the field guide

Blog

Guides for creators who need a website — bands, artists, DJs, tattoo artists, writers, indie devs and everyone in between.

Strategy

Linktree vs Your Own Site: Why Creators Are Ditching the Link-in-Bio Middleman

Linktree is easy, but you're building your audience on someone else's platform. Here's what you lose — and what you gain when you own your corner of the internet.

6 min readJun 2026
Music

The Best Website Builder for Bands in 2026

Most builders give you a dark background, a hero image of a crowd, and a calendar plugin that breaks. Here's what a band website actually needs — and how to build one that doesn't look like every other band's site.

7 min readJun 2026
Portfolio

How to Make a Tattoo Artist Website That Actually Books Appointments

Instagram is where people discover you. Your website is where they decide to book. Here's what a tattoo artist's site needs to turn followers into clients.

6 min readJun 2026
Music

How to Build a DJ Website in an Afternoon

You don't need a designer or a $50/month Squarespace plan. A DJ website needs three things: your mixes, your booking info, and something that looks like your flyer. Here's how to get there in one sitting.

5 min readJun 2026
Strategy

Why Musicians Need More Than a Link-in-Bio Page

Linktree made sense when you just needed a landing spot for your Instagram bio. But if you're serious about your music, your fans deserve more than a list of links on someone else's domain.

5 min readJun 2026
Indie Dev

How Indie Game Devs Get Wishlists Without a Big Studio's Budget

itch.io is where people find your game. Your own site is where journalists, YouTubers, and hardcore fans go to take it seriously. Here's how to build a page that gets your game coverage.

7 min readJun 2026
Visual Art

Your Art Deserves Better Than a Portfolio That Looks Like Everyone Else's

Behance puts your work next to a thousand other artists. Cargo is beautiful but expensive. Generic builders give you a template that looks like a resume. Here's how to build something that actually reflects your work.

6 min readJun 2026
Publishing

How to Build an Online Home for Your Zine Without Losing the DIY Feel

Your zine was made with scissors, tape, and conviction. Your website shouldn't look like it was made by a marketing team. Here's how to build an online presence that keeps the underground aesthetic.

5 min readJun 2026
Booking

How to Get Booked for More Gigs Using Your Own Website

Before a booker responds to your email, they Google you. If nothing comes up — or worse, a dead Facebook page — you don't get the gig. Here's how to fix that.

6 min readJun 2026
Writers

What Should a Writer's Website Actually Have?

You've been putting off building your writer website because it feels like self-promotion and you'd rather be writing. Here's the minimum you actually need — and how to build it without losing a day.

5 min readJun 2026
Fashion

How to Launch a Fashion Lookbook Online Without Paying an Agency

You shot the collection yourself. You're not paying $5k for a website. Here's how emerging designers build editorial lookbook pages that look like a real brand — without the agency bill.

6 min readJun 2026
Press Kit

How to Make an EPK That Actually Gets You Covered

Most musicians send a PDF press kit. It gets downloaded, maybe opened, then lost in someone's Downloads folder. A live EPK page is always up to date and gets bookmarked. Here's what to put in it.

6 min readJun 2026
Photography

Photographer Websites Without the Squarespace Tax

Squarespace is genuinely beautiful. It's also $23/month — which is $276/year on a website that doesn't make you money if you're not actively promoting it. Here's what else actually works.

7 min readJun 2026
Sales

How to Set Up Merch Links on Your Artist Site Without Building a Full Shop

You already sell on Bandcamp, Gumroad, or Etsy. You don't need to rebuild that on your website. You just need a hub page that makes it look intentional — not cobbled together.

5 min readJun 2026
Strategy

Your Instagram Is Not Your Portfolio

You've spent years building your Instagram following. The algorithm can bury your best work, compress your images, and change its mind about what it shows people. Here's why that's a problem — and what to do about it.

5 min readJun 2026
Portfolio

The Illustrator's Guide to Building a Website That Gets You Hired

Art directors and clients hire illustrators from their portfolio websites, not their social feeds. Here's what your site needs to actually land commissions — and what gets in the way.

6 min readJun 2026
Music

What Should a Band Website Actually Have in 2026?

The band website is not dead. It just needs to be useful — not a digital flyer from 2009. Here's the complete checklist for what to include and what you can safely skip.

6 min readJun 2026
Tools

The Best Free Website Builders for Creatives

Most free website tiers are a trap — they give you just enough to get started and then hit you with a paywall the moment you want to look professional. Here's which free plans actually work for creative people.

7 min readJun 2026
Strategy

How to Promote Your Art Online Without Feeling Like a Used Car Salesman

Most advice about promoting your art online sounds like it was written by a marketing consultant who's never made anything. Here's what actually works — without the performative hustle.

6 min readJun 2026
Film

How Indie Filmmakers Build a Reel Page That Gets Them Work

You have footage. You have credits. You need a page that makes someone want to hire you in the time it takes them to decide whether to keep scrolling. Here's how to build it.

6 min readJun 2026