The best part of using Etsy as a platform is the ability to get in front of their 90+ million buyers every year. But the platform being so easy to sell on means you have a lot of competition for those buyers. So how do you get popular on Etsy? Here are my top 10 tips to be successful on the platform.
1. Sell something unique
You can open up YouTube or TikTok and see 20 different people on any given day telling you to grab this template, change the design a bit, put it on Etsy, and make a ton of money. But unfortunately, that’s not how it works. If you’ve ever done a search on Amazon or Etsy and gotten frustrated by seeing the same thing over and over again you know what I mean.
You have to sell something unique to get noticed on this platform quickly. That doesn’t mean it has to be complicated, difficult to make, or a priceless work of art. But standing out starts with making a product that buyers can’t get anywhere else.
Create a new style, use some new colors, add a new feature to your product. Experiment with what makes your listings different and see what buyers respond to. Unique products will always float to the top of the platform.
2. Sell something you love
It’s so tempting to spend days or weeks researching the best “high demand – low competition” product out there and focusing your entire shop on that. But what happens when that’s a product you don’t enjoy for a group of people you don’t care about?
You might make some quick sales at the beginning, but these niches can be incredibly hard to sell because you don’t know what’s actually valuable for that audience.
Instead, choose what you sell based on what you love and who you love to make it for. You’ll be more likely to create products that your audience loves and less likely to burn out.
3. Fill your shop
Target wouldn’t be what it is today if you walked in and find 2 candles in the candle aisle, right? Same with your Etsy shop.
A full shop develops the Know, Like, Trust factor with your buyers and helps your conversion rate because each visitor is more likely to find something they love and want to purchase.
4. Perfect your photography
There was a time on Etsy where you could take photos in your basement that looked exactly like photos taken in your basement and still get sales. With the growth of the platform, buyers are looking for professional looking photos to ensure they’re getting exactly what they’re paying for.
That doesn’t mean you need professional photos, but it does mean you’ll need a lot of practice to take your own if it isn’t a strong skill for you. Listen to this podcast episode for my best photography tips.
5. Create professional looking video
Video is not going away, my friend. But just like with photos, a badly lit, blurry video won’t cut it. Experiment with techniques to create interesting videos that help your buyer make the decision to purchase. Don’t bore them with uninteresting videos!
6. Find the best keywords
This is the bread and butter of getting popular on Etsy. Remember those 90 million buyers coming to Etsy each year? They are doing a lot of searches on the platform. Your job is to figure out what they’re searching for and how to rank for those keywords. When people talk about “passive income” on Etsy, this is what they mean. If you’re getting found in searches regularly, you’re making consistent sales without marketing a thing. Learn more about how to do that in my free masterclass here.
7. Ship orders quickly
I know Etsy isn’t Amazon, but all of your buyers won’t know that. Shipping orders quickly can give you a huge advantage over your competition.
Bonus: Buyers can filter their searches by how quickly the order will arrive. So low processing times can help you get found more in search as well.
Can’t make your product quickly? No need to worry. Do the best you can. There are so many ways to stand out on Etsy and this is just one of them.
8. Prioritize customer service
Over the last few years Etsy has prioritized buyers having the best possible experience. So both Etsy as a platform AND your customers will love you for providing great customer service. Answer convos quickly, ship orders on time, and be helpful whenever you can!
9. Have fun on social
I follow a lot of sellers on social media because I love finding new Etsy shops. But let me tell you…a lot of Etsy sellers are boring as heck on social media. The sellers who stand out and actually get some traffic to their shops are having fun, experimenting, and showing their personality on social.
10. Give value everywhere
Your customers don’t care about you or your shop. They care about what you and your products can do for them. So show them! Give your social media followers and email subscribers so much value that they can’t help but purchase from you. Tips and tricks for your niche, helpful guides, motivation, a laugh for the day…all of these are valuable content you can create for your followers and subscribers. Lead with value to increase your sales.
So how do you get popular on Etsy? Standing out on Etsy isn’t always easy, but these 10 tips will help! Need more help! Visit this page to learn how you can work with me to get more sales on Etsy.
