Stop Overthinking Your Website

artist career developmentcreative business strategy
Written By Anitra Budd
 

You need a website. What’s more, you know you need a website. But if you’re like many artists and creative entrepreneurs, instead of publishing, you’re stuck in a loop of tweaking fonts, logos, and layouts. Perfectionism is paralyzing you—and keeping your art invisible.

Here’s the truth: You can launch a functional artist website in an afternoon. And real talk, most of that time won’t be spent on building, but on dithering and second-guessing yourself. But the sooner you hit “publish,” the sooner you’ll have a real home for your work online.

 

Keep It Simple: The 4-Step Website Plan

When it comes to making updates to your site, the internet is wonderfully forgiving. You can revise your website tomorrow, next week, or next year. That means your first version should be the Minimum Viable Website (MVW)—the simplest version that gets you visible.

Here’s a simple four-step plan for launching your site:

  1. Choose a Platform Quickly. Pick a user-friendly option with pre-made templates like Squarespace, Wix, or Hostinger. Don’t overthink it—any of these options will serve you well.

  2. Write the Essential Copy. All you need is your name, a one-line artist statement (e.g., “I’m a textile artist living in Maine.”), and contact info.

  3. Build Your MVW. Include just the basics:

    • A photo of one piece of your art and/or a headshot.

    • A short “About” section. This can be your one-line artist statement from step 2.

    • A call to action (CTA) that reflects your website’s goals. If this is your first website, “Sign up for my email list” is a great CTA to start with.

    • Your preferred contact info.

    • A way to collect email addresses (see more about this below).

  4. Publish. This is key: You must press that dreaded “publish” button! If perfectionism creeps in, try setting an external boundary. For example, you could invite a friend to sit with you and nudge you if you stall, or ask someone to text you at a specific time to make sure you’ve published the site. If you don’t have an accountability buddy, try an online coworking app like Focusmate.

 

The Most Important Component: Your Email List

Visual web design details like colors and template formats can be fun to play with, especially for creative folks. But your website’s real power is in collecting email addresses.

Your email list is the one digital asset you truly own. Social media platforms change constantly, but your list stays with you. If Instagram or Facebook disappeared tomorrow, your subscribers would still be there.

Now you might think, But I don’t have anything to email yet. How can I ask people to sign up for something that doesn’t exist? I promise, no one on your email list will expect instant content as soon as they subscribe. They’re simply looking for a way to stay in the loop when you do have news, whether that’s next week or months from now.

So, add an email collection tool to your site. Most platforms have built-in signup forms, or you can connect to a service like Mailchimp or Kit (formerly ConvertKit). If that feels too overwhelming, it’s fine to simply include your email address and ask people to email you directly to sign up. Whatever tool you choose, think of gathering emails as a way of planting seeds to grow your future audience.

 

Next Steps

You did it! You have a basic website up and running. Once you’ve celebrated that achievement, you can make updates as your needs and schedule allows. Here are a few ideas:

  • Add photos of new artwork.

  • Expand your About page with a longer artist statement or bio.

  • Experiment with small design tweaks (colors, fonts, or layout) after the essentials are live. (“After” being the key word here!)

  • Diversify your CTAs as your goals change. For example, you might ask site visitors to “Shop the Store,” “Schedule an intro call,” “Check out my upcoming events,” and so on.

  • Share reviews from happy customers.

 

Final Word

Your goal with your artist website isn’t perfection—it’s progress. A simple, functional site positions you as a professional and gives your audience a place to find you in the vast sea of the internet. Any update you make from here is growth.

So stop overthinking. Launch today, refine tomorrow, and most important, keep moving forward!

Anitra Budd