timothy adam designs

Promote Your Etsy Coupons for FREE on Etsy Coupons

2011-06-16T11:45:00.003-04:00

So you have your Etsy coupons all set, but how do you get more exposure and get these coupons in front of more buyers. EtsyCoupons.com is the perfect solution!
Etsy Coupons is designed for all Etsy sellers to submit and promote their coupon codes. Submitting coupons is free and simple.
Benefits of submitting your Etsy Coupons:
Etsy Coupons is brought to you by the team at Handmadeology.
1. Gives Etsy sellers a specific place to send their buyers to promote their coupon codes.
2. Etsy Coupons utilizes social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Stumbleupon, and many more to promote submitted coupons. Your coupons will be seen by our vast social media reach.
3. By submitting your coupons here you will gain valuable backlinks to your Etsy shop that will help improve your Etsy shop SEO.
Etsy Coupons is a simple site to use. Here is a step by step walk through of setting up your account and adding your first coupon.
1. You want to register for a new account. Fill out the user name and email and you will be sent an email with your password and login instructions. You can change your password once you are officially logged in.

You will find your account info on the top of the site under My Account. Here you can change your password and add important info like, your website, and short bio.

2. Submit your Etsy coupon:
Once you have your account all set up, you are ready to add some coupons.
You can submit your Etsy Coupons HERE.

Click the green button and you will be taken to the upload page.
Fill out the form entirely. Be sure to add the correct category and your Etsy shop link. If you don’t have your shop link added shoppers will not know where to use the Coupon code. Make sure you also enter the coupon code correctly. All of this info can be edited once your Etsy Coupon is accepted and posted by the admin. When uploading your picture for your coupon be sure to use a rectangle shaped picture. For the best results use a 280×210 size.

* Tip: When you are creating a title for your Etsy coupon be sure you are descriptive. When these coupons are Tweeted and shared on Facebook, you want people to know what you are offering.
3. Managing and Editing your Etsy Coupons:
You can manage your coupons HERE.

Check out Etsy Coupons on Facebook…. HERE

Top Etsy Photographer Interview

2011-06-15T11:44:00.000-04:00

The Swing Set – Fine art photograph – fair – carnival

I had the privilege of interviewing Irene from Is Photography and asking her a few questions about successfully selling photography on Etsy. Irene is the top selling photographer currently on Etsy. I have included a few of photos in the interviews, so please take the time to check out her amazing work and learn from what she has to say.
1. When and how did you become interested in photography?
I first became interested in photography in the mid 1990s. I started traveling and wanted to learn about photography so that I could take decent photographs on my trips. I took a night course at a college to learn how to use my camera. I became much more serious about photography in 2005 when I purchased my first digital SLR and found flickr.
2. How did you find Etsy, and why did you start selling on Etsy?
I noticed that a couple of my flickr contacts were selling prints on a site with a weird name: Etsy. I wasn’t even thinking about selling prints at that time, but a seed must have been planted and the idea began slowly percolating in the back of my mind. About a year later, in early 2007, I opened a shop. Initially it was simply a means to make a little extra money to pay for all the photography gear I was coveting.
3. When I first started selling on Etsy I was afraid of failing, did you ever encounter that fear? If so how did you overcome that fear?
I wasn’t afraid at the start. I didn’t have many expectations at first and I had a full-time day job. The start-up costs were minimal, the risk was low, and at that time there was no thought of doing it full-time. I decided to quit my day job in May of 2008. Then in September the economy crashed. Then, hello fear. The way I live with it is to have a Plan B and a Plan C. Last year I started photographing weddings to diversify myself and to develop a new skill set. If sales ever seriously slump, I can seek more wedding and portrait work. My Plan C is to go back to what I was doing before (technical writing), at least on a part-time basis. So far I have been blessed and feel so fortunate to be making a living doing what I love in this tough economy.
4. Do you remember your first sale on Etsy? How has your product changed since then?

Yes! I sold my first print the day after I opened my shop. It was so exciting!
At first I only offered photographic prints. Over time, I have added other products such as greeting cards, calendars, and photo jewelry (in collaboration with another Etsy seller). I also offer a matting service and I work with a local professional framer to offer framed prints at a reasonable price. My style has evolved over time as well. My color palette has shifted from darker colors to lighter hues. I feel it has gotten more impressionistic and abstract over time too.
5. Do you still get that “feeling” when you see your sold item number go up?
Oh yes! I feel that little jolt in the heart region every time.

Read more of the interview on Handmadeology.

Monday Connection - May 30

2011-05-30T10:39:00.000-04:00

Connections are everything when you are running a creative business. Here is your opportunity to leave your links and connect with other sellers, bloggers, and like minded creative business owners.

Leave a link to your shop, blog, twitter, Facebook... you got it you post it. How about a new item in your shop or a freshly posted blog post....

Ready ... Set.... Connect...

Stay At Home Moms - Here Are Some Tips to Help You Get More Etsy Sales

2011-05-28T10:13:00.000-04:00

Forest Knit Alpaca Neck Cowl with Cedar Buttons - ready to ship

AlpacaCreations says:
If you’re a stay-at-home mom like me, you probably laugh every time the “Quit Your Day Job” advice hits your inbox. Although I’m sure we’ve all had moments when we’ve wanted to, the simple fact is…we can’t quit our day jobs!

While I love the Etsy marketplace, the fact is 70% of my sales last year were local. Promoting your work on Etsy takes a lot of time – a commodity that is always in short supply when your main job is running a family!
What’s a busy mom to do? Promote while you work! What does that mean? Read on for examples…

1) BRING YOUR WORK WITH YOU EVERYWHERE. OK, I knit, so it’s portable. But, even if you paint, pot, bead, etc. find some aspect of your work to bring with you, even if it’s a sketch pad to draw out new ideas. I knit while waiting at the dentist, bank, car shop, airport – everywhere. Other people around me are invariably interested in what I’m doing. Which leads us to…

2) BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK. While I was waiting for my car to be repaired last year, I had 3 car salesmen watching me knit. I started talking about knitting, and one of them shared a story about how he remembered his grandmother knitting when he was younger. Turns out he also loves supporting local handmade and took several business cards to pass out to friends. Once you start talking, you’ll find people will be more engaged with your work, which can also lead to sales.

3) BRING PHOTOS AND BUSINESS CARDS. I can’t stress this enough. We can’t carry a store full of products around with us, so I have a small photo book on hand to show people my work. At my last dental appointment, my photo book got passed around the entire office and I got 3 orders that day! Keep an ample supply of business cards on hand, too. That way people can check out your Etsy store and have your contact information.

Read more tips from AlpacaCreations in the Etsy forums HERE.

Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply! Find more Etsy Tips Here!

Alternatives To Renewing - Tips from Etsy Admin

2011-05-27T09:00:00.002-04:00

Eames Plywood Chair Fine Silver Necklace | by:chocolateandsteel

Alternatives To Renewing - Tips from Etsy Admin

daniellexo says:

First, I want to note that we here at Etsy are working on other more interesting and innovative ways for buyers to find the Etsy items they’ll love and purchase AND more interesting and innovative ways for sellers to promote their work on Etsy. Our amazing product and engineering teams are on the case! These guys will undoubtedly speed up this process: http://www.etsy.com/storque/etsy-news/handcrafting-etsy-6508/ Until then, I’d like to share some tips and start a conversation on getting views without having to spend a pretty penny renewing.
I recently received a convo from a seller who was renewing every single item in their shop every day. She was frustrated at the fees she was accruing every month (as she should be!) I immediately had a few ideas for her shop that she could implement instead of renewing. I thought I’d share them here.
1) Make sure you are using all 14 tags. Your item’s tags are directly related to search. If you aren’t using all 14 you are missing opportunities! (Helpful article: http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/guidelines-tips-tagging-on-etsy-281/
1a) And make sure those tags relate to your items style, very specific colors, textures, size and themes/motifs. (Helpful article: http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/seller-how-to-tag-o-rama-with-descriptive-keywords-5474/
1b) Don’t just copy and paste your tags from one listing to another. Varying your tags will get your work seen in many different searches.
1c) Make sure your tags are accurate! If you are tagging a necklace with “earrings” in the hopes of getting more views, I beg you to reconsider this tactic. Shoppers looking for earrings are going to pay no mind to your listing so you’ll only be wasting a tag!
1d) Team Tags don’t need to be added to every single item in your shop. Just use them on a couple of items. Same goes with your shop name. It’s smart to tag a few items in your shop with your business name – just in case someone searches your name in search but forgets to use the drop down menu to choose search sellers.

Read more HERE
Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply!

Etsy Treasury Tips - How to Get Featured in Thousands of Treasuries

2011-05-26T12:30:00.001-04:00

Water Element Necklace, Aquamarine Glass Round on Gun Metal Chain Handmade | By: Pole Star

Jen From PoleStar says:

This post stems from a few posts I have seen where sellers are astounded at others being featured in thousands of treasuries. I was going to post IN a recent thread but I thought the advice deserved it’s own post.
Everyone here should NOT feel like small potatoes for only being in a few treasuries. We all start somewhere! There are unlimited treasuries now so the potential for how many treasuries you can end up in is infinity!
If you want to be in more treasuries some things that help are,
1. of course, great pictures. Set a mood with your photo, if you had a store front, how would you stage the front window? That is what you want to reflect in your shop pictures, of course with out being cluttered.
Someone who posted in the other thread is AmyArtz, her avatar is gorgeous, it makes me want to click, to find out, what is this cool looking cube textured pendant.
2. Of course a well made product and some cohesion in your shop. After a while people will know your shop for a great photographed version of a product.
I sell wire wrapped jewelry. As do A WHOLE LOT of other jewelry sellers on Etsy. I love what I make of course, am obsessed with making it and I do like to run it as a business for profit as well. That is why I am here on etsy selling it instead of piling it on my bed and rolling around in it a la The Proposal or whatever that movie was. My category is swamped. But guess what? I don’t let that get me down, I just try to do the best that I can do in my shop.
I take unique photos and people know my shop look and come to my shop for items to put in their treasuries. I know this, b/c they tell me so .
I also have a large variety of colors in my shop. From neutrals to bright yellows, etc.
I make what I love. I love owls, Etsy loves owls. I made an owl necklace b/c I LOVE owls. I love foxes, but I am not feeling a fox necklace, just not wanting to go there.
And for SURE I will never EVER make a mustache necklace. If I do, slap me like the passengers do the freak out lady in Airplane b/c I will have done lost my marbles.
If you feel like you want to express a trend, do it! If not, don’t! It is important that you do what you love and follow your instincts.
3. Network. Especially network with other people who love to make treasuries. At the heart of the treasury is people loving to curate lists. Be it through your favorites, a challenge through a team, etc. It is a challenging yet fun experience. It can fulfill your need for window shopping and artistic expression as well!
Network by joining a team, START a team! Twitter, Facebook. I have made so many FRIENDS through teams, such good friends, I could go stay with them overnight and sleep at their houses w/o worrying they would be a psycho killer even though I know them only through the internet.
4. Make treasuries and let everyone know you are in them! Pimp them out. That involves convoing people who you featured, tweeting your treasury lists and facebooking them.
Even if you only do one a week it will help.
5. Pay it back and forward. If you are featured in a newbie treasury, make one with newbies; if you are featured by another bow maker who loves your bows, make a treasury with that bow maker.
6. Use the Etsy Merchandising terms.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/title/merchandising/
Personally, I go through the articles and pick out “key words” and email them to myself and when I make a treasury, I skim the list and include the relevant tags in my treasury.
I am by NO means curating a ton of front pages even though I would like to. But those help me nonetheless.
I love being on the front page, but you know what feels even better? CURATING a front page. That is such a rush, awesome feeling.

Earrings Sterling Silver Lampwork Glass Hydroquartz, Fruit of the Vine

Read more tips from Jen HERE in the Etsy forums.

Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply! Find more Etsy Tips Here!

The “core” of success is already within you—ready to be released—it’s all about YOU! Creative Etsy Success

Etsy Treasury Tool Bundle - Tracker and Blueprint

Product Lead Times - The Breakdown With John W. Golden

2011-05-24T16:14:00.001-04:00

owlsay says

Hey John, One of my biggest issues is communicating lead times for my products. I've ordered from you before and you have a pretty good explanation of how long your items will take before you ship. But I'm also use to Etsy and ok with waiting for handmade items. I've tried to make that explanation as clear as possible when a customer orders something that clearly states it has a lead time, but I still have customers who don't realize my handmade process really takes that ENTIRE time stated. Do you charge rush fees if a customer wants something sooner? How do you answer the 'when will my order ship' question when your customer seems agitated they will have to wait?

johnwgolden says

It took me a while to get that turnaround statement refined to what it is now :) and plenty have people have had difficulty comprehending it and some still do.
Quick answers to your questions:
I do not charge a rush fee, not necessarily because I don't want to, but only because the levels of requests has not risen to a level that I need to. If I did charge, it would be as more of a deterrent.
I try to give the customer my best honest guess as to when I will get their order out, and then I try to stay on top of that order. More often than not, I cannot accurately estimate how long it will take to get to an order, so I just have to give myself enough time to force that order out when I said it would go. I am still a work in progress when it comes to this.
I think the buying public is used to getting purchases quickly, and that does work against sellers that have long production or turnaround times. Fortunately, most of my customers have been understanding.
I don't know the foolproof answer to getting my turnaround times to be seen and read, but I try to get them read by putting it in the product listing, my shop description and policies and up front in the message from seller in the Etsy e-mail to the buyer. I also conclude a bit of verbiage about how busier times can affect turnaround.
An extended bit about turnaround and making customers wait follows:)
Ideally, we could just say 10 calendar days and folks would be willing to wait that long. I started out on Etsy shipping within 2-3 business days, so that phrasing of "business days" always stayed in the estimate. One day, you are having lots of daily sales and shipping in 10-14 business days and you realize: That can be 21 calendar days!
I realized most of my time management problems and unhappy customers were coming from my long turnaround, so I worked for months to get it shorter. That has almost eliminated the need to ask folks for an inordinate amount of patience (in today's overnight express world).
Since there are so many aspects of our production process that we cannot shorten, I focused on what parts I could speed up. Now, I chose to do this as I was also adding my art blocks to my Etsy line, which added production time. So, for a while my efforts were not all that effective and it took longer for me to get the turnaround down than it should have. The upside to that was I got plenty of opportunity to deal with folks that were having to wait too long.
I make sure that no matter how long someone has waited, they know how sorry I am to make them wait and how much I appreciate their patience. i also let them know what I am doing to correct that problem and to prevent it from happening again. Then I just try to get back to work as soon as possible.
If you can't shorten your turnaround time, or can't immediately think of ways to do so, don't sweat it too much. If you concentrate on the aspects of your business that you can control, stuff like that tends to work itself out over time.

Read up on the Break Down Series.

Tips From An Etsy Veteran

2011-05-23T11:49:00.000-04:00

: 50 Keep Calm And Carry On Lip Balms | by: KreatedbyKarina

The longer you are involved with something the more you are bound to learn. Karina has been selling on Etsy for over 4 years and she has kindly shared her tips for running a successful Etsy shop.
Karina from KreatedbyKarina says: Veteran

In a few months I'll be celebrating 4 years on Etsy! To mark the day, I thought I'd share some of my best-kept secrets from running Soap That Makes Scents (well, ok, they are not really secrets but rather segments of advice I have given out here in the forums or in convos as a member of the Sellers Assisting Sellers Team). An FAQ of sorts, and it's all here in one place for you--might be a long read but you can pick out the parts you find useful to reach your own level of success:
~ Promoting ~
Probably the most common question I get asked is "how do you promote?"
My best tip is to figure out your target audience and promote directly to them.
Promoting to a wide audience is fine, but in the end you'll save yourself a lot of time, money and energy focusing your advertising strategies on those people who are more likely to purchase your products.
Think about the ideal person who would shop in your store---how old are they? What sort of websites/blogs would they most likely visit? What kind of magazines do you think they likely to read? What areas of the city would they live in? You can expand to other brainstorming questions but those few should give you a good start in figuring out the type of people who frequent your shop (as well as the type of people you want to direct your items to).
Once you've figured out your target audience, you can then take out ads on those same blogs, websites, magazines etc. Or concentrate on doing craftshows geared towards that "type" of audience.
~ When Selling, Think Like A Buyer ~
For instance...when trying to figure out how to tag your items, think of how YOU search for items when shopping. Do you search by color, or by certain keywords you find yourself using over and over? If so, use them in your tags as well. A great way of figuring out how to describe/tag your item is to ask friends and family. Let them take a look at what your selling (or give them a sample!) and ask what single words they would use to describe it to others. Pick out the most relevant and common ones and use those as tags if they fit, or incorporate some of their suggestions into your item descriptions.
Also---think about what promotional tactics work on YOU. Do you sign up for lots of newsletters? Maybe it's time you offered one of your own to your customers. Do you find yourself throwing away business cards, but keeping magnets and always reminding yourself "to check out that store" everytime you see it on the fridge? Invest in getting some promotional magnets made to give out with your orders or to people you meet. Things like that.
~ Organization Is Important ~
When I started out, I had supplies laying around everywhere--and I mean *everywhere*. My husband used to joke that at times he felt as though he lived in a warehouse. I realized that I was wasting a lot of time by having to go to one place for a box/envelope, one place for a pen, one place for a business card and soap sample, one place to collect the invoice, etc. Now I have a room dedicated to packaging, shipping, wrapping and labeling--Everything is stored in clear plastic bins, and out of reach from tiny hands. Recently we moved the computer in there as well just to make things even more easier. Keeping everything in one place can streamline the process from the time you receive an order, to the time it's shipped out.
~ Going Full Time~
(I took this part below from part of my QYDJ Storque interview so it may seem repetitive if you've read it)
Another common question I get is about how I made the transition from part-time soapmaker to full-time soapmaker. The easy answer would be "I just took the leap, and everything worked out fabulous!!" The more realistic answer is that it was a lot of planning ahead of time, tight budgeting to make my business self-sustainable and turn a profit, plenty of sacrifice (time, energy, luxuries), a bit of luck, and old-fashioned hard work.
If you don't have a Business Plan drawn up, I seriously urge you to get one. You can find lots of information and templates (as well as full examples) at www.sba.gov It truly is my opinion that no business can succeed fulltime without one. My husband and I sat down and wrote ours several years ago. A business plan covers not only your company's mission and planning out your target audience, but also your fiscal projection for several years ahead, all costs associated with running it from the beginning (ie. license cost, capital needed, utilities, supplies, advertising budget and a slew of other areas), HOW you plan on covering these costs, short and long-term goals, and will become your Business Manual of sorts. Plus, if you need to go to a bank for a loan to finance your business at any time, many will want to see your business plan (which should then also cover how you plan on paying your lender back).
As it stands now, Soap That Makes Scents pays for itself, with enough left over to pay our bills and rent, as well as groceries, etc. Etsy has been incredible in exposure and while they are the forefront and a large part of my business, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that craftshows, wholesale accounts, and private soap parties (and online soap parties!) make up a large portion of my income--although I wouldn't have gotten any of those accounts if it hadn't been for them finding me on Etsy.com
It's our goal for my husband to quit HIS day job in either 2011 or 2012 by the latest. He's already taken the first step by reducing his hours at work.

Read more awesome tips from Karina about money, competition , and newsletters HERE in the Etsy forums.
Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply! Find more Etsy Tips Here!

: Chocolate Espresso - Handmade Shea Butter Vegan Soap

Monday Connection - May 23

2011-05-23T07:45:00.003-04:00

Advertising Your Etsy Shop - The Breakdown With John W. Golden

2011-05-22T16:13:00.001-04:00

John W. Golden is a digital artist that has been designing since the 80's. John joined Etsy in July of 2006, and has sold over 8,000 items. You can also find John's work in Target! The Breakdown series is a ongoing series that goes behind the scenes of John's successful Etsy shop. We will be looking at real questions from real sellers, and John is going to break them down and give his straight-up answer. We will be covering a wide range of topics, but all will be geared to the success of your Etsy business.
Today's Breakdown - John talks about advertising your Etsy shop.
joyoustreasures says
First of all thanks for posting this thread! Very generous of you to do this.
Do you have any advice on how I can advertise to my market, or how to go about finding them? I have tried to get in contact with a few blogs that focus on books and reading, but got no response :( What other suggestions might you have?
I personally think that I need to start marketing off etsy, but don't have much experience with that!
Thanks in advance!
johnwgolden says
joyoustreasuries - If you can budget some money to purchase advertising on those blogs that you identified as good places to feature your work, you might find that they write a feature on your work. I don't ever spend much when I advertise on blogs, but only because I don't have much budgeted for doing so. If you can find that rare blog with lots of traffic and very affordable advertising, it can pay off.
Barring that:
If I was seller your product, and I had already tried the books and reading blogs, I would concentrate on trying to find and get in front of:
1) folks who love flowers and horticulture
2) folks who know folks who love flowers, etc.
3) Readers, of course
4) folks who know readers
And pretty much anybody else I could think of that could need a bookmark and likes flowers :).
I'd look for gardening blogs, specifically ones with a focus on gardening books. Don't know if those exist, but that's what I would look for.
If you have any kind of community in place, like this team, or a Facebook page, or Twitter, I would put out to those folks that you are looking for places to approach with your bookmarks. Ask if they have any favorite gardening blogs, etc.
I guess what I am suggesting is, since you have tried the places that you would expect to get a little traction generating exposure for your work, try some of the unexpected places.

Read up on the Break Down Series.

Etsy Tags: Use ‘Em All - Here Are Some Pointers

2011-05-21T15:54:00.001-04:00

Disco Fever . Gift Tags on Ring

If someone gave you 14 opportunities to make a sale, would you decide to only use 10? I doubt it. Don’t do that with your tags on Etsy either. You may miss the boat!
The first tag is Etsy’s official category list. Choose the one that most accurately fits your item (warning: Etsy does respond to complaints about mis-categorized items, so beware. Yes, we all want visibility, but not at the expense of customer good will.

Etsy has Tutorials and Help Articles
Etsy has several articles and helpful tips you can use, and they discuss using tags, choosing categories, and many other helpful items to set up and organize your store. So don’t overlook all they help they give to sellers.

Tags: Use ‘Em All
Standard tags I think you should use ALL THE TIME:

FIRST: The NAME of your Store
If you have promoted your store on your blog, if someone else has mentioned your store on their blog, or if they heard about you from another customer, you want them to find you, don’t you? Maybe they actually purchased from you before, but don’t want to go through their list of past purchases to find you. Whatever the reason, or however they know of your store, make that one of your tags.
SECOND: Your Name, or the Name you Use with your Creations!
This is another, to me at least, no-brainer. Friends and people at work may not remember my store name, but they will know mine. I always tell customers they can find our store on etsy, so they may remember that and go looking. BUT my store name, since I have a business partner, may not be quite that easy to remember. By entering my name in the search text, my items should pop right up.
Remember, your customers can’t walk in your store and ask questions, or ask for you, so you need them to find you, quick, easy and accurately.

More Tagging Suggestions
Describe your item in the next tags. Now, descriptions are a bit more tricky. Of course, you do want to be descriptive, but not so detailed that no one would ever use that as a search term. Cream, tan, or brown may be terms customers would use to search for a purse color, but ecru? Well, probably not so much. But if you have something that is a well known trademark name, be sure to add that. Let’s say you made a wall hanging using Mary Engelbreit material. Be sure you list that as an item. Customers would search on that, since it may be something they specifically want to find!
I sell jewelry so I am sure to list color, type of gemstone, and generally whether it’s silver or gold or copper, etc. I might also add the type of clasp, if it’s unique, such as heart toggle. I list the gemstone, if it is one I think customers would search on, such as turquoise, amethyst or sapphire. But I might not add that if the stone is uncommon, such as rhodochrosite, and especially not manganese carbonate! Who knows that! Not many customers. And if they do, they will also know they more common ways to find it, such as searching for pink or rose colored.

Team Tags
OK, maybe you have passed the obvious tags, and now you are wondering “what else?” Is this where you used to quit (used to, because you know you won’t do that anymore, right?). You have listed the basic descriptive terms, your name and your store. Next?
If you are the member of an Etsy team, add that as a tag. I have personally used this in so many ways, and it’s great. First, if anyone has promoted your team in a blog post or article, customers may search on the team name and get not only our store, but many of our individual items also! Second, if I am writing the article, I can search for our team name and immediately get items from our members stores that I can then high-light and link to in my article! Quick, easy. Third, it also makes it easy for a member to work up a treasury that will focus on team offerings. Finally, sometimes I can’t remember a member’s store name (in fact, some members may have more than 1 store).

Locator Tags
I also list tags about where I am located. I’ve never used “United States” but I may need to remember that one myself. But I list my state and usually my city. Or perhaps the closest large city to where I am. Many people try to shop local whenever they can, and I want them to find me. Maybe they will contact me for a custom order if they know we can meet and discuss it in person. Maybe they have a store and would take some of my items on consignment.
Also, if your item is somehow connected to a large special event, add that as a tag. If you make handmade wedding invitations, using calligraphy, you want that in your tags. If your item uses an image of Italy, or the Eiffel Tower, be sure those are tagged as such. Is it a bookmark with a cross? Maybes you add the terms catechism or baptism or confirmation, since these might be great gifts for such occasions.
It is not a tagging error to help customers find a gift for that special occasion or for someone who has a particular hobby or interest. You don’t want to be overlooked. Tags are your ability to suggest something from your shelves to your customer.

Read the rest of the article over on Handmadeology

5 Minute Traffic Boosting Blog Post Ideas for Etsy Bloggers

2011-05-21T12:44:00.000-04:00

Let's face it blogging can sometimes be difficult when you are just not sure what to write about. You always want to make sure you are engaging your readers with content that they want to read. Figuring out strong topics can be a challenge and will leave you frustrated. Like I always say , "if you are not enjoying your blog... you need to change it up and make it fun".

Strong blog topics that bring in readers do not necessarily need to be long. They just need to grab the attention of your readers.

3 characteristics of a strong 5 minute blog post:

Attention Gabbing
Involves other artist and blogger
Promotes social sharing (facebook , twitter, blogs, ect)

Grabbing your readers attention:

This all starts with your title. Make sure your title tells your people exactly what the post is about. When your post is Tweeted and shared on Facebook, you want people to click. The second way to grab attention is with awesome pictures. Every post you ever write on your blog must have a picture. Pictures are crucial for Facebook. Wall posts with pictures have a higher click through rate than those without.

Get others involved promotes social sharing:

When you get other artist and bloggers involved in your articles, you are harnessing the power of numbers. If you feature one other Etsy seller, that seller will love the exposure and then spread the word around.

What if you could feature 10 or more Etsy sellers in one post?

Here are two strong 5 minute blog post ideas.

1. Featuring a Handmade Top 10 list.

Handmade Top 10 is a voting site that is brought to you by Handmadeology and is designed to help sellers improve their products and to bring the very best handmade, vintage, and supply items in front of buyers. Our voting system is allows anyone to add items from Etsy and vote. There is no login or sign up required, and is 100% free.

Once a list is finalized there is even more opportunity for exposure. This is where any blogger can come in and place a finished list in a blog post.

We understand the importance of sharing and promoting lists through social media. On every list open and closed you will find a promote button.

Here is what our blog post widget looks like: It is a clickable live widget that changes with the votes!

When writing about a top 10 list from Handmade Top 10, you will be including 10 other Etsy sellers. A post like this will take you only a few minutes to complete, but will give you the opportunity to grow your readership and increase your traffic. Spend the extra time to let the sellers know that you have featured them on your blog.

2. Featuring an Etsy Treasury:

We all know them and we all love them.. Etsy treasuries are a great way to spread the blog featuring love! There are thousands of treasuries to pick from when deciding which one to feature. The fastest way to add a treasury to a blog post is with Whale Shark Websites Etsy Treasury Tool. You can have a clickable Etsy treasury in a blog post in seconds! We have featured thousands of Etsy shops right here on Handmadeology using this tool.

Here is an example:

'Find the Beautiful' by kateemarie

great thanks to maechevrette for the title!

Blue Sunset - ONE OF A KIND ... nothingspecial... $35.00	Huge 20 x 16 paper print - F... maechevrette $42.00	Turquoise/Teal Ruffled Silk ... bstudio $18.00
Bronze And Sterling Silver O... Mocahete $48.00	Dandelion Photograph, 8x10 F... Briole $30.00	Vintage "ALL" Laun... Vintageurbanco... $47.00
You Can Do It Pablo Picasso... brooknoel $10.00	Felted slippers Green Meadow jdackyte $65.00	rustic fern- ceramic focal p... kylieparry $14.00
Magical Forest - labradorite... InmostLight $25.00	Taj Earrings - Teal Green WishByFelicity $16.00	Black Metal Staircase with T... shyphotog $10.00
retired fishing boat connama... michaelprior $30.00	Eco-friendly Hemp Bag with S... Uzura $48.00	Little Dreams On The Wing 8... jmbarclay $25.00

Remember there is strength in numbers, and featuring other Etsy sellers will help your blog grow in readership and traffic. Have fun with your blog and post items that you enjoy.... you have to look at your blog too!
Article from: Handmadeology

Top 10 Ceramic and Pottery Items from Etsy

2011-05-21T12:36:00.000-04:00

Handmade Top 10 is designed to showcase the very best items from Etsy. Here are the Top 10 Ceramic and Pottery items from Etsy. 68 items were submitted and 9873 votes were recorded.

Looking for more exposure? With our unique sponsor system your ad/item is guaranteed to be seen. Sponsors are seen on on our front page and throughout the voting.

Right now we are running a special on sponsor spaces. $20 for 1 item for 1 month or $35 for 2 items for 1 month .

If you are interested in more sponsor information click HERE.

Top ten test

2011-02-12T11:03:00.001-05:00

FREE 5 Day Ecourse - YOur Business Identity

2011-01-26T16:51:00.000-05:00

What is your unique business identity and how does it direct your business’ path?
Your Business Identity is a free email-based coursework created by me (Tim of Handmadeology) to help you know yourself and uncover tips for reaching your business’ goals. In one short (and entertaining) week, I’ll guide you through these topics:

Your Introvert or Extrovert Temperament: Are you aware of the ways your personality can help or hurt your business?
Your Business Adventure – Risk Tolerance Levels: How does your sense of adventure limit or hurt your business?
Your Personal Renewal Style: How do you stay fresh when you are tired or burnt out from your business?
Your Spending Behaviors: How does the way you spend money impact your business’ finances?
And more!

I’ve created these short personality quizzes, self-assessment tests, and exercises to help you discover the success that lies only within you and reveal practical ways to apply what you learn to your business’ operations.

Being keenly self-aware is often difficult and as entrepreneurs transferring that knowledge to the way we operate our businesses can be tricky at best. I’ll share some of the things I’ve learned so far on this entrepreneurial journey and hopefully help you awaken your hearts and mind to find your own business identity that leads to success!

Sign up for your FREE Business Identity HERE.

Why Set Goals?

2011-01-11T18:36:00.000-05:00

Setting goals and trying to met them should be apart of your daily business.
Goals written are dreams achieved: There is something to writing down your goals. When you use a pen or pencil, you can touch and smell it and you are turning a thought into a physical object.
Goal writing tips:

1. Stay positive. The more positive your goals are the better.   Work for what you want to acheive in your Etsy shop, not for what you want to leave behind. For example ” I didn’t make enough sales last month, I have to improve my sale” . How about “This month will be my best sales month to date”. Don’t remind yourself about what you didn’t accomplish. Stay positive!

2. Detail, Details Details. When writing your goals for your Etsy shop use as much detail as you can. “I will sell 250 items in the month of December.” “This holiday season I will design a new line of jewelry trees.” The more detailed you become with your goals, the more focused you can get. You will be able to drive your focus toward your goals and reach them!

3. Write – Rewrite – Tweet – Share – Blog . The more you write and rewrite your goals the better you will remember and work on your goals.   Keep your goals in the front of your mind, the tip of your tounge, and the “palm of your hand”. Why not Tweet about your goals, or write a blog post

4. Track the Progress of Your Goal.   Tracking the progress of your goals in a spreadsheet is a gret way to visualize your goals.   Graphs are also another powerful way to visualize your goals.

The team here over at Handmadeology has put together a free Excel spreadsheet that will help you track your sales and your goals for 2011. The Handmadeology Team wants to help you with your Etsy goals and help you keep track of your Etsy sales. We have developed a simple yet powerful Sales and goal tracker for Etsy sellers. We are offering this to all our readers, followers, fans, and subscribers for FREE!!!

To find out more about how to download your Free 2011 Etsy Sales Goal Tracker Spreadsheet, just click HERE!

Gifts every Man deserves on Valentine's Day

2011-01-10T18:51:00.002-05:00

'Gifts every Man deserves on Valentine's Day' by LaurenceCollection

Barbershop Quartet - Mini Co... poppychicdesig... $64.00	Love You Like A Fat Kid Love... ecceprints $12.00	Hand Made Suede Leather Shoe... shoemakers $148.00
Pure wool beanie made in nat... chicksale $42.00	You Heart Me Cufflinks - You... WaxwingJewelry $38.00	Hand Knitted Knitting Scarf ... crochetbutterf... $25.00
Free shipping in USA Amboyna... SarabbyCreatio... $50.00	Primitive 64 Drawer Apotheca... redroosterbab $899.99	Bluish black checked wool 14... lilywhitepad $113.00
Nice Ass Hand Painted Mug LennyMud $15.00	Handcrafted Wooden Wine Rack... honeystreasure... $60.00	vintage HARVARD PLAiD newsbo... shopREiNViNTAG... $40.00
Bee Mine christinawilli... $3.00	Aunt Helen's Pumpkin Muf... jewelofthelion $39.00	Necktie Wallet - Recycled Re... prixprix $30.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

A fresh mint wishlist

2011-01-05T13:54:00.001-05:00

'A fresh mint wishlist!' by Signoraluna

Enjoy!

Hand Embroidery in 3 inch Ho... merriweatherco... $30.00	Handcrafted Vintage Style St... circlecreekhom... $22.00	Hummingbird Pendant kimiko611 $18.00
Old songs of winter 8x10 Fi... sunshineartdes... $18.00	Antique keys 4 magnets rafya $18.00	sweet mint - ribbon lace bra... nanofactory $21.00
Mint green winter party purs... HeartFeltByNin... $50.00	Original Oil Painting 10x10 ... michelemaule $200.00	Forest for the trees - Fine ... irenesuchocki $30.00
NORTH POLE STAR Necklace, Sw... DorotaJewelry $36.00	Days like this - Fine Art St... GrainnePhotogr... $10.00	Sea Salt - Double Wrap Avent... MadRiverDesign... $
HOLIDAY SALE-Peacock Pillow-... sewluckygirl $30.00	Braided Maiden Headband/Earw... YesJess $28.00	Tequila Sour Salt Bar Soap w... soapdeli $5.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

What Does Success Look Like to You?

2011-01-05T11:35:00.002-05:00

Creative Etsy Success

I have realized that success does not just come from how you use social media, how you advertise, or a thousand other "hot topics" on Etsy. All of those are useful and very important, but do not get at the "core" of creating a successful business venture. The "core" is YOU!

Creative Etsy Success

Your personality, strengths, skills, dreams, creativity, and encouragement levels are all key variables to finding your unique pathway to success on Etsy. Knowing yourself helps utilize your individual qualities for the greatest impact. This resource helps you discover your distinct path through a variety of fun, insightful, and engaging tests, quizzes, self-assessments, guides, workbooks, and practical tools.
Learn more about this brand new eBook brought to you by Handmadeology.
Over 33,000 words and 150 pages packed full of information to help you grow your creative business.

2011 Marketing Calender from Smallerbox.net

2011-01-04T21:53:00.000-05:00

Printable Mini Calendar- 2011

Planning out your promotions for the new year is important. Here are some great ideas from small business blog Smallerbox.net

Even though the Christmas tree might still be in your living room, it’s time to start thinking Valentine’s Day, at least if you have an online retail business. Marketing and merchandising for seasonal occasions is an essential part of boosting sales, and doing it effectively means planning ahead. That’s why it’s important to take stock of all the events throughout the year you could market for and set a schedule for when you’ll start doing your marketing for each.

Valentine’s Day:
At the latest you should begin your marketing by mid-January. If you are hoping for some print press remember that monthly publications work months in advance and you can start pitching them as early as November. Weekly, online and daily publications need less lead time, but you still want to get on their radar by early January.
If you plan to do a coupon, giveaway, or other promotion, you’ll want to start drumming up interest with your customers by mid to late January.
Graduation
People start shopping for grad gifts as early as April, so if you have products that make good graduation gifts, come up with a plan to market them by early March and start pitching those products to monthly media outlets. Weeklies, dailies and online outlets can be pitched throughout April and into early May.

125 Brand Building Tips from Copyblogger

2011-01-04T21:43:00.000-05:00

Shabby Chic Vintage Alphabet Block Pin - B

Here are 125 tips for building your brand from Copyblogger.

1. What drives you? Is there an emotion, need, desire, or past event that motivates you to take action? How can you infuse some of that energy into your brand?
2. What are you passionate about? What gets you excited, angry, or motivated to take action? How can you let your passion come through in your brand?

51. Who is your competition? Everyone in every niche has a competitor. Even if you don’t have someone in your niche that offers the same products / services / information as you do, there’s always someone you compete with in search engine rankings for your keywords. Know who they are.
52. What makes them a competitor? Are they offering the same things you are to the same audience, are they competing with you for the same keywords, or are they a friend that you compete with for fun?
53. How do they describe what makes them unique? What words and tone of voice are they using to convey what they do? How does their description differ from yours? Do you need to adjust your branding to make your description more appealing to your audience than theirs is?

To read the rest of these great tips head over to Coppyblogger..... HERE.

Give me some coffee...please

2011-01-04T21:17:00.002-05:00

'Give me some coffee...please' by ile1974

I love coffee

I Heart Coffee - Fine Art Ph... elr104 $15.00	Coffee time anytime BeadCatcher $24.00	NO COFFEE NO WORK (Black) - ... LaVieIllustree $7.49
50 Wishing Tree Wedding Gift... EdgeInspired $20.00	Chocolate Espresso Cake Truf... lollidreams $27.00	Cappuccino All Natural Shea ... opheliasapothe... $3.75
SMARTIES CHOCOLATE - scarfle... ixela $52.00	COFFEE AND CREAM - Peyote Cu... debger $40.00	COFFEE tea CUP Necklace Silv... AngelPearls $22.00
SWEET ROSE NECKLACE - VELVET... bijouxdellostr... $26.00	Mini Cafe Cutting Board in S... grayworksdesig... $40.00	Chocolate Blossom - rich bro... sydneyalfano $15.00
Coffee Cup Confessions Mr. D... MeadowTea $20.00	Necklace, Coffee Buzz Amulet... LeBeadoir $155.00	Hot Coffee Rubber Stamp norajane $3.50

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Increase Your Etsy traffic

2011-01-01T12:31:00.000-05:00

Take a look at these simple steps... They are all things that I have done to increase traffic and sales in my Etsy shop. Below you will find some articles I have written in the past few years.

Simple SEO For Etsy Sellers

Etsy Tips From Handmadeology

Top 20 Small Business Blog Posts of 2010

Increase your Etsy Traffic by 500%

Give your Etsy Shop a PageRank Boost

*Google Page Rank defined

*PageRank tips for inside your etsy shop

*PageRank tips for outside your etsy shop

***3 insider tips that I use to increase my Traffic to my etsy shop and blog
*Cool tool to check your Google Page Rank
*Question and answer with Etsians
*and much more!

3 Fixes for the low views on Etsy

Taking better pictures
Tagging your items on Etsy more effectively
On Etsy and Off Etsy Promo (forums, facebook, twitter, blogs, and more)
How I achieved 500 views in 1 hour

Squeezing Your Advertising Dollars

Learn how to run a killer advertising campaign on Project Wonderful
Step by step How To Video
I show you how I spend $10 for 1000 views
Question and Answer with Etsians on Project Wonderful
My list of recommended high traffic sites to advertise on
Long list of in-depth articles on Google Adwords

Branding Your Etsy Business 140 Characters at a Time

How I use Twitter to brand my bussiness
Loads of Twitter tools
Quick Do's and Don'ts

Twitter Following Made Easy
Twitter: Not Just a Fad

Making the most of your Blog Profile

Learn how to build a more user friendly blog profile.
Post your Etsy mini in your blog profile
Step by step how to video all about the Etsy Mini
How to video on making hyper links for your blog and e-mails

Social Bookmarking in a Flash

I have found that Social Bookmarking to be the most effective form of FREE marketing for my online business. In this video I explain what Social Bookmarking is and how to apply it to your online business. I also so you step by step how to mark your sites and pages on 48 different social bookmarking sites in less what 20 mins..

Tips for Blogging Success (100,000 views)

I have had a blog for just over 20 months, and I have reached and passed 100,000 views.. and 70,000 unique visitors. I use my blog as a very effective tool for my business.

I want to share with you a few steps I have take to reach this goal..

Installing Google Analytics for Your Etsy Shop

Google Analytics and Your Etsy Shop

Google Analytics: Tracking Time Trends

Google Analytics + Etsy Update

Google Analytics In-depth

Facebook / Twitter

Facebook and Twitter Marketing Tips

Growing and Nurturing your Twitter Network

Swanky

2011-01-01T11:32:00.000-05:00

'Swanky' by DawnCorrespondence

Beer Lovers Towel Set - Set ... NestaHome $	STUD 14x18inch recycled felt... alexandrafergu... $69.00	vintage Mens Navy Blue Pinst... shopgoodgrace $30.00
Vintage 1961 Sears Tower Cit... TheFancyLamb $82.00	Chiaroscuro TShirt, Unisex E... ArtHistory101 $28.00	sale Vintage 1950s FIRE BRIC... SmallEarthVint... $54.40
Briefcase in Black Genuine L... jennyndesign $226.00	Fancy Moustache Pins yummypocket $	Pair of Vintage Shoe Trees shavingkitsupp... $20.00
Circles man ring in sterling... Jealousydesign $47.00	Black Licorice-Hand Knit Woo... schemata $50.00	Avant-Garde Gray Leather Bom... apocalypsevint... $175.00
Nautilus Shell. Screenprinte... toybreaker $30.00	Vintage Ice Bucket, Crystal ... calloohcallay $38.00	The Day Pack in Dark Olive infusion $

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

My 15 Minutes of Fame!

2010-12-31T01:20:00.001-05:00

Check out my 15 minuets of fame on That's Life with Robin Swoboda. I talked about my metal and my other internet adventures.

Here is how it all went down!

I met Robin this past fall at a marketplace that I had a small store in... She wanted to interview me then, but I was leaving the market because my online busy season was coming up. I talked to her, her producer and the camera guy for about 15 minutes, and that was the end of it.... Then the producer from the show emailed me and said they wanted to do a spot on me and my work.... So they came to my house and filmed the interview. They also got a bunch of footage of me welding and working on some projects! After they left my wife called the local newspaper and they are printing a story in the next few days on the show!

Here are some pics from the filming of the show! They came out to my house and filmed me working and filmed some of my finished products!

Be sure to click on the pics.. they are very detailed! My wife took them!

Check out more updates over on my Twitter Channel @timothyadam
Check out all my designs in my Etsy shop!

The 2011 Etsy Sales Goal Tracker Spreadsheet (Free Download)

2010-12-31T00:46:00.000-05:00

2011 Etsy Sales Goal Tracker Spreadsheet

With the arrival of 2011, it's the perfect time to start creating
goals for your handmade business. Creating a sales goal helps you
know where you want your business to be and make adjustments throughout
the year to arrive at that destination. This spreadsheet is designed to
help you see your sales goal written down, visually track your progress,
help hold you accountable, provide sales data insight, and encourage
you to succeed in 2011!

It's easy to set up and use through out the year. You simply enter the
number of sales you want to make during the year and type in how many
sales you make each day. Automatically, graphs are updated to show your
progress and provide insight into your sales trends (most popular days
of the week for sales, and an annual trend line of your sales volume).
It's a fun way to stay connected to your goals throughout the year!

The 2011 Etsy Sales Goal Tracker Spreadsheet is a FREE download brought
to you by the Handmadeology team.

Check out more about how to get your FREE Etsy sales tracking spreadsheet.

http://www.handmadeology.com/grab-your-free-2011-etsy-sales-goal-tracker-spreadsheet/

The Ultimate List Of Craft Show Tips

2010-12-18T22:52:00.001-05:00

{photo credit: OneFineDae}

The holiday craft show season has launched. Having done done a number of shows in the past, I know that preparing for a craft show can get a bit nerve racking. I have scoured the web for the best articles on preparing for a craft show. Enjoy and good luck this season!

25 more Links! HERE

Interview with Irene Suchocki - Top Etsy Photography Seller

2010-12-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

Be Productive This Holiday Season

2010-12-09T10:46:00.001-05:00

{photo credit}

Here are some links to help you be more productive this Holiday season!

Holiday Selling Tips ( From The Black Apple)

Do You Have a Handmade Business Plan?

Getting up Early = Super-Productivity

Promote your Etsy Coupons on EtsyCoupons.com

Over 100 Tips for Etsy Sellers

Do You Have a Handmade Business Plan?

2010-12-07T12:12:00.001-05:00

Meet Lauren - Writer for Handmadeology
Having collected 47 stamps in my passport during a year-long volunteer experience around the world several years ago, I am now on the next leg of my journey: Stamp 48. Part blog and part consulting company: I can work with you to achieve the financial goals of your Creative business, so you can focus on your creative passion. My blog focuses on business tips for handmade sellers, featured artists, interior design, DIY ideas, art & inspiration, and hosting/entertaining ideas.
I spend my days working for an international development firm in Washington, DC developing forecasts and budgets with my head buried in Excel spreadsheets. It’s true: spreadsheets makes me giddy with excitement. However, not being limited to exercising my left-brain, I spend my nights (and lunch breaks when possible!) reading design and craft blogs, designing and sewing handbags, experimenting with new recipes,
connecting with friends from my church, snapping photos of Our Nation’s Capital, and concocting DIY endeavors.

Handmade Business Plan: (from Handmadeology)

Do you have a business plan for your handmade business? You should. It helps you wrap your head around each step of your business. You can’t plan for the future success of your business if you don’t know where you want it to go.
While I was visiting my mom in St. Louis over Thanksgiving, we began to reminisce over childhood adventures: school plays, soccer tournaments, cookie company order fulfillment, etc. Wait, you weren’t a co-owner of a chocolate chip cookie company as a 10-year-old? I suppose that is a little odd. Let me explain.
I’ve always been entrepreneurial at heart. Lemonade stands didn’t quench my thirst for business. I wanted to create something more. When I was 10, my best friend and I started the Sweeties Cookie Company. We took orders by the dozen from neighbors and family friends and spent our Saturdays whipping up quadruple (no joke) batches of my mom’s recipe of chocolate chip cookies, which may or may not have been the Toll House recipe, but don’t tell! We packaged the cookies in plastic wrap, then snuggled the stacks of cookies into brown paper lunch sacks tied with raffia. If my memory serves me correctly, we sold them for $9/dozen or. Not bad for a 4th grader.

Writing your own business plan helps you to think and analyze how all of the elements of your business come together. Every business, even a one-woman run handmade business, should have a business plan. It doesn’t have to be extensive or have fancy charts and graphs. You probably won’t be presenting this to a bank to obtain funding, but if you are at that stage of the game, you will need something more elaborate. The Small Business Administration is a great resource for more detail, but the general outline should have the following elements:
Business goals and strategy for achieving them: What is the mission of your business? Will it be eco-friendly or will it donate a portion of proceeds to charity? Whatever your goals are, spell them out here. Be as clear as possible.
Market Analysis: Who are you selling your products to? Why should a customer choose your product over a competitors? Are there regulatory restrictions in your industry? If you’re selling bath products, what laws do you need to adhere to for your state/country?
Marketing Strategy: How are your target customers going to find out about your wonderful products? Will you buy advertisements on blogs or other websites? Will you use social media such as Twitter or Facebook? What is the minimum number of followers/fans that you want to have? How will you track prospective sales? Once you collect prospective customers, how will you continue to interact with them? Will you have an advertising budget or use completely free techniques?
Products: Will you have one line of products or multiple lines? What is your value proposition (why should your customers buy your product)? Do any of your products require patents or trademarks? Who are your suppliers? If your supplier goes out of business, is there a comparable supplier? What is the cost of your product and what is the appropriate price?
Financials (my favorite part!): Include both historical and future data (Profit & Loss Statements, Balance sheets, and Cash Flow Statements). If this freaks out out completely, try to plan out how much profit (the money you earn from selling your products minus the cost of your products) you want to make each year. What do you need to do to achieve this? If this still freaks you out, contact me

Find more article to help your handmade business GROW over on Handmadeology!

Creative Social Media Boost with Timothy Adam

2010-12-05T22:08:00.000-05:00

Come join me for a live blogging event all about social media. I will be teaching a few ways you can get creative with your social media marketing. I will also be taking questions… so get those questions ready! The even will start at 8pm EST on December 7th 2010. You can find more info over on Handmadeology!

Handmade Cutting Boards

2010-12-03T00:48:00.000-05:00

Handmade Cutting boards from Gray Works Design.

Find more handmade decor on Handmadeology.com.

Etsy Cyber Monday Deals - Top 10 From EtsyCoupons.com

2010-11-29T12:59:00.000-05:00

Cyber Monday is here! Here are the top 10 Cyber Monday Etsy deals from EtsyCoupons.com.

1. 27% off Classic Handmade Gemstone & Pearl Jewelry plus FREE Shipping : From The Peach Tree
listed in Jewelry
2. Cyber Monday Sale 20% off Handmade Candles :From Pure Palette Scents
listed in Candles

3. Buy 3 get 1 FREE Origami Tree Cards : From MsVeronicas
listed in Paper Goods

4. 20% Bitsy Creations : Choose from plates, bowls, tote bags, stationery, and Christmas ornaments.
listed in Holidays
5. 20% off Handmade Jewelry by Heather Gould Metals
listed in Jewelry
6. 25% Off + Choose A Free Notepad Sale! : From This Is It
listed in Paper Goods
7. 20% OFF vintage decorFOR CYBER MONDAY @ 8PointDesign!
listed in Vintage
8. 50% off all beading patterns, tutorials and instruction sheets.
listed in patterns
9. 30% off One-Of-A-Kind Handbags in Leather and Fabric: From Gabs Bags
listed in Bags and Purses
10 . 30% OFF ALL JEWELRY SUPPLIES IN SHOP! :From parallel
listed in Supplies
Hey Etsy sellers!!! Do you have a coupon you need to promote? Submit your Etsy Coupons for FREE to EtsyCoupons.

Looking for your Etsy Coupons - EtsyCoupons.com

2010-11-26T15:41:00.000-05:00

EtsyCoupons.com launched a few days ago and with the Holiday buzz, over 250 coupons have been submitted. EtsyCoupons is brought to you by Handmadeology.

etsycoupons.com

1. Gives Etsy sellers a specific place to send their
buyers to promote their coupon codes. Buyers understand
coupon sites and EtsyCoupons makes it easy to copy and
paste coupon codes.

2. Unlike other popular coupon sites that don't link straight to your Etsy shop, EtsyCoupons allows sellers to upload pictures, unlimited text and html, and links directly to your etsy shop

3. Etsy Coupons utilizes social media sites like Twitter,
Facebook, Stumbleupon, and many more to promote submitted coupons.
Your coupons will be seen by our vast social media reach.

4. By submitting your coupons here you will gain valuable
backlinks to your Etsy shop that will help improve your Etsy shop SEO.

5. EtsyCoupons is FREE to use. Each seller will have an account where you can manage your coupons and see how much traffic your coupons is getting.

Here are some examples of some popular coupons from the site:
http://www.etsycoupons.com/15-off-at-alchemystic-bath-rituals/

http://www.etsycoupons.com/10-off-recycled-vegan-fleece-xmittens-jackets-thru-november-29-2010/

http://www.etsycoupons.com/25-off-all-items-in-shop/

http://www.etsycoupons.com/black-friday-33-off-everything-all-day/

Etsy Coupons is a simple site to use. Here is a step by
step walk through of setting up your account and adding your first coupon.

http://www.handmadeology.com/promote-your-etsy-coupons-on-etsycoupons-com/

Getting to Know Etsy 50 Questions at a Time!

2010-10-12T22:58:00.000-04:00

Are you an Etsy seller? Are you thinking about selling on Etsy? These 50 questions will make you think, turn on some lights, and help you know what the Etsy community is thinking! Come show your support and fill out the polls, and give this lens a thumbs up! You can even leave a link to your Etsy shop, Blog, Twitter page, and Facebook Fan page!

Have fun... and learn a little too!

Timothy

20% Fall Tree Sale - Win a FREE Tree

2010-10-01T19:32:00.000-04:00

From October 1st to October 23rd you can get 20% off any of my jewelry trees. You can also enter to win a FREE tree from my shop. Head over to the Facebook Event and learn how to enter!

Tips For Leaving And Getting More Comments

2010-09-30T00:19:00.000-04:00

Since the relaunch of my Handmadeology blog in early August 2010 there has been over 1,300 comments posted. Comments are the lifeblood of any blog. Comments build social proof and let you know as a blogger that readers are reading. Comments can also help your blog or site gain page rank and improve your Google search position. I have gathered the best of the best articles on blog comments. Enjoy!

Save Time By Automatically Renewing Your Etsy Listings

2010-09-29T12:24:00.001-04:00

The developers over at Statsy.org have just released their Clockbot. This new feature allow you to set up your Etsy listing to automatically renew.

The Clockbot utilizes the Etsy api with the new secure OAuth system (read about the OAuth here)

Here is a short tutorial on how to set this up!

1. Head over to Statsy.org and find the Clockbot tab. Click the login button.

2. This will take you to Etsy and ask if you want to allow access.

3. Back to the Clockbot! Enter the listing number from the item you want to renew, set the date and time, and hit schedule.

Or pic your item with the item chooser:

4. Repeat for all the listings you want to renew.

5. You can even renew the schedule the same item twice.

Smoky Days

2010-09-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

'Smoky days' by gemagenta

Coffee and Cream Date Night ... Minxshop $130.00	Necklace Mystic Smokey Quart... PoleStar $65.00	Cathedral Fence - Geneva - 4... photohale $8.00
SMOKE GRAY ARTISANAL WOOL CO... patriciaayres $535.00	Kimono - 5x7 print munieca $10.00	CLAIRE hand knitted cardigan... ovejanegra $90.00
SCULPTURE - RING EL PEDRERU mariagotijoyas $1700.00	Beige flower brooch emeeme $20.00	Diamond lace fingerless glov... skywatcher1121 $21.00
Two lines Cufflinks- sterlin... mujoyas $45.00	a skin full of poems dualchocolate $15.00	Love Writer Print / Cappucin... dekanimal $18.00
The Wind That Blows - Print myfolklover $15.00	Smoke - Mirrors Collection -... orglamix $14.95	Wide Mokume Ring with Random... DownToTheWireD... $75.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Embedded Etsy Pictures On The New Twitter

2010-09-28T12:47:00.001-04:00

Twitter is rolling out the New Twitter to it's users. There are some great new features, and one that will benifit Etsy sellers! When you post a link from your Etsy shop the 5 pictures are now embedded right on Twitter. The only draw back to this is you have to use the long url you can't shorten it. Click the pics to expand and see a zoomed in view!

You can see that when you post a link to an item the price and the pictures show up. The pictures are clickable and link right to your item. When you are reading through tweets you will see a small gray picture icon when you click it the right column will expand and show the pictures.

Twitter did add a nice security measure. If you click on a picture from someone you are not following there is a nice warning that pops up.

What We've Learned After 5,000 Etsy Sales

2010-09-28T00:52:00.000-04:00

32NorthSupplies says:

We hit 5,000 sales a couple days ago and wanted to share a few of the things we've learned along the way. Some things are tried and true, others surprised us and made us wish we'd done them sooner...

* LIST OR RENEW THINGS EVERY DAY
Not only does it keep your store fresh and full, but listing/renewing a few things every day keeps your listings closer to the top of search results. Being at the top means buyers see your items sooner.

*GOOD PHOTOS
Most of us have heard it a million times but it couldn't be more true: good, clear photos taken in natural light that are accurate representations of how items look are photos that make sales happen. There are tons of sources and tutorials if you're not sure how to set up your shots that are all worth looking into (search the forums and the storque to start).

Taking advantage of being able to add multiple images to listings also helps sell items. Different angles and detail shots add to your listing and help give your customers an idea of what they're really looking at.

If you sell multiple colors of the same thing, consider including a color chart as one of your photos to show customers available options.

*RESPOND PROMPTLY TO CONVOS
Customers appreciate prompt responses. It shows you value them and their time and that you take what you're doing seriously.

*SHIP QUICKLY
We ship orders out within 2-24 hrs, the only exception being Sundays and holidays. Customers appreciate getting their items fast. It lets them know their business is valued and that getting purchases in their hands is a top priority. Quick shipping tells your customers they can count on you and increases the likelihood of building a repeat clientele.

*USE CLEAN PACKING MATERIALS
We're all about recycling packaging materials, and encourage it, but we never send out purchases in dingy or inappropriate packaging. For example, we recently received a purchase packed in a used food box. What should have been an exciting moment was instead became "Eew gross!" It's important that when a customer opens their package they're as excited as when they first saw it on Esty.

*DON'T GOUGE ON SHIPPING
Charging for postage supplies is more than fair, as is accounting for things like standing in line at the post office to mail international orders. But charging an exorbitant amount on shipping turns customers off. From the beginning, we've offered overage refunds for combined shipping on multiple items purchased. Customers appreciate and recognize fairness and will come back to shop again.

Read more here.

Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply! Find more Etsy Tips Here!

Goals Written Are Dreams Achieved

2010-09-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

Mini Goals Chalkboard - Perfect Day - Grassy/Mossy

Goals written are dreams achieved: There is something to writing down your goals. When you use a pen or pencil, you can touch and smell it and you are turning a thought into a physical object.
Goal writting tips:
1. Stay positive. The more positive your goals are the better. Work for what you want to acheive in your Etsy shop, not for what you want to leave behind. For example ” I didn’t make enough sales last month, I have to improve my sale” . How about “This month will be my best sales month to date”. Don’t remind yourself about what you didn’t accomplish.
2. Detail, Details Details. When writing your goals for your Etsy shop use as much detail as you can. “I will sell 250 items in the month of December.” “This holiday season I will design a new line of jewelry trees.” The more detailed you become with your goals, the more focused you can get. You will be able to drive your focus toward your goals and reach them!
3. Write – Rewrite – Tweet – Share – Blog . The more you write and rewrite your goals the better you will remember and work on your goals. Keep your goals in the front of your mind, the tip of your tounge, and the “palm of your hand”.

Take the Handmadeology Holiday Sales Goal Poll!

450 Sales In The First 3 Months Of Business On Etsy. HERE'S HOW

2010-09-26T14:39:00.000-04:00

energyshop says:

I’ve kept close watch of what works and what doesn’t since I started. Here’s what I know for sure:

♥ Give Stuff Away.

If you check out my shop, it will come as no surprise to you that I’m a real believer in karma. Share your product. If anyone I know personally shows interest in my product, they get a bracelet. I appreciate support in all forms. Before I started selling anything, I gave packets of bracelets to many of my friends. Their feedback was essential to my beginning, and it proved that I had a lovely little gift in each creation.

This reminds me of something written by Wayne Dyer, “When you say, ‘How may I share?’ the Universe responds, How may I share with you?” Let me be clear in that I don’t share for what I’ll get in return. I’m often thinking of someone when a new stone comes across my desk, and I love making a new bracelet with loving thoughts of someone I know. Having clarified that you don’t want to give just to get, here’s my point: Anytime I put an unexpected gift package in the mail, I see a huge increase in sales that week. How can you share?

♥ But, Don’t Do Give-Aways.

Early on, I ran a sweepstakes on my own blog site for a free bracelet. I was just starting out and I had a lot of time to play with my blog and try to push my website on the free advertising forums (read Help Your Customers Find You below). By the time of my sweepstakes drawing, my business had increased and I had become quite busy. I made the sweepstakes bracelet and sent it to the winner, who had an issue with the bracelet on arrival. Her story was slightly suspicious. I was sorry to disappoint the winner, but I did not have the time or personal energy to perform customer service for a non-paying customer.

I’ve learned to work around this by offering gift certificates for sweepstakes, and I only do this for other bloggers to go along with their reviews. In order to redeem my gift certificate, the customer will need to log into their Paypal account and fill out all of the information on Etsy as well. That person is then a customer with a gift certificate, rather than a sweepstakes winner, which means we’re “in business” and following all of the regular policies.

♥ Celebrate Your Sales.

When I hit 100 sales in my first month of business, I was beyond ecstatic. To me, it meant: I really have something here! I saw a full-time job and a second income in my near future. I needed to CELEBRATE! and I wanted to do it with the people who got me there.

At 100 sales, I created a “Customer Appreciation Special.” I ordered Chrysanthemum stone for the first time, and this sale is how it was debuted in my shop. I made a stock of 10 bracelets and priced them so that I didn’t lose, but my customer clearly won.

Once I reach a goal, I make a new one and plan the next sale accordingly (including bigger stock for higher landmarks).

♥ Help Your Customers Find You.

This means to have a Facebook fan page, a Twitter account, a blog (if you like to write), a website, and a public email address. Encourage other bloggers to review you. These forms of spreading the word are a slow-moving, but steady progress. You are building a brand. Every spot where you leave your mark is leading people to your shop. Also, my Facebook fan page is, BY FAR, my best form of free advertisement. I post something once or twice a week and those posts often lead to multiple sales.

♥ Be Wary When One Customer Finds You Too Much.

I do well enough wasting time. I don’t need other people to do it for me. :)

When I first opened shop, I earned a huge fan. Man, she loved me. She followed me on Twitter and tweeted to me often, she found me on Facebook and commented all over the page, and she wrote me direct messages through whatever forum was available to her in the moment. She had a boatload of requests. My site had all of the things she loved; she’d just like me to alter them slightly: a different size, another stone, etc. For two months, I worked for her, ordered for her, researched for her, and just as I was about to jump through 3 hula hoops on fire, I looked her up in my records. She had made one sale, with no promise to make anymore. It seemed one of her hobbies was managing my business, and I was allowing it! I stopped doing anything just to please her, and we grew apart gracefully.

I love my customers so much. 99.8% of them are not anything like the person I mentioned above. Moreover, when I’m dealing with that .2% of customers who are all-demand and no check-out, I don’t have time to appreciate my valued buyers. When the convos are coming daily, but there hasn’t been a sale in weeks, you might want to determine who’s really interested in your products from who’s just bored at home. ♥

♥ Buy Advertisements.

Etsians talk about renewing listings every day. This means you refresh your listing by checking it and clicking “renew,” which then re-charges the $.20/item listing fee. I’ve done this a few times, especially when I have anything wedding-related listed. A lot of Etsians rely on the traffic that comes through the Etsy home page or site search. I’m in the jewelry business on Etsy, so I absolutely have to fish a bigger pond. I spend an average of $.20 per click on Facebook advertising, bringing the outside world into Etsy.

I love! love! love! my Facebook advertising. Where my stuff is trending is where I need to advertise. I pick very select groups to sell to, which keeps my cost per click rates on Facebook very low.

I’m not going to give away my entire strategy here, so let’s say I made boutique-y children’s clothing (I don’t). I used to subscribe to US Weekly,* and man oh man, did I think that I needed to outfit all of my children (there are four) in upscale, boutique-y, one-of-a-kind outfits. If I were selling this line, I would take out an advertisement on Facebook for married women aged 26-38 who “like” the US Weekly Fan Page. I would put a child that looked simple and neat, a life-like Suri Cruise, in one of my cutest outfits and create a fabulous headline.

*If I were a boutique-y children’s clothing store, I would also subscribe to US Weekly to keep up with Hollywood baby trends and change my item tags to match what other US Weekly subscribers might be searching each week.

In start-up, Facebook Ads have been everything I need. Facebook recently started accepting Paypal, which is just one more convenience. Google Ads are another very user-friendly advertising resource. However, I find the cost per click to be insanely over-priced. Books that teach the CPC strategy, like The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris, have increased the popularity of search engine advertising. I recently cashed a coupon for $75 in free Google advertisements (magazines, like Inc., will offer great deals and coupons for small business owners) and I was paying more than $1 for every click (two years ago, each click would have cost $.10). In my opinion, $1 is simply not worth it.
However, you may have a product that would do very well on Google Ads and every $1 spent could potentially bring in great profit. Obviously, your marketing strategy depends on your market. So, ask yourself:

Who are your customers? How old are they? Are they predominantly male or female? Do they have a family or are they single? Are they conventional or quirky? What do they read? What movies/TV do they watch? Where do they take vacation? Are they laid-back or adventurous? What are their hobbies? Build a typical customer on paper, and then you’ll start getting ideas on exactly how to find them.

Read more here.

Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply! Find more Etsy tips HERE!

Please Don't Leave Me Behind!!

2010-09-25T22:31:00.001-04:00

'Please Don't Leave Me Behind!!' by ByYourSide2009

LOVELY Fall/Autumn creations by a few of my favorite Etsy shops!

Vintage Sarah Coventry Maple... WhimsyHouse $14.00	Handmade rockabilly dress 19... UnforgettableY... $160.00	Burlap and Cranberry Crushed... ThePineConeTea... $25.00
RED AND GOLD LEAVES DOOR STO... FromRagsToBags $15.00	Autumn Leaf Wool Cuff Bracel... jodifrench $29.00	Autumn - 11x14 Fine Art Prin... Lori411 $34.00
Autumn in Vermont Shawl - Lu... knittingguru $165.00	Tree Art Whimsical Blue Moon... hjmart $275.00	1 Inch Circles - Autumn Leaf... sabinesydney $3.00
Mom's Message Is Clear ... TemporaryInsan... $97.00	Hand Painted Silk Satin Extr... silkshop $80.00	All the Leaves are Brown... ChicDerFrosch $21.00
Organic Tree Dangle Earrings... kallastudios $41.00	Autumn Harvest Typography Wo... barnowlprimiti... $70.00	Oak Leaf TimothyAdamDes... $41.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Back To The Future

2010-09-25T12:59:00.000-04:00

Retro McFly 88 Back To The Future T shirt

I am excited to announce that I have relaunched and revamped this blog! This is where it all started.

Make sure you check out the right column for all the connection and subscription options. You can also sign up for my newsletter and receive my Handmade Blogging Blueprint for FREE!

What do you think of the new design?

Daily Links - Facebook Tips - Giveaways - SEO

2010-09-25T12:45:00.000-04:00

DOLLAR SYMBOL | by: compulsivecollection

Modern White Hardwood Floors

2010-09-25T03:27:00.000-04:00

Sticking with our modern theme throughout our new house, we decided to go with a white floor in the dining room.

I rented a drum sander from General Rent All in Massillon.

You can see that the floor was in rough shape. I sanded this floor until it was smooth. The white product I used covers everything! You just want to make sure it is smooth to the touch.

Check out all the stains that were deep in the grain... these were never going to come up.

Go through before the first coat and fill any holes with wood filler. Do this before you sand.

This was a White Polyurethane from Ace Hardware. It is the best and it only costs $25. Wear your mask!!! This stuff is killer!

I cut in the edges with a brush. I did not have to tape the base boards, but your home my required it. Roll the rest of the floor with any roller nap.

After the first coat you must sand by hand, because it will be rough and you will have pieces of dust and fuzz and hair all over. Do your best not to get those things on the floor.It will happen, so the sanding step is very important. At this point you will also want to fill more holes, cause you will see more.

I put 3 coats on this floor. You want to let this set with out heavy traffic after the final coat for 72 hrs.

Here are the chairs that we are going to use in the dinning room. They will go around the large square metal glass top table that I am building.

Let's Hear It For The Boy!

2010-09-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

'"Let's Hear It For The Boy!"' by ByYourSide2009

A collection for those special boys in our lives!

Modern Mesh Belt Buckle TimothyAdamDes... $56.00	Free Worldwide Shipping - Bu... UnravelMe $26.00	Wood 6-pack with your person... RobertoSand $38.00
Personalized Children's ... lemondropstudi... $15.00	Happy Campers - unisex XL - ... SquidInkKollec... $25.00	Comic Initial Monogram Custo... peaceofpi $65.00
White and Blue Spinner robsspinners $8.00	Baseball Typography Word Art... barnowlprimiti... $70.00	The Ringmaster Print (ACEO) zypsiollia $4.00
Steampunk Jewelry - Tie Tack... CatherinetteRi... $65.00	One Eye Goofy Green Monster ... jodieflowers $12.00	Pin Up with Gas Mask on Bike... darkcyclecloth... $18.00
Black and Red or Red and Bla... ConduitPress $18.00	Square Bike Cufflinks Black ... TheCufflinkMak... $24.99	Stained Glass Business Card ... LAGlass $23.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Find More Etsy Treasuries Here!

Daily Links - Multiple Incomes - 3 Fixes To Low Views - Rescission Proof

2010-09-24T15:10:00.000-04:00

Find more links HERE!

How To Find Out How Much Traffic a Blog Gets

2010-09-24T12:07:00.000-04:00

As Etsy sellers we are always looking for a way to increase traffic and sales. One way to to this, is to advertise on high traffic blogs. There are a number of way to find out how much traffic a blog receives each day, and every month.

RSS Feed Subscription Numbers:

The fist method is to do a little investigating. I like to look for how many people are subscribed to a blogs RSS feed. The majority of the people that are subscribed to the RSS feed visit that blog everyday, not everyone, but a good amount. Take for example Handmadeology. There are currently 438 people subscribed to the RSS feed in less then 60 days. Everyday these people will get an update via email of any new blog posts that were posted. Now lets look at some real high traffic blogs:

Oh Hello Friend is an awesome blog with over 10k people subscribed to their RSS feed. Also This blog is set on the blogger platform so there is the blogger follow widget. You this works like the rss feed. Oh Hello Friend has over 4ooo people following their blog.

Social Networks:

I also like to take a look at a blogger reach throughout social media, like Twitter and Facebook. Is the blogger active on Twitter or Facebook? What are the number of followers like. This can be a good gauge of the amount for traffic they may get.

Read their advertising info:

Bloggers will most likely talk about how much traffic thery are getting right on their advertising info page. Also look for any major press the blog may have received recently. Modish directly talks about how much traffic they receive and lists a nice press link.

Compete.com

Compete is a great site where you can get a look at three sites at one time and compare. Compete gives you a look at monthly traffic and gives you a nice look at an over all year. One draw back is that to view blogs that are on blogger like Oh Hello Friend you have to upgrade.

Here is a look at Handmadeology on Compete.

Quantcast.com

Here is a super in depth look at a site. You can find out a sites traffic, it's demographics, trends, and a ton more.

Here is look a the very popular DesignSponge.

Befor you mekw your decision to advertise with a blog, do your research. You can even ask around the Etsy forums, to see if anyone has advertised on a particular blog before.

How To Find Out How Much Traffic a Blog Gets

Etsy Business Spark : Single Stone Studios

2010-05-17T11:38:00.000-04:00

Etsy Business Spark : Single Stone Studios

Interview with Jaime Derringer - Editor of Design Milk

2010-04-13T12:32:00.000-04:00

I had the chance to interview Jaime Derringer the editor of Design Milk one of my favorite design blogs!!!

Focusing on modern design, Design Milk brings what’s new in art, architecture, interior design, furniture and decor, fashion, and technology. Truly one of my favorite blogs to read and get inspiration from for my modern furniture. So let’s dive in and take a look at what Jaime has to say about Design Milk! Read the interview

More Blog Spark Interviews

1975 Vintage Magic Focus Mirror

2010-04-10T19:32:00.000-04:00

This 1975 Magic Focus Mirror would fit perfect in any retro bathroom.

Size: 14 1/2 inches tall

Condition: This mirror is in great vintage condition. There is a small crack on the base, but does not effect the look or function.

** In the first picture our little Jack Russel is making her first appearance! Her name is Sadie!

Biggest Put Offs For Etsy Shoppers – Part 2

2010-04-10T14:29:00.000-04:00

Once you get those lookers into your Etsy shop make sure you are doing the right things to make that sale happen. This is part 2 of “Biggest Put Offs For Etsy Shoppers ” series. In part 1 awesome photography seems to be a theme. Lets see what more buyers have to say! Read the Article More Etsy Tips!

My New Etsy Shop - Vintage Spark

2010-04-09T11:46:00.000-04:00

My wife, Christina and I have always loved the retro vintage items. We decided to open Vintage Spark and share that love with the rest of the world! Vintage Spark!!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
vintagespark.etsy.com

Biggest Put Offs For Etsy Shoppers – Part 1

2010-04-09T11:05:00.000-04:00

When you open your Etsy shop there are things that put off buyers. What better way to know what things put off buyers then to hear it straight from them. Be on the look out for part 2! Click HERE to READ
More Etsy tips

Interview with Grace Bonney : Editor of Design*Sponge

2010-04-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite design blog’s on the block is Design* Sponge. With my wife and I buying our first home this month, I will be grabbing tons of inspiration from Design* Sponge. Check out this great interview where Grace from Design *Sponge takes us behind the scenes and tells how she started blogging, where she learned about the technical blog stuff, how she built a community , and much much more.

Click HERE to view the interview!

Etsy Item Titles - SEO

2010-03-25T11:48:00.001-04:00

The title of your Etsy items is VERY important for SEO; perhaps even the most important on-page search engine ranking factor.

SeoMoz Etsy's SEO experts, ran this recent survey taken by 72 top SEO experts. According to survey, using keywords in your title tag holds the most significant weight when determining a page’s search engine ranking.

So, as you can see, once you’ve determined which keywords to target, the title tag should be the first place to start optimizing for those keywords.

Your Etsy title tag is one of the first tags read by the search engine spiders when they crawl your website. Your Etsy item title is used to identify what the page is about, just like of a book.

Where is the Etsy title tag found?

Your Etsy item title tag is simple to find and edit ... it is the title of your item.

When you are editing your item you can view how your item will look in the Google search.

The title tag is one of the first tags found in your page’s source code; it is located in the head section, and will look similar to this:

Check out the screen shot above. You will notice that this is the Page Source for my Diamond Plate Belt Buckle. I am sure you are starting to see a pattern on what key word I am trying to optimize this page for. Diamond Plate Belt Buckle...

To view your Etsy item's page source just right click on the page and look for the View page source option.

Another reason your Etsy item title is so important has to do with pictures. You have heard me talk about how important alt tags are for pictures on blogs. Well it applies to any site or page, including your Etsy items.

**** Here is why the title of your items have a direct effect on the alt tags of your pictures. When you upload any picture to Etsy no matter what you have it named it will be given a new name or alt tag. The new name or alt tag is the title of the item. So for example all 5 pictures in my Diamond Plate Belt Buckle are named or tagged with "Diamond Plate Belt Buckle".

Here is the Page Source from my Diamond Plate Belt Buckle. You can see that all 5 pics have the same alt tag. (click Pic to zoom!)

Your Etsy item titles can improve or degrade your SEO in two areas... The normal title that Google likes to crawl and your alt tags of your pictures. This is why it is super important to write good titles with strong keywords.

Image Alt Text (or Alt Tags) and Optimization

Properly written alt tags still have a place in SEO best practices. While many search engine professionals have ignored them in favor of bigger factors, they can still be the fractional difference that puts your site ahead of your competitor’s. Fractions count in the world of SEO, so here are some tips regarding how alt tags should be treated.

Don’t stuff your alt tags. In the past, people used to hide content in image alt tags, so you could hover over a picture and get a paragraph or an extended list of keywords separated by commas. The alt text should describe the image, or simply parrot any words that are embedded in it.

Read More

This is why we have to be careful when writing our Etsy item titles.

Keywords:

When you are listing an item on Etsy and you have found your keyword or phrase you want to optimize for it is a good idea to include that keyword in a few places. First is in the title where Google will Google Spiders will look first. Second is in the description as close to the beginning as possible. You will also want to use your key word as one of your 14 tags, and in the materials if possible.

My Etsy Story : A Few Things I Have Learned

2010-03-16T08:53:00.000-04:00

Sunny Side Modern Necklace

My Etsy Story: Timothy Adam Designs

I am a self taught metal artist, and a certified Mig welder. I started designing modern metal furniture in 2004, and built my first piece in Baltimore with my sister-in-law who is a furniture designer. I found my passion in metal and kept on designing and building. I struggled for 4 years to make a name in local galleries in the Grand Rapids Michigan area. Then, a friend introduced me to Etsy in February of 2007. I started creating a jewelry line and have not turned back. In November of 2007 I quit my job because my passion was becoming a dream come true! I am now selling all over the world through my Etsy shop. Over the years my shop has evolved into much more than furniture. I currently sell jewelry, jewelry tree, earrings, belt buckles, clocks, and furniture.
What have you learned about business since you launched your Etsy shop?
When I launched my Etsy shop I had no knowledge of the internet except email and You Tube. I have learned so many valuable lessons over the past few years. What stands out the most and what I will never forget is to never stop believing in yourself. If you have a passion for what you are creating and selling you will succeed. Love what you do so you can do what you love!!

Tell us one piece of advice for new sellers.
If you are just starting out as a seller I highly recommend that you do some product searching and find out if your craft/product is marketable and selling. Check out your competitors on Etsy and other sites and see what they are up to. Don’t copy what they are doing, but take note and try to figure out the path that got them to the level of success you are trying to reach.

Modern Rebar Chair

Google Analytics Indepth for Etsy Sellers

2010-03-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

Google Analytics is an important part of you r Etsy business. There is loads of information that GA provides and it is important to understand that you are looking at. This video is an indepth look at what Google Analytics can do for your Etsy business.

This video is brought to you by Handmadeology University

More Google Analytics Tips and Info

Increase Your Etsy Traffic

2010-02-26T10:59:00.000-05:00

Picking apart your Etsy listings and improving them can help increase your Etsy traffic.

We’ve all been there, created a fantastic product, listed it on Etsy, and have been disappointed by the measly handful of views the item has received. You may even begin to question whether or not anyone’s even interested in your work. Chances are that, yes, they are, but for one reason or another they’re simply not being drawn in. The problem likely doesn’t lie with the product itself, but in how you present it to them. Instead of simply renewing your listing over and over again to the same results and increased frustration, consider tweaking the details of the listing itself to draw more customers before you renew it. Read More

Article By: Lisa

Blogger Lesson 2 : Simple Setting

2010-02-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

Before you start your first blog post you want to change some settings for you and your readers. The setting I will be covering in this lesson are preferences that I set me blog for. You may choose to changes these or not.

This is an article I published over on Handmade Spark.... Click HERE to read more.

Starting Your Handmade Blog On Blogger (Lesson 1)

2010-02-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

I have been blogging on Blogger.com for over 2 years. I am coming close to the 500,000 visitor mark. Here is a step by step walk through on setting up your first blog on Blogger. Read More

Increase your Blog Traffic With Pictures

2010-02-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

Adding pictures to your blog can greatly increase your traffic if you have them properly tag. Here is an article I wrote on how to increase your blog traffic with just pictures. Read More