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How to avoid a crucial mistake when your gallery participates in an event

Gallery weekends, city art days, 'open galleries' initiatives, etc. are rapidly taking hold in the art world. Is it because they're limited in time or restricted in their geographical reacho that most art dealers still underestimate the unique opportunities such local events offer?

Fact is that most galleries, including yours maybe, miss out on these punctual initiatives to get on the map from the first click.

 

A quick observation as proof

You only need to visit the sites of the participants to see how galleries interact with such events. Most simply announce their participation by adding the activity’s logo and link to the organizers' site.

The gallerists provide no indication of their program for the event, no apparent link between the event and the page's content, no supplementary information to download. As if the gallery couldn't care less about people who want to document themselves before they start their tour.

 

Anyway, why bother?

After all, is it not up to the organizers to meet these expectations? And sure they do all they can to push visitors to the galleries. They offer all the information about the event, dates, timetables, situation plans, including links to the gallery's home pages, gallery coordinates, etc. on their site.

So, what else could you possibly add as a gallery?

 

Incoming traffic is assured

But think twice. Is there really nothing more in it for you as a participant? Aren't you missing out on some major opportunities if you leave the initiative solely to the organizers?

 

First things first: avoid the quick & dirty fix by all means

As mentioned above, the standard way to announce your participation is to insert a link to the event's site. Be it via a clickable logo or a text link on your gallery's home page.

Maybe, you do so because you trust that visitors will return after they have looked up the event's site. But chances are they will not. Once they discover all the other participating galleries, they have already forgotten about your gallery.

 

You loose your regular as well as new visitors with this approach

When your regular visitors discover the link to the event's site upfront on your regular home page, they’re immediately drawn to that other site, their focus on ‘your’ weekend program has vanished and ‘click’, they’re gone because they can't wait to discover which other galleries participate.

Sure they tell themselves they'll come back, … or so you hope.

New visitors react in a similar way. When popping in from the event's site they are eager to discover your weekend program. If besides the prominent logo on your home page (sending them back where they came from) they discover no additional information to make your participation obvious, they’re gone too!

 

Remember, visitors come to visit your gallery's site, not the event's site

When people land on your site, via the event's site or directly, it's a sure sign they are curious to know what you will present during the gallery weekend.

When they discover but a solitary event's logo, they start wondering if they have missed something. Did they check in too early? Didn't you have time to adapt your content? Could it be that your gallery presents nothing special for the gallery weekend after all?

 

Don't make your visitors go in circles

Your visitors are in the atmosphere of the gallery weekend and they expect to discover at least what you have prepared for them on this occasion. Your roster, your gallery ... all these are secondary at this very moment. Beyond the event's logo, you have to immediately show them something that is proof of your participation..

 

But above all: you need to keep them on your gallery's site

How do you do that? Easily, at least ensure that the link sends your visitors to a dedicated landing page on your site!

Gallery weekends have a very distinct profile that offers a wealth of possibilities to position your gallery among a very specific audience. It is a shame to ruin this opportunity from the very first click.

What can happen if you add a little extra on top of the initial push of the organizers to keep them on your site, how to achieve this as you put your gallery on the map will be subject of another article in the back room.