How to Make Sure Your SEO Is Actually getting you art clients

So you’ve finally done it. You’ve Googled “SEO tips for artists,” waded through jargon-filled blogs, and somehow pieced together a strategy. Now your website has keywords like “quirky custom pet portraits” and “watercolor comic book covers” scattered all over it like artistic confetti. But here’s the million-dollar question: How do you know if it’s actually working?

This article is specifically for artists looking to optimize their website landing pages for services. Sure, SEO is also crucial when it comes to your products, but if your goal is to drive more traffic from Google and land more clients, this guide is tailored just for you.

I’ve got you, friend. This guide will walk you through everything you need to make sure your SEO game is on point, in a way that won’t make you want to yeet your laptop out the window.

Step 1: Find Keywords That Actually Work for You

Think of keywords as the matchmaking service between you and your ideal clients. A keyword is a specific word or phrase that people type into Google to find what they’re looking for, in your case, your amazing art. If they’re searching for “custom anime wedding portraits” and you’re using “colorful illustrations” as your keyword, it’s like trying to swipe right on Tinder when you’re using a flip phone. Not a match.

How to Find the Right Keywords:

• Use Google Keyword Planner (free and actually helpful!). Type in what you think people might search for, like “digital portrait commissions” or “art prints for sale,” and see what comes up.

• Look for keywords with high search volume (at least 1,000 to 10,000 searches per month) and low competition. Focus on those with a min bid of $2 or less if you’re considering paid ads.

  • Example: If you’re a comic book illustrator, “custom superhero portraits” might be a winner.

• Explore social media keywords: Stop guessing and use this social media keyword guide for inspiration to better align your content with your audience.

• Check year-over-year trends (YOY) to see if a keyword’s popularity is increasing. Look for exciting growth, like “+900%”, it means people are hyped about this search term lately.

• Steal from yourself. What do your current clients say when they rave about your work? Use their language. If someone calls you “The Oil Paint Wizard,” you’d better slap “wizard” all over your site.

Step 2: Sprinkle Those Keywords Strategically

Now that you’ve got your shiny new keywords, don’t just throw them anywhere like glitter at an art show. Be intentional. Keywords should feel like an organic part of your website’s DNA, not forced, like trying to fit an elephant into a clown car.

Where to Put Your Keywords:

1. Page Titles and Meta Descriptions

   • Think of this as your site’s elevator pitch. For example, “Custom Digital Pet Portraits – Hand-Drawn with Love” or “Affordable Oil Paintings for Gothic Walls.”

2. Headers (H1, H2, etc.)

   • Although "Portfolio" is great for your navigation menu, it’s not the best title for the actual page. Instead, try something more descriptive and keyword-rich, like, “Explore My Comic Book Cover Illustrations” or “Custom Digital Artwork for Fantasy Lovers.” This helps Google (and potential clients) understand exactly what the page is about.

3. Body Content

   • In the first 300 words of your page copy, make sure to include 2 to 3 longtail keywords. This not only helps with SEO but also signals to Google that your content is relevant to those searches.

4. Image Alt Text

   • Remember, Google can’t “see” your images. Use alt text like, “Oil painting of a cat wearing a crown” or “Custom comic book cover featuring a dragon.” This doesn’t just help with SEO, it can also make your work show up in Google Images, which is another great way to attract potential clients and showcase your art.

5. URLs

   • Clean and keyword-rich. Example: www.artbyyou.com/custom-oil-paintings instead of www.artbyyou.com/page123.

Step 3: Use Google Console to Speed Things Up

Here’s the thing no one tells you about SEO: It’s slower than a turtle swimming through molasses. Google needs about three months to decide if your content is worthy of showing up on page one—or if it’ll be banished to page 10, where dreams go to die. But here’s a trick: you can use Google Search Console to speed things up. By submitting your URL directly to Google, you can force it to index your blog article faster and verify whether or not the page has been indexed. This works for any page on your website, including landing pages and blog articles.

So while you wait for organic magic, don’t obsessively refresh your stats. Instead, focus on creating more content that showcases your work and your personality. Blog about your process, post client testimonials, or share funny stories like that time you accidentally painted your cat’s tail.

Step 4: Dive into Google Analytics (Without Crying)

Okay, so it’s been a few months, and it’s time to see if your SEO efforts are paying off. Enter: Google Analytics, the free tool that’s basically a crystal ball for your website. If you haven’t installed it yet, here is a tutorial.

This free tool can connect to any website, whether you’re on Squarespace, Shopify, or another platform, and it provides insights that your website’s built-in analytics might miss. If you haven’t signed up yet, do it now! Once it’s hooked up for at least one to three months, you can start diving into this metrics checklist to figure out what’s working and what isn’t—so you can do more of what works.

Metrics checklist:

1. Traffic Sources

   Go to Acquisition > Overview. Look for traffic labeled “Organic Search.” This is how many people found you through Google.

   • Example: If you’re a digital illustrator and most of your traffic is from Pinterest, your keywords might need tweaking to target Google users.

   Tips to Improve Traffic Sources:

   • Use specific keywords like "buy digital portraits" or "commission oil paintings" to capture intent.

   • Blog regularly about topics clients search for, like "How to decorate with custom art."

   • Share SEO-optimized content on other platforms (like Pinterest or Instagram) to build backlinks.

   Good Metric: Around 50% of traffic coming from organic search is a great baseline to aim for.

2. Bounce Rate

   Found under Behavior > Site Content > All Pages. If people leave your site quickly, your page might not match their expectations. (Did you promise “custom comic book covers” but only show oil paintings?)

   Tips to Improve Bounce Rate:

   • Rewrite headlines and make content clearer or more engaging.

   • Add more visuals or better descriptions to keep visitors hooked.

   • Improve your site speed; slow-loading pages are a bounce magnet.

   Good Metric: Aim for a bounce rate below 70% for most pages.

3. Top Pages

   Which pages are getting the most love? If your blog post “How to Decorate with Digital Art Prints” is killing it, do more of that.

   Tips to Optimize Top Pages:

   • Add clear calls-to-action (CTAs) like "Contact me for a custom piece."

   • Hyperlink to related pages or products to keep people exploring.

   • Update top-performing pages regularly with fresh content or images.

   Good Metric: Your top 10 pages should account for at least 60% of your site’s traffic.

4. Search Queries

   To find this information, go to Acquisition > Search Console > Queries. These are the actual terms people are Googling to find you. If “custom anime portraits” is bringing in traffic, lean into that keyword harder than you lean into your morning coffee.

   Tips to Optimize for Search Queries:

   • Create more content around your best-performing queries.

   • Adjust your landing pages to match user intent.

   • Add FAQs that directly address the most common search terms.

   Good Metric: At least 5-10 high-performing queries driving consistent traffic is a solid start.

Step 5: Tweak, Adjust, and Repeat

SEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it situation. It’s more like tending to a temperamental houseplant. Check in regularly, make adjustments, and give it some love. Here’s how:

Things to Adjust Based on Your Analytics:

• High Bounce Rate?

  • Rewrite your headlines or add more images. For example, if someone lands on your “Digital Art Commissions” page, make sure it’s clear what you offer and why they need it.

• Low Traffic?

  • Revisit your keywords. Maybe “quirky custom portraits” is too vague. Try “funny oil paintings of pets in royal outfits.”

• Popular Pages?

  • Double down. Add links to your shop or portfolio on these pages to keep people exploring your site.

SEO Is Your BFF (Eventually)

Look, I get it, SEO can feel overwhelming, especially when all you want to do is make art, not play digital detective. But understanding your analytics can be the difference between a website that’s a digital ghost town and one that’s buzzing with potential clients.

Take it one step at a time. Find your keywords, place them smartly, and let Google do its thing. Then, use your analytics to fine-tune your strategy and keep improving. Before you know it, your art will be easier to find than your car keys on a Monday morning.

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If all this feels like too much to handle, why not let me take the reins?

I offer SEO and website optimization services where I handle everything, from copywriting to user experience design for your landing pages, plus in-depth keyword research to attract your ideal audience.

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