15 Ways to Make Money on Etsy 

Here are 15 strategies for artists to make Etsy work for them and generate income:

1. High-Quality Etsy Product Photography

Invest time in capturing professional-quality images of your artwork. Good photography can significantly increase the appeal of your products and attract potential buyers.

This one is a game changer and while it may take a while to develop the layout and photography skills, it is a must. 

And once you learn this skill, you’ll be happily surprised by just how useful and transferrable it is.

2. Optimised Etsy Product Titles and Descriptions

Use descriptive and keyword-rich titles and descriptions to improve the visibility of your listings in Etsy’s search results.

Every word in your listing is used by the Etsy search facility, so do your research, understand what words and terms your ideal buyers are thinking and using to find your work.

And don’t expect potential buyers to be able to guess what you would like them to search for, you need to know what they are doing.

3. Search Engine Optimatisation (SEO) and Etsy

Research relevant keywords and incorporate them into your product titles, descriptions, and tags to improve your shop’s visibility on Etsy.

This is different but the same as point 2. SEO is external, it is about Google and co. being able to find you. So when a potential customer does a search in Google, your Etsy product will show up in Google’s results.

How to Find Keywords for your Etsy Products

Don’t know what key words to use? Do some searches yourself and see what Google offers you in the Related Searches section further down the page. 

For example, if you type in dog art work in the Google search bar you’ll get a heap of interesting results, including, Dog Art – Etsy Australia. Further down, in the Related Searches section there’ll be a bundle of results, which are basically telling you key words. In my experiment Google showed: dog wall art Australia, dog prints wall art, dog art Australia, pet portraits, dog prints Australia, dog art ideas.

Each of these six suggestions are key word terms.

It can take years to absolutely nail SEO for any online project, whether it is your Etsy store and products or your website.  And to be frank, very few of us will achieve 10 out of 10 for our SEO. BUT, the best thing is, even with a modest attempt you can get good results from your SEO over time.

It is worth plugging away at your key words and testing out ideas and exploring what is happening with others.

Put another way, all your efforts at setting up an Etsy store and creating products will be a complete waste if you ignore the power of key words and SEO.

5. Consistent Branding on Etsy and Across All Your Online Profiles and Offline Marketing Tools

Develop a cohesive brand identity across your shop, including your logo, packaging, and product presentation.

Consistency helps build trust and recognition among customers, it lets them know where they are with you.

I have to confess to not being a fan of the over use of the word “brand”. Colgate toothpaste is a brand, so too is Coles supermarket, all belonging to mega corporations who want to appeal on a human level.

Whereas for artists and artisans, makers and creators, we don’t need to become mega corporations. But we do need to look after our treasured supporters, our customers who enable us to keep doing what we love.

And that involves having consistency in the images we use to promote what we’re doing. 

For example, if you look at the Art Trails Tasmania home page you’ll see the fairy wrens on a fence in front of a waratah in the background.

This image is used as part of our top navigation bar and also on our Facebook and Instagram pages so our online audience know where they are.

It is used in a variety of places for this very purpose, to help our supporters to easily recognise where they are.

The Art Trails Tasmania logo is also used across multiple marketing tools, including out printed marketing tools, eg. business card, flyers and cards. 

Planning Out Your Images for Your Etsy Store

So when you are planning out your marketing tools (for example Facebook, Instagram, newsletter etc) and collateral (aka your thank you notes to go in with orders, packaging stickers, flyers etc) you need to keep it all working together.

Etsy require nine different images in various sizes for an Etsy store. 

Facebook and Instagram both have different image size requirements too.  

Your email newsletter will require a set of standard images about your business too, although you have more say about these.

This means that you need to have consistency across all of this of your images that you use in your branding.

10. Utilise Etsy Ads Wisely

Consider investing in Etsy Ads to increase your shop’s visibility on the platform. Monitor and adjust your ad campaigns based on their performance to maximise their effectiveness.

Set a Budget and Stick to It

Set yourself a budget for learning how this works and don’t go over budget. It is really easy to lose too much money with digital advertising when you are learning the ropes. Start small, learn step by step so you can flourish.

When you are part of the Etsy community you can ask for help about how to make the Etsy ads work and develop a decent strategy to test out for yourself.

11. Provide Excellent Customer Service on Etsy

Respond promptly to inquiries, address customer concerns, and provide a positive buying experience to encourage repeat business and positive reviews.

This is really important. But so too is not being manipulated by the nasty customers, you know, the ones who treat sellers dismally so they get a refund all the while keeping the perfectly good product (aka stealing).

Excellent customer service does include boundaries.

Many sellers photograph individual pieces before sending them out and provide the customer with the photo to demonstrate the quality of the piece. This is reassuring to all of the good customers and off putting to the scammers.

Plus, you need to have your store terms clearly written out. Again, go to your Etsy seller community for the finer details on how to craft excellent store policies.

You want your customers to rave about you and you want the troublesome customers to not shop with you.

12. Expand Product Range on Etsy Strategically

Continuously innovate and expand your product offerings to appeal to a wider audience and keep your shop fresh and exciting.

There is always an optimal level of product types and the amount that you carry. And that will depend on what you’re capable of making and storing. Very few of us have access to a warehouse for example.

Making Good Use of Limited Editions

But you can expand the product range by having limited editions where you have a certain number of a design for either a limited time or until sold out.

This limited editions let you test out the waters; how easy or difficult was the making process, how did customers respond, did it bring you new customers, did existing customers buy it, how was it for storing, what about shipping, how smooth or costly was that?

When a new design works all round you may decide to add it to the regular offerings. Maybe something has slowed down and should be taken out of the regular offerings?

Many find having seasonal releases to be useful too, think Christmas, Mother’s Day etc.

The magic lies in making it work for both you and your customers.

Making Your Etsy Store Flourish

By implementing these strategies, you can optimise your Etsy shop to increase visibility, attract customers, and ultimately generate more sales and revenue with phyiscal and digital products.

My Etsy Action List

It is one thing to read an article like this when you are figuring out what you want to achieve and how you want to go about it, but it is another thing to take action on it.

I’m a fan of Action Lists. When I was planning out this site I wrote up pages and pages of notes and realised I needed to pull of the steps needed into action lists. 

So what would be three or more points that you would note down for yourself?

5 Etsy Potholes to Avoid

Here are five common issues you might encounter with the Etsy platform, along with strategies to work around them:

1. High Competition on Etsy

With millions of sellers on Etsy, competition can be fierce, making it challenging for new artists to stand out. 

To work around this, focus on creating unique, quality products that cater to a specific niche or audience. 

Emphasise your (brand) creative story, craftsmanship, and value proposition to differentiate yourself from competitors.

2. Etsy Fee Structure

Etsy charges various fees, including listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing fees, which can eat into artists’ profits. 

To mitigate this, carefully calculate your pricing to cover all expenses and ensure a reasonable profit margin. Consider offering bundled products or upselling complementary items to increase the average order value and offset fees.

Also, bring your Etsy audience to your own newsletter, social media platforms and/or online store so you can build a lasting relationship outside of just Etsy.

3. Etsy Search Algorithm Changes

Etsy’s search algorithm frequently evolves, affecting how listings are ranked in search results. To adapt, stay informed about updates to Etsy’s search algorithm and adjust your SEO strategies accordingly.  Being active in the Etsy seller community certainly helps here.

Continuously optimise your product titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords to improve your visibility and ranking on the platform.

4. Limited Control Over Etsy Platform Changes

As a third-party platform, Etsy may implement changes to its policies, features, or algorithms without consulting individual sellers. 

To minimise the impact of platform changes, diversify your sales channels by selling on multiple platforms or establishing your own independent website and grow your own email newsletter. Building a loyal customer base outside of Etsy can provide a safety net in case of unforeseen changes or disruptions.

This is true for all the platforms, from Facebook, Instagram, Patreon, Spoonflower, Print on Demand platforms like Redbubble etc.

5. Etsy Customer Service Challenges

Etsy’s customer service may not always meet sellers’ expectations, particularly in addressing issues such as disputes, refunds, or account suspensions. 

To navigate customer service challenges, maintain clear communication with buyers, promptly address any concerns or complaints, and strive to resolve disputes amicably. Consider providing exceptional customer service as a way to differentiate your shop and build trust with buyers, regardless of any platform-related issues.

Be very clear in your store policies about issues so your customers know this too.

Overcoming the Etsy Pitfalls

By being proactive, adaptable, and resourceful, sellers can overcome common challenges associated with the Etsy platform and effectively leverage its opportunities to grow their businesses.

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