It was about 5 years ago when a client first asked me “Do I really need a website?” To me, who had been building websites since the 1990’s, this question was unexpected, but now, I get it! The digital landscape seems dominated by social media giants—Instagram for artists, TikTok for performers, Twitter/X for novelists, Substack for social activists and LinkedIn for solopreneurs.
Given the ease of connecting, sharing, and even selling directly on these platforms, an increasing number of Arts Cubed clients and prospective clients have asked me, “ is a traditional website still necessary?”
I can confidently answer “yes” for more than one reason. While social media is an excellent distribution channel and discovery tool that you should leverage, it is fundamentally borrowed land. For any serious artist, performer, writer, or solopreneur, a website remains the single most important piece of digital real estate to stake your claim on.
Here are the critical assets that social media cannot provide:
1. Ownership and Control: (You Don’t Own the Algorithm or the Data on Socials)
Social media platforms operate on their own rules, which can change without notice. We’ve all witnessed this in recent times with Twitter/X as the prime example. When you build your presence solely on platforms like Instagram or Facebook, you are subject to the whims of their algorithms, terms of service, reputation, and even their decline.
| Aspect | Social Media Platform | Personal Website | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Ownership | The platform owns the distribution rights; you’re bound by their rules. | You own 100% of the content and data. | Full creative and commercial control. |
| Reach/Visibility | Determined by opaque, constantly changing algorithms (Pay-to-play). | Determined by SEO, direct traffic, and your marketing efforts. | Predictable, long-term stability. |
| Platform Longevity | Vulnerable to being shut down, rebranded, or becoming obsolete. | As long as you pay for hosting, your site exists. | Insurance against platform failure. |
A website provides a stable, permanent archive of your work that is entirely under your control.
2. Branding: A Custom-Built Impression
Whether you are an artist, writer or academic, you have your own style and brand. Social media profiles, while somewhat customizable, are set within a rigid, standardized layout. Everyone’s profile looks fundamentally similar, limiting your ability to connect through your own style.
Your website is a blank canvas. It allows you to:
- Design a unique aesthetic: Reflect your exact style, tone, and professional level without platform constraints.
- Curate the narrative: Control the order and priority in which visitors see your most important work, testimonials, and biography.
- Own the web address: A dedicated, custom domain (yourname.com) instantly conveys a level of seriousness and commitment that a social media handle often does not.
For clients, publishers, galleries, or collaborators, a polished website acts as a professional portfolio and a definitive source of truth about your career.
3. Growing your list or selling your work/tickets
While many social platforms offer limited e-commerce solutions (like Instagram Shopping), a website is the superior engine for selling and converting visitors into customers or clients.
A website allows for:
- Integrated E-commerce: Seamlessly host a full-featured online store for selling prints, books, courses, or services, often with lower transaction fees than third-party marketplaces.
- Lead Generation (Email List): This is perhaps the most crucial difference. Your website is the perfect place to capture visitor email addresses—a communication channel you own. This allows you to bypass the algorithm entirely and communicate directly with your most engaged audience.See solutions for hosting a newsletter right on your website.
- Direct Booking/Contact: Implement sophisticated booking forms, client portals, or contact systems essential for solopreneurs and freelancers.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) equals Discoverability
Most social media content has a short shelf life. Even on longer lived platforms like Substack and Reddit, posts rapidly disappear down the list in search results on the platorm. By contrast, a well-structured website and blog that are well set up to be indexed by search engines (like Google) and can bring in traffic for years to come.
- Targeted Traffic: If someone searches “historical fiction novelist Edmonton” or “custom ceramic artist from Valencia, Spain,” a properly optimized website is far more likely to appear in search results than a generic social media profile.
- Long-Term Authority: Consistent, high-quality content on your website establishes you as an authority in your field, driving organic, high-intent traffic.
5. Comprehensive Portfolio and Archiving
An artist needs a high-resolution photo gallery, a performer needs video clips of their best work, and a novelist needs samples, reviews, publisher links, and a bibliography. Social media is inherently fragmented and chronological—making it terrible for presenting a cohesive, long-term body of work.
Your website serves as the definitive, easy-to-navigate portfolio, allowing potential buyers, agents, or fans to consume your entire body of work in the way you intend. It’s the digital showcase of your professional life, not just the fleeting daily updates.
6. Does this mean that Social Media is a Waste of Time for Artists?
Absolutely not. Relevant social media, preferably a multi-channel approach, is a great way to engage immediately with your existing contacts and find new followers. Social media is like the sidewalk sign outside a store that interests people to enter the store (the website) and explore further.