SEO for Artists

Optimises an artist website, portfolio, and profiles so people find the artist’s work in search results for specific art styles, media, subjects, and services.

If you have ever optimised for 'art' instead of 'oil portrait commissions London', you already know generic terms waste effort.

Key points

Start keyword research around your medium, style, subjects, and audience, not generic terms like 'art'.
Use descriptive file names and alt text for every artwork image; search engines cannot read text inside images.
Put important page content in HTML text, not embedded in images, so it is crawlable and indexable.
Verify your site in Google Search Console and ensure pages are crawlable and indexable.

From 'art' to 'watercolour seascape Cornwall': a real shift

An artist selling watercolour seascapes originally targeted 'watercolour art' and got 50 visits a month. After researching specific terms, she switched to 'watercolour seascape Cornwall', used descriptive image filenames and alt text with image keywords seo, and focused page copy on one primary keyword. Visits rose to 200 in three months, and two commissions came through from local buyers searching that phrase.

Three mistakes that kill artist SEO

Vague keyword targets Using 'artist' or 'art' instead of specific intent-based phrases like 'abstract oil painting commissions' wastes the opportunity to match what collectors actually search. Consider how many seo keywords per page you really need.
Text inside images Putting all important page copy inside images means search engines cannot read it. Always include HTML text for titles, descriptions, and key details.
Neglecting image SEO Skipping descriptive file names, alt text, and proper compression hurts both visibility and page speed. Use keywords naturally in image attributes. Image keywords seo matters as much as text keywords.

Three ways to build authority

External profiles and press Third-party profiles on marketplaces, magazines, blogs, and press mentions with links back to your site signal authority to search engines.
Consistent content updates A regular cadence of new work, blog posts, or exhibition updates keeps pages relevant and encourages search engines to re-crawl.
Local signals for studios If you have a studio or exhibit locally, include city and region terms and optimise a Google Business Profile to capture local search demand.

Common questions

How do I search keywords in Google Keyword Planner?

Sign in to Google Ads, open the Keyword Planner tool, and enter a seed term like 'oil painting'. Review suggested keywords, filter by location and search volume.

How many keywords should I target per page?

Most pages work best targeting one primary keyword plus a few closely related secondary keywords that match the same search intent.

Sources

Google Search Central Official documentation on crawling, indexing, and structured data.
Wix SEO Learning Center Practical guides on keyword research and on-page optimisation.