5 Etsy Shop Marketing Ideas

I have figured out many ways to market my Etsy shop since starting it in 2009.  Etsy is such a great avenue to sell your creations.   Many people have quit their "regular" jobs and all they do is what they love and run their Etsy shop.  There are so many stories of people on Etsy who are doing well.  I encourage you to read these stories...they are inspiring and you can get lots of ideas from them.   You can find these stories on the Etsy Blog...link at the bottom of this post. 

I feel I have learned a lot about marketing over the years. I had to do my own research and use my creative mind. Yes, there are manuals you can buy to help, but there is plenty of free advice on the Internet and even on Etsy on how to improve your shop, so why buy a manual?

Here are my top 5 Etsy Shop marketing ideas: 

1. Start a blog

2. Giveaways 

3. Social media 

4. Network 

5. Etsy Groups

1. Start a blog:
Here's the things about blogs.  They can be time consuming, but it is free marketing for you.  Many of the programs out there like this one (Blogger) are very user friendly.  Notice I put they CAN be time consuming, but they don't have to. You can post when you want and they can just be short posts if you like.  However, useful information, will bring in more traffic.  Demonstrate a craft or interview another Etsy Shop Owner or review a product.

2. Giveaways: 
Giveaways will really bring in the traffic.  Give something of yours away (one of your products) or another Etsy Shop's item.  You can ask those who enter your giveaway to like your Facebook page or favorite your Etsy Shop.  It is a great way to bring people to your blog, to advertise your shop more, or a good way to get your product out there.  There are some great blogs that have thousands of followers who can help advertise your giveaway.  If you are advertising your giveaway, you are bringing more traffic to your blog, thus showing off your shop more.  You can have widgets on your blog, like I do on mine, to have your Etsy shop on the side of your blog. One of the blogs I post my giveaways on regularly is http://etsygiveaways.blogspot.com They have over 3000 followers and I have gotten many followers on my blog from advertising my giveaways on there.

3. Social Media
Who can deny the power of social media.  Start a Facebook page, start a Twitter account, start a Pinterest Page all under your Etsy Businesses name.  Have these buttons on your blog so people can follow you.  On these sights you can share pictures of your products.  You can offer specific coupons or sales just for your Facebook followers or whatever social network you choose.  Pinterest is HUGE!  You can pin your own products for free marketing.  In addition, I notice some people sell things on their Facebook pages and now Spotify is pairing up with Facebook so you can sell things on your page through them.

4.  Network
One of the best networking methods is to interview other Etsy Shop Owners on your Blog.  You can see quite a few I have done on mine.  Just find a shop you like on Etsy, and inbox the shop.  Most owners are more than happy to do it.  It is free marketing for them, but you are also getting more followers to your blog by the interviews and/or giveaways which means more traffic to your blog thus more traffic seeing your products.  You help each other this way.  An interview with a giveaway is a great combo.  Ask the shop owner if they can have a giveaway...sometimes a good coupon is good too.
There are many blog writers who like to sample or try products and then write about them.  This is free publicity for you.  Yes, you are giving away one of your products for free, but if the person has 1000+ followers.  They will review your item and write about it on their blog usually with a link to your shop.  A lot of times, these people will inbox you on Etsy.  However, you can search blogs and approach the blog owner via email and ask them if they will review your product on their blog.  In return, they get your product for free.
Another networking avenue is to research or google groups in your area where you live.  For example, where I live there is a group of handmade artists who meet and help each other.  They let you know when the local craft or art shows are you can attend etc.  They usually meet once a month.

5.  Etsy Teams
Etsy teams are a great way to network.  The members usually always have something in common and help each other.  One group I have been a part of in the past that does a lot for their members is Etsy Kids.  You do need to be a bit active in return, but some groups require no activity to join.     There are many options...if you are Christian, you can join a Christian Etsy Group, if you are an Artist, there are many Artist groups...if you are a mom, there are mom groups.  You can also find groups that all make the same products you do.  These groups are great because they help each other, you make friends, but also you can ask questions of others or bounce ideas off of them.  I would suggest you join more than one team.  It is another way to get your name out there too.  To find out about teams and which you can join go here: https://www.etsy.com/teams

Etsy has a lot of helpful articles and inspiring stories that you can read here:  https://blog.etsy.com/en/tags/sh-community/?ref=community_blog_more

Finding art in odd places

So recently I have had to close my Etsy shop, temporarily.  My mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and they had to remove the tumor.  I traveled to help her in So. CA for two weeks.  I sent her to a GREAT rehab facility at Loma Linda University.  When I walked in I found this AMAZING piece of art.  I have just studied gothic cathedrals in my art history class so this really caught my eye and I just had to share!  You will not believe what it is made out of!  I hope it gives you some inspiration with your own arts and or crafts or just exploring art with your kids.  It just goes to show, anything can be ART!!

Locked Up Leprechaun!

Thought of a cute, VERY EASY, craft to do as a center piece or decoration for St. Patty's Day.  In our house, we do several traditions for St. Patty's Day.  The Leprechaun builds his house in our yard one day.  The next day he leaves gold coins everywhere on the ground, but he tricks you with mischief and you find that the gold coins are really not gold, but chocolate coins!  He also does mischief all over the house all week.  Furniture is upside down, toys are in strange places, things are moved around.  We also have the green eggs and ham on that day...well veggie ham.  :)

So to go along with all the whimsy of St. Patty's Day...I thought what a perfect idea to "Catch the Leprechaun!"  We will lock him up!  Maybe he will disappear from his glass dungeon on St. Patty's day.  :)

Here is what you will need (I found everything at Michaels except the key):

Moss (I bought a bag with a variety of mosses, but you can do whatever.
Glass apocrathy jars or candy jar with a lid
Plastic gold coins
A little leprechaun figue
Shamrocks (I bought some already on metal sticks)
Ribbon of your choice
Vintage Key or skeleton key
Burlap ( I found a small green roll of Burlap).


1. Arrange the moss in the bottom of the jar.  I would not glue it down, in case you want to use the jar again for something else.

          2. Cut the wire sticked shamrocks to make them separate as they come in a bunch.  Or if you found shamrocks without sticks, you can add toothpicks to them or small dowels.  Stick them into the moss.  The moss is really spongey, so mine stood in the moss pretty well.

 3. Place your little leprechaun figurine wherever you see fit.  I put mine in the middle.  Once I put him in, I had to arrange the shamrocks around a bit.








4. Drop the gold coins around the leprechaun. I didn't use all the coins that came in the bag, but you can do what you want.

5. Now for the finishing touches.  Tie a ribbon around the top.   Cut out a shamrock out of the burlap and poke a hole through it to attach the key through the hole with a ribbon, or I used jute.  If you are not to good at drawing, you can go here: http://bestclipartblog.com/27-shamrock-clip-art.html/shamrock-clip-art-2 and print out the shamrock clipart and use it as a template. 

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!  

MAY DE LUCK OF DE IRISH BE WIT YA!!

It is Cold, but Spring is Coming! Spring Color Report.

It is hard to think of Spring when it is so cold here in the East, however it is coming and here are the colors for Spring. Hopefully this will bring some warmth to your heart, if not your body. :)