Last night while finishing up this necklace for Piacere, I slipped into a funk. Yesterday I blogged ten Etsy artists, most of whom receive little attention on Etsy despite obvious talent. Four bothered to respond. Time to take a breath and consider if devoting 2 hours of my day to this is truly worthwhile. Four primary reasons I feel this blog is worthwhile:
1. Raising the bar: Etsy is inundated with crafts that simply do not meet artistic criteria. My opinion, and I realize craft and handmade has its own valid ethic. Art, however, too often gets lost in the crowd on Etsy. I realize this is a volatile, debatable issue and I may not make friends by publicly sharing my biased viewpoint.
2. Creating Karma: Internet search engines give high priority to incoming links. By providing artists with links from this blog, I help boost odds that their work will eventually make it to the first 3 pages (top 30) searches on Google and Yahoo. I am only one person, but I want to contribute in my small way to promote the best of Etsy. If others participate and reciprocate, the karma (buzz) will grow, potentially exponentially. That goal is achievable only if blog visitors & followers participate by commenting, chiming in, telling friends to visit, etc.
3. My Own Very Personal Interest: Yes, within the motive to raise the bar is the potential benefit to myself. I believe in the work I've been doing for over 20 years, and am committed to excellence in my own products and creations. Just like we all want to be in the best galleries, I too want to my work to be in good company.
4. Fun and Inspiration: It is simply fun to discover and interact with other talented artists. As artists, we all know the feeling of isolation and myopia when we focus so intently on our own work that we exclude the energy of other artists from our awareness.
Some words about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) If you are unfamiliar with this, I recommend going to Timothy Adams Town Hall Meeting, and these emptyeasel.com articles about SEO for artists and about Page Rank. I'm still learning, and I find these tutorials helpful.
Patience is the main thing to bear in mind with all SEO efforts. It takes time for the seedlings to sprout. Sow the seeds, nurture the plants and you will gradually see the rewards for your efforts.
