How to Promote Your Etsy Shop Online
Etsy provides crafters and local artisans the opportunity to create unique items and list those items for sale on a website known to Internet shoppers as a haven for homespun, crafty merchandise. However, listing your items for sale on Etsy is only a portion of the work needed to consistently move your products. You must plan out and implement an online marketing strategy to take your Etsy-based business to the next level.
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Instructions
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Sign up on popular social-networking sites to secure the name of your Etsy shop on the sites. Even when you are not yet ready to implement promotion plans, it is best to grab your shop name before it is claimed by another user. Register on nationally popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger, WordPress and Tumblr as well as on any popular sites related to your Etsy niche.
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Start your promotion process on the social-networking account where you already have a strong personal presence, such as Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. Post an update in message form or through a video to let people know you have a new Facebook page, Twitter account or YouTube member name for them to follow to keep up with your business and products. Obtaining a core group of familiar followers before you begin posting regular product information, discounts and photos increases your chances of having your postings shared on social sites from the beginning.
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Customize your Twitter profile by uploading a background image that showcases a selection of your products around the outer edges of the image. Also, upload a profile photograph featuring you or a key product.
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Promote your Etsy shop on Twitter by routinely incorporating promotional messages highlighting your products into your regular updates. These messages can include coupon codes for your Etsy store, special offers, seasonal merchandise or products you market that organically tie in with the most popular topics of the day. For example, promote a custom smartphone case you craft on days that a new version of the phone is announced or released.
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Promote your business on Facebook by uploading an image for your Facebook page photo that is easily recognizable in a variety of display sizes. Comment on other Facebook pages related to your niche in a conversational manner instead of a directly promotional manner.
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Share regular updates on your Facebook page's wall. Include a mixture of status messages, photos and videos so that you can engage your followers on multiple levels and increase your chances of your follower's sharing your content with their followers. When you receive comments on your status messages, post replies and immediately answer questions asked about any of your products.
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Create short videos demonstrating your products and upload the videos to YouTube. The videos can be productions filmed with a digital camcorder and edited with professional software or short demonstrations shot with a built-in computer webcam and uploaded without editing.The point of the videos is to demonstrate to your followers how your products work, fit and move or to show off exactly what your craft does.
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Share your YouTube videos across your other social sites by including a link to the video in your status updates or by embedding the videos directly into your social-media profiles. Directly underneath your YouTube videos, click on the "Share" button to access and customize the embed code for your video and then copy and paste this code into your profiles that accept embedded content.
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Start a blog through a service such as Blogger, Tumblr or WordPress. Each site offers free blogs and additional products and services that can be purchased for a fee. Whichever site you choose to use, remember to keep your business name registered on the other sites for potential future use.
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Write several blog posts relaying information about your Etsy shop and your products. Include pictures, embed videos and encourage your readers to shop in your store and follow your shop through your other active social-media accounts. Update your blog monthly at a minimum but, preferably, one or twice a week to keep subscribers engaged.
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Find niche sites devoted to the market your Etsy shop serves and sign up as a forum member, blog subscriber or contributor. Each site sets its own rules regarding personal promotion, so direct advertising of your products may or not be allowed. However, your time spent networking allows you to develop new connections with fellow hobbyists or crafters who may choose to follow you and your work outside of the main site.
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Tips & Warnings
Terms of service on any website are subject to change at the site owner's discretion. Always stay up to date on the promotional activities allowed and discouraged on any site on which your company maintains a profile.
