The basics of Etsy SEO

Now I am by no means an expert, but since I spend most every minute of my free time learning how to run an online business, I have picked up a few good tips.  Every new Etsy seller I come across does exactly what I did.  I made cute stuff and listed it and crossed my fingers.  My first shop opened in 2010 and to be honest, I have been running it wrong until a few months ago.

It was so bad, my husband wanted me to shut it down.  I love doing graphics, and once they are made, folks just download them and I am good to go.  Well, I don't want folks waiting 6 years to find they are doing it all wrong.tr

Now again, I am NOT an expert, but these little tips should at least get you going in the right direction, as opposed to my wrong direction.

1.  SEO is tricky, it changes, and you cannot just make a listing and ignore it ( guilty as charged).  You need to keep monitoring your listings as trends come and go and make sure your items are staying on the first 5 pages.

2. What the hell is SEO?  Search Engine Optimization.  Basically it is how your wonderful stuff gets found on Etsy.  Now how do find those magic words?

3. The search bar, now this is a debate, in reality, the search bar only shows the MOST RECENT searches, but I have found it still matches up fairly well with my choices.

4. Google keyword tool, they just changed how it works, it is FREE, but a little tricky, it will make you think you need to pay for ad words...FALSE.  But is is a little awkward.  You can google how to use it for free.

5. Marmalead, there is a free version and a paid version.  I did the paid version for a month and kept a notebook of the good keywords.

6.  Now you have gathered your keywords, you need to get that listing going.  There are different kinds of keywords, long tail keywords and "regular" keywords.  You want to use both.  A long tail keyword is 4-5 words and should be near the beginning of your title.  You then want to REPEAT that exact keyword phrase in the beginning of your item description.  You then want to REPEAT that phrase again in your tags.  If it is too long, do the best you can.  By repeating that phrase it
is giving that phrase a lot of strength.

7.  The title of your item should have that combo of keywords separated by a comma or dash.  Do not run all the words together, it hurts the eyes, and well, it looks terrible.

8.  Use all that space in your title if you can, the more options folks have, the greater chance you will be found.

Here is an example:  You are listing a boho style silver statement necklace, do not just say Silver necklace, boho necklace, statement necklace...you want to link them all together into 1 long tailed keyword: Silver boho statement necklace- now folks looking for more general terms will still find you.  For example if they look for silver necklace, silver statement necklace, silver boho necklace, those are all included in your 1 long tailed keyword. After the long tailed keyword, fill in with other keywords you may have found such as gift for girlfriend, or mother's day gift, Christmas gift, etc

Now, silver boho statement necklace is too long for a tag, so try boho necklace, silver necklace, statement necklace

Now this is just a starter, there is so much more, but it is a lot more I knew when I got started.

Happy listing!

FREE chalkboard digital art print, just because

September has been the worst month since I opened, for the sign shop.  My graphics shop took off, well, for me, at least, it has been a terrific month.  I measure success by how many happy hours I can go to, and this month would have left me in the drunk tank.

So, while I lament my signs, I celebrate my graphics shop, so I am going to give you something for free, yes, free.  Chalkboard art is hot right now, and so are typography prints.  What is awesome about digital prints is that if the trend changes, as it always does, you can change as well, and it does not cost you an arm and a leg.  For a few bucks you download the print and frame it on your lovely walls.

Need a last minute gift?  Bam, download and print and run to the dollar store for a frame ( I won't tell about the dollar store frame).

So, in honor of my graphics, and just because, here is your freebie, now do a happy dance. Oh, and just print this little guy out as 8 x 10.

.https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4J1keODfzWxQnBpNXZxUzZ1QUU/view?usp=sharing

Want to see more? Come visit my shop on Etsy- groovy graphics.

September sales suck

Not only am I am terrible blogger, September hit and sales went down the tubes.  I was warned, it was repeatedly said September will be a terrible month.  Yep.

So what is a girl to do?  I poured myself into my graphics shop, and holy cow, I have had the best month since I opened.  I am so excited, I have added the digital prints to expand my shop and the whole shop is doing well.

I have also taken most of my photos over, again, and did SEO yet again, so let us see what happens with the upcoming holiday season.  Again, the word is, the holidays are a crazy time, so fingers crossed that it is.

Meanwhile our plans are moving forward to make this our full time business starting January 2018.  I am working harder and more hours then I ever had at any other job, it is no joke.  It is definitely a labor of love.

Meanwhile, I am working hard on getting some new products out in time for Christmas.