Boost Etsy Traffic

GUEST POST from Kate Danielle

One of the most common misconceptions about selling on Etsy? List it and they will come. For the most part, that statement is false. But what if it could be true for your shop? That would be awesome, right?!

With these five tips, you can generate a large amount of traffic and buyers for your shop without any outside marketing or social media hustle. Marketing outside of Etsy is great. It will drive a whole new pool of potential buyers to your shop, but it’s wise to dive into the pool of shoppers already searching Etsy. To do that you have to know a little bit about Etsy SEO (search engine optimization). Basically when someone is searching Etsy for something that you produce you’ve got to be seen.

1. Clarity Trumps Cuteness

Your listing title plays a vital role in Etsy SEO. Your title you should use keyword phrases, not creative names. When developing your keyword phrases, think about how a shopper would search for your product. Stay away from using technical or material lingo the shopper wouldn’t know.

It’s helpful to repeat words in different phrases. As an example, I sell Christmas ornaments so I may have a title that looks like this: “Personalized Dog Christmas Ornaments, Personalized Pet Christmas Ornaments, Custom Dog Ornaments, Personalized Gifts for Dog Lovers” I should come up for any of those searched phrases, but if I used “Personalized Dog and Personalized Pet Christmas Ornaments,” I most likely wouldn’t come up if someone searched “Personalized Dog Christmas Ornament.”

Step 2 Optimize Your Tags

Use the phrases from your title in your tags. It can get tricky since each tag can only be 20 characters. If your keyword phrase is 20 characters or less, just copy it right into a tag. If it’s too long, take out conjunction words and prepositions. If you have really long keyword phrases, then breach each keyword phrase down to fit. For example, I’d break down the phrase, “Personalized Dog Christmas Ornaments” into four tags: Personalized Dog, Christmas Ornaments, Dog Christmas, Dog Ornaments. Once you break down the title, use all remaining tags with any other helpful phrases.

Step 3: No Dormant Listings

Etsy likes activity in shops. Renewing your listing gives you a boost. Don’t confuse this with annually or automatically renewing expiring listings. Don’t wait on your unpurchased listings to die! I renew listings on a daily basis. Yes, this means paying the $.20 listing fee again and again, but I look at that fee as a form of paid promotion.

One tactic for renewal is to manually renew a few products every time you get a sale because this is proven to boost activity in your shop. Another tactic is automation—set it and forget it. I use Etsyonsale.com to schedule renewals.

Step 4: Promoted Listings

Turn on Etsy promoted listings to double your exposure. Etsy won’t let one shop dominate a search results page. Your product can only appear once per page when searching the Etsy marketplace. Turning on “promote listings” makes it possible for you to appear on a page twice, and often in the first row. Once “promoted listings” is turned on, set your daily budget to $1. Also turn off “auto bid” and set it to $.10 or less across the board. This will maximize your exposure while keeping your expenses low.

Step 5: Eye-catching Photos

Photos are key to your success. With 55 other products per page, your listing must stand out. Some quick tips to improve your photos:

• Take your photo outside in the morning or evening, not in direct sunlight. A covered porch or other shaded spot is a great place to set up.
• For a background, use cloth with a subtle pattern (nothing that will steal the show) or white poster board.
• Style your shot without adding confusion. If you sell stationery, for example, you could style a desktop scene with pens and paperclips. If you sell shirts, on the other hand, it might confuse shoppers if you show an entire outfit. If you want to showcase how an item can be used with other things, use it as your third or fourth photo. Make it clear what the buyer gets in the description.

Kate Danielle is the founder of Kate Danielle: Creative Income for the Mom Life. Her mission is to inspire moms to “Think Like a Boss and Play Like a Mom.” She has turned her creative passions into a passive income business with her styled stock photos and brand shop. She provides resources to teach and encourage other entrepreneur moms to follow their passion of building a business while still having freedom and flexibility that moms need. When she isn’t in boss mode, she can be found in the backyard running around with her toddler and collie. To learn more about Creative Income for the Mom Life and get weekly stock photos for 6 weeks, visit bit.ly/6weekKit.