Growing a social media audience isn’t easy, but what if you could get featured on a marketplace’s social feed? Etsy’s Social Media Manager recently shared advice and offered some tips on how sellers can draw his attention to their listings.
Evan Watkins said the first thing sellers should do is make sure their Etsy shop is complete: “This means updating your about section, adding shop policies if you don’t already have them, adding members of your business, and including links to your social profiles on your Etsy shop page.”
He also recommended sellers make sure their titles and tags were accurate representations of their items to make it easy for Etsy’s team to find their items and shop through Etsy search.
Watkins also said quality photographs and listing videos was important – “If you’re looking for inspiration to guide your own content, be sure to check out our social profiles and see the kind of photography and videos that we usually share.”
One piece of advice he shared may be overlooked by sellers: include a link to your Etsy shop in your social profiles. “This allows our team to easily check out your shop from posts that we’re tagged in,” he explained.
Another way to get the attention of Etsy’s social media team members that requires ongoing effort: engage with their content. “Oftentimes we’ll share prompts or questions on our pages and in the Etsy Forums. I’ve discovered quite a few sellers to feature in video projects or posts through their interactions with our content on social and in the Forums.”
When asked what sellers should avoid doing to keep them from being featured by Etsy on social media, Watkins said watermarks on images were no-nos. “We’re not able to feature shops that include watermarks on images, or images that infringe on others’ intellectual property.”
He added, “If you’re creating items based off of an existing intellectual property, we’re probably not going to be able to feature your shop.”
Watkins shared much more during Etsy’s March podcast interview. You can read the full transcript on the Etsy Seller Handbook, which also describes how you can listen to the podcast.
It’s beyond me how people have been lulled into this mindset that Etsy is to be catered to in any way.
THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE !
Etsy is an example of mission creep.
Etsy has “boiled the frog (you) slowly”.
People think it’s completely normal for the parasitic Etsy to meld with and commandeer their business.
THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE !
Take control of your business or kiss it goodbye as another Etsy casualty.
Do NOT under any circumstances give Etsy any free advertising whatsoever.
Etsy should only get 3% from us, nothing from shipping, nothing from labels.
Etsy has become a freeloader. Like the bum with the bag on a stick, except rather than pan handle Etsy boldly comes out in broad daylight and pilfers our money.
Cut off Etsy’s hands and let’s be on the lookout for Honest American Venues.
eCrater is one, and 2 more are needed right now.
Don’t let corporate in the door….They invade via a board of directors.
THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE !
It sounds great – doesn’t it. Seller beware because this is how it really works:
1) If you are being hit with the 15% Etsy marketing penalty because your shop is doing very well, then this does not matter – you are already paying the extra fee and cannot opt out of it.
2) If you are not part of the forced marketing, then you have the option to decide if you want Etsy to promote your products. You should be aware of the cost involved. Therefore, it is an informed decision a seller makes – but this is not the case with getting featured. You do not have a choice, Etsy does not ask, they do.
3) You do not opt in to the marketing because you are not required to. Etsy, without your consent and without your knowledge, features your item or shop in their social media marketing. Guess what – you get hit with a 20% fee on top of the regular Etsy fees. This can bring your total fees for a single sale as high as 30%. SURPRISE! I have had it happen, so have others. If you are working on a small margin, this can really hurt. Not everyone can markup their products to 5x costs. In some markets, you will price yourself out of the sale.