Congratulations on opening your new Etsy shop! Getting started on Etsy is very exciting, but trying to do it right can also feel overwhelming! When I first started, I found so much information out there that just felt like common sense, no real actionable steps to take in order to start getting those first sales.
I remember reading things like, “have a great product”, “take good quality pictures”, and “provide great customer service”. Yes, these are all important, but I’m sure you already figured these out on your own.
To get you off on the right foot, I’ve listed five actions that you can take right now to increase the likelihood of your customers being able to find your great product so that you can wow them with your awesome customer service! These five tips are the result of trial, error, and success that I’ve experienced in the six years I’ve been selling on Etsy.
Tip 1: Have a minimum of 25 items in your shop to improve your search optimization “SEO” on Etsy
First things first, you want to fill up your Etsy shop homepage as soon as possible. Not only will customers take you more seriously if you have more items, but Etsy will actually bump you up in their search results, which will result in more views and ultimately more sales. I have a lot of thoughts on the number of items you’ll want to have in your Etsy shop, but I’ll save that for another time. For now, just get those first 25 items up as quickly as possible.
Tip 2: Use all 13 tag words available to cross-reference your product in searches
Etsy offers you 13 tags for your listing, and I make sure to use them all! Not only do my tags describe my item, but they also describe similar items, events or activities, and where and when my customers will be using my product. You will increase the likelihood that your item will be included in more searches by utilizing all 13 tags to cast a wider net.
When listing my cake toppers, I consider all the possible keywords my customers may use so that my product will be included in their search results. In addition to the standard “Birthday Cake Topper”, “Milestone Cake Topper”, and even the simple “Celebrations”, I include related phrases and products in my tags.
For example, my “30 Never Looked so Good” cake topper listing includes related tag words and phrases; someone may type in “Dirty Thirty cake topper”, and because of my tags, my “30 Never Looked so Good” cake topper pops up. They may realize it is even more fitting for their party. Maybe it’s a phrase they just never thought of, but they love it! Even though the phrase may differ, the product is the same: a cake topper for a 30th birthday.
Tip 3: Use all the available space in your title to fully describe your product
Similarly to your tags, you’ll want to incorporate as many keywords and phrases in your tile as possible. Your title is not the place for a cute or clever name for your item because no one will find it when searching.
For example, if you are selling a blue baby blanket, listing it as a “Caribbean Water Blue Blanket” limits the number of search results your product is included in. I’d use all words and phrases that you can fit to describe exactly what the item is: “Blue baby blanket, baby blanket, baby shower gift, baby boy blanket, nursery decor” and so on. I think about “what keywords and phrases would I use to find this item?”, and generate my title based on those.
Tip 4: Choose your tagline carefully to improve your Google search results
Your tagline is also a place you don’t want to be tempted into adding something cute or clever. When I first started on Etsy, mine was “sprinkling events with cuteness”. Super adorable, right?! The problem was, it wasn’t helping me to bring in sales.
Google uses your tagline in their algorithm’s search results. Once I realized this, I changed my tagline to the keywords related to the items in my shop. This resulted in an immediate increase in the traffic and sales I received from Google searches.
Tip 5: Fill out your profile completely to save time and answer FAQs up front
Although Etsy has made filling out your profile extremely easy, I still see so many shops that don’t take advantage of this important feature!
Your shop profile not only helps your customer get to know you a little better, but it also allows you to answer those frequently asked questions from your customers. Be sure to include your refund and return policy, processing and shipping timelines, whether or not you accept custom orders, and any other information related to your shop and products.
In the beginning, answering a few customer questions might not seem like a big deal, but as you get busier (and I’m sure you will!), finding a way minimize the time you spend answering policy-related questions in emails will become increasingly important.
Well, there you have it! My five useful tips for your new Etsy shop. I hope you found this informative and helpful! If you have a new Etsy shop, please share your link in the comments below. I would love to check it out!
This is truly helpful, thanks.