Dont forget that it is that time of year again that for a 4 day crunch, we can use special tags to help us be promoted in the Etsy search by using:
BLACK FRIDAY ETSY OR CYBER MONDAY ETSY
* you can use one or both phrases as tags
* ONLY add it as a tag and in the body of your description, it is suggested that you do not put it in your description title since it will affect your SEO searches
* only use them if you are offering a SALE for this time period
THE BLACK FRIDAY/ETSY MONDAY DAYS ARE NOV 23- NOV 26 THIS YEAR
WANT AN EASY WAY TO ADD AND DELETE TAGS FOR THESE EVENTS?
It's a site that allows you to easily run a sale in your Etsy shop, change tags for items all at once, and auto renew items on a schedule you set. Plus, if you login and link up your Etsy shop you will get a total of $10 in free credits to use by using my promo link (otherwise you only get $5)
ETSYONSALE
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
SEO Myths- What you should not believe! by Mary at WingsDoveSEOGuides
Incredible information about SEO's and the REAL information to help you in listing, tagging and titles in your shops. Thanks so much to Mary from WingsDoveSEOGuides for allowing me to share this great information with my readers
She also has two other shops, wingsdove.etsy.com and printableshop.etsy.com.
Mary also has two Etsy SEO Teams where every Etsy shop owner is welcome to join:
www.etsy.com/teams/11352/relevancy-and-seo-for-all-etsy-shops
www.etsy.com/teams/12637/seo-team-seo-reviews
She sells an Etsy shop SEO guidebook in this shop and custom Etsy shop SEO Services through her SEO Web design Web site: www.wingsdove.com/etsy-shop-seo.htm.
She has also worked with professional SEO and Web design for over 9 years. (so at least we know she knows what she is talking about!!)
SEO Myths you should NOT believe.
These are mythical SEO statements made in the Etsy forums in the past year or so, both in the Open and Team forums.
None of these statements about SEO are true. Please do not waste your time and energy follwing any of these SEO myths.
MYTH: The first 160 characters of your shop announcement are picked up by Google. The first three words of your item titles are crawled, the top three tags are crawled, your top three shop sections are crawled, and your shop title (the words under your shop name on the left hand column) are crawled. All that stuff is super-duper important to increasing your Google rankings.
FACT: Google reads crawls every bit of text on every Web page. At this time, Etsy does NOT make the listing tags are not visible to Google or other search engines. This is the only text that is not visible to Google.
MYTH: The first three words of the description are the most important words.
FACT: Google reads all of the words in the listing description - they are all important. The first 140 characters of the listing description are very visible to Google. It's a good idea to place at least one of the keyword phrases in this area. Use the rest of the keywords in the rest of the listing description.
MYTH: For Google, the listing title must be copied into the first line of the listing description
FACT: Copying the listing title into the first line of the listing description is better than nothing but this may not pass Google's Low Quality Content Filter.The keywords in the listing title should be used in the listing descriptions but not copied word for word into the first line.
MYTH: Do not repeat a word in the title, even if it makes the title make more sense
FACT: Words can be repeated in listing titles, as long as you do not go overboard
MYTH: Keywords in the listing title should be in descending order of importance. title like this:
necklace, beads, green
scarf, crocheted, cotton
booties, red, baby
earrings, wire wrapped, gorgeous
prints, flower, outdoor
FACT: This is "backward speak" and it does not work very well on Etsy or on Google. Use real "forward speak" keyword phrases, such as,
green bead necklace
cotten crocheted scarf
red baby booties
wire wrapped earrings ("gorgeous" is not a keyword used in searches)
(I am not sure what the last one what intened to be, possilby a photo print or an Art Print?)
MYTH: Your title must be in all capital letters to be searchable by Google
FACT: All the search engines, including Google and Etsy, read small letters and caps exactly the same way. It does not matter to Google if the title is in all CAPS, although Etsy will not allow more than four words in all CAPS.
MYTH: Your title must not contain any capital letters to be searchable by Google.
OR
MYTH: You should not capitalize the words in your title with the exception on the first and or second word.
FACT: All the search engines, including Google and Etsy, read small letters and caps exactly the same way. It does not matter to Google if the title is in all small letters of a mix of CAPS and small letters.
MYTH: Then I heard that your Tags have to start with a Capital letter to show up and the first tags are the most important.
FACT: It does not matter to Etsy search engine whether you use caps or small letters: all tags are treated equally. Google does not "see" the listing tags.
MYTH: Do NOT to use punctuation in Titles, etc.
FACT: Punctuation can be used in shop titles, section names and listing titles as long as there is a space before of after the punctuation. ALWAYS use a space before or after the punctuation.
MYTH: Google doesn't like certain words like: burgandy (because it's a type of wine), gun, free, merlot (again, b/c it's a type of wine)
FACT: Google has restrictions like this on Google Shopping but there are no restricted words on Google's natural, organic search results.
MYTH: Etsy did not have the ability to tag images, and the name of your images were irrevelant to SEO's.
FACT: Etsy assigns a number to every image that is uploaded into the database of photos, therefore it does not matter what name you give the photo.
MYTH: I remember reading a long time ago that Etsy uses an item's title as the meta tag for its photos. If you hover over the photos while viewing a shop, you'll see a pop-up box that has the item's title. I'm pretty sure what's in that pop-up box is the meta tag.
Also,
MYTH: Any image that we upload to Etsy in our listings should have a descriptive title. For example, if I upload a picture of a hat, the .jpg should be named "Purple Knt Hat." This helps with SEO especially when the image is then reposted on Pinterest, Wanelo, Google+ etc.
FACT: Etsy creates an image "alt" tag for every image, using all the words in the listing description. These are the words that you see when hovering over the photo with the mouse pointer. This is also the tag that works well when reposted on Pinterest, Wanelo, Google+ etc. Use good descriptive keywords in the listing title for this to work.
MYTH: Use the same words in our title and tags as we have named our photo when we saved it on our computer.
FACT: No. Use good, effective keywords you have researched in one of the keyword databases that are available for research on the Internet to find the keywords that are at least somewhat popular in searches on Google and other search engines. People do tend to use very similar words over and over again when searching for products or services anywhere on the Internet includng Etsy.
MYTH: You should submit your shop to all the search engines for good rankings.
FACT: Submitting Web sites to search engines is something that worked for SEO 15 years ago when Recency played a big role in search results. This stopped working when Google came along with Relevancy search. Sumitting to search engines is a waste of time and money. Big search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing ignore repeated submissions.
MYTH: SEO gives me a headache, I will never learn it.
FACT: Learning something new and very different can seem overwhelming at first. There are more complex parts to SEO but the basics of SEO can be learned by anyone. Just give yourself time and allow for some trial and error as you go along. Experience really is the best way to learn SEO.
Most Etsy sellers knew nothing about SEO when I started posting SEO threads in the forums three years ago. Even with some of these crazy SEO myths floating around, there has been so much obvious progress since then. More and more Etsy sellers are working with and learning SEO and getting better and better at it.
She also has two other shops, wingsdove.etsy.com and printableshop.etsy.com.
Mary also has two Etsy SEO Teams where every Etsy shop owner is welcome to join:
www.etsy.com/teams/11352/relevancy-and-seo-for-all-etsy-shops
www.etsy.com/teams/12637/seo-team-seo-reviews
She sells an Etsy shop SEO guidebook in this shop and custom Etsy shop SEO Services through her SEO Web design Web site: www.wingsdove.com/etsy-shop-seo.htm.
She has also worked with professional SEO and Web design for over 9 years. (so at least we know she knows what she is talking about!!)
SEO Myths you should NOT believe.
These are mythical SEO statements made in the Etsy forums in the past year or so, both in the Open and Team forums.
None of these statements about SEO are true. Please do not waste your time and energy follwing any of these SEO myths.
MYTH: The first 160 characters of your shop announcement are picked up by Google. The first three words of your item titles are crawled, the top three tags are crawled, your top three shop sections are crawled, and your shop title (the words under your shop name on the left hand column) are crawled. All that stuff is super-duper important to increasing your Google rankings.
FACT: Google reads crawls every bit of text on every Web page. At this time, Etsy does NOT make the listing tags are not visible to Google or other search engines. This is the only text that is not visible to Google.
MYTH: The first three words of the description are the most important words.
FACT: Google reads all of the words in the listing description - they are all important. The first 140 characters of the listing description are very visible to Google. It's a good idea to place at least one of the keyword phrases in this area. Use the rest of the keywords in the rest of the listing description.
MYTH: For Google, the listing title must be copied into the first line of the listing description
FACT: Copying the listing title into the first line of the listing description is better than nothing but this may not pass Google's Low Quality Content Filter.The keywords in the listing title should be used in the listing descriptions but not copied word for word into the first line.
MYTH: Do not repeat a word in the title, even if it makes the title make more sense
FACT: Words can be repeated in listing titles, as long as you do not go overboard
MYTH: Keywords in the listing title should be in descending order of importance. title like this:
necklace, beads, green
scarf, crocheted, cotton
booties, red, baby
earrings, wire wrapped, gorgeous
prints, flower, outdoor
FACT: This is "backward speak" and it does not work very well on Etsy or on Google. Use real "forward speak" keyword phrases, such as,
green bead necklace
cotten crocheted scarf
red baby booties
wire wrapped earrings ("gorgeous" is not a keyword used in searches)
(I am not sure what the last one what intened to be, possilby a photo print or an Art Print?)
MYTH: Your title must be in all capital letters to be searchable by Google
FACT: All the search engines, including Google and Etsy, read small letters and caps exactly the same way. It does not matter to Google if the title is in all CAPS, although Etsy will not allow more than four words in all CAPS.
MYTH: Your title must not contain any capital letters to be searchable by Google.
OR
MYTH: You should not capitalize the words in your title with the exception on the first and or second word.
FACT: All the search engines, including Google and Etsy, read small letters and caps exactly the same way. It does not matter to Google if the title is in all small letters of a mix of CAPS and small letters.
MYTH: Then I heard that your Tags have to start with a Capital letter to show up and the first tags are the most important.
FACT: It does not matter to Etsy search engine whether you use caps or small letters: all tags are treated equally. Google does not "see" the listing tags.
MYTH: Do NOT to use punctuation in Titles, etc.
FACT: Punctuation can be used in shop titles, section names and listing titles as long as there is a space before of after the punctuation. ALWAYS use a space before or after the punctuation.
MYTH: Google doesn't like certain words like: burgandy (because it's a type of wine), gun, free, merlot (again, b/c it's a type of wine)
FACT: Google has restrictions like this on Google Shopping but there are no restricted words on Google's natural, organic search results.
MYTH: Etsy did not have the ability to tag images, and the name of your images were irrevelant to SEO's.
FACT: Etsy assigns a number to every image that is uploaded into the database of photos, therefore it does not matter what name you give the photo.
MYTH: I remember reading a long time ago that Etsy uses an item's title as the meta tag for its photos. If you hover over the photos while viewing a shop, you'll see a pop-up box that has the item's title. I'm pretty sure what's in that pop-up box is the meta tag.
Also,
MYTH: Any image that we upload to Etsy in our listings should have a descriptive title. For example, if I upload a picture of a hat, the .jpg should be named "Purple Knt Hat." This helps with SEO especially when the image is then reposted on Pinterest, Wanelo, Google+ etc.
FACT: Etsy creates an image "alt" tag for every image, using all the words in the listing description. These are the words that you see when hovering over the photo with the mouse pointer. This is also the tag that works well when reposted on Pinterest, Wanelo, Google+ etc. Use good descriptive keywords in the listing title for this to work.
MYTH: Use the same words in our title and tags as we have named our photo when we saved it on our computer.
FACT: No. Use good, effective keywords you have researched in one of the keyword databases that are available for research on the Internet to find the keywords that are at least somewhat popular in searches on Google and other search engines. People do tend to use very similar words over and over again when searching for products or services anywhere on the Internet includng Etsy.
MYTH: You should submit your shop to all the search engines for good rankings.
FACT: Submitting Web sites to search engines is something that worked for SEO 15 years ago when Recency played a big role in search results. This stopped working when Google came along with Relevancy search. Sumitting to search engines is a waste of time and money. Big search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing ignore repeated submissions.
MYTH: SEO gives me a headache, I will never learn it.
FACT: Learning something new and very different can seem overwhelming at first. There are more complex parts to SEO but the basics of SEO can be learned by anyone. Just give yourself time and allow for some trial and error as you go along. Experience really is the best way to learn SEO.
Most Etsy sellers knew nothing about SEO when I started posting SEO threads in the forums three years ago. Even with some of these crazy SEO myths floating around, there has been so much obvious progress since then. More and more Etsy sellers are working with and learning SEO and getting better and better at it.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
TRANSLATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL SELLERS- Help from rockythezombie
rockythezombie has written a nice collective group of items sold online that can help you tag your items for non U.S. searchers
US (left) - European (right)
Vest - Waistcoast
Tags - Labels
Barette - Hair slide
Fanny Pack - Bumbag
Sandwich - Butty
French Press - Cafetière
Chips - Crisps
French Fries - Chips
Plushie - Cuddly toy
Soda - Fizzy drink
Popsicle - Ice lolly
Underwear - Pants
Panties - Knickers
Pants - Trousers
Toilet - Loo
Ladybug - Ladybird
Car hood - Bonnet
Trunk - Boot
Grill - Barbeque
Broil - Grill
Kerosene - Paraffin
Dessert - Pudding
Faucet - Tap
Eggplant - Aubergine
Tank top - Vest
Sneaker - Trainer
Suspenders - Bracers
Stockings - Tights
Garters - Suspenders
Gum boots - Wellies
Diaper - Nappy
Parka - Anorak
Onesie - Bodysuit
Pacifier - Dummy
Cookie - Biscuit
Biscuit - Scone
Candy - Sweet
Sucker - lolly
Spool - Reel
Clothes pin - Peg
Eraser - Rubber
Backpack - Rucksack
Napkin - Serviette
Dish towel - Teatowel
Sweater - Jumper
Truck - Lorry
Rhi has offered this discount code: 'ILOVEROCKY' and it gives 10% off, and is always active in here shop. She creates these fantastic prints herself!
MY FAVE DESIGN FROM ROCKYTHEZOMBIE
US (left) - European (right)
Vest - Waistcoast
Tags - Labels
Barette - Hair slide
Fanny Pack - Bumbag
Sandwich - Butty
French Press - Cafetière
Chips - Crisps
French Fries - Chips
Plushie - Cuddly toy
Soda - Fizzy drink
Popsicle - Ice lolly
Underwear - Pants
Panties - Knickers
Pants - Trousers
Toilet - Loo
Ladybug - Ladybird
Car hood - Bonnet
Trunk - Boot
Grill - Barbeque
Broil - Grill
Kerosene - Paraffin
Dessert - Pudding
Faucet - Tap
Eggplant - Aubergine
Tank top - Vest
Sneaker - Trainer
Suspenders - Bracers
Stockings - Tights
Garters - Suspenders
Gum boots - Wellies
Diaper - Nappy
Parka - Anorak
Onesie - Bodysuit
Pacifier - Dummy
Cookie - Biscuit
Biscuit - Scone
Candy - Sweet
Sucker - lolly
Spool - Reel
Clothes pin - Peg
Eraser - Rubber
Backpack - Rucksack
Napkin - Serviette
Dish towel - Teatowel
Sweater - Jumper
Truck - Lorry
Rhi has offered this discount code: 'ILOVEROCKY' and it gives 10% off, and is always active in here shop. She creates these fantastic prints herself!
MY FAVE DESIGN FROM ROCKYTHEZOMBIE
Sunday, August 26, 2012
HAVING TROUBLE WITH ATTRIBUTES? - Help from SparrowSalvage
I know that sometimes I will just paint some semi-abstract painting that I find difficulty in deciding what attribute it falls into for tagging my item for relevancy and started searching for resources to make my job easier
SparrowSalvage also was trying to compile a list for her shop friends and used the invaluable advantage of her fashion and interior magazine obsession to compile an authentic as possible list to make it clear for labelling. She is an assemblage artist living near Melbourne, Australia, that creates many things including handmade jewelry from antique and vintage salvage.
Excerpt from her self description
" The elements I use to create my pieces are largely vintage, antique and re-claimed, and I've been collecting things for over 15 years, compulsively building up a treasure trove of salvaged materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. With these trinkets of the past I build up layers of time and history with rustic textures, faded colour, simple techniques and natural materials."
This is her amended list (since it has been tweaked since her original compilation) and hopefully this will be a valuable tool for anyone wanting that little extra edge to tighten up their useful tags. This is not by any means a comprehensive list, but as a starting point of which direction to look in. If you have something significant to add to to it, please post
African - fairly straight forward- anything that has a style of Africa. Animal prints, safari fashion, primitive shapes and natural materials in deep rich earth tones.
Art Deco - 1920s-1930s, geometric designs, stylised figures, straight lines. The Chrysler building, Miami hotels, flapper girls.
Art Nouveau - rich flowing lines, earthy colours, beautiful women, insects and flowers. The most widely known (and pure example) of Nouveau style is of Gaudi's buildings and Mucha's illustrations.
Asian - pretty straight forward, though given we have 'zen' down there as well, I'm going to assume Asian is anything that looks Chinese. Red and black, feng shui symbols- think Chinatown.
Athletic - Just think of the local sportwear shop, that's athletic. Tight fitting, simple lines, little in the way of pattern. I would assume yoga wear, leggings and gym bags would go in here.
Avant Garde - this is tricky- it's sort of art fashion. It literally means 'the new guarde' and it's anything hyper-modern and a bit out there, stuff you look at and think 'woah, that's...different.' If you consider yourself ahead of your time, then your stuff goes in here!
Boho - Boho is short for bohemian, it means long romantic dresses, beads, big handbags, ethnic prints, sun hats, 70s sunglasses, long hair, sandals... it's a sort of glamorous hippy.
Country Western - Cowboys, cowgirls, cowkids. The boots, the hat, the longhorn skulls, cactus, blue jeans, fringed leather. Yippee Ki-Yay!
Fantasy - anything with dragons, fairies, dwarves and elves (oh my!). Think Lord of the Rings, Labyrinth, Brian Froud, Conan. You can add romantic, tribal, gothic or steampunk to this style as well, it's quite broad.
Folk - this is a narrow field between 'woodland' (see below) and boho- folk is Scandinavian prints, 70s ethnic and mod all bundled together. Think gypsy caravans, gingerbread houses and bundled up Russian maids.
Goth - black black black. Usually with skulls and crosses as motifs, think Addams Family, The Craft, The Cure... goth is emo with drama. Goth has a million different sub-genres but there's usually something particular about a piece- you can have boho goth, industrial goth, romantic goth, Victorian goth, kawaii goth... you'll know which one you're looking for if you want to make/buy goth items.
High Fashion - designer wear, tailored forms, good quality materials and excellent craftsmanship. High Fashion is like a delicate way of saying 'very well made and very expensive'.
Hip Hop - Think Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Hip Hop is 80s and 90s street style- bright colours and sportswear brands paired with over-the-top gold jewelry and the most ridiculous Nikes you can find.
Hippie - hippie is boho with the addition of tie-dye, acid bright colours, big floral prints and ethnic prints. Think Hair, Woodstock and 60s Haight/Ashbury.
Hipster - barnwood, moustaches, black triangles, geometrics in primary colours, pared-back native style, nerd glasses, bikes, etc. If you make something that's hipster, you will know. Other attributes that go along with this are Industrial, tribal, woodland and Edwardian.
Historical - Anything that looks of a time period, usually pre-1920s. It's more specifically Victorian, Georgian, Elizabeth, Tudor... If you're going to label something historical it should be accurate for it's time- i.e. a Victorian style corset is not historical if it's not accurate to a decade (1880 for example), it's just a Victorian style corset. Most people who use/search historical will probably be looking for re-enactment gear and they want accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!
Hollywood Regency- part Moroccan bazaar, part Georgian townhouse, part Art Deco palace. Think 20s/30s/40s old-school glamour, Spanish architecture, silks and satins, creamy jewel colours and opulent rooms. Modern Hollywood Regency seems to have lost alot of the Moorish influence but still carries the elegant glamour of big old 1920s houses.
Industrial - this is a sort of modern look, but with very factory-style lines. Industrial is a very simple almost severe look, and is most often comprised of vintage salvaged things like steel-topped tables, trestles, product moulds from factories and big signs. Industrial has the feel of a big old factory, with lots of metal, chunky wood and hazard colours.
Kawaii - this is a Japanese fashion term, meaning 'cute'. Anything girlish and romantic with a serious addition of kitsch. Big eyed girls, anime, baby animals, candy colours. Anything a 14 year old girl would look at and think 'oh that's soooo cute!!!!' A hefty dose of pink.
Kitsch - Kitsch is retro tacky. Think of your grandmother's donkey shaped salt and pepper shakers, 1970s tourist souvenirs, 1960s paintings on velvet etc. Anything 60s/70s, colourful and humorous. Think Hairspray, Pee-Wee Herman and old-school Disneyland.
Mediterranean- a sort of rustic with a dose of preppy nautical and a touch of high-end resort. Mediterranean is hard look to pin down- it's usually white, terracotta, and bright blue. Nautical themes, summer style. Think of the Greek Islands and 1990s Ralph Lauren.
Mid-Century - Pure 1950s! Everything that was modern and clean lined in the 1950s. Soft colours such as lemon yellow, aqua, baby pink and sea green are used. There's not much pattern but when their is it's usually shapes like atoms, kidneys, arrowheads and boomerangs. Dior's 'new look' (despite it being 1947!) and the TV show Mad Men are perfect examples. A lot of stuff that's mid-mod is also called Eames era and atomic age.
Military - army style! Kahki greens and browns, brass buttons, soldiers uniforms, big black boots, tailored shapes, earth tones. Think M.A.S.H or the movie Stripes.
Minimalist - following the mantra 'less is more', this is modern with the most simple terms. Natural materials, stainless steel, straight lines, smooth textures, functional. Think of old movies when they show people in heaven. (Though ironically it's most people's idea of hell!) Minimalist style contains objects and fashion that does little more than serve it's function- all adornment is shunned.
Mod - sharp graphics, black and white, tight fitting clothes, geometric shapes, Mod is a sort of Mid-Century avant guarde. It was the stuff in the 60s that was diametrically opposite to the hippies and predominantly a UK style. Micro length shorts and skirts, knee high go-go boots, Perspex jewelry, tailored lines and sharp cuts. Think Austin Powers, The (original!!) Italian Job and model icons like Twiggy.
Modern - Modern is a sort of generic term for anything that's made now and is the typical example of it's time. IKEA furniture, Crate and Barrel...The thing about the modern attribute tag here is that it will put a modern angle on anything else you choose. Use modern with tribal if you make runway style, use modern with traditional if you've taken an antique dresser and painted it pink, use modern with Romantic if you've made a necklace that's a tea cup shape cut from white perspex, etc.
Nautical - nautical is black, blue and white, tailored shapes and anything you can attribute to yachting, so anchors, grommets, rope, etc. It's preppy at sea. Think Ralph Lauren, Miami Vice, The Love Boat. Nautical was huge in the 80s and 90s.
Neo-classical- a bit tough to pin down, this is a sort of historical modernism. Usually Italian style of the 17th and 18th centuries with a fresh, modern twist. It's marble columns, Georgian features, pale colours and elegant forms. Think the great cotton mansions of the South, Italian Renaissance details, 80s country club decor.
Preppy- think upper class, All-American, 1950s society athletics. It's country club golf lunch, private schools, tennis, yachting, croquet and equestrian pursuits. Think well-fitting clothes, clean lines, blazers, loafers, slick hair. Pattern is limited but is usually Argyle, checks and plaid.
Primitive - from a style point of view, this is usually American primitive (also called 'prim'). Colonial furniture, muddy colours, rusty metals and faded prints. Harvest themes and simple solid farmhouse aesthetics. Other attributes that will go with this include Rustic, Country and Tribal (for when you mean primitive man).
Resort - glamorous super models lounging by the pool. Kaftans, giant sunglasses, cocktails, swimwear (especially skimpy or classically tailored) and anything floaty and simple. There's a good dose of tropical in resort style.
Retro- I like to think of retro as 'kitsch vintage'. Retro is the period from the 60s to the 70s where things got a little out of control- think bold wallpaper, loud shirts, big patterns, wide flares and luminous colours. Disco meets Pop.
Rocker- this is sort of punk without the overkill. Rocker style is all about adding glam to a motorbike gang. Black leather, studded belts, cowboy boots, lightening bolts, skulls, electric guitars, stars and big hair. Colours are usually red, yellow, pink or lime green with a good dose of black. Think Aerosmith, 80s hair bands, Alice Cooper.
Rustic - texture! Anything that's rough, simply made and a little bit country. Raw wood, rusted metal, neutral colours. It's country pared right back and primitive without the colour.
Sci-Fi - Think star wars, star trek, Buck Rogers... lots of white, silver, clear, plastics and chrome. Colour is rare but it's usually fire engine red and royal blue in luminous 'what does this button do?' tones.
Shabby Chic - I think we all know what this looks like. I will delicately mention that Shabby Chic is a copyrighted term by Rachel Ashwell, and many people simply call it 'shabby cottage' instead (I would suggest Etsy changes this as soon as they can). It's white one white, lots of lace, faded natural tones, pink, roses, chandeliers, zinc buckets... you get the picture. Other attributes that will go with this include traditional, Boho, Victorian and Edwardian.
Southwestern- I only just learned this one the other day, back in the olden days they used to call this 'tex mex' or Santa Fe. It's part cowboy, part Indian. Desert colours, Native patterns, natural materials.
Spooky - I would guess this is what I call Halloween gothic. Ghosts, spiders, haunted houses, graveyards etc. It's the more cutsey side of gothic, usually with bright colours and lots of black.
Steampunk - Despite it's now ubiquitous place in modern lifestyle, a lot of people don't seem to know what steampunk is. Essentially it's anything of a mechanical nature given an overly Victorian appearance. It has a very flexible boundary, but for 'pure' steampunk it's earth and jewel tones, opulent design, Victorian lines and usually either clockwork, boiler rivets, old keys or some kind of industrial flair.
Techie - Bit unsure on this, I would assume they mean computer hackers and science geeks. We used to have a Geekery section on Etsy, so I would think anything in there goes in this. The goth, sci-fi and modern attributes would also fit well with this.
Traditional- Typically considered to be Georgian/Victorian, traditional is often a colonial look with handsome furniture, antique details and elegant patterns. Anything antique and grand usually fits the style perfectly. Relaxed dark colours and comfortable furniture, stately homes, gentleman's clubs and respectable hotels.
Tribal - much like African, tribal has a primitive barbarian feel to it. Bone beads, earth tones, geometric shapes like arrows and triangles, native style, simple construction, rough cast metal and natural materials.
Victorian - pretty straight forward- anything that's Victorian in style. You don't have to be accurate (that's what the historical tag is for!) but anything modelled to the last half of the 19th century is 'pure' Victorian, with the high peak being 1860s- 1880s. Though the Victorians were mad for colour, Victorian style now days is usually the ornate, lace-and-beaded black-on-black that was popular in the 1880s and 1890s, with high button boots, lace cuffs and cameo jewelry.
Waldorf- "Waldorf" comes from the educational scene - Rudolf Steiner is the founder. It describes toys, which are simple made.' I remember seeing these dolls when I googled it. So there you go! Anyone who makes toys which are simply made and designed using natural materials, this is for you!
Woodland - sort of folk meets fairy tale. Anything with forest creatures such as deer, rabbits, foxes, birds and bears as well as flora like acorns, walnuts, blackberries, ferns, ivy and birch. Woodland stuff is very sweet and old-fashioned, like a children's story. Think Hansel and Gretel, Bambi and Goldilocks.
Zen- this is the Japanese side of Oriental. Clean lines, modern shapes and simple construction, Zen is clam, neutral in tone and almost minimalist in design
SparrowSalvage also was trying to compile a list for her shop friends and used the invaluable advantage of her fashion and interior magazine obsession to compile an authentic as possible list to make it clear for labelling. She is an assemblage artist living near Melbourne, Australia, that creates many things including handmade jewelry from antique and vintage salvage.
Excerpt from her self description
" The elements I use to create my pieces are largely vintage, antique and re-claimed, and I've been collecting things for over 15 years, compulsively building up a treasure trove of salvaged materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. With these trinkets of the past I build up layers of time and history with rustic textures, faded colour, simple techniques and natural materials."
This is her amended list (since it has been tweaked since her original compilation) and hopefully this will be a valuable tool for anyone wanting that little extra edge to tighten up their useful tags. This is not by any means a comprehensive list, but as a starting point of which direction to look in. If you have something significant to add to to it, please post
African - fairly straight forward- anything that has a style of Africa. Animal prints, safari fashion, primitive shapes and natural materials in deep rich earth tones.
Art Deco - 1920s-1930s, geometric designs, stylised figures, straight lines. The Chrysler building, Miami hotels, flapper girls.
Art Nouveau - rich flowing lines, earthy colours, beautiful women, insects and flowers. The most widely known (and pure example) of Nouveau style is of Gaudi's buildings and Mucha's illustrations.
Asian - pretty straight forward, though given we have 'zen' down there as well, I'm going to assume Asian is anything that looks Chinese. Red and black, feng shui symbols- think Chinatown.
Athletic - Just think of the local sportwear shop, that's athletic. Tight fitting, simple lines, little in the way of pattern. I would assume yoga wear, leggings and gym bags would go in here.
Avant Garde - this is tricky- it's sort of art fashion. It literally means 'the new guarde' and it's anything hyper-modern and a bit out there, stuff you look at and think 'woah, that's...different.' If you consider yourself ahead of your time, then your stuff goes in here!
Boho - Boho is short for bohemian, it means long romantic dresses, beads, big handbags, ethnic prints, sun hats, 70s sunglasses, long hair, sandals... it's a sort of glamorous hippy.
Country Western - Cowboys, cowgirls, cowkids. The boots, the hat, the longhorn skulls, cactus, blue jeans, fringed leather. Yippee Ki-Yay!
Fantasy - anything with dragons, fairies, dwarves and elves (oh my!). Think Lord of the Rings, Labyrinth, Brian Froud, Conan. You can add romantic, tribal, gothic or steampunk to this style as well, it's quite broad.
Folk - this is a narrow field between 'woodland' (see below) and boho- folk is Scandinavian prints, 70s ethnic and mod all bundled together. Think gypsy caravans, gingerbread houses and bundled up Russian maids.
Goth - black black black. Usually with skulls and crosses as motifs, think Addams Family, The Craft, The Cure... goth is emo with drama. Goth has a million different sub-genres but there's usually something particular about a piece- you can have boho goth, industrial goth, romantic goth, Victorian goth, kawaii goth... you'll know which one you're looking for if you want to make/buy goth items.
High Fashion - designer wear, tailored forms, good quality materials and excellent craftsmanship. High Fashion is like a delicate way of saying 'very well made and very expensive'.
Hip Hop - Think Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Hip Hop is 80s and 90s street style- bright colours and sportswear brands paired with over-the-top gold jewelry and the most ridiculous Nikes you can find.
Hippie - hippie is boho with the addition of tie-dye, acid bright colours, big floral prints and ethnic prints. Think Hair, Woodstock and 60s Haight/Ashbury.
Hipster - barnwood, moustaches, black triangles, geometrics in primary colours, pared-back native style, nerd glasses, bikes, etc. If you make something that's hipster, you will know. Other attributes that go along with this are Industrial, tribal, woodland and Edwardian.
Historical - Anything that looks of a time period, usually pre-1920s. It's more specifically Victorian, Georgian, Elizabeth, Tudor... If you're going to label something historical it should be accurate for it's time- i.e. a Victorian style corset is not historical if it's not accurate to a decade (1880 for example), it's just a Victorian style corset. Most people who use/search historical will probably be looking for re-enactment gear and they want accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!
Hollywood Regency- part Moroccan bazaar, part Georgian townhouse, part Art Deco palace. Think 20s/30s/40s old-school glamour, Spanish architecture, silks and satins, creamy jewel colours and opulent rooms. Modern Hollywood Regency seems to have lost alot of the Moorish influence but still carries the elegant glamour of big old 1920s houses.
Industrial - this is a sort of modern look, but with very factory-style lines. Industrial is a very simple almost severe look, and is most often comprised of vintage salvaged things like steel-topped tables, trestles, product moulds from factories and big signs. Industrial has the feel of a big old factory, with lots of metal, chunky wood and hazard colours.
Kawaii - this is a Japanese fashion term, meaning 'cute'. Anything girlish and romantic with a serious addition of kitsch. Big eyed girls, anime, baby animals, candy colours. Anything a 14 year old girl would look at and think 'oh that's soooo cute!!!!' A hefty dose of pink.
Kitsch - Kitsch is retro tacky. Think of your grandmother's donkey shaped salt and pepper shakers, 1970s tourist souvenirs, 1960s paintings on velvet etc. Anything 60s/70s, colourful and humorous. Think Hairspray, Pee-Wee Herman and old-school Disneyland.
Mediterranean- a sort of rustic with a dose of preppy nautical and a touch of high-end resort. Mediterranean is hard look to pin down- it's usually white, terracotta, and bright blue. Nautical themes, summer style. Think of the Greek Islands and 1990s Ralph Lauren.
Mid-Century - Pure 1950s! Everything that was modern and clean lined in the 1950s. Soft colours such as lemon yellow, aqua, baby pink and sea green are used. There's not much pattern but when their is it's usually shapes like atoms, kidneys, arrowheads and boomerangs. Dior's 'new look' (despite it being 1947!) and the TV show Mad Men are perfect examples. A lot of stuff that's mid-mod is also called Eames era and atomic age.
Military - army style! Kahki greens and browns, brass buttons, soldiers uniforms, big black boots, tailored shapes, earth tones. Think M.A.S.H or the movie Stripes.
Minimalist - following the mantra 'less is more', this is modern with the most simple terms. Natural materials, stainless steel, straight lines, smooth textures, functional. Think of old movies when they show people in heaven. (Though ironically it's most people's idea of hell!) Minimalist style contains objects and fashion that does little more than serve it's function- all adornment is shunned.
Mod - sharp graphics, black and white, tight fitting clothes, geometric shapes, Mod is a sort of Mid-Century avant guarde. It was the stuff in the 60s that was diametrically opposite to the hippies and predominantly a UK style. Micro length shorts and skirts, knee high go-go boots, Perspex jewelry, tailored lines and sharp cuts. Think Austin Powers, The (original!!) Italian Job and model icons like Twiggy.
Modern - Modern is a sort of generic term for anything that's made now and is the typical example of it's time. IKEA furniture, Crate and Barrel...The thing about the modern attribute tag here is that it will put a modern angle on anything else you choose. Use modern with tribal if you make runway style, use modern with traditional if you've taken an antique dresser and painted it pink, use modern with Romantic if you've made a necklace that's a tea cup shape cut from white perspex, etc.
Nautical - nautical is black, blue and white, tailored shapes and anything you can attribute to yachting, so anchors, grommets, rope, etc. It's preppy at sea. Think Ralph Lauren, Miami Vice, The Love Boat. Nautical was huge in the 80s and 90s.
Neo-classical- a bit tough to pin down, this is a sort of historical modernism. Usually Italian style of the 17th and 18th centuries with a fresh, modern twist. It's marble columns, Georgian features, pale colours and elegant forms. Think the great cotton mansions of the South, Italian Renaissance details, 80s country club decor.
Preppy- think upper class, All-American, 1950s society athletics. It's country club golf lunch, private schools, tennis, yachting, croquet and equestrian pursuits. Think well-fitting clothes, clean lines, blazers, loafers, slick hair. Pattern is limited but is usually Argyle, checks and plaid.
Primitive - from a style point of view, this is usually American primitive (also called 'prim'). Colonial furniture, muddy colours, rusty metals and faded prints. Harvest themes and simple solid farmhouse aesthetics. Other attributes that will go with this include Rustic, Country and Tribal (for when you mean primitive man).
Resort - glamorous super models lounging by the pool. Kaftans, giant sunglasses, cocktails, swimwear (especially skimpy or classically tailored) and anything floaty and simple. There's a good dose of tropical in resort style.
Retro- I like to think of retro as 'kitsch vintage'. Retro is the period from the 60s to the 70s where things got a little out of control- think bold wallpaper, loud shirts, big patterns, wide flares and luminous colours. Disco meets Pop.
Rocker- this is sort of punk without the overkill. Rocker style is all about adding glam to a motorbike gang. Black leather, studded belts, cowboy boots, lightening bolts, skulls, electric guitars, stars and big hair. Colours are usually red, yellow, pink or lime green with a good dose of black. Think Aerosmith, 80s hair bands, Alice Cooper.
Rustic - texture! Anything that's rough, simply made and a little bit country. Raw wood, rusted metal, neutral colours. It's country pared right back and primitive without the colour.
Sci-Fi - Think star wars, star trek, Buck Rogers... lots of white, silver, clear, plastics and chrome. Colour is rare but it's usually fire engine red and royal blue in luminous 'what does this button do?' tones.
Shabby Chic - I think we all know what this looks like. I will delicately mention that Shabby Chic is a copyrighted term by Rachel Ashwell, and many people simply call it 'shabby cottage' instead (I would suggest Etsy changes this as soon as they can). It's white one white, lots of lace, faded natural tones, pink, roses, chandeliers, zinc buckets... you get the picture. Other attributes that will go with this include traditional, Boho, Victorian and Edwardian.
Southwestern- I only just learned this one the other day, back in the olden days they used to call this 'tex mex' or Santa Fe. It's part cowboy, part Indian. Desert colours, Native patterns, natural materials.
Spooky - I would guess this is what I call Halloween gothic. Ghosts, spiders, haunted houses, graveyards etc. It's the more cutsey side of gothic, usually with bright colours and lots of black.
Steampunk - Despite it's now ubiquitous place in modern lifestyle, a lot of people don't seem to know what steampunk is. Essentially it's anything of a mechanical nature given an overly Victorian appearance. It has a very flexible boundary, but for 'pure' steampunk it's earth and jewel tones, opulent design, Victorian lines and usually either clockwork, boiler rivets, old keys or some kind of industrial flair.
Techie - Bit unsure on this, I would assume they mean computer hackers and science geeks. We used to have a Geekery section on Etsy, so I would think anything in there goes in this. The goth, sci-fi and modern attributes would also fit well with this.
Traditional- Typically considered to be Georgian/Victorian, traditional is often a colonial look with handsome furniture, antique details and elegant patterns. Anything antique and grand usually fits the style perfectly. Relaxed dark colours and comfortable furniture, stately homes, gentleman's clubs and respectable hotels.
Tribal - much like African, tribal has a primitive barbarian feel to it. Bone beads, earth tones, geometric shapes like arrows and triangles, native style, simple construction, rough cast metal and natural materials.
Victorian - pretty straight forward- anything that's Victorian in style. You don't have to be accurate (that's what the historical tag is for!) but anything modelled to the last half of the 19th century is 'pure' Victorian, with the high peak being 1860s- 1880s. Though the Victorians were mad for colour, Victorian style now days is usually the ornate, lace-and-beaded black-on-black that was popular in the 1880s and 1890s, with high button boots, lace cuffs and cameo jewelry.
Waldorf- "Waldorf" comes from the educational scene - Rudolf Steiner is the founder. It describes toys, which are simple made.' I remember seeing these dolls when I googled it. So there you go! Anyone who makes toys which are simply made and designed using natural materials, this is for you!
Woodland - sort of folk meets fairy tale. Anything with forest creatures such as deer, rabbits, foxes, birds and bears as well as flora like acorns, walnuts, blackberries, ferns, ivy and birch. Woodland stuff is very sweet and old-fashioned, like a children's story. Think Hansel and Gretel, Bambi and Goldilocks.
Zen- this is the Japanese side of Oriental. Clean lines, modern shapes and simple construction, Zen is clam, neutral in tone and almost minimalist in design
Friday, August 24, 2012
WHAT IS YOUR ETSY SHOP WORTH?
Another cool tool that breaks your shop stats down into your 'Etsy Value' based on your sales, stats etc., compared to your competitors on Etsy.
Check out some of the insanely valued shops! more stuff I have never seen before on Etsy
ETSY SHOP VALUE CALCULATOR
Just punch in your shop name and it even breaks down your 'stock' value, your average item price, sales to views ratios and estimated sales ratios. Now THAT is cool feature being able to see how many sales you get based on how many people view you.
Check out some of the insanely valued shops! more stuff I have never seen before on Etsy
ETSY SHOP VALUE CALCULATOR
Just punch in your shop name and it even breaks down your 'stock' value, your average item price, sales to views ratios and estimated sales ratios. Now THAT is cool feature being able to see how many sales you get based on how many people view you.
Monday, August 20, 2012
WHERE SHOULD YOU BE SELLING? THERE ARE SO MANY SITES TO CHOOSE FROM..........
When I decided to sell online,the most frustrating decision was WHERE?
The more research I did trying to find a valuable site, the more confused I became since everyone has different views on how successful a site is.
I sell art and items I have made with it. The feedback based on sellers who crochet scarves or who offer shipping supplies have a completely different view on how popular YOUR item is going to be on a particular site.
I have tried many sites for a few months just to check them out, since every time I find feedback somewhere you get some people that are selling steadily and others that are unsure if they are doing it right since they aren't. I was at first lumping myself with the second group since I wasn't selling until I started doing better research.
Many sites such as Bonanza, Yardsellr, Tophatter and Copius all have their issues and facebook is rampant with shops complaining about low views, gouging fees or worse yet, undesirable buyers who play the system. I have joined so many of them and watched them and played the SEO game for a few months and sadly closed my doors on many of these dinky little sites that have nothing to offer except to a select group of clients, or they have the view of 'build it and they will come'.
I now sell on Artfire, Etsy and now TheCraftStar.
I have gotten a different sales base from Artfire and I lucked out when I first signed up to get the great promo deal of $4.99 a month with no other fees where now it is $11.99 a month. I also got a contract with a UK based shop who sells my greeting cards here, so I also consider this my good luck charm.
On Etsy, there are people whining and complaining constantly about fees that they have to pay, I see that it is better than EBay fees! I would rather get regular sales and pay something for it then make one sale a month. It has had its moments with all the changes but when you see the links I have below you can tell the difference in the volume of visitors worldwide it is attracting.
CraftStar is new and is combining a month fee of $5.99 and a 2.5% of sales taken off at checkout BUT the fees have not started yet so NOW is the time to get your shop set up since there are no listing fees either! They are slowly working out the bugs and you can also use the CSV uploader to transfer listings to their site as well. I did get a few sales there already and my shop isnt even a 1/3 full! I think the huge advantage is that the owner is promoting constantly on facebook as well as it is starting to get more exposure with new people joining every day. Their site is also built on SEO focus with a bunch of meta tags etc as well as regular site tagging.
CHECK THE RANKINGS AND INFO ABOUT THE WEBSITES YOU ARE CONSIDERING
These cool tools you can just punch in the website of your choice and it will give you statistics that you just can't find anywhere else. This gives you a bit of an idea on what kind of views it gets.
COMPETE.COM
An example is Etsy had over 8 million unique views last month alone and it shows the competition!
Competitive Rank (UVs)
1.ebay.com 79.78M.
2.etsy.com 8.16M.
3.artfire.com 315.55K.
4.dawanda.com 19.18K.
5.folksy.com 15.17K
ALEXA.COM
This site also assigns a US ranking as well as all the sites that link into it too
Great tools to watch some of the new sites climb or dwindle off and dissapear forever
The more research I did trying to find a valuable site, the more confused I became since everyone has different views on how successful a site is.
I sell art and items I have made with it. The feedback based on sellers who crochet scarves or who offer shipping supplies have a completely different view on how popular YOUR item is going to be on a particular site.
I have tried many sites for a few months just to check them out, since every time I find feedback somewhere you get some people that are selling steadily and others that are unsure if they are doing it right since they aren't. I was at first lumping myself with the second group since I wasn't selling until I started doing better research.
Many sites such as Bonanza, Yardsellr, Tophatter and Copius all have their issues and facebook is rampant with shops complaining about low views, gouging fees or worse yet, undesirable buyers who play the system. I have joined so many of them and watched them and played the SEO game for a few months and sadly closed my doors on many of these dinky little sites that have nothing to offer except to a select group of clients, or they have the view of 'build it and they will come'.
I now sell on Artfire, Etsy and now TheCraftStar.
I have gotten a different sales base from Artfire and I lucked out when I first signed up to get the great promo deal of $4.99 a month with no other fees where now it is $11.99 a month. I also got a contract with a UK based shop who sells my greeting cards here, so I also consider this my good luck charm.
On Etsy, there are people whining and complaining constantly about fees that they have to pay, I see that it is better than EBay fees! I would rather get regular sales and pay something for it then make one sale a month. It has had its moments with all the changes but when you see the links I have below you can tell the difference in the volume of visitors worldwide it is attracting.
CraftStar is new and is combining a month fee of $5.99 and a 2.5% of sales taken off at checkout BUT the fees have not started yet so NOW is the time to get your shop set up since there are no listing fees either! They are slowly working out the bugs and you can also use the CSV uploader to transfer listings to their site as well. I did get a few sales there already and my shop isnt even a 1/3 full! I think the huge advantage is that the owner is promoting constantly on facebook as well as it is starting to get more exposure with new people joining every day. Their site is also built on SEO focus with a bunch of meta tags etc as well as regular site tagging.
CHECK THE RANKINGS AND INFO ABOUT THE WEBSITES YOU ARE CONSIDERING
These cool tools you can just punch in the website of your choice and it will give you statistics that you just can't find anywhere else. This gives you a bit of an idea on what kind of views it gets.
COMPETE.COM
An example is Etsy had over 8 million unique views last month alone and it shows the competition!
Competitive Rank (UVs)
1.ebay.com 79.78M.
2.etsy.com 8.16M.
3.artfire.com 315.55K.
4.dawanda.com 19.18K.
5.folksy.com 15.17K
ALEXA.COM
This site also assigns a US ranking as well as all the sites that link into it too
Great tools to watch some of the new sites climb or dwindle off and dissapear forever
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
HAVE PEOPLE BEEN TALKING ABOUT YOU?
Ever searched yourself, your Etsy shop or your website to see if you are featured anywhere and if you maybe exist on the internet?
Check out this cool site SOCIAL MENTION to see if anyone has mentioned you anywhere. This works better than regular google feed since some of the mentions may not have a wide relevant feed.
I just searched my shop name and found I was mentioned on Twitter by TheCraftStar as well as OhCanada's Etsy team this week!! I had no clue! It's a nice surprise to find yourself featured somewhere and what a boost to your morale!
Check out this cool site SOCIAL MENTION to see if anyone has mentioned you anywhere. This works better than regular google feed since some of the mentions may not have a wide relevant feed.
I just searched my shop name and found I was mentioned on Twitter by TheCraftStar as well as OhCanada's Etsy team this week!! I had no clue! It's a nice surprise to find yourself featured somewhere and what a boost to your morale!
Monday, July 30, 2012
HOW MUCH PROFIT ARE YOU REALLY MAKING IN YOUR ETSY SHOP?
If you are anything like the rest of us with an Etsy shop, you have likely also been scribbling on a piece of paper calculating 'just the right price' to charge for your Etsy shop items.
You have to remember to take into account all the listing fees such as listing fees, selling fees and paypal fees as well as shipping and packaging costs if you offer low or free shipping too.
There is a cool template called an Etsy Fee Calculator that is preset with standard Paypal and Etsy fees that you can input all your costs into and adjust as needed so you can CLEARLY see in black and white how much you are really making on each item in your shop!
You are able to decide how much profit you want to make per item and it can calculate backwards how much you will need to charge, or you can easily tweak your existing items to see just how much you are making once the smoke clears.
If you check out the drop down box, you are also able to check out your fees on a few other sites such as EBay, Paypal and Amazon as well. Doublecheck the fee listing since this was designed in 2009 and some preset minimums listed may have been updated since then.
I wish I had seen this 2 years ago when I was writing every different item down in my shop to figure out costs.
You have to remember to take into account all the listing fees such as listing fees, selling fees and paypal fees as well as shipping and packaging costs if you offer low or free shipping too.
There is a cool template called an Etsy Fee Calculator that is preset with standard Paypal and Etsy fees that you can input all your costs into and adjust as needed so you can CLEARLY see in black and white how much you are really making on each item in your shop!
You are able to decide how much profit you want to make per item and it can calculate backwards how much you will need to charge, or you can easily tweak your existing items to see just how much you are making once the smoke clears.
If you check out the drop down box, you are also able to check out your fees on a few other sites such as EBay, Paypal and Amazon as well. Doublecheck the fee listing since this was designed in 2009 and some preset minimums listed may have been updated since then.
I wish I had seen this 2 years ago when I was writing every different item down in my shop to figure out costs.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
RED STAINED GLASS RED BIRD MY FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY
Favourite Item of the Day: Stained Glass Bird
FROM: Michelle at MORETHANCOLORS on Etsy
I ordered this red stained glass bird because I love birds and red is my favourite house accent color. It was a tossup between the bright green and the red since the green reminded me of my baby parrot Cricket
This comes a close second and I am am amazed at how heavy and durable the stained glass piece is and the plant stake makes it way to pretty to put outside so its now on display in my living room.
Michelle has listed a bunch of new Christmas items in her shop in preparation for Christmas. She has a chess board coming out that includes wooden chess pieces, a Wedding BLACKTIE Snowflake coming soon, lots of Christmas items, snowflakes, ornaments and candle holders as well as her beautiful business card holders.
Start planning for Christmas!!
Michelle has also offered this discount code to use at Etsy Checkout COLORS5 for 5% off
FROM: Michelle at MORETHANCOLORS on Etsy
I ordered this red stained glass bird because I love birds and red is my favourite house accent color. It was a tossup between the bright green and the red since the green reminded me of my baby parrot Cricket
This comes a close second and I am am amazed at how heavy and durable the stained glass piece is and the plant stake makes it way to pretty to put outside so its now on display in my living room.
Michelle has listed a bunch of new Christmas items in her shop in preparation for Christmas. She has a chess board coming out that includes wooden chess pieces, a Wedding BLACKTIE Snowflake coming soon, lots of Christmas items, snowflakes, ornaments and candle holders as well as her beautiful business card holders.
Start planning for Christmas!!
Michelle has also offered this discount code to use at Etsy Checkout COLORS5 for 5% off
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Reliable Suppliers from Etsy Shop Friends
I know personally that I have spent hours researching suppliers for the best prices for shipping supplies, packaging supplies and materials for my painting. It is really frustrating that while one online store has a great price for some items but not others or they don't carry everything you need and you have to make lists of what each supplier has the best prices for and it is time consuming but worth it once you find them.
I now first check shipping costs since many suppliers will only use UPS or Fedex and then you get dinged heavy shipping fees and ordering across the border all the customs fees on top of it.
After a discussion with some Etsy friends, we have found a few reliable suppliers that have good prices that we want to share.
FROM WENDYSROSESBREWS
BOTTLES AND JARS
Ships worldwide except for Australia
HERBS
Ships worldwide
_____________________________________________________________________________
FROM HBPHOTOGRAPHS
STORE PACKAGING AND SHIPPING SUPPLIES
$15 flat shipping charge in the US
_____________________________________________________________________________
FROM THEVENUSCOLLECTION
MAT FOR PRINTS, THEY ALSO HAVE GREAT DEALS ON MIXED COLORS SETS
Canadian
CLEAR SLEEVE PACKAGING FOR ANY SIZE ARTWORK
Canadian and US sources
SHIPPING SUPPLIES, PACKAGING SUPPLIES, CLEAR SLEEVE PACKAGING
Canadian, US and UK shipping sites
I now first check shipping costs since many suppliers will only use UPS or Fedex and then you get dinged heavy shipping fees and ordering across the border all the customs fees on top of it.
After a discussion with some Etsy friends, we have found a few reliable suppliers that have good prices that we want to share.
FROM WENDYSROSESBREWS
BOTTLES AND JARS
Ships worldwide except for Australia
HERBS
Ships worldwide
_____________________________________________________________________________
FROM HBPHOTOGRAPHS
STORE PACKAGING AND SHIPPING SUPPLIES
$15 flat shipping charge in the US
_____________________________________________________________________________
FROM THEVENUSCOLLECTION
MAT FOR PRINTS, THEY ALSO HAVE GREAT DEALS ON MIXED COLORS SETS
Canadian
CLEAR SLEEVE PACKAGING FOR ANY SIZE ARTWORK
Canadian and US sources
SHIPPING SUPPLIES, PACKAGING SUPPLIES, CLEAR SLEEVE PACKAGING
Canadian, US and UK shipping sites
Friday, July 6, 2012
Check out ETSYCONTEST Today To See How it Works
I posted a few days ago about 5 FREE WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR SHOP and today on of my ACEO's Blue Moon Fever is in part of the voting contests on ETSYCONTEST
I am posting my contest links here for today so you can see how this gives you exposure, you can see my rankings, you can click VOTE HERE to see exactly how your item would be voted on too. They also put you on the daily list and share a coupon code for your shop for you and you can see your rankings for previously voted items
VOTE HERE:
You and your friends can use this link today to vote for your item:
My ACEO that is in todays contest
You can use this page to see what place this item is in:
Contest: July 6th! Items from $6-$6.99. Winners will be shown here:
The item we're including: ACEO Blue Moon Giclee Limited Edition Tree Abstract Karen J. Kolnes Blue Moon Fever
I am posting my contest links here for today so you can see how this gives you exposure, you can see my rankings, you can click VOTE HERE to see exactly how your item would be voted on too. They also put you on the daily list and share a coupon code for your shop for you and you can see your rankings for previously voted items
VOTE HERE:
You and your friends can use this link today to vote for your item:
My ACEO that is in todays contest
You can use this page to see what place this item is in:
Contest: July 6th! Items from $6-$6.99. Winners will be shown here:
The item we're including: ACEO Blue Moon Giclee Limited Edition Tree Abstract Karen J. Kolnes Blue Moon Fever
Thursday, July 5, 2012
ORGANIC LAVENDER LOTION- FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY-
Favourite Item of the Day: Organic Lavender Lotion
FROM: Melissa at HONEYBEEHOLISTICS on Etsy
This has by far been the best lotion that I have purchased on and off of Etsy. It is creamy and you think that it will leave a heavy residue but it doesn't! It soaks in quickly and leaves your skin instantly supple and smooth! I LOVE the lavender since it is my fave scent but I also have the lemon creme lotion as well and its divine (even though I keep getting hungry when I wear it).
Melissa makes all the items herself on her farm and has a baby Organics line, body care gift sets,many other body products, homemade incredible jams (my son ate all the rhubarb in a week), soaps and now she is dabbling in hair products!!
You will not be dissapointed in any of her lines and if you see a product in her shop but want to try another one of her scents, you can usually request a different scent since she makes them in batches.
MELISSA HAS OFFERED THIS WONDERFUL DISCOUNT CODE FOR ETSY!
VENUSBLOG22 for 22% off
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
ART OF PRINCESS M : GIVEAWAY and DISCOUNT
Her first name really IS Princess! Welcome Princess Mia, and thanks so much for teaming up with us for offering this wonderful giveaway!
PRIZE: Set of two 4x6 art prints Girl with Flowers and Naked & Vulnerable
VALUE: $15 and includes shipping to the winner. Enter below.
ENTER UNTIL JULY 31 MIDNIGHT EST
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Name of your shop: ArtofPrincessMia
DISCOUNT OFFERED ON ETSY: Use Y4Yv3nu513l06 at checkout for 15% off any item
What types of items do you sell?
I sell original artwork illustrations and paintings and art prints of different sizes, including ACEO's that are available in either glossy or matted.
What item is your favorite item in it and why?
This is one of my favorite prints. I love the overall look to it and how it turned out as a print. I was very proud in the process and the creation of this piece because of the colors and how beautiful it turned out to be. This was actually the first piece I put flowers in and I was worried that the flowers would just be too much on this piece but I think it adds more to the beauty of the finished work. I feel that this is one of the prettiest pieces in my shop.
SOMETHING AFTER YOU
Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from mainly from my emotions, feelings and stories. I like to give life to these component human forms to enhance the way people understand each other. We can feel and hear emotions and stories that others tell us and this allows me to create a visual representation of them in order to show the creation of my inspiration. I think about how loneliness feels and what I think it looks like, and how being angry and happiness appear to be in my mind and have the story behind it follow after. I am also inspired by the inner workings of the human body since we all gaze at the physical appearance of people but never the true inner beauty inside of them. I try to have my art allow people to show through and see their true selves by viewing my work.
What hints or tips do you have for a new artist?
First, try to establish a style. You want people to look at your work and instantly know who created it and have them perceive you through your art.
Do your research! If you want to sell locally or if you want to sell online, you must have a plan. If you are going to sell locally, try to establish the best venue for showcasing your art. Look for the unique display by asking at restaurants or other selling venues if you can post your work on your walls. Check out your community for local craft fairs.
If you plan to focus on selling your artwork online, do research on different selling venues, and you must learn about SEO (search engine optimization). This is the first major thing that you should learn. Start a blog and find sites to promote on like Facebook, Stumbleupon, Pinterest, since there are numerous sites to feature and display your art. If it’s free, GO FOR IT. You have nothing to lose except time and constantly promote your work by ALWAYS updating regularly to establish followers. An active site is one that ones will want to bookmark to see what you have created next.
Where do you advertise and do you find it successful?
I advertise pretty much anywhere that is free. If you’re an artist you should always try portfolio community art sites like Behance or Deviantart where you can create online galleries. I have gotten many views from those sites but mostly from Deviantart.
Sites like Tumblr, Pinterest, Weheartit, Stumbleupon and any bookmarking image sites are perfect for a new artist to get their pieces going viral. Youtube is also a great way of promotion if you are able to keep your videos entertaining. Making a video showing you creating your craft and explain it in the end if you need to add more information. If you create a blog, make sure they are search engine friendly! Learn about SEO and post new items regularly, but don’t burn out and post when you don’t want to or you may end up with lower quality posts. You can post your videos, new listings, work in progress, new projects and tips for other artist as well as news about you. Everyone wants to know the artist behind the artwork as well. I found advertising very successful and have gotten to work with record companies, was featured in an online magazine and much more JUST by promoting my work!
What is the one tool or item you can’t live without in your shop and why?
I honestly cannot live without the help of my laptop! My art allows me self expression and my laptop gives me opportunities beyond my walls of where I am at the time. It’s beautiful!
The above print and this one are offered for the giveaway!
WITH OUR SAFETY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
PRIZE: Set of two 4x6 art prints Girl with Flowers and Naked & Vulnerable
VALUE: $15 and includes shipping to the winner. Enter below.
ENTER UNTIL JULY 31 MIDNIGHT EST
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Name of your shop: ArtofPrincessMia
DISCOUNT OFFERED ON ETSY: Use Y4Yv3nu513l06 at checkout for 15% off any item
What types of items do you sell?
I sell original artwork illustrations and paintings and art prints of different sizes, including ACEO's that are available in either glossy or matted.
What item is your favorite item in it and why?
This is one of my favorite prints. I love the overall look to it and how it turned out as a print. I was very proud in the process and the creation of this piece because of the colors and how beautiful it turned out to be. This was actually the first piece I put flowers in and I was worried that the flowers would just be too much on this piece but I think it adds more to the beauty of the finished work. I feel that this is one of the prettiest pieces in my shop.
SOMETHING AFTER YOU
Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from mainly from my emotions, feelings and stories. I like to give life to these component human forms to enhance the way people understand each other. We can feel and hear emotions and stories that others tell us and this allows me to create a visual representation of them in order to show the creation of my inspiration. I think about how loneliness feels and what I think it looks like, and how being angry and happiness appear to be in my mind and have the story behind it follow after. I am also inspired by the inner workings of the human body since we all gaze at the physical appearance of people but never the true inner beauty inside of them. I try to have my art allow people to show through and see their true selves by viewing my work.
What hints or tips do you have for a new artist?
First, try to establish a style. You want people to look at your work and instantly know who created it and have them perceive you through your art.
Do your research! If you want to sell locally or if you want to sell online, you must have a plan. If you are going to sell locally, try to establish the best venue for showcasing your art. Look for the unique display by asking at restaurants or other selling venues if you can post your work on your walls. Check out your community for local craft fairs.
If you plan to focus on selling your artwork online, do research on different selling venues, and you must learn about SEO (search engine optimization). This is the first major thing that you should learn. Start a blog and find sites to promote on like Facebook, Stumbleupon, Pinterest, since there are numerous sites to feature and display your art. If it’s free, GO FOR IT. You have nothing to lose except time and constantly promote your work by ALWAYS updating regularly to establish followers. An active site is one that ones will want to bookmark to see what you have created next.
Where do you advertise and do you find it successful?
I advertise pretty much anywhere that is free. If you’re an artist you should always try portfolio community art sites like Behance or Deviantart where you can create online galleries. I have gotten many views from those sites but mostly from Deviantart.
Sites like Tumblr, Pinterest, Weheartit, Stumbleupon and any bookmarking image sites are perfect for a new artist to get their pieces going viral. Youtube is also a great way of promotion if you are able to keep your videos entertaining. Making a video showing you creating your craft and explain it in the end if you need to add more information. If you create a blog, make sure they are search engine friendly! Learn about SEO and post new items regularly, but don’t burn out and post when you don’t want to or you may end up with lower quality posts. You can post your videos, new listings, work in progress, new projects and tips for other artist as well as news about you. Everyone wants to know the artist behind the artwork as well. I found advertising very successful and have gotten to work with record companies, was featured in an online magazine and much more JUST by promoting my work!
What is the one tool or item you can’t live without in your shop and why?
I honestly cannot live without the help of my laptop! My art allows me self expression and my laptop gives me opportunities beyond my walls of where I am at the time. It’s beautiful!
The above print and this one are offered for the giveaway!
WITH OUR SAFETY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
New Way to use Pinterest : Love, Play, Learn: Kid Blogger Network Activities & Crafts
Love, Play, Learn: Kid Blogger Network Activities & Crafts:
Check out this brilliant idea on another fun way to use Pinterest for Kids!Thry created an interactive Kid Blogger Network Activites & Crafts board so multiple people can pin their latest ideas
http://2loveplaylearn.blogspot.ca/2012/07/kid-blogger-network-activities-crafts.html
Check out this brilliant idea on another fun way to use Pinterest for Kids!Thry created an interactive Kid Blogger Network Activites & Crafts board so multiple people can pin their latest ideas
http://2loveplaylearn.blogspot.ca/2012/07/kid-blogger-network-activities-crafts.html
Monday, July 2, 2012
Summer Strawberry Shine - My Favourite Item of the Day
Favourite Item of the Day: Summer Strawberry Shine Cold processed Soap
FROM: Emily and Mike at SOAPFORYOURSOUL
I love, love, LOVE their artisan cold processed soaps! I bought a few different scents such as their Fall Applesauce ,Chill Pill mixed spearmint, peppermint with a touch of eucalyptus and one of my favourites, Summer Strawberry Shine .
Each bar has a true smelling long lasting scent and they are a good size which last just as long if not longer than commercial bars. I was really impressed that they aren't drying and hold up well and do not turn to a pile of mush even when sitting in the shower. Their use of fresh botanicals and quality ingredients makes all the difference in their soap products.
Their soap choices change constantly, and even the three above are the ones that I have purchased and personally used (applesauce will be back in the Fall). There is always a new one to try and you can always find a masculine theme for the men, fruity and trendy ones for women and fun and cute ones for the kids in any family. Great as gifts and they store really well and hold their scent too!
Check out their other items! they now carry hot and cold processed soaps, soy candles, gift sets, laundry soap and their new felted soaps!
Using Pinterest To Market Your Business
Pinterest is quickly growing as one of the newest useful marketing tools. This extremely interactive site allows you to follow others, like and repin items that interest you as well as broadening your networks by interacting with other users.
It has now been ranked the #4 social media marketing site even beating out Google according to Experian Marketing.
1. Add a Pinterest or PinIt Button on your website or blog, with their goodies page . This makes it easy for your shoppers to add an item to share
2. Growing your boards will help establish your online presence. Following brands and watching for popular pins will help you gain insight on what the community tends to favour. Creating fun boards and repinning popular trends will quickly increase your followers who will also have exposure to your shop items as well.
Create fun theme based boards such as Edibles, Recipes to share, DIY pages and Seasonal themes. Share boards by adding family, friends and community members and you can all add items to boards and get exposure to each members followers.
3. Make it easy to Pin anything that catches your eye on the internet by installing the Pin it link to your bookmarks bar. This will automatically credit the artist or original creator of your pin. Add it from the Pinterest goodies page
4. Add links and keywords to your items to make it easier for users to find you. There is no limit to how many keywords you can add but don't add too many or you may end up looking like spam. An example would be adding #food, #chicken, #thai to a pin about a recipe.
Creating boards that also include your items is great as long as you don't only promote your own items or users will quickly lose interest. You can include the URL to your website, blogs, facebook fan pages and twitter in your pin description to gain even more exposure when anyone repins or likes your links.
5. Creating team community boards
As long as you follow at least one board from another user, you can add them onto a community board. For example, I was invited to join a 4th of July board of over 100 users. I can pin items to this board and anything I pin is also seen and shown on their profiles by the 100 other members that are also on the board.
Just go to the board you want to share, click the edit button in the top right hand corner and change the setting that says Just me to Just me + contributors. The detailed information is available on their help page.
It has now been ranked the #4 social media marketing site even beating out Google according to Experian Marketing.
1. Add a Pinterest or PinIt Button on your website or blog, with their goodies page . This makes it easy for your shoppers to add an item to share
2. Growing your boards will help establish your online presence. Following brands and watching for popular pins will help you gain insight on what the community tends to favour. Creating fun boards and repinning popular trends will quickly increase your followers who will also have exposure to your shop items as well.
Create fun theme based boards such as Edibles, Recipes to share, DIY pages and Seasonal themes. Share boards by adding family, friends and community members and you can all add items to boards and get exposure to each members followers.
3. Make it easy to Pin anything that catches your eye on the internet by installing the Pin it link to your bookmarks bar. This will automatically credit the artist or original creator of your pin. Add it from the Pinterest goodies page
4. Add links and keywords to your items to make it easier for users to find you. There is no limit to how many keywords you can add but don't add too many or you may end up looking like spam. An example would be adding #food, #chicken, #thai to a pin about a recipe.
Creating boards that also include your items is great as long as you don't only promote your own items or users will quickly lose interest. You can include the URL to your website, blogs, facebook fan pages and twitter in your pin description to gain even more exposure when anyone repins or likes your links.
5. Creating team community boards
As long as you follow at least one board from another user, you can add them onto a community board. For example, I was invited to join a 4th of July board of over 100 users. I can pin items to this board and anything I pin is also seen and shown on their profiles by the 100 other members that are also on the board.
Just go to the board you want to share, click the edit button in the top right hand corner and change the setting that says Just me to Just me + contributors. The detailed information is available on their help page.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Paving the way with Pinterest…
I know that I thought at first I thought that it was just another gimmick that would quickly die out, until I saw big brands using a PIN ME link on their sites as a way to encourage you to add your favorite links to your board which led me to explore Pinning as the newest wave of marketing.
I started halfheartedly, originally making a board to support TEAM VENUS ON ETSY, and would add cool items from their shops as their newest sparkly things caught my eye.
Then we created a board with two fantastic photographers HbPhotographs and twistedpixelstudio , who spent a lot of time pinning our second Tophatter auction listings on a Pinterest board to be shared with any member that sent their links, so it was also posted on each persons wall. This allowed all of our unique team members items to be seen! The list included handmade pottery, crocheted items, OOAK jewelry, limited edition ACEO's, craft and jewelry supplies, spices, food artisans and more. There is a cool email feature that can also alert you every time someone likes, adds you or repins any of the listings and the repins were steady! To be fair though there was only about one tenth of the member shops that participated in it, and I found that a lot of people had also not seen the benefit of pursuing Pinterest just yet.
My biggest encouragement was when I added my newest pendant on Etsy, and like any artist, originally unsure about its presence, until I pinned it. Within one hour, it had been pinned multiple times as well as I sold TWO the first hour!! So THIS is what Pinterest is all about! I am now a full solid believer that incorporating Pinning as part of your regular social media marketing for artisans and crafters is the newest trend that is here to stay.
I am in the process of researching valuable tools that I can share to help you along with your Pinterest marketing.
I started halfheartedly, originally making a board to support TEAM VENUS ON ETSY, and would add cool items from their shops as their newest sparkly things caught my eye.
Then we created a board with two fantastic photographers HbPhotographs and twistedpixelstudio , who spent a lot of time pinning our second Tophatter auction listings on a Pinterest board to be shared with any member that sent their links, so it was also posted on each persons wall. This allowed all of our unique team members items to be seen! The list included handmade pottery, crocheted items, OOAK jewelry, limited edition ACEO's, craft and jewelry supplies, spices, food artisans and more. There is a cool email feature that can also alert you every time someone likes, adds you or repins any of the listings and the repins were steady! To be fair though there was only about one tenth of the member shops that participated in it, and I found that a lot of people had also not seen the benefit of pursuing Pinterest just yet.
My biggest encouragement was when I added my newest pendant on Etsy, and like any artist, originally unsure about its presence, until I pinned it. Within one hour, it had been pinned multiple times as well as I sold TWO the first hour!! So THIS is what Pinterest is all about! I am now a full solid believer that incorporating Pinning as part of your regular social media marketing for artisans and crafters is the newest trend that is here to stay.
I am in the process of researching valuable tools that I can share to help you along with your Pinterest marketing.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
MY FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY - Red Flower Ceramic Dish
Favourite Item of the Day: Handmade 6 inch Red Flower Serving Plate
FROM: Michaela at IRIHANAARTS on Etsy
I ordered this a few months ago because lets face it, we are visual creatures and this gorgeous dish drove me to click buy in a frenzy since she only had one in her shop. It is molded lovingly by hand with a wonderful sand speckled clay and glazed a bright vivid red. This is perfect for cookies and wee little snacks on my coffee table where it has been displayed every since I bought it.
All her pieces are lead free and glazes are foodsafe and she makes everything from sushi sets, cute little trivet dishes, serving dishes, focal pendants and even decorative wine charms. Perfect for gifting or hoarding just for yourself!
Friday, June 29, 2012
MY FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY- Folk Art Handmade Decor
FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY: Pillow Cases Folk Art Octopus, Fox, Swan, Fish in Rust, Green and Blue
FROM: Nancy at NHQUILTARTS
I bought this 18 inch pillowcase set with black and rust in a set of 4. They are excellent quality and have a fold over back. I have gotten tons of compliments on them since they are wonderful bold colors and very unique. Check out her sold orders to see all the wonderful items she can make that sell as quick as she can make them.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Christmas In July - HUGE Auction On Tophatter
There will be a huge auction on Saturday July 21 at 10am EST featuring over 100 items from wonderful crafters and artists on Etsy!! The theme is Christmas in July but will also feature art, prints, pottery, jewelry, soap, bath and body sets and so much more! You will be able to get some incredible deals and start your Christmas shopping early
Remember, only 180 days until Christmas!
RSVP to get an email reminder that morning and to save your spot
CHRISTMAS IN JULY AUCTION
Remember, only 180 days until Christmas!
RSVP to get an email reminder that morning and to save your spot
CHRISTMAS IN JULY AUCTION
MY FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY- Bacon Caramel Heaven
FAVOURITE ITEM OF THE DAY: Bacon flavored Fleur de Sel Caramels
From: Lesa at ThePoisonedApples
Incredible homemade caramel from an old family recipe, little bits of cripy bacon and sea salt that explodes in your mouth as it melts. Sigh...........I am on batch #4 and this is to die for!!
Check out her fondant, chocolate and caramel dipped tart apples!
5 FREE SITES OF THE DAY TO PROMOTE YOUR SHOP
Advertising is everything........we hear all the time that it costs money to make money......BUT....... advertising to create your brand and getting started as a small business as an artist is the hardest thing. Where do you start?
This is not an exhaustive list by any means but it will give you some starting points and there are new sites being created all the time. If you notice any of these sites are no longer free, please let me know so I can update the information. I will add 5 sites at a time to make checking each one out easier.
PINTEREST
add me
You can make boards and treasuries, add friends, follow others and you can pin and repin items you like and others can do it for you.
Whats cool: Once you have created a board, you can also add your own items too as long as your focus is not entirely self promotion.
Not so cool: It takes a while to build up a big following of your board, but the more content and boards you have that are well labelled, the more pinners you have repinning or liking your items
ETSYLUSH
Upload an item to a main category for free to get a chance to be featured for a month. This links to your website when you click on the picture.
Whats cool: you get a little tag you can add to your pics anytime you are chosen.You can also upload a new pic every 24 hours and your image is clickable to your Etsy shop. Then you can use the tag shown on my Etsy shop for advertising.
Not so cool: The pictures have to be a very specific size for best display. It took me 4 times to get it right. You have to keep checking back to see if you were accepted but I got my Sleeping Hummingbird featured last month.
SLEEPING HUMMINGBIRD
ESTSYCONTEST
Add your shop to the list, choose a $ range where some of your items fits in and then on that day they will randomly pick one of your items and post it with another artist to 'which one do you like best'.
Whats cool: you can also promote a discount while being featured
Not so cool: you don't get any choice in what they pick other than $ range
EVERYTHINGETSY
Add your shop to be included in their free directory
Whats cool: you can list all the types of items you carry in your shop and the link is clickable right to your Etsy shop
Not so cool: you can't add your logo for branding yet, and the site is down temporarily to add your shop
ITSBETTERHANDMADE
Any handmade items will be featured after you submit a request
Whats cool: you can use this to feature any site, Artfire, website, Etsy, etc., and you can submit multiple items.
Not so cool: there seems to be some issues with picture sizes that you add and does not tell you if the item didn't submit so you will have to check back
This is not an exhaustive list by any means but it will give you some starting points and there are new sites being created all the time. If you notice any of these sites are no longer free, please let me know so I can update the information. I will add 5 sites at a time to make checking each one out easier.
add me
You can make boards and treasuries, add friends, follow others and you can pin and repin items you like and others can do it for you.
Whats cool: Once you have created a board, you can also add your own items too as long as your focus is not entirely self promotion.
Not so cool: It takes a while to build up a big following of your board, but the more content and boards you have that are well labelled, the more pinners you have repinning or liking your items
ETSYLUSH
Upload an item to a main category for free to get a chance to be featured for a month. This links to your website when you click on the picture.
Whats cool: you get a little tag you can add to your pics anytime you are chosen.You can also upload a new pic every 24 hours and your image is clickable to your Etsy shop. Then you can use the tag shown on my Etsy shop for advertising.
Not so cool: The pictures have to be a very specific size for best display. It took me 4 times to get it right. You have to keep checking back to see if you were accepted but I got my Sleeping Hummingbird featured last month.
SLEEPING HUMMINGBIRD
ESTSYCONTEST
Add your shop to the list, choose a $ range where some of your items fits in and then on that day they will randomly pick one of your items and post it with another artist to 'which one do you like best'.
Whats cool: you can also promote a discount while being featured
Not so cool: you don't get any choice in what they pick other than $ range
EVERYTHINGETSY
Add your shop to be included in their free directory
Whats cool: you can list all the types of items you carry in your shop and the link is clickable right to your Etsy shop
Not so cool: you can't add your logo for branding yet, and the site is down temporarily to add your shop
ITSBETTERHANDMADE
Any handmade items will be featured after you submit a request
Whats cool: you can use this to feature any site, Artfire, website, Etsy, etc., and you can submit multiple items.
Not so cool: there seems to be some issues with picture sizes that you add and does not tell you if the item didn't submit so you will have to check back
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
WELCOME
Welcome to my new blog!
This is to welcome you to my newest blog that will feature my favourite artists and creators on Etsy as well as helpful hints and tips that they have also learned along the way that they can share. We can all use a helping hand and any tips or hints on creating or selling items online will be posted.
I know that when I first started selling online I spent hours researching and finding nothing but conflicting information and only by trial and error do you find the best sites to sell on, advertise with and helpful friends along the way.
If you have any helpful suggestions or information and would like to be featured, please contact me
MY SITES TO FOLLOW (I follow back)
THEVENUSCOLLECTION on ETSY
THEVENUSFLYTRAPCOLLECTION on ARTFIRE
PINTEREST
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
WEBSITE
MY TEAM VENUS ON ETSY
This is to welcome you to my newest blog that will feature my favourite artists and creators on Etsy as well as helpful hints and tips that they have also learned along the way that they can share. We can all use a helping hand and any tips or hints on creating or selling items online will be posted.
I know that when I first started selling online I spent hours researching and finding nothing but conflicting information and only by trial and error do you find the best sites to sell on, advertise with and helpful friends along the way.
If you have any helpful suggestions or information and would like to be featured, please contact me
MY SITES TO FOLLOW (I follow back)
THEVENUSCOLLECTION on ETSY
THEVENUSFLYTRAPCOLLECTION on ARTFIRE
WEBSITE
MY TEAM VENUS ON ETSY
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