Your artist website is the place for you to let your work really shine. Personal websites are highly customizable so you can make it your own! Get the most out of your personal website by posting only high quality photos of your work along with your artist statement and contact info to show visitors that you’re an established artist and you’re knowledgeable about your craft. If you’re unsure about how to get your website started, there are plenty of free website creators (like Wix or Weebly) that offer beautiful and customizable website templates that are impressively easy to use. If you want to go a little further you can splurge for the fancier paid templates or build your own website from the bottom up!
A professional Facebook page is a great (and totally free!) way to reach out to loyal supporters, find new fans, and potential customers. However, rather than relying solely on your Facebook page, it should be used to supplement your artist’s website. You won’t be able to customize your social media page as much as your personal artist’s website, but you can still upload high quality header and profile photos to give your page some personality. Facebook will be a great place for you to be more personable with your followers because it really encourages user-follower engagement. You can reach out to your fans and start a conversation; keep your followers up to date with what’s new in the studio; let them know if you’re going to be participating in any upcoming exhibits; and encourage them to share your page to their friends’ timelines to help you gain even more supporters of your work. Facebook has more than one billion active users from all over the world, and this is a great way to expand your fan base.
You can read up on some more in-depth pros and cons of each of these options at http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/12/website-vs-social-media-profile-page.html or http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/can-a-facebook-page-replace-a-small-business-website/623907. Both websites provide some great insights into why having both options could really help your artist business take off!