6. The Illusion of “Free Leads”
Many artists entering the digital landscape misunderstand websites; they often view them as a "free" alternative to social media marketing, expecting to attract extra inbound business with minimal effort. This belief is fundamentally misguided and reveals a lack of understanding about the essential nature of websites. While social media platforms, particularly Meta's Instagram and Facebook, have seen the cost of acquiring valuable leads increase, relying solely on a website without a strategic effort does not guarantee easier or cheaper leads from Google.
Understanding the Dynamics of Lead Generation
The process of generating a lead through a website is intricate. For a site to become appealing to Google, it must offer unique, clear, and understandable insights that Google cannot already find in various formats on other, more authoritative websites. This is a significant challenge, especially when starting, as an artist's website typically has negligible authority, few if any, backlinks, and minimal traffic. However, this initial lack of recognition and visibility should not be a deterrent. On the contrary, it underscores the necessity for dedication and consistent effort.
Artists must be prepared to invest significant time, energy, and resources to achieve long-term success and actual growth in website traffic and lead generation. This often means 3-9 months of focused work on content creation, SEO optimization, and network building to acquire backlinks. During this period, producing original content that provides value beyond what is readily available elsewhere is crucial. This could involve sharing unique insights into the powder brows technique, offering detailed guides catering to clients and aspiring artists, or creating compelling before-and-after portfolios showcasing the artist's skill and expertise.
Moreover, understanding and utilizing SEO principles is not a one-time task but an ongoing effort to keep content relevant and discoverable. This includes keyword research to understand what potential clients are searching for, optimizing website speed and user experience to meet Google's performance metrics, and engaging in ethical link-building practices to enhance site authority.
