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Etsy, once a quaint online marketplace for arts and crafts, has blossomed into a bustling platform boasting over seven million sellers with a variety of products from homemade to digital and everything in between.
Whether you're crafting a side hustle or aiming for a full-time income, Etsy stands as the ultimate canvas for creative entrepreneurs to hone their online selling skills.
We recently interviewed Teria Brooks on the Millionaire University podcast, where she unveiled the steps not only to sell on Etsy but to ascend to the coveted status of a top seller. And she would know since she's a top 1% Etsy seller herself. You can check out that full episode HERE.
Tips for Becoming a Top 1% Etsy Seller
Etsy mastery demands market research, savvy tool utilization, and a knack for community building. Whether you're embarking on your Etsy journey or looking to elevate your existing store, this guide serves as a roadmap to success in Etsy's dynamic landscape.
Nail Your Niche
Teria “nailed” her niche quite literally by starting out by selling nail decals on Etsy. The reason she had so much success wasn’t fully due to the product itself, it was due to demand and an understanding of the niche she was selling in. To be successful in selling your own products on Etsy, you want to make sure you understand and can identify your niche.
Here are some ways to find your niche on Etsy:
Discover What You Love: Reflect on your passions and skills. What unique products can you offer? Consider hobbies, past experiences, or areas where you have special knowledge.
Research the Market: Look at current trends on Etsy. What are customers buying? Use tools like Etsy's search bar to see popular keywords.
Fill a Gap: Identify a gap in the market. Can you offer something that's not widely available but has a demand? How can you make your product even better than one that is available?
“You could search for decals and find millions, but what if you're looking for a specific decal for people that love plants or something super specific, that's where you can get your start.”
Craft Outstanding Listings
According to Teria, you want to make your listing visually appealing and easy for someone to know exactly what they’ll be buying. Thinking of your shop as an actual store window helps you put your best foot forward when it comes to your online store. Accurate and attractive listings are key to catching the eye of potential buyers.
Your outstanding listing needs:
Quality Photos: Invest in good photography. Show your products from multiple angles and in different settings.
Compelling Descriptions: Write clear, detailed descriptions. Highlight the unique features of your products.
SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords in your titles and descriptions to improve search visibility.
Understand and Expand Your Market
Once you’ve mastered a product and have seen success in selling, don’t stop there! The way to scale your Etsy store is through adding more listings and expanding your offerings to your customers. It’s possible to have repeat customers coming back for more if you listen to feedback and requests.
Knowing your audience and understanding their needs gives you the ability to continue creating products that will serve them. You may be surprised to discover product recommendations from your loyal customers that you may have never thought to sell!
You may also be able to expand your audience by creating more products that appeal to even more people.
In Teria’s case, after mastering decals, she was able to scale to larger products that were not so time-intensive to cut and mail, that she could charge a lot more money for.
It all comes back to knowing your niche. When you have taken the time to be intentional about the type of products you will sell, it makes it 10X easier to expand over time, avoiding a random assortment of products in your store.
Tap Into The Power of SEO & Analytics
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a critical part of becoming a successful seller on the platform. It involves using specific keywords in product titles and descriptions to improve the visibility of listings in Etsy's search results.
Understanding and leveraging SEO effectively can lead to more organic traffic to your shop. It's about researching and incorporating the right keywords that potential customers are likely to use when searching for products like yours. This approach helps your listings appear in relevant searches, making it easier for customers to find your products.
Regularly checking your shop's analytics is vital. Etsy provides detailed insights into your shop's performance, including views, visits, and sales data. This information can guide you in making informed decisions about your shop, such as which products are popular, what times of the year are busiest, and which marketing strategies are working. By analyzing this data, you can continually refine your approach, improve your listings, and grow your Etsy business more effectively.
“If you want to cut out some of the time of trial and error, there are a lot of resources now that I didn’t have when I started that help you search keywords, see what the demand for products is, what the competition is, and how many people are searching those particular products.”
Tap into these tools for even more Etsy insight:
ERank:
If affordability is a priority, ERank is one of the top recommended research tools. Teria personally uses this tool daily to help her reach the top rated products on Etsy.
It's particularly notable for its cost-effectiveness, with most users finding the Free or Basic plan sufficient for regular needs. eRank's key features include a Keyword Explorer and a Keyword Tool, providing search volume data, clicks, and competition analysis. It also offers insights into top products and keywords from marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, as well as analysis of top Etsy sellers. Additionally, it provides listing grading and optimization suggestions.
Its best feature is its affordable pricing, starting at just $5.99 per month for a range of useful features.
Everbee:
Everbee is a tool designed to assist Etsy sellers in identifying top-selling products and their potential sales. It features a Chrome extension that simplifies the process of analyzing listings and keywords right on the Etsy platform. Key functionalities include the ability to view estimated sales, revenue, and listing tags on Etsy products, and the option to save listings for future reference.
Everbee offers several pricing plans: a free Hobby Plan with limited access, a Growth Plan for more extensive use, and a Professional Plan for advanced features.
Alura:
Alura offers a suite of tools that can significantly enhance the performance of Etsy shops. This includes a handy Chrome Extension for uncovering profitable product ideas and a Keyword Finder for optimal keyword suggestions. Additionally, its Shop Analyzer tool is designed to optimize listings effectively.
Their pricing starts from $0 and ranges up to $50 monthly with 50% off if you opt for an annual plan.
Build a Strong Brand and Community
Building a strong brand and community on Etsy is pivotal for long-term success. Engage with your customers, gather feedback, and build a loyal base. It’s this community that will support and grow your brand.
This approach is about creating a unique identity for your shop that resonates with your target audience. Consistent branding across your shop, product designs, and marketing materials helps in creating a memorable image.
Never underestimate the value of exceptional customer service. It is a cornerstone of building a strong brand. Teria understands this well, ensuring her customers always have a positive experience.
Responding promptly to queries, customizing orders when possible, and handling any issues efficiently can turn one-time buyers into repeat customers. This level of service enhances your shop's reputation, encouraging customers to recommend your brand to others.
Utilize Etsy’s Advertising Options:
Utilizing Etsy Ads effectively can significantly enhance your store's visibility and sales. As highlighted by Teria, Etsy offers two main types of advertising: Etsy Ads and Offsite Ads.
Etsy Ads allow sellers to promote their products on Etsy’s website and apps, providing a flexible option for those who choose to pay for additional visibility.
Offsite Ads, on the other hand, are more automated. Sellers who reach a certain sales threshold are automatically included in this program, although they can opt-out if they're below this threshold.
The fees for Offsite Ads vary depending on your sales volume. Teria appreciates this feature, noting:
“I loved that Etsy was taking care of that for me, and I didn’t have to deal with my own Google ads or Facebook ads.”
This system simplifies the advertising process for sellers, making it easier to reach a wider audience without the complexities of managing individual ad campaigns on different platforms.
Wrapping Up Etsy 101:
Wrapping up our journey through Etsy 101, it's clear that the path to becoming a top seller is layered with diligent market research, effective use of tools, and a strong sense of community.
As Teria insightfully shared, leveraging Etsy's advertising options and analytics can significantly streamline your marketing efforts. Her experience underscores that a blend of creativity, strategic planning, and customer engagement forms the backbone of a thriving Etsy shop. Whether you're just starting or seeking to elevate your store, these insights offer a roadmap to success in the dynamic world of Etsy.
Remember, every top seller's journey begins with a single step, an idea turned into reality, nurtured by perseverance and adaptability.
If you’re ready to get started with your own Etsy store, dive deeper into each of the stages of starting an Etsy store and check out Teria’s Design To Sell Guide.
Also, snag our FREE BUSINESS COURSE to help you establish the basics of building a successful business online!
Want to keep binging all the amazing content we have for you? Check out Episode 59. 25 Tips for Making Better Business Decisions