There are a lot of ways to make money online these days. This isn’t to say that it is easy. It just means that if you have a good idea then you should be able to make a business out of it by taking it online. An online business is a great way to make money and still have a lot of flexibility in your life.
Etsy is a great example of this. It’s a platform where creative people can sell their creations and make a great living. If you thought you had to suffer and starve for your art then think again. Etsy is a place where millions of people shop for handmade goods. This means that you can see a lot of success. If you do things right, that is. In this article, we will go over several of the essentials to get right to be successful on Etsy.
1. Have Great Pictures
Since Etsy is all about handmade goods, visuals are extremely important to get right. This means that your product photos have to be professional looking and very descriptive.
The product photo that is going to serve as the thumbnail needs to pop. It should make the person scrolling stop and click on it to see more. This means it should be obvious what it looks like and stands out from the crowd. Look at what others are doing with their thumbnail for the same type of product and look at ways to stand out from them.
When they click on your product page, the rest of the pictures need to help them want to buy. Remove the background from image to give a clear picture of the product itself so there is nothing to distract from it. Take pictures like this from multiple angles so it is clear exactly what the product looks like.
If it is something that will be worn then model it so people can get a sense of what it looks like in action. If it is a piece of art then display it on a wall or shelf as the customer would do so they can see how it looks in real life.
2. Understand SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. What it actually means is putting pieces in place that help search engines find your page and rank it high in the search results. Etsy is a marketplace that has a robust search engine. This means that you have to have an understanding of SEO to make sure that you are positioning your product to be seen.
The basics are to have a lot of relevant tags on the product page so the algorithm understands what it is. Don’t be repetitive and avoid using descriptive terms that are not really what the item is. If people search and see that your product is not relevant then they won’t click and this will hurt your ranking.
Also, use the description to use keywords that people that will want your product would use to find it. The key is understanding what they are actually looking for. For instance, if you have created an earring then make sure to not just describe the look of the earring but what makes it different. If it is made with quality materials, then make sure to say it is hypoallergenic and won’t cause skin problems. These are things that people want to know and are looking for.
3. Send Traffic
Even though there are millions of people shopping on Etsy, you still need to do some legwork to get as many eyeballs on your product as possible. This involves sending traffic from outside the platform to your product page.
The best way to do this is to build a following off of Etsy and then direct them to your offering. Have a good social media presence that is made up of fans so they will love to buy what you are making. Figure out where your core audience is hanging out online and focus your attention there. Create engaging content that they look forward to seeing and you will have a base of customers to draw on for years to come.
You should also look into starting a Youtube channel that highlights how you make your products and generate interest there. The more irons you have in the fire the better it is and Youtube is a great way to generate traffic for your Etsy store.
