About

Blog is short for Web log. A blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Blogs often reflect the personality of the author.

The blog can be a category on your website or on a separate domain. We recommend an integrated blog, having it as a category on your FASO website.

The blog advantage is three-fold. 

One, your FineArtStudioOnline blog feature is an integrated blog. Being integrated into your website turns your blog into a powerful marketing tool by constantly updating your website with new (unduplicated) searchable content each time you publish a blog post.

Two, an artist's website contains mostly images. Using the blog offers a way for you to add additional content to your site, including keywords that describe your art. This will help your site in the search engine listings, potentially having a great impact on generating traffic. Your blog entries remain a part of your site content unless you delete them.

Three, it offers a way for visitors to communicate with you. This interaction potentially increases interest and thus purchases by collectors, fans, and others interested in you and your artwork.

Get Started

To get started with your Blog, add it to your Navigation Bar (Site Menu). 

• From FASO account control panel
• Click Edit Navigation Bar OR Navigation Menu (in left column)
• Click on Blog (left column, Menu Item Options)
  (that will make Blog show in right column, Menu Structure)
• Click Save (green button)

Click Here for complete FAQ on how to
Manage Your Site Menu / Edit Navigation Bar

Begin adding posts to your blog:

• Login to FASO account Control Panel
• Click Blog icon (upper row)

• Click Click Here to Add a New Blog Post
• Add your text
• Add an image by selecting image for img Main Image option
• Click Add and Save Now

Once you click on Add and Save Now, you have 2 choices:

1. click on Yes, Publish Now
   OR
2. click on No, I'm not ready to publish it (it will then remain in Private Drafts)

Continue Editing

When you click on No, I'm not ready to publish it, you will be taken back to your list of unpublished drafts.

Click on Edit to the right of the title to continue editing the draft.

Here is a screenshot highlighting some of the editing options:

Publish

When you click Yes, Publish Now, you will be prompted to enter info in the following screens. 

• Please help us to help you promote your blog post screen. 
• Would you like for us to consider republishing this post in FineArtViews?

Just follow the prompts to continue the process and publicize your post.

This is the screen that will pop up once you have completed the Publishing steps:

Topics

We highly recommend you always create and use Topics on each blog post. 

See this FAQ:
Blog Topics ~ How to Use Them

Entry Category

For info on the entry category field, please see this FAQ:
Can I edit blog entry category?

How to Reply To or Delete Visitor Comments

The best way to respond to a blog comment is to do it the same way your visitors do.

• go to your live website
• click on Blog (in navigation bar)
  (OR click on the individual post in the Recent Blog Posts widget)
• click on the individual post
• click on Comment on this (top of post)
  OR scroll down to Leave a Comment
• add info to the Comment Box fields
• Hit Submit your Comment button

To Delete a Comment:

• from your FASO account control panel
• click on Blog icon (upper row)
• click on Edit to the right of the blog post
• click on Go To Comments (lower right)
• click on Delete (to the right of the comment)
• Save Changes

See this FAQ:
Reply to a Comment on your Blog

The Blog as a Marketing Tool

Making Your Blog Work For You

Your FASO blog is one of the best little traffic drivers your website has next to your newsletter. These two work differently and will many times attract a different group of people.

Once you get your blog on your navigation menu and begin posting articles, the next step is to encourage people to visit your blog and make comments.

It is not so much waiting to hear from people. Even if you do not get comments posted to your blog right away, we encourage you to continue to add blog posts (entries) so that you build up more search engine traffic.

Blog Benefits:

1. Each time you add a new blog post, the search engines see this as adding a whole new page of unduplicated content to your website. The search engines love this!

2. You also gain much from commenting on other blogs. Each time you leave a comment on someone else's blog you leave a link back to your website.

• This is considered an 'inbound link', very attractive to the search engines and free advertising for you.
• It also informs people that you have a blog. Most bloggers will look at the commenter's website. A wonderful way to get more traffic to your site!

Blog Configuration

For info on Blog Configuration options, see this FAQ:
Blog Configuration

Articles on Blogging

• Fine Art Views: The True Value of An Artist Blog
  by Clint Watson
• Blog vs. Email Newsletter
  by Clint Watson
• Celebrating the Unknown Blogging Road
  by Moshe Mikanovsky
• The Gift And Agony Of Blogging
  by John P. Weiss
• Don't Take Your Art Blog for Granted
  by Gayle Faucette Wisbon
  
  Below each article, see Related Posts for more.

Sample Blogs

Click Here to access the page where all posts from FASO member blogs are posted.

FASO blogs for you to explore:
FineArtViews
Keiko Tanabe
KarenCooperPaintings.com
DonnaPierceClark.com
MoniqueCarr.com

FASO Staff:
Gayle Faucette Wisbon

FASO Alumni:
Regina Burchett

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