You’ve started your dream side-hustle: an Etsy shop with your hand-crafted goods. Now what? The most crucial step to getting off the ground is, of course, marketing for Etsy. This article will take you through actionable, concrete steps to see results.
Before you get started with the following steps, first ask yourself these questions:
- Who is your target audience?
- What type of personality are you trying to curate?
- Etsy product present a solution to a problem or bring something one-0f-a-kind to the table? If so, what?
Step 1: Think Like A Potential Buyer
The most success will come when you envision what your audience is looking for. This means that you should avoid complex, technical jargon. Instead, put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Using a title such as “Seattle Christmas Cards” is more likely to get hits than “Embossed, Stamped Greeting Card On Cardstock.”
Step 2: Improve Your Etsy Quality Score
On Etsy, a “quality score” contributes to a listing’s probability of showing up. For example, according to Etsy, “If a buyer clicks, favorites, or purchases an item after they’ve seen it in search results, that action contributes to the listing’s quality score.”
Another way you can improve your score is by garnering glowing reviews. Remind your customers every chance you get to leave feedback for you or incentivize buyers with a coupon code if they leave feedback. The more positive reviews you get, the better. Another way you can increase your odds of a good review is a personal thank you note in each of your orders.
Another factor Etsy takes into account is recency. In an attempt to keep search results perpetually fresh for frequent shoppers, Etsy’s search algorithm reviews how recently an item was listed or re-listed. The more recently, the better; therefore, refreshing old listings and adding new listings is highly advantageous.
Finally, local items perform better in search results. If the shopper and the shop are located in the same country, for example, they are more likely to see the shop’s listings. This is a useful tidbit of information when it comes to marketing for Etsy — consider catering to a local audience!
Step 3: Include Attributes
Attributes are best described as details related to your listing. Including attributes will be a great asset to helping you get discovered when marketing your Etsy shop. Here is a list of examples from an Etsy article explaining attributes.
- “A seller chooses to list their item in the oil paintings category. She’ll then see attribute options for things like orientation (horizontal or vertical) and subject matter.
- A seller lists her design in the engagement rings category. She’ll see options for attributes like ring size, gemstone, and setting.
- A seller lists a vintage dress in the dresses category. She’ll see options for attributes including material and style.
- Add color/secondary colors.”
Step 4: Choose Words Intentionally.
Strong keywords are essential when marketing for Etsy. These words should be highly specific to your products. If you are stuck on your brainstorm, however, or wondering about the search volume of words, WordStream is a fantastic resource. It is crucial to know your keywords so that you can use them often and reach the audience you are seeking. These words can be used in hashtags, social media posts, the titles of posts and more.
Etsy also offers the option to use “tags,” and it is wise to use all thirteen slots available. In addition, Etsy recommends using multi-word phrases, alternatively known as long tail keywords. In general, more specific is better. When marketing for Etsy, keep in mind what makes your product special and include that in your title and keywords. Remember, people come to Etsy with quirky and one-of-a-kind items in mind!
Some important reminders:
As a rule of thumb, fill in all the options Etsy offers you. For example, fill in materials and techniques. Etsy gives this example, which helps illustrate the optimal level of detail: “Style: Examples: Art deco lamp, minimalist ring, rustic wall decor, typographic print.”
Another fantastic way to get discovered is to include a purpose for your products. Some examples include: Gifts for moms, gifts for teenage boys or gifts for teachers.
Step 5: Be Intentional About The Order Of Words.
According to Etsy, words at the beginning of titles are considered more important than words at the end. Be deliberate about which keywords you use first. These will be the words that determine whether your product shows up to buyers searching for that topic.
Step 6: Utilize Your Etsy’s About Section
An informative and captivating about section, complete with images, video and personality, can endear customers to your shop and build relationships. Tell your origin story authentically and in detail. According to Etsy’s Seller Handbook, “It can also spark unexpected opportunities, including press coverage, collaborations and new opportunities.”
Step 7: Post To Social Media Regularly and Often
A very important point made by Morgan Nield is that people need to come into contact with your Etsy shop and its products multiple times before they decide to buy. So, if you feel like you’re repeatedly featuring the same or similar products, that may actually be a good thing. She explains:
“Think about it though — have you ever seen a new product in a shop before and immediately thought ‘that’s ridiculous! Why would I ever buy that?’ only to see it pop up in Google AdSense a couple of times, then in an email, then on their social media channel and on Pinterest, and suddenly you’re like “I must buy that thing!”
The moral of the story? Just because you post once or twice doesn’t mean that everyone has seen it. In fact, repeated exposure is a recipe for success.
Step 8: Consider Reaching Out To A Brand Ambassador Or Influencer.
One option is to send your Etsy products out to individuals for free or at a large discount in exchange for showcasing your product on their social media. Another great option is to offer a discount to customers if they are inspired by the influencer to purchase your products.
Step 9: Encourage Your Audience To Participate.
The more you can generate buzz on your social media pages, the better. Offer a giveaway if users tag their friends in the comments, or host a giveaway where users can enter by sharing your post on their story. There are many instances when marketing can be driven by the users. This is both effective and cost-effective, especially given that the users are doing most of the heavy lifting!
Step 10: Strike Up Relationships With Similar Etsy Shops.
One of the best things you can do for marketing your Etsy is to start establishing positive relationships with fellow Etsy shops. This can come in the form of cross-promotion; that is, you feature their work on your social media pages and they feature your products in return. The best way to go about this is simply to ask or strike up conversation.
Complimenting the social media posts of other Etsy pages or commenting on a post can go a long way. You never know where a collaboration will lead. Needless to say, it’s a win-win for both shops!
Step 11: Review Your Own Analytics.
As it turns out, the most informative statistics of all will be your own. When are your followers active on Instagram? Which listings are the most favorited in your Etsy shop? What types of images generate the most buzz? These are all questions you are capable of answering based on the analytics provided by your social media platforms. Pay close attention to what works and what doesn’t when marketing for Etsy. This type of information is exceedingly valuable to your next steps. Your customer base is who you are ultimately trying to please, so when something works, take note! To learn more about social media metrics, check out this article.
Step 12: Curate A Personality
Are your posts light and airy or dark and moody? Is your target audience new moms or middle-aged men? Obviously, your answers to these types of questions are going to heavily impact your manner of speaking, the way you take photos and the type of personality you want your brand to have. Once you have made up your mind, consistency is key.
According to Influencive, there is an art to standing out on social media, and it includes personality and humor. Mitch Miller, a social media influencer and master copywriter, advises:
“Step one is true consistency. The better the ‘friend’, the more you talk to them, right? Make sure you show up daily. And, just like a good friend, you never only talk about one thing all day long. This is why entertainment is key… It keeps you from being predictable and boring.”
Step 13: Interact With Customers.
Because Etsy is a platform for small and independent artisans, customer service should be a top priority. This rule applies not only to the Etsy shop itself, but also to your social media platforms. Make sure you check your online presence every day, whatever form it takes, so that customers are being listened to, responded to and encouraged to stay.
In addition, it’s never a bad idea to ask customers their opinion. It is entirely possible that they will have ideas that you didn’t even think of! For example, Morgan Nield explains, “My best selling product from LittleHighbury is currently a “Mix + Match” headband set that I had NO intention of selling (it truly makes inventory a nightmare) — until customers came knocking and suggested I create one. To date? This listing has sold over $109,000.00 worth of revenue.”
As you can see, sometimes it is truly as simple as keeping an open mind to new ideas!
Step 14: Use Hashtags.
- Hashtagfox.com, which uses data to find successful hashtags based on a given topic.
- Use the Instagram search bar for a given hashtag and see how frequently it is used.
- Use a combination of specific and general hashtags to capture a wide audience.
- Look at the hashtags being used by similar Etsy shops to gain ideas.
When it comes to posting on Instagram, use the maximum number of hashtags possible: 30. Another tip is to include these hashtags in the comments, rather than in the caption. This allows you to harness the power of hashtags without looking like you are spamming your audience.
When it comes to launching your Etsy shop, one thing is certain: Showcase your personality and let your shop’s individuality shine! Etsy shoppers are people who value creativity and ingenuity. By taking the time to be intentional in how you market your Etsy shop, you are already well on your way to making sales and building a strong customer base!
Would You Like Help Building Your Marketing Plan?
Of course, if you would like marketing experts to handle your business’s online presence, Three Girls Media is here to help. Contact us today to get started with a complimentary 30-minute consultation to learn how we can improve your Etsy shop’s marketing efforts.
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