The other thing you want to make sure that you have is control over your Google Analytics. And Google Analytics is just a service that Google provides for free that allows you to monitor the traffic coming in to your website and then make certain insightful decisions about your marketing and approach that you can increase the performance of your site. At its basic, it lets you know how many people are visiting your website. Again, your web designer has likely set this up for you and if he has, he should be able to add you as an administrator so that if for some reason he’s out of the picture you’ll still have control of that asset. So ask your web designer whether you’ve been added as an administrator. And if you are, you should be able to log into Google Analytics using a Gmail account or a Google Apps for Business account and look at the amount of traffic that you have and be able to make certain decisions about how things are going. But I’m not going to get into how to read your Google Analytics, it’s just sufficient that you check that off and make sure that you have complete control over your analytics. Later on, as we talk about building your marketing plan out, having control of your Google Analytics is like driving a car with a clean windshield. You’re going to be able to tell where you’re going. You’re going to be able to tell where you have been and you’re going to be able to see how your search engine optimization is performing. You’re going to be able to see how much traffic is coming in from places that you’re paying for traffic from and you’re going to be able to see referring traffic from all over the internet. So if there’s a directory that you’ve been added to, you’ll be able to see what percentage of your traffic is coming in from that directory. So it’s absolutely essential that you have control over that even if your web designer or the marketing firm you’re dealing with is giving you a good advice, you really should be able to read your ear on road map. And that’s why it’s so important that you have control of that. So make your next phone call to your web designer and get control of your Google Analytics if you don’t already.
“The Bride”. A an example of an experimental, or concept album project from 2022. Painted in acrylic. (Private collection)
Building Confidence Through Language: A Guide for the Collector
One of the biggest barriers for aspiring art collectors is not a lack of taste, but a lack of confident language. People know what they are drawn to, but they often struggle to articulate the ‘why’ behind their emotional connection. Providing them with a basic vocabulary can be transformative.
By explaining core artistic concepts, we can bridge this gap. An artist’s newsletter or a gallery brochure could break down:
- The Architecture of Composition: How lines and shapes lead the eye and create a focal point.
- The Emotional Weight of a Color Palette: Why a limited, muted palette feels different from a vibrant, high-contrast one.
- The Role of Value in Creating Depth: How the interplay of light and shadow builds a believable world.
It’s like being given a phrasebook in a foreign country; suddenly, you can navigate and connect with more assurance. Consider Edward Hopper, whose stylized realism simplifies scenes to their emotional core. Understanding this allows a collector to explain why the work feels so dreamlike and memorable. This knowledge doesn’t replace the emotional response; it validates it.
The Dialogue Between Feeling and Form
Great art speaks to us on two levels: the immediate, gut-level emotional reaction and the deeper intellectual appreciation. You might feel the perpetual warmth and light in a Monet, which immerses the viewer in the sensory experience of a moment. Conversely, you might sense the rugged, stoic soul of the landscape in a piece by Canada’s Group of Seven, which evokes a feeling of profound solitude.
These feelings are universal, but the ability to discuss why we feel them builds a stronger connection. From a marketing perspective, this education slots perfectly into the buyer’s journey. During the “comparison” phase, an artist who also educates their audience is building a relationship of trust and authority, making the final “decision” more likely.
Conclusion: A Bridge of Shared Understanding
Art, in its purest form, is an act of communication. Whether through the calculated narrative of a storyteller or the freeform expression of a poet, the artist extends an invitation to the viewer. By providing the language to understand this invitation, we empower collectors to move beyond simple preference and into the realm of true appreciation. It transforms a simple transaction into a meaningful connection, where the viewer doesn’t just own a piece of art—they become part of its ongoing story.
About the Author
Jaeson Tanner is a Marketing Thinker at Zero Noise Marketing and a narrative artist once in a blue moon. You can see his work on Instagram at @jaeson_tanner.
