Do you have an Etsy shop and are you wondering how to demystify the best way to search engine optimize it? Etsy has a great many help topics on this subject, but it can become quite overwhelming, especially when you are trying to run your business plus be a marketing guru.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, encompasses many facets that come together under the SEO umbrella.
Etsy is similar in many ways to the other popular online marketplace venues such as Amazon and eBay. You’re playing in someone else’s sandbox so to speak and they all have their own rules and guidelines, perks and restrictions.
But one thing remains the same. If you are not making the most of the tools you’ve got available you won’t be getting the greatest exposure nor will you have a good chance at success in selling.
When we consult with our Etsy clients, we focus on these five major factors that WILL influence just how well your Etsy shop will be search engine optimized.
PRODUCTS –
We focus on Titles, Descriptions, Tags and Images. Titles are tricky on Etsy, and, dependent on what kind of product you sell, greatly influence how your target audience will or won’t find you.
Descriptions need to be as thoroughly detailed as possible. One well written paragraph description of the product is far better than a skimpy one liner or a description that resembles the Great American Novel. The skimpy product description tells the potential customer nothing, and the Great American Novel will put them to sleep and they will move on to a competitor.
Tags need to target your preferred buying audience as opposed to redundantly repeating what’s in the product description.
Images need to be clearly photographed, in good light, and sized at least 1500 x 1500 pixels for clarity. Good light does not mean you need to be a professional photographer. Some products photograph better outside, some inside. Outside you want to take the shots on a lightly cloudy day as bright sunlight will not be your friend, casting glares and shadows. Inside you want to have good light by a window OR two lamps with photography bulbs.
BLOGGING –
You may or may not blog for your Etsy shop, but if you do you need to have good content – not just blogging each product to sell it but telling your audience why it’s the perfect product for them. Why it’s a good gift idea, why it’s a good fit for them, etc. Not every Etsy shop owner blogs, but if you do, you’ll definitely need to come up with good content. And always link back to your product. Very important.
SOCIAL MEDIA –
Are you taking advantage of all the social media opportunities available to you? You need a business Instagram account and a business Facebook account. Once you have your Instagram account set up it can automatically post to your Facebook account, thereby concentrating two time consuming tasks into one.
You also need to know all of the appropriate Instagram hashtags as they pertain to your post, product, and target audience. Very much along the lines of the Etsy product tags, you need to utilize these to capture the correct target audience on social media.
Many likes on social media are just that, likes. They’re never going to be anything else. Some will be tire kickers who actually go to your shop but don’t buy. Realize that on the average a potential customer will visit your shop anywhere from 7 to 11 times before buying UNLESS they just have to have the item NOW. The point is you have to use your Instagram hashtags to build up a following in order to eventually reap sales.
BRANDING –
This is quite possibly the MOST IMPORTANT part of your game! You absolutely need an eye catching Etsy logo that you can incorporate into all of your paperwork, labels, your shop, business cards, brochures, even watermark your products with. Even if at first people do not remember your exact shop name, they will know you were the one with the snappy logo of whatever was created. Your brand is so very important because that is what sets you visually apart from your competition. This is true no matter where you sell, but especially when you sell on a marketplace venue.
EMAIL MARKETING –
This is another effective way of expanding your reach for potential customers. If you have a website or blog, put a signup button on it so people can sign up in one easy click. We personally recommend MailChimp but there are many other equally good email marketing providers out there.
Remember it’s against Etsy rules to harvest your customers email addresses without their explicit consent.
On Facebook utilize your call to action button with a link to your newsletter signup button on your website or blog. If you physically sell at trade shows or craft fairs, capture those email signups with the Mailchimp Subscribe app, available for both Android and iOS.
These topics above are the single most important SEO components you can possibly make use of to make your Etsy shop a success.
Call or text us today at 201.753.1677 if you would like to discuss our Etsy Shop SEO Consulting services! They are available as a one time shot in the arm or on a monthly retainer basis.
