles effectively.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I wonder if he saw this thread?  The young man who was working on my website came to see me today, to fix up a time in the coming weeks when we can stitch it all together - bless 'im....  Came all the way out here, despite having had root canal work and getting an abscess treated - well, I meantersay, this is what people will do for you when you're lovable...........   This is a Wordpress site, and I look forward to being able to use it, and advertise it, when it's properly up and running.  Will keep you informed of progress.  Might be up and running in time for my 70th birthday .... which is looming at me, threateningly.
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Linda Wilson

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There is life after 70 Robert, so have no fears.  Happy birthday when it comes!
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