Are you finding it hard to get more traffic on Etsy? Are your Etsy listings just sitting out there with very few sales? If you’re stuck in a rut in your Etsy shop, you need a plan to boost your sales to put more profit in your pocket. And it all starts with your Etsy listing traffic.
You’re not alone.
Rest assured, you’re not the only seller hoping to get more traffic on Etsy. Many entrepreneurs and self-made business owners are launching their Etsy venture for the first time. And many have simply seen a gradual decline in sales over time. When this happens, it’s easy to think, “If I build it, they will come.” But when it comes to eCommerce, that’s not likely the case.
Your Etsy shop may have the best products in your market—expertly handcrafted and competitively priced. Well worth it to any buyer seeking a product such as yours. But if you’re overlooking these simple things in your shop, you’ll never get more traffic on Etsy.
“If I build it, they will come.”
But when it comes to eCommerce, that’s not likely the case.
In this article, we’ll touch on a few sure-fire ways to help you get more traffic on Etsy. Afterward, you’ll be one step closer to getting buyers into your shop and landing more sales.
Let’s dive in.
Related: Get MORE Sales on Etsy with These Quick Fixes
Double down on your keywords to get more traffic on Etsy
The first thing you need to look at to get more traffic on Etsy is your SEO. But you may not need to make drastic changes. In fact, Fine-tuning your Etsy tags with effective keywords is the best way to get more direct Etsy traffic from search.
Some of the best Etsy sellers have reached the point where they don’t rely on Etsy ads or social media marketing at all. All their sales come from buyers searching for the products in the Etsy search bar. Talk about living the life!
Your shop may not be ready to turn off Etsy ads just yet, but you should always aim to dominate your market and appear high in search.
Keyword ranking & Etsy traffic stats
Start by looking at your keyword ranking for your Etsy listings. Your Etsy traffic stats are easily digestible straight from the Etsy seller dashboard. Ask yourself the following questions when looking at your Etsy traffic stats:
- Do these Etsy search terms buyers are using to find my listings actually reflect the product I sell?
- Am I targeting the search terms from Etsy stats in my listings?
- Do the Etsy tags I’m using have a lot of competition?
- Do my keywords have a high search volume?
- Can I find related or long tail alternative keywords that have a lower search volume but less competition?
That last question is a big one. High-volume keywords often have a lot of competition. Finding a keyword that has a little less volume but much less competition is a quick way to get more traffic on Etsy. If you want to know more about researching keyword search volume, traffic, and engagement, you need to check out the Etsy SEO tools available to you in Marmalead.
Using Marmalead to research keywords and get more traffic on Etsy
Let’s take a look at these examples:
Here’s an obvious question that may come to mind: “What if the keychains I sell aren’t couple keychains?” Well, have you ever thought about expanding the products you offer to better align with the market demand?
When the products you sell start ranking for keywords with lower volume and less competition (like in the example above), there’s a better chance for more meaningful traffic to your listings and a higher conversation rate from that traffic.
So, if you sell keychains, try selling ‘couple keychains’ until you build up keyword credibility for this product. Once you rank higher for this search term, you can do some more market research in Marmalead and on Etsy search to start selling different types of keychains.
Long story short, it’s much easier (and quicker and more profitable) to become the dominant seller in a smaller niche surrounding the products you sell. Niche down versus banging your head against the wall in a popular, high-competition niche.
Step up your social media efforts to get more traffic on Etsy
Using social media to market your Etsy shop is as old as time (or close to it). It’s tried and true when it comes to marketing your product. It’s a go-to marketing tactic for many Etsy sellers because anyone can do it, and it works—when done right.
The challenge is being effective at using social media to market your Etsy products. Promoting your listings on Facebook groups full of other Etsy sellers is a good way to invite critique to your shop, but it will do little to promote your product. That’s because the group you’re in is full of other Etsy sellers, not necessarily Etsy buyers. So, while you might get a spike in traffic, a spike in sales (and profits) is unlikely.
But truth be told, relying on Facebook Groups to market your Etsy products is a pretty tricky part of social media. It takes a lot of time to build up trust in any group that’s likely to have potential customers. People can see through marketing ploys quite easily.
Instead, use your Facebook and Instagram accounts to show off how you make your products. Show the genuine and authentic side of your handmade business. Talk about how you run your Etsy shop, share advice, and offer your own personal stories about being a small, handmade artisan.
This helps people get to know you and see more of the business they’re buying into rather than just the product they’re buying.
Start a blog to get more traffic on Etsy
Marketing 101: A blog is an excellent way to grow your online business. Use it to share the “behind the scenes” process of your business. You can blog about how you make your products, where you source your materials, how you operate your business, and so on. It’s another way to show off your products in a light that’s unique and authentic to your brand.
Similarly, creating blog content about your product is a good way to get more traffic from Google. When people go to Etsy and search for ‘couple keychains,’ you want your product listing to rank high. But what happens when people search Google for that exact term?
Once you get the hang of SEO for Etsy, you can start to work on your SEO for your blog. By targeting keywords that relate to your product, market, and Etsy shop, you’re increasing your sales funnel to direct people to your listings.
Create business cards to get more traffic on Etsy
Say what? Yup, business cards and in-person networking are incredibly overlooked parts of running an online business.
So, what happens when you’re at a party and meet someone who has an interest in what you do? Are they going to remember your cute little shop name? What if you’re still learning SEO and having trouble appearing in Etsy and Google search for keywords related to your shop? If you meet a potential buyer in person, a business card solves that.
“You know Etsy, right? You can buy my keychains there. Yeah, just go to Etsy.com and search for ‘couple keychains’ I should be the 8th or 9th result. My shop is called “CuteKeychainsForCouples.”
Not counting the fact that your listings won’t show up the same for everyone else, here’s an easier way to respond to a potential buyer in person.
“Here’s my card.”
It’s always helpful to have a few business cards on you for the off chance you might bump into a potential buyer while out and about. Not interested in lugging around a pack full of cards? Try a digital business card that links directly to your Etsy shop and provides in-person leads with your contact info.
Not only does it make you look a little more professional, but the person who scans your business card already trusts you a little bit more — possibly enough to buy from you, as they know you’re a real person!
Pro Tip: Business cards are super handy when you take your business offline to craft fairs and home shows. Don’t underestimate this simple (and really fun) way to market your product and network with buyers.
Etsy ads
There, we said it. You can pay Etsy MORE money in hopes that it brings more traffic to your Etsy listings. But paying cold, hard cash to get more Etsy traffic is a double-edged sword. You’ll get the direct traffic on Etsy you’re after, but it’ll cost you. Yup, Etsy ads are an Etsy fee that will dig into your profit margins, and if those margins are thin, well, it’s not always a step in the right direction.
Related: Etsy Ads – Are They Worth It?
That being said, if you’ve got a wide profit margin for your Etsy listings and you’ve nailed your pricing strategy, paid advertisements can help you get a little more traffic to your listings when there aren’t many people searching for what you’re selling. Of course, it’s important to have every other factor of your Etsy shop dialed in.
And when it comes to Etsy ads, don’t overspend. Stay in control of how much you spend every day or week, and stay on top of how that ad spend digs into your profits. Find the balance and you’ll see more traffic on Etsy and get more sales.
Work with complementary companies
If you sell formal wear for women, that buyer might want jewelry to accompany it.
If you sell beard oil, guys may also be looking for a shampoo to accompany it.
If you’re selling dog collars, owners will want a dog to go with it (just kidding, they’ll want a lead 😉).
While it may be a bit too resource-intense for you to start selling these secondary products, find another Etsy shop that does and ask to work with them.
Ask them to include a discount code for your products in every one of their orders—and vice versa for you. Keep track of how many times that code is used and ensure a mutually beneficial relationship. You’ll get more traffic because your shop is put right under the nose of an engaged buyer who’s more than likely in need of what you’re selling. It’s a unique idea out of left field, but you don’t get different results by doing the same thing everyone else is!
Over to you
Don’t have the capacity to do all these things? Then pick one and do it to the best of your ability. If you had to ask us which item on this list is most important, it’s your Etsy SEO.
Remember, not all the strategies listed above will work for you. And that’s ok. Find what works for your business, then double down. And when you do find a method that works, you’ll see more Etsy traffic, sell more products, and get more profit in your pocket!
