Etsy shop tips

Often times there are things that you want to do with your Etsy shop but don't really know where to start.

Here is an easy index to a few useful posts that I've written.

1) 12 steps to a better shop
provides a basic outline to use to critique your shop. Included are points on your banner and avatar, shop policies, tagging, photos, etc.

2) Easy ways to be seen on Etsy
A list of places to 'hang out' on Etsy and be seen!

3) Twitter and the power of social networking The 'basics' of twitter in clear, easy to read English.

4) Search Engine Optimization for Dummies and how it applies to your Etsy Shop. Written in an easy to understand format!

None of these tips and techniques are new, but I have found them all to be very useful.

Search Engine Optimization (for dummies)

There have been many questions asked regarding Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This is what has worked for me...

1) Use relevant words in your title. for example.. call a bracelet a bracelet. You may refer to it as 'a moment in time' but its a bracelet. I don't search for 'a moment in time'. Titles are searchable!

2) Use the first words of your description to describe the item, using as many adjectives as you can. Keep the whimsy to later on. The first 160 characters of the description are the most important! This is what shows up in a Google search.

3) Use your tags effectively. Select tags for your items that describe the item.

4) Use titles on your shop sections that make sense for searching. If you have a section for purses, include the word purse in the section.

5) Make sure your shop title is relevant and relates to what you sell.

6) Use the first few sentences of your shop announcement to accurately describe what your shop is about. Those characters are searchable. So for example, 'welcome to my shop' really doesn't help your shop, but

"Crochetgal carries one of a kind crochet items, hand made soapdishes, and yarns at affordable prices" tells exactly what it is you do.

Thats about it in a nutshell!

For more details you can refer to the Etsy Sellers Guide for SEO

or check out Google's SEO Starter Guide
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/11/googles-seo-starter-guide.html

or TechCrafter's notes on SEO Optimization
Part 1: What is SEO?
http://www.techcrafter.com/2009/07/seo-starter-guide-part-1-what-is-seo.html


Part 2: 10 things that will hurt your site
http://www.techcrafter.com/2009/07/seo-starter-guide-part-2-10-things-that.html


Part 3: Understanding Keywords
http://www.techcrafter.com/2009/07/seo-starter-guide-part-3-understanding.html

Not getting enough Views on Etsy?

There are some great tips in the Etsy forums for getting exposure for your shop. But, before you go running off and starting a twitter, facebook, myspace, blog, 1000markets,DaWanda, etc page, what about exploring all the opportunities that are right here on Etsy?

Here are a few... (in no particular order)
1) Virtual Labs - workshops and classes. http://www.etsy.com/virtual_labs.php
You can get some wonderful tips from the newbie chats, the shop critiques etc. And just being there and asking a couple of pertinent questions can get your avatar noticed by quite a few people

2) Chat rooms - Find one you like or start your own http://www.etsy.com/chat_main.php

3) Treasuries - are a great place to do some 'passive marketing'. When I curate a treasury, I look at each of the shops that have commented and possibly feature them in my next one.
main treasury - Accessible from the Etsy home page http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php Treasuries are also a great way to shop for that elusive gift for someone.

treasury west - a 'test' treasury, but a treasury just the same. http://www.etsy.com/treasury_west.php
If you want to create one yourself just scroll to the bottom of the page to find out how!

4) Teams - are a wonderful way to meet other Etsians who share some sort of a common bond.
Find a team for yourself http://team.etsy.com/

5) Forums - With all the discussions going on, there are so many Etsians who are willing to comment on your latest creation, offer you advice or just give you a shoulder to cry on.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_main.php

6) Have you looked at the other Resources that Etsy offers? http://team.etsy.com/downloads.html

There are plenty of ways right here on Etsy that can help you increase your views. And none of the resources that I've mentions cost you any money..just a little bit of time. They may not bring you the immediate sale, but without views, you cannot get that sale.

Do you have lots of views but very few sales? Here are some tips from the Virtual Lab
session run by Daniellexo

1) Inquiring customers want to know!
- do you have your shop policies outlined in detail? What happens if someone wants to
return something? How do you ship?

Here is a great article from Etsy’s Blog the Storque on Setting up shop policies.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/tech-update-plus-customer-care-tip-hello-policy-168
1/

2) Are you being served?
Outstanding customer service can bring buyers back.

Etsy has done a wonderful series on Service Tips for sellers
http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/service-tips-for-sellers/

3) Marketing vs Promotion
Are you always having a sale of some form or a special promotion? Too many sales and
buyers will wait to make that purchase. If you are going to run a special promotion or a
sale, don’t do them too often but make them really special when you do!

4) I’m looking for a green widget!
How many times have you heard people say that they cannot find what they are looking
for on Etsy? If you are selling green widgets, please tag them as such! A buyer looking for
a green widget won’t find you if your widget isn’t tagged.
There are some excellent tagging guidelines in the Storque
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/guidelines-tips-tagging-on-etsy-281/
You have 14 tags available, use them responsibly!

5) you want it HOW big?
Do you offer your products in a range of sizes? Everyone is NOT a size 2! Sometimes
having a section for each size or colour can be a great advantage.

6) Are your prices too low (or too high)?
Sellers always seem to be asking if their prices are too high. There is nothing wrong with
having different price points in your shop. Have you considered tiered pricing?
Beth writes an excellent article in the storque about how to use tiered pricing to your
advantage.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/the-art-of-pricing-tiered-pricing-627/
And the Etsy Success newsletter had a recent article on Three Helpful pricing exercises
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/the-art-of-pricing-three-helpful-pricing-exercises-37
88/
in their art of pricing series.
There are many other wonderful articles on pricing in the Storque
http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/tags/art-of-pricing/


7) It can’t get there from here!
Sure it can... you just have to ship it.

Great basic shipping information is available .. you just have to read it!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/shipping-how-to-the-final-frontier-1821/

Etsy makes it easy to ship anywhere by setting up shipping profiles which can be applied
to multiple listings.
http://www.etsy.com/faq_selling.php#shipping_profiles


And fellow Etsy Seller Goto (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6650) has one of
the most comprehensive forum posts on shipping from the US that I’ve seen.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5933779

Hopefully, buy applying a few (or all) of these tips, you can convert your browers into
Buyers!