Adapted from my original article How to Use DeviantArt to Boost Google Pagerank and Increase Views
Many people are looking for new ways to promote their web content – whether it be their own websites, photography, or even Bukisa articles. While the usual tried and true methods of SEO and advertising work just fine, more artistic minds might want to think outside of the box a little. For those looking to try a different approach, I present DeviantArt.com! Deviant Art is not simply an art community, but a popular communication tool. It’s high traffic rate and Google ranking make it an ideal place to tell people about your projects. With some creative thinking, you can utilize it to promote just about anything you’re working on.
Step 1. Before we get into the specifics of using the site as a promotion tool, you’re going to actually need an account to get started. It’s free, so sign right on up. If you’re going to be using the site for a specific project, I recommend using the project as your username. If you’re going to be showcasing several of your projects on the site, use your own name (the same that appears, for instance, on your Bukisa articles).
Step 2. Figuring out just what to submit can be tricky. As I’ve written about previous (see my Flickr article in the resources), taking unique photos for your blog or Bukisa articles is a good place to start. You can upload these photographs to DeviantArt in the same way you would on Flickr. In these examples here, AwesomeStart.com is sharing many of the web interfaces their designers have created. In deciding what to post, you’re going to have to think like an artist. What’s the most artistic part of the thing you’re promoting? What would Deviant Art users actually be interested in? This is where the need for creativity comes in. Maybe you could draw some amusing diagrams for your Bukisa articles and post those. It’s really up to you to figure out. Remember: It doesn’t matter if what you’re making is good, only that you try to actually make something. DeviantArt users will be very vocal on how you can improve your craft.
Step 3. Once you’ve got your art piece picked out, we need to optimize it so search engines and gallery browsing users can find it. The best way to do this is using keywords and the description. Let people know what the image is about and what it includes. Jam pack those keywords. Include a link to the site you’re trying to promote in your description. If there’s a link specific to the image (for instace an Bukisa article that usesThe ideas is that if someone is looking for images of, say, a sewing project they would come across your macro stitch photograph and find out you actually have a How To article or blog post about it. The interested user would then find out about your project! These users are fantastic traffic, too – they tend to revisit your site frequently and track your new submissions.
Step 4. Now that your main content is taken care of, fill in the gaps a bit. Update your profile. Add some information about yourself. Utilize the journal space – it’s a great way for people to see what you’ve been up to. You can mirror your site’s blog, provide some teasers for what’s coming up, or post information about what articles you’ve recently written.
Step 5. Watch. Get watchers. Browse the site and find others with similar interest, or artists who’s work you enjoy. Comment on their stuff, add it as a favorite, mark them as a friend. The site is a community after all. Simply browsing around and telling people what you think will actually result in fantastic amounts of traffic.
Step 6. Stay active. Even when you’re away from the site for a few days, people will be poping by and commenting on your art. Mark these people are friends. Send them messages back. It’s very important that you keep up with the people who are showing interest in your project. It shows them that you actually value what they have to say, and it’ll help keep them coming back.
Additional Tips
