The Work From Home Blog

When you think about selling your handcrafted goods on the internet, it’s hard not to think of Etsy. They allow anyone to list their handycrafts even without much knowledge about opening an online store and it’s free to list with a low commission on sold items. Although Etsy takes care of the technical aspect of listing your wares online the promotion and success of your shop is up to you and without going this extra mile it is easy to be disappointed. Below are some tips to help you make more money with Etsy.

Read up about Search Engine Optimization

Although Etsy is a popular marketplace you still need to do some work yourself to drive traffic to your shop. You can do this by improving your shop’s position in search engines for certain keywords that your customer is likely to search for. Try to think of the best possible words to describe your shop and your items. What would a customer search for to find you? Your shop title, section names, item listing pages and shop announcement should contain these important keywords.

Can’t think of keywords? Use a keyword suggestion tool.

Google Adwords has a fantastic keyword suggestion tool that not only shows you keyword ideas but also other useful info like how many local and global monthly searches are performed looking for the particular keyword. This will give you an idea of the best words to use throughout your shop to get more customers.

Get social on Etsy

Etsy is a social marketplace and community and the more you participate the better. You can post on their forum, join teams, exchange links between shops and take part in Buy and Replace treasuries.
Etsy Teams – This is a feature on Etsy where you can connect and collaborate with other Etsy members. Teams band together to help promote each other’s items. There are many teams on Etsy and they are a great way to help you make more money with your shop or just to mingle with other crafters. It is also a good way to get advice from fellow Etsy users who may have more experience.
Buy and Replace Treasuries – Buy and Replace Treasuries can help you gain sales and be noticed by fellow Etsians. Purchase an item from the treasury of your choice and that item is replaced by one from your shop. More info can be found on the Etsy forums.
Link exchanges between stores – Find a store with good sales that does not sell the same products as you. Ask if they would be willing to exchange links with you by listing your store as one of their favorites in their shop announcement, and sweeten the deal with a free item from your shop. In turn, list theirs and return the favor. Thanks to Andrea Albee- Owner/Creator of etsy.com/shop/althea1326 for this tip.

Get social on Facebook and Twitter
Start a page on Facebook and use Twitter as well to promote your shop. Just make sure not to spam, make it interesting, colourful and of value to your customers. Here is an example of a good Facebook page promoting their Etsy shop: facebook.com/AnnaKayCreations

Join other online communities
There are plenty of crafty communities on the internet. Forums, blogs, craft directories, these are all places where you can comment, leave a link (remember to read their rules first) and it all help in getting the word out there about your craft. As well as the promotion it also helps improve your Search Engine rankings.

Start a blog
Why not start a blog that aims to capture the audience that might be interested in your craft items? There are many benefits to blogging about your business and it can open more doors too as well as help you make money on Etsy. There are many sites where you can start a free blog such as wordpress.com and blogger.com

Promote offline
Don’t forget to promote offline too. Hand out business cards wherever you go and also include one with each sale you make.

Related posts:

1. Becoming a successful Etsy seller
2. 13 social shopping sites to promote your products at
3. Selling your craft online
4. updating.me – social network faster!
5. Make money on Facebook