I think anyone who has ever sold on Etsy can relate to the feeling of dreaming up a new product, making it, taking the time to list it, anxiously waiting for a sale, aaaand… crickets. After you’ve put so much time into your products it’s the biggest let down when they don’t take off like you thought they would.
One thing I always tell people is that success on Etsy takes time. There could be a number of reasons why your listing isn’t taking off right away, but my advice is to do the best you can and then give it a month. If you don’t see any traction in a month, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and beef up your listing.
That’s where this post comes in. Today I am sharing 5 things you can do to create a listing that sells. Use these tips to update old listings and apply them to new ones.
Photos! Photos! Photos!
I’m a firm believer that the absolute most important thing you can do for your Etsy shop is get good photos. Let’s face it, we live in a visual world. Before someone buys a product, they want to be able to imagine themselves using it and dream up a better life if they own it. Dramatic? Probably, but it’s true.
Your listing photos should showcase your products in the best light (figuratively and literally) and sell a potential buyer on your product. Specifically, focus on having a great thumbnail image.
When a potential buyer searches on Etsy, as soon as they hit enter they are met with thousands of options. For each listing a buyer sees the title, average review, price, and you guessed it… a photo. Having an awesome thumbnail image will instantly set your listing apart from your competitors.
Related Videos | Why You Need Better Listing Photos on Etsy + 3 Ways to get Better Listing Photos for Etsy
Competitive Price
I don’t know about you, but after the photo the next thing I look at is the price. If you want your Etsy listing to sell, it is going to have to be priced competitively.
Pricing your handmade items can be tough. You don’t want to charge too much and never sell a thing, but you also don’t want to charge too little and never make a profit.
There are 2 easy ways to check if your product is priced correctly.
First, do some good ole fashion research. Browse through Etsy and see what products similar to yours are priced like. This will give you a good idea at what the market will bear for your products.
Second, pay attention to how often it sells! If your listing isn’t selling, it could be overpriced. If you are selling more than you have time to make, it is probably underpriced.
Clear Title + Description
There is a little bit of debate in the Etsy communities about keyword stacking listing titles for SEO purposes. As far as I know, Etsy has not come out and said that it does or doesn’t work. When I need to make a decision like this in my business, I always ask myself: if I were a buyer, what would I want the title and description to be?
Personally, I like simplicity. I like to know quickly and clearly what I am buying, so as a seller I make my titles shorter and clear. Now that’s not to say you shouldn’t leave some descriptors in there, just make sure it reads naturally.
Ex: Monogrammed Cognac Leather Tote Bag as opposed to just Tote Bag or Monogrammed Leather Tote Bag Personalized Cowhide Tote Book Bag Cognac… (yes that’s a real thing)
Monogrammed Cognac Leather Tote Bag is the perfect amount of descriptors without being overwhelming, yeah? (and there are totally enough keywords for it to be searchable!)
After you have your title, you are going to want a clear, detailed, keyword rich description. This is where you write everything your buyer needs to know about your product. Make sure you include dimensions, the weight, a size chart, materials – all those fun things!
In addition to all the logistical things, many sellers (myself included) believe that writing a short paragraph at the very beginning of the description can benefit your listing’s SEO. This should just be 2-3 sentences that elaborates on your title and sells the buyer on your product.
Tip: Keywords is clearly a buzzword when we are talking about titles and descriptions. The goal is always to include as many as you can, while keeping it easy to read.
Good Reviews
I know this one is tough because reviews feel like something you have little control over. Do your best to provide an awesome product and experience, because reviews matter. Not only can a potential buyer see the average review of your product right on the search page, but having good reviews also impacts your listing’s SEO.
The more your product is bought, shipped on time, and given a 5 star review the higher it will rank against similar products in search. This brings us all the way back around to having a photo, price, and title that makes our listing stand out from others.
Free Shipping
In a world with Amazon, no online shopper wants to pay for shipping! Etsy’s caught onto that quick and started making a push for sellers to offer free shipping on all of their listings. There is a little badge on the search page for every product that ships free and Etsy has stated that shipping price affects a listing’s SEO. Basically, they have outright told sellers it will help you get sales, so don’t ignore it!
Related Post | Why you should be offering free shipping on Etsy and how to do it
Did you catch the theme there!? If a potential buyer can see it on the search page you are going to want to pay attention to it. Chances are it will affect your SEO and sway a buyer’s decision.
Sold on selling on Etsy? Start your shop through this link and get 40 free listings.
Pin it for Later
Leave a Reply