13 January 2016
Etsy Resolution: Top tips to sell online in 2016
January’s here, the season of fresh starts! Time to get cracking with all those things that you didn’t quite find time to do in 2015.
We’re taking resolutions seriously here at Etsy.com (the online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods) by helping designer-makers around the UK turn their creative dreams into reality.
Are you a budding entrepreneur? Or do you simply make things for fun? Start selling online with Etsy Resolution, our free community-led bootcamp programme, offering support and skills from top-selling Etsy mentors and business gurus at The Design Trust.
Opening a new Etsy shop from scratch might seem a little intimidating. Where to start, I hear you ask? Never fear! You can get started with these simple, but effective, tips...
1. Take beautiful photos
Great product photography tells your online customer so much more than simply what it is you’re selling. It communicates the size, use and intended audience for your product too. A good photograph should clearly show a well-lit product, in focus and without distracting backgrounds. Your aim is to inspire customers to think, ‘I must have that!’
Anyone can take beautiful photos from home. Check out the Etsy Seller Handbook for more advice and resources.
2. Describe your items
When customers search online, search engines will return your item if there is a match between the words used in your description and those in the search. On Etsy, you can use these important terms (called ‘keywords’) in your titles and tags.
Start generating your keywords by writing down all words that could describe your item. An outside eye is valuable here. Ask a friend what words they would use to describe your product. What would they type into a search engine if they were looking to find a similar item?
3. Promote your work
Shouting about your new venture is crucial. Start with your personal social media channels and, as your business grows, develop separate channels to speak directly to your fans. Pick the platform you are most comfortable with using and focus on that to start with.
Creating a calendar of content for each month can really help. Show off things such as your making process and work space. Remember that people are really interested in what inspires you.
4. Join the #EtsyResolution Challenge!
If these tips inspire you, come and join Etsy Resolution! The bite-sized lessons will get your Etsy shop off the ground by the end of February. There’s also a supportive Facebook community where you can get all your questions answered by other designer-makers on the same journey.
The online bootcamp will be mentored and led by three makers who successfully sell what they make on Etsy.com (Alice Tams, Chris Berry and Becky Kennedy) and supported by the super knowledgeable Patricia van den Akker from The Design Trust.
Get cracking!
The Etsy Resolution online bootcamp starts Monday 25 January. Find out more and join at www.etsy.com/resolution (sign up before 25 January). We can’t wait to see what you make of 2016.
Sarah Hewett, Etsy International Community Programmes team, London.