If you’ve got an Etsy shop, you already know that it’s one of the best places to sell unique products online. With its huge customer base, Etsy is the go-to web shopping destination for many consumers.
Here’s the big question: is your Etsy shop as successful as you want it to be? For a lot of shop owners, the answer is not yet… and that can be frustrating. The good news is that there are some secrets of successful Etsy shops that you can steal, and if you start doing them you can achieve the success you deserve.
Take Great Photographs
You know the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, on Etsy, a picture can be worth a thousand sales or more. A person who’s browsing on Etsy isn’t likely to visit your shop if your images are lackluster and unappealing.
Taking great pictures should be a given. Here are a few tips to help you upgrade your images and attract more visitors to your shop.
- Use a simple background that doesn’t distract from your products.
- Take your photos in natural light.
- Create a cohesive look for your shop by using the same background, lighting, and filters on all your images.
- Use photo editing software to fine-tune your images.
Taking good photos doesn’t need to be time-consuming and you can do it without any special equipment.
Choose the Right Keywords
To be a successful Etsy seller, you need to do more with your product listings than simply describe the product. You need to choose the right keywords – which is another way of saying that you need to describe your product using the words that potential customers are most likely to use to find it.
One of the best tools to use on Etsy is the Etsy search function. To do it, simply type one or two words that describe your product and see what appears. The search function predicts search intent based on data so the terms that pop up are likely to be popular. You can also use Google AdWords.
Here are a few other tips to help you out.
- The first three words of your product description are the most important, so make sure to get them right.
- Vary your product names so Etsy doesn’t think you’re a bot.
- Look at similar products that perform well and use their keywords as inspiration.
- Make sure to use proper spelling and grammar.
Finally, don’t be afraid to tweak your keywords and descriptions if your products aren’t selling. It may take a few tries to get to where you need to be.
Make Customer Service a Priority
People are more likely to turn into repeat customers if you provide them with top-notch customer service. Many of the reviews you’ll see on top Etsy shops comment on service and that should tell you how important it is.
Make sure to respond to messages promptly, partner with excellent POD vendors, and if you’re shipping or delivering products yourself, do it as quickly as possible. It’s also helpful to have a clearly defined, customer-friendly return and refund policy.
Add New Products Regularly
A lot of Etsy shop owners start small and that’s smart – at least at first. But one of the biggest mistakes people make is relying on a few products and not expanding and scaling their shop to attract more traffic.
The argument for adding new products regularly is a simple one. The more products you have, the more keywords you can use. Adding additional keywords makes it that much more likely that a new customer will be able to find your shop.
Another benefit of expanding your product selection is that it increases the likelihood that you’ll get repeat customers. People might not buy the same product again; but, if you expand your offerings, you’ll give them a reason to keep visiting your shop and buy from you the next time they’re looking for similar products.
Offer Free Shipping
If you’re sending products to people’s homes, then you may want to consider offering free shipping. Keep in mind that free doesn’t mean you’re not charging for shipping. Rather, it means that you’re not charging separately. You’re building the cost of shipping into the price of the product.
There’s evidence to support the idea that customers love free shipping. One survey found that 90% of customers would shop online more if free shipping were an option and 73% are more likely to buy an item if it includes free shipping. 24% even said that they were willing to buy additional products to reach a free shipping threshold.
Review your prices and explore cost-effective shipping options to see if it’s feasible to offer free shipping on your products. You can check out Etsy’s free shipping terms for more information.
Promote Your Shop on Social Media
Finally, the top Etsy shop owners don’t wait for customers to find them on Etsy. They spend a little time and money promoting their shops and products on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
For products with visual appeal, using Pinterest and Instagram is a must. Both sites have a great track record when it comes to product sales because users rely on their accounts to help them find appealing products.
While you will need to spend some time setting up your accounts and adding followers, there are easy tricks you can use to promote your products. For example, you can link your Pins on Pinterest directly to your Etsy shop to make it easy for your followers to buy your products. The same is true on Facebook because you can link your Facebook page directly to your Etsy shop. You can also set up an Instagram Shop to make it easy for customers to buy your products directly from their Instagram feed.
Conclusion
The top shops on Etsy aren’t successful by accident. Using the tips that we’ve outlined here can help you to attract more traffic to your shop, sell more products, and – most importantly – increase your profits!
Do you need help turning your Etsy shop into a success? Click here to work with me!
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