Etsy has over 90 million buyers, so your sales potential is huge on this platform. But you have to get some traffic to actually take advantage of the platform. So how do you actually get more visible? Learn how to get your Etsy products seen with these 3 steps: Product lines, SEO, and marketing.
Product Lines
Your product lines on Etsy are groups of listings that fit together by keyword. For example, if you are selling planners there are tons of keywords buyers might be using to search for your products. Daily planners, digital planners, social media planners, meal planners. All of these products are different product lines because they are not interchangeable to your buyers. Learn more about product lines here.
Pick products in demand
When planning your product lines you want to make sure that what you're making is going to be in demand. This is unrelated to your competition, or how many sellers are also showing up in search results for certain keywords.
You can estimate the demand for a product by using keyword research tools like eRank or Marmalead.
Make what you love
While a lot of experts will tell you to choose a product solely based off stats like demand and competition, I have seen that strategy crash and burn dozens of times for sellers. Here's what happens when you pick a product solely based on stats. You end up getting a couple of sales, but then you get stuck. You don't know enough about your target market because you don't have a lot of experience in your niche. Then you get frustrated and burnt out, which leads to decreased sales or quitting altogether.
Instead, I want you to make something you love. You'll be more excited about your business and more aware of the trends in your niche. This helps you build a business you love and you can stick with.
Saturate your product lines
Etsy rewards sellers who saturate a niche in their shop because they see you as important for the keywords you're trying to rank for. That doesn't mean you can't have multiple product lines in one shop (see this podcast episode for more information), but if you focus on one product line at a time you'll see quicker results.
SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is how Etsy uses your listing information to decide where you should rank in searches being completed by buyers. Learn more about that algorithm here.
Keyword research
The first step in Etsy SEO is your keyword research. Make sure you're using phrases that your buyers are typing into the Etsy search bar and that aren't too competitive. Some Etsy searches can have millions and millions of search results for competition. Those searches are incredibly hard to rank for. Instead focus on keywords you know you can rank well for.
Format your listings
Next comes formatting. You want to avoid common mistakes like using single words tags, not copying your titles into your tags, and changing your listings too often. Make sure your titles are easy for buyers to read as well.
Marketing
Your marketing plan on Etsy should be super simple because it's something you need to be consistent with in order to see results. Communities and a loyal following aren't built overnight, so don't get discouraged when you don't get a million followers right away. Social media can be a great way to help get your Etsy listings seen as long as you're spending your time wisely.
Pick a platform
The first step in your marketing plan is to pick a platform. Remember that I told you to prioritize consistency? You'll want to take that into account when picking a platform. I encourage you to pick an app you actually enjoy spending time on. This means you'll engage with other accounts more and be more likely to have fun experimenting with new content.
Pick a strategy
Then you need to pick a strategy. You'll want to lead your strategy with the value you are giving your followers. One of the biggest mistakes I see Etsy sellers making with their content strategy is post after post with captions that say something like “New listing. Link in bio.”
If your posts are boring to you, they sure as heck are boring to your audience too. So create content that helps them by giving them tips for caring for your products, helpful advice that's related to your niche, or even content that just makes them laugh or brightens their day.
