Over the past few years, Etsy has been growing into quite the powerhouse when it comes to selling online. It fits into a very specific niche, where the majority of the items on the site are handmade. The site prides itself on that handmade and DIY attitude, and it takes a certain type of dedicated person to sell well on the site. You will find there is no simple formula that will make all sellers successful. Just as with anything, it takes hard work, dedication, and a plan in order to succeed. You have to treat the site like a business to find success. Even though there aren’t any surefire methods of success, you can use the following tips to improve your chances.
When you incorporate the following, you will also be building your brand, which is essential for success in any arena today.
Photography Is Essential
When you are trying to sell handmade goods, you must have great photography if you hope to succeed. Your products are unique, which means that people are not able to check for other images online, in most cases. Photos need to be clear and clean, and they need to show the product in the best light possible. Having a bit of artistry in the photos can help as well.
Know the Item and the Audience
You have to make sure you know your product well too. Know what makes it useful and beneficial for your customers. Even if it is a decorative item, take the time to create descriptions that get customers excited about it. In addition, you have to know how much people will really be willing to pay for your product so you can price accordingly.
Who is your target market? Who do you feel is the typical or ideal customer for your products? These are the people you want to target in your descriptions and in all of your marketing.
Understanding SEO
Simply because you are creating handmade products, it does not preclude you from needing to know all of the same things that other online sellers know, including SEO. Search engine optimization is essential for your photos and your descriptions, and all of the content that you put online. When you are coming up with keywords to use in your descriptions and titles, you will again want to think back to the customer. What types of works and phrases would they use when looking up products like the ones you sell?
Those keywords are the ones you will want to use. When you focus on your smaller niche, you will find that it is often easier to get sales and to develop a good relationship with your core audience and group of customers.
Of course, getting a good grasp of keyword choice and usage does not happen overnight. When you are selling on Etsy, or have any online venture for that matter, it might be a good idea to have a professional to help you, at least in the beginning.
Going Social and Getting More Sales on Etsy
You have to take advantage of the social networks if you want to start selling today. You can connect with people through Facebook and Twitter, and you can share your items with them relatively easily. One of the best new sites for this is Pinterest, and those who are on Etsy can have quite a bit of success here. It’s a photo sharing and pinning site, and you can even include product information, including where to buy, right on the photo. If you have some great photos, people will share them, and this can help you to get more sales and faster sales.
Resource: http://www.handmadeology.com/10-real-tips-for-successfully-selling-on-etsy/