Barbara J Carter

I just made a happy discovery. I’m #1 on Google!

That is, if you search on Google.com for “Barbara Carter“, the first result is my web site.

To be sure, these things fluctuate. I’ve never been #1 on Google before, and it might no longer be true tomorrow. But today I’m celebrating!

I never thought I’d make it to the top. When I began my web site, it didn’t even come up on the first page of search results. Actually, I think it came up on the 3rd!

The worst insult of all was that some other Barbara Carter had already snagged the “BarbaraCarter.com” URL for herself. And, obviously, was coming up top in any search. Drat!

This forced me to really think about how to set up my web site, what to call it, and how to optimize it for people trying to find me. The first thing I had to do was register a different URL, which I did by using my middle initial.

The all-important “J” in Barbara J Carter!

I began to use that “J” in everything. I had always signed my name with it, but now it became my identifier, the thing that sets me apart from all the other Barbara Carters. Believe me, there are a LOT of Barbara Carters out there. So, everywhere my name appeared, I made sure the “J” was included.

Slowly, over the years, I incorporated more and more SEO (search engine optimization) methods to enhance my standing on Google. I even took a class on SEO. Some of the usual SEO techniques involve using keywords, text links, alt tags, and incoming links. An art web site is especially hard to optimize because art is fundamentally about images, while search engines just look at words. It’s slow going, but apparently all that slow steady work has finally paid off!

Or maybe it’s just because the other Barbara Carter’s web site is down.

Fellow artist-blogger Chris Bolmeier interviewed me online this week. Check it out!

Chris Bolmeier Art: Barbara J. Carter Interview - A Force To Be Reckoned With!!

I made it into the local paper (The Foothills Paper) based on my appearance at the Montrose ArtWalk on July 7, 2007. I’ve copied part of the story and my photo (with permission) below.

Be an Artist AND Keep Your Day Job

by Teka Lark-Lo (The Foothills Paper, Vol. 3, No. 27, July 13, 2007)

Not-so-starving artists gathered to show off their talents at the Montrose-Verdugo Chamber of Commerce Art Walk. The glamorous career of a painter can often manifest itself after a sensible career with dentistry. …

One of the more interesting back-stories was that of Barbara J. Carter of Santa Clarita. After Carter picked up a math and physics degree from Harvey Mudd College and a PhD in astrophysics from University of Chicago, she decided to go full-on into art.

“I’ve been doing art all my life. I’ve always been taking art classes, keeping one foot in the door,” said Carter.

Carter has been quite successful from the start. She sold twelve paintings at her first show.

“I sold a $500 painting today,” Carter said.

Apparently you can have the best of both worlds. You can have health insurance and be an artist. It may take a bit longer, but if you don’t make it at least you don’t have to live with your parents when you’re 45 years old.

…

Full article with all photos (4 MB file): The Foothills Paper, July 13, 2007, page 5