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Punkt Digital

Handcrafted websites for artists and the organizations that support them.

January 8, 2019 By Alison Wilder

DIY WordPress Part 1: How to Build Your Own Artist Website

While there are loads of professionals out there who will gladly help you build your artist portfolio website, and even lots of places where you can pop up a template for free or almost-free, some artists simply feel the need to get their hands dirty with their own websites.

Why? Maybe the out-of-the-box solutions won’t work for your purposes and you can’t afford a fully custom website just yet. Or maybe you’re a devoted DIYer who wants to learn how a website works, or perhaps you have a specific artistic vision and know that you can implement it better than anyone. If any of these applies to you, you’ve come to the right place!

wordpress-pluginOur personal favorite artist web platform here at Punkt is WordPress. You’ve probably heard of it — according to some estimates, this formidable piece of software is running almost 1/4 of all sites on the entire internet!

Between the more than 60 million sites relying on WordPress every day and the fact that it’s open source, an extraordinarily robust community of people constantly working to improve it, and even more importantly for your website, develop cool new features. It’s easy to install on almost any hosting platform (though not all hosts are created equal — we’ll talk about that in a sec), and getting a great-looking site that runs on WordPress really isn’t all that hard!

Okay, enough with the intro … let’s dig in!

Where to Host?

Before you can get to the business of designing your web-based art showcase, you first must get WordPress installed on a server somewhere. But there are SO MANY HOSTING OPTIONS! Many of them are actively paying bloggers to promote their hosting plans, so separating the wheat from the chaff can be tough.

If you’re reading a review about a particular hosting platform on the web somewhere, check to see if the links the author is posting have a little something extra that allows them to get paid if you click through and sign up. If they do, and if the author isn’t being up front about this, look elsewhere for information on that host.

Beware of paid review sites! Customer forums are a great alternative where problems and solutions are publicly discussed.

Better yet, take a look at their customer forums to see what kinds of problems people are having, and (as important!) how fast the host responds to these requests.

We’re going to refrain from suggesting specific web hosts, but here are a few things to consider before you choose a host for your new WordPress-powered artist portfolio website:

Does the host offer a one-click installation of WordPress?

This will usually be in their sales information somewhere; if it’s not, you can always ask their pre-sales support. You probably want the answer to be yes on this one, as this will save you loads of time.

How much storage space do you get?

If you’re a visual artist who will be uploading lots of photos or a musician who wants to self-host their audio (which we don’t recommend in most cases), you’ll want to be conscious of how much space you have to work with. Beware hosts that offer unlimited plans … everything costs money, and you can bet that they’ll be cutting back elsewhere.

How fast will your new artist website be?

For a variety of reasons, it’s really hard to get an accurate read on the speed performance of a given hosting platform. Visit a few websites that are similar to what you’re planning to build. (Be sure they’re running on WordPress!) If they seem snappy and responsive, get in touch with the site owner and find out which hosting platform they use. Ask if they’re happy with them. You can also feel free to contact us directly — we’ll give you our honest opinion about any hosts we’ve had experience with (which is a lot).

Beware of the $2-$3/month shared hosting plan.

Shared hosting (which means that you’re sharing your server with a lot of other websites) is adequate for most sites — unless you’re getting thousands of visitors a day, you probably don’t need to pay for more. However, the really cheap plans are usually really cheap for a reason. Expect to pay $5-$10/month for a reliable shared hosting provider with decent and responsive support.

Tune in next time for Part 2 when we’ll be guiding you through the process of choosing and configuring a domain name and installing the WordPress software.

Until then, feel free to send us your questions and thoughts about what you’d like to see discussed here at Artist Web School! #WordpressForArtists

Filed Under: DIY Tagged With: websites, wordpress, wordpress plugins, wordpress themes

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What Our Clients Say

  • Peter Erskine, legendary drummer

    Working with Punkt Digital has been an enjoyable and productive experience. Communication with the design team was timely, fluid and responsive. My website’s design and functionality exceeded my expectations. While the site has a totally professional look and feel, the add-on/editing process is very “hands-on” and easy for me to do whether I am traveling or am at home. And, for those moments when gremlins come to visit, the Punkt Design team deals with them swiftly and effectively. In short, we are 100% happy with Punkt Digital, and I’m very glad that I made the switch to entrusting my website to them.

    Peter Erskine, legendary drummer
  • David Balakrishnan, founding member of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet

    As we enter our thirtieth year of music making, we are well aware how important it is to keep a close eye on the current trends in the wide world of internet media. Working with Punkt Digital has been exactly what we needed to retain our pole position in the forefront of the chamber jazz music scene. We have our sheet music sales going strong, we can do our own updates on our site with ease, it looks great, works great, simple, no fuss, Turtles swimming smooth in the digital sea, thanks Punkt!!!

    David Balakrishnan, founding member of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet
  • Adam Roberts, Composer

    I went to Punkt Digital because I wanted to revamp my site, make it sleeker, more user friendly, and easy to update myself. Alison and Greg surpassed all of my expectations in terms of both product and process. Finally, the price is extremely reasonable. In summary, I couldn't recommend Punkt Digital more highly.

    Adam Roberts, Composer
  • Jeremy Gill, Composer

    I love my new website. Punkt Digital does brilliant, efficient, and sensitive work, and was able to integrate all my needs into a cohesive and aesthetically compelling whole. They also prepared detailed notes to guide me through the process of updating my site — something I have to do regularly. Truly an invaluable product!

    Jeremy Gill, Composer
  • Tamara Roberts, Musician

    I had a great experience working with Punkt Digital. Being not-so-tech-savvy, Alison and Greg were great at talking me through the site building process and thinking creatively about my unique needs. The site is beautiful and perfectly captures my style and personality. And it’s a breeze to update whenever I get new gigs or have media to share. I’d recommend Punkt Digital to anyone, especially artists who have a hard time fitting their work into existing one-size-fits-all platforms.

    Tamara Roberts, Musician
  • Adam Vidiksis, Composer

    Punkt Digital listened to my ideas and incorporated them brilliantly in their design. They are thorough, creative, and consistent. Punkt produced a site that really embodied the artistic vision for my music. I am very happy with the result.

    Adam Vidiksis, Composer
  • Joel Friedman, Composer

    Working with Punkt was a delightful collaboration from start to finish and I couldn't be happier with the result. In a market crowded with designers how many can boast being active artists, serious tech mavens, and have a terrific aesthetic sensibility to boot? This means they have the firepower to imagine, successfully execute, walk in your shoes, and shepherd your design from beginning to end. They earned my trust and appreciation. Wow.

    Joel Friedman, Composer
  • Jon Russell, Clarinetist

    Excellent on all counts. Punkt was always very responsive, in both the speed and thoroughness of their replies to any questions or requests. They also struck just the right balance between aiming to understand and fulfill my vision for the site, while also using their own expertise to offer suggestions for alternatives. They were also very patient and responsive when I (frequently!) changed my mind about what I wanted partway through the process.

    Jon Russell, Clarinetist
  • Deborah Sherr, Executive Director
Avaloch Farm Music Institute

    Let me sing the praises of Punkt Digital! Absolutely every aspect of their work has exceeded my expectations. From the first inquiry they have been extraordinarily responsive, positive, and SO smart. They understand every request, have a great eye for appropriate design, listen and guide with equal patience, and have created tutorials which are easy and intuitive. The platform they have created for adding and editing is terrific, so that even an amateur can maintain the website with ease. I have been extremely impressed with their commitment to an ongoing relationship, even months after they finished creating the actual website. Alison and Greg are the greatest!

    Deborah Sherr, Executive Director Avaloch Farm Music Institute
  • Judith Jennings, Art x Culture x Social Justice Network

    I love working with Punkt Digital! First, Alison and Greg Wilder are thoroughly grounded in the latest technology and constantly upgrading their skills and services. Secondly, they are visual artists with keen aesthetics and strong design talents. Most of all, they are great people who care deeply about the quality of their work and the satisfaction of their client and are willing to take extra time and care for the best possible results.

    Judith Jennings, Art x Culture x Social Justice Network
  • Peter Erskine, legendary drummer

    Working with Punkt Digital has been an enjoyable and productive experience. Communication with the design team was timely, fluid and responsive. My website’s design and functionality exceeded my expectations. While the site has a totally professional look and feel, the add-on/editing process is very “hands-on” and easy for me to do whether I am traveling or am at home. And, for those moments when gremlins come to visit, the Punkt Design team deals with them swiftly and effectively. In short, we are 100% happy with Punkt Digital, and I’m very glad that I made the switch to entrusting my website to them.

    Peter Erskine, legendary drummer
  • David Balakrishnan, founding member of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet

    As we enter our thirtieth year of music making, we are well aware how important it is to keep a close eye on the current trends in the wide world of internet media. Working with Punkt Digital has been exactly what we needed to retain our pole position in the forefront of the chamber jazz music scene. We have our sheet music sales going strong, we can do our own updates on our site with ease, it looks great, works great, simple, no fuss, Turtles swimming smooth in the digital sea, thanks Punkt!!!

    David Balakrishnan, founding member of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet
  • Adam Roberts, Composer

    I went to Punkt Digital because I wanted to revamp my site, make it sleeker, more user friendly, and easy to update myself. Alison and Greg surpassed all of my expectations in terms of both product and process. Finally, the price is extremely reasonable. In summary, I couldn't recommend Punkt Digital more highly.

    Adam Roberts, Composer
  • Jeremy Gill, Composer

    I love my new website. Punkt Digital does brilliant, efficient, and sensitive work, and was able to integrate all my needs into a cohesive and aesthetically compelling whole. They also prepared detailed notes to guide me through the process of updating my site — something I have to do regularly. Truly an invaluable product!

    Jeremy Gill, Composer
  • Tamara Roberts, Musician

    I had a great experience working with Punkt Digital. Being not-so-tech-savvy, Alison and Greg were great at talking me through the site building process and thinking creatively about my unique needs. The site is beautiful and perfectly captures my style and personality. And it’s a breeze to update whenever I get new gigs or have media to share. I’d recommend Punkt Digital to anyone, especially artists who have a hard time fitting their work into existing one-size-fits-all platforms.

    Tamara Roberts, Musician
  • Adam Vidiksis, Composer

    Punkt Digital listened to my ideas and incorporated them brilliantly in their design. They are thorough, creative, and consistent. Punkt produced a site that really embodied the artistic vision for my music. I am very happy with the result.

    Adam Vidiksis, Composer
  • Joel Friedman, Composer

    Working with Punkt was a delightful collaboration from start to finish and I couldn't be happier with the result. In a market crowded with designers how many can boast being active artists, serious tech mavens, and have a terrific aesthetic sensibility to boot? This means they have the firepower to imagine, successfully execute, walk in your shoes, and shepherd your design from beginning to end. They earned my trust and appreciation. Wow.

    Joel Friedman, Composer
  • Jon Russell, Clarinetist

    Excellent on all counts. Punkt was always very responsive, in both the speed and thoroughness of their replies to any questions or requests. They also struck just the right balance between aiming to understand and fulfill my vision for the site, while also using their own expertise to offer suggestions for alternatives. They were also very patient and responsive when I (frequently!) changed my mind about what I wanted partway through the process.

    Jon Russell, Clarinetist
  • Deborah Sherr, Executive Director
Avaloch Farm Music Institute

    Let me sing the praises of Punkt Digital! Absolutely every aspect of their work has exceeded my expectations. From the first inquiry they have been extraordinarily responsive, positive, and SO smart. They understand every request, have a great eye for appropriate design, listen and guide with equal patience, and have created tutorials which are easy and intuitive. The platform they have created for adding and editing is terrific, so that even an amateur can maintain the website with ease. I have been extremely impressed with their commitment to an ongoing relationship, even months after they finished creating the actual website. Alison and Greg are the greatest!

    Deborah Sherr, Executive Director Avaloch Farm Music Institute
  • Judith Jennings, Art x Culture x Social Justice Network

    I love working with Punkt Digital! First, Alison and Greg Wilder are thoroughly grounded in the latest technology and constantly upgrading their skills and services. Secondly, they are visual artists with keen aesthetics and strong design talents. Most of all, they are great people who care deeply about the quality of their work and the satisfaction of their client and are willing to take extra time and care for the best possible results.

    Judith Jennings, Art x Culture x Social Justice Network

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