Opening an Etsy shop was a first serious step for my dolls business. Now I'm able to offer my art to millions of people all around the world. Having an online shop made me feel more professional and it was easier to see how people are reacting to my art. I opened my shop more than a year ago, but I didn't treat it seriously enough. Everything changed maybe six months ago. I had my business strategy ready and was working last months at my day job. At that time I was reading all the books and articles I could found on SEO and online marketing, improved my listings photography and descriptions. Above all, I doubled my sales in no time. If you considering to take a step forward and open an online business, Etsy shop is the best option for the beginners. Here's what I learned.

THE BASICS OF SETTING UP AN ETSY SHOP

1. Register

Free listings ⇣⇣⇣

For a better start, you can register here: http://etsy.me/1Mab0QP and earn 40 free listings! This will make an opening even easier.

2. Come up with a shop name

You can change your shop name once later, but it's better to think this through straight away, right? Make sure that your shop name is understandable for international users, Google friendly and memorable. Try to brainstorm a few ideas and get some feedback from friends or family. If you already have your brand it's smart to stay consistent and stick to that name. You can find more thorough tips on Etsy blog.

3. Stock your shop

Prepare the best photos of your products, write accurate descriptions, deliberate best tags and fill up other information. You should measure your items prices and calculate shipping costs into the different countries too. Don't worry if you're not sure about that information just yet. You can change it later on! Find a lot of useful information in Etsy seller handbook.

4. Set up how you gonna get paid

The most popular methods are the direct checkout and Paypal. Sadly, direct checkout isn't available in Lithuania yet. There is no verified information about what impact it has on business. But I'm sure that having these two available is the best what you can offer for your clients.

3 USEFUL TIPS FOR AN ETSY BEGINNER

• Be consistent with your brand

Avatar, banner and your listings are the first things people see in your shop. So make sure you stand out! Choose a colour scheme, use the same background for your listing photos, add some interesting details and be yourself. Your brand is what makes you, YOU! Etsy shop has to tell your story, achieve that and engagement will go through the roof.

• Make the best photos you can

Imagine that you are in jewellery store looking for a pendant. When you find which one you like, most likely you wanna look through every detail, see how it looks from all sides and even try it on. Your shop pictures must be able to do that. Capture all interesting details, show how it looks on a person and so on. Your photos must be crispy, clear and create a confidence in your shop. You don't have to own super expensive camera to achieve that. The crucial keys are lighting (better if it's daylight), clear background and patience when trying to get the best shot. Trust me you'll get better quickly! Learn more about product photography here.

• SEO and other scary stuff

At first the more I read about SEO (search engine optimisation), the more complicated it sounded like. But now people who come through the search engines are in second place on my shop statistics. At the beginning these tips will be more than enough. First off, make the most of your listing title and tags. These are crucial for you to be found on Etsy. Start your listing title and description with strongest, accurate keywords. It should be two word phrases which describes the item best. For example, I sell dolls, but I never write just one word "doll" in the title or tags. I'm using "art doll", "ooak doll", "interior art doll", "human figurine", etc. You get the idea right? Every single keyword gives you another chance to be matched with a shopper’s search results. Think how a potential customer would look for your item. If you want to buy a ring you'll would never write "ring" in the search bar, because you'll get too many results. Instead you would write "silver ring", "opal ring" or something like that. You can use Google adwords keyword planner if you run out of ideas. Make sure you're using all 13 tags for every item you list and write authentic keywords at the description too. Here are some great tips for improving your SEO.

There are a lot of information out there about selling on Etsy. You can find an answer for each of your questions. If you're eager to try selling your products online just go for it! Etsy is really cheap and if you decide it's not for you, you can close your shop easily. Open your shop here: http://etsy.me/1Mab0QP and earn 40 free listings!