How to Use Digital Marketing to Grow Your Etsy Store & Earn Money

Illustration of an Etsy store owner using digital marketing to grow their business.

Etsy primarily operates as an e-commerce platform for handmade, vintage items, and unique crafts. However, for sellers and marketers, it offers digital marketing opportunities, depending on how you engage with the platform:

Digital Marketing on Etsy:

Etsy provides sellers with options for paid advertising within the platform through Etsy Ads. This lets you promote your products directly to buyers on Etsy by boosting your listings.
You can also use social media marketing, SEO optimization, and email marketing to drive traffic to your Etsy shop, all of which are digital marketing strategies focused on reaching buyers.

How to Use Digital Marketing to Grow Your Etsy Store: A Comprehensive Guide

With over 80 million active buyers, Etsy offers immense potential for creators and small business owners. However, simply listing your products isn’t enough. To stand out, you need effective digital marketing strategies tailored to Etsy’s platform. In this article, we’ll dive into how to use digital marketing, covering everything from Etsy Ads to social media marketing, SEO, and email marketing to help you grow your store.

1. Paid Advertising with Etsy Ads

Etsy Ads are a powerful way to gain visibility on Etsy itself. Etsy’s internal advertising tool lets you promote your products in relevant search results and category pages. Here’s how to use Etsy Ads effectively:

Set a Daily Budget: Etsy allows you to set a daily advertising budget, even with as little as $1 per day. Start with a smaller budget, monitor your results, and increase your budget for high-performing products.
Choose Your Listings Carefully: Start by promoting bestsellers or unique items that perform well organically. If a product already has sales or positive reviews, it’s more likely to attract clicks and purchases with Etsy Ads.
Optimize Your Ads: Regularly analyze your ad performance using Etsy’s analytics. Look at metrics like impressions, clicks, and conversion rates, adjusting your budget or ad content based on these insights. For example, if a particular product has a high click-through rate (CTR) but a low conversion rate, it may need better images or a more enticing description.

Example: Imagine you sell handmade jewelry. By running ads on your bestseller, a minimalist silver necklace, you can target users searching for “minimalist jewelry” or “silver necklace” to appear at the top of their search results.

2. Social Media Marketing: Expanding Your Reach

Social media platforms, like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok, offer excellent opportunities to showcase your products and engage with a broader audience. Here are some effective social media strategies for Etsy sellers:

Instagram: Create a visually consistent Instagram profile that reflects your brand’s aesthetic. Use Instagram Stories, Reels, and Posts to showcase products in various settings. Tag @etsy and use popular Etsy-related hashtags like #EtsySeller or #HandmadeJewelry to increase your post’s reach. You can even link your Etsy shop directly to Instagram.
Pinterest: As a visual discovery platform, Pinterest is highly effective for Etsy sellers, particularly for products in the crafts, art, or home decor categories. Pin high-quality images of your products with descriptive keywords, linking each Pin back to your Etsy shop.
Facebook: Share your product listings in Facebook Groups dedicated to handmade items or crafts. Facebook Ads can also target a specific audience, such as age, gender, and location, allowing you to reach more potential buyers.

Example: If you create handmade candles, consider sharing behind-the-scenes stories of your candle-making process on Instagram Stories, followed by a Reels video showcasing different scents and how they look in various settings.

3. SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Boosting Organic Visibility

Optimizing your Etsy shop for SEO is essential, as most buyers use search terms to find products. SEO helps your products appear higher in Etsy’s search results and on search engines like Google. Here’s how to boost your SEO for Etsy:

Use Relevant Keywords: Think about the terms your customers would search for. Research keywords and add them to your product titles, descriptions, and tags. Long-tail keywords like “handmade bohemian jewelry” or “organic lavender soap” help your product reach a more specific audience.
Optimize Product Titles and Descriptions: Ensure that your titles and descriptions are not only descriptive but also include relevant keywords. Your title should highlight essential details, while the description provides more information, like size, materials, and unique selling points.
Leverage Tags: Etsy allows 13 tags per product. Use them all! Include primary keywords, but also variations like colors, materials, or style to reach more potential customers.

Example: If you’re selling a vintage denim jacket, you might use keywords like “vintage denim jacket,” “90s oversized jacket,” and “retro jean jacket” to increase your reach within Etsy’s search.

4. Email Marketing: Building a Loyal Customer Base

Building an email list of previous customers and potential buyers is a valuable long-term marketing strategy. Although Etsy doesn’t provide a native email marketing feature, you can work around this by offering discounts or free resources on social media, with a call-to-action to join your email list.

Send Newsletters with New Arrivals and Updates: Keep your audience engaged by sending occasional emails about new product releases, restocked items, or behind-the-scenes updates.
Offer Discounts or Exclusive Promotions: Reward subscribers with special discounts or early access to sales. Create a sense of exclusivity by offering email-only promotions.
Link to Your Etsy Shop in Every Email: Make it easy for subscribers to reach your Etsy shop with a direct link in your email footer.

Example: You run an Etsy shop selling personalized baby gifts. After a customer purchase, you can follow up with a thank-you email and offer a discount on their next purchase. Over time, you can keep them engaged by sharing new products for baby showers or personalized family gifts.

Additional Tips to Make the Most of Your Digital Marketing on Etsy

Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your customers to post photos of your products on social media by offering incentives. Reposting UGC can boost credibility and attract new customers.
Monitor and Adjust Your Marketing Strategies: Continuously monitor which channels and strategies bring the most engagement and sales. Use Etsy’s Shop Stats and tools like Google Analytics to get insights into your traffic sources and popular products.
Explore Content Marketing: If you have a blog or website, you can create content related to your products. For instance, if you sell eco-friendly products, create blog posts about sustainability, linking them back to your Etsy shop.
Experiment with Influencer Marketing: Partnering with influencers in your niche can introduce your products to a wider audience. Choose influencers with engaged followers who fit your brand’s aesthetic.

Final Thoughts

Growing an Etsy shop using digital marketing requires a strategic approach, and with these techniques, you’re well on your way to increasing visibility, engaging customers, and boosting sales. By investing in Etsy Ads, social media marketing, SEO, and email marketing, you can expand your reach and establish a loyal customer base on Etsy. The key is to start small, monitor your results, and adjust your strategies to find what works best for your products.