I love seeing how different people create Treasury collections on Etsy.com.
Here is one that I created for Beads of Clay for the First Friday Art Walk.
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| Beads of Clay members for February 2012 First Friday Art Walk. |
This one was pretty easy to create.
I just searched the team tag for handmade items, then selected my theme (the color blue).
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| Delaware Etsy Street Team Feb 2012 First Friday Art Walk |
Not so easy is to create this one above from a team that is not around a common theme...
So unless shops are using the proper tags, you are limited to what shops you can include for a certain event. Especially if that event is a promotional one, and some shops aren't interested in being part of it.
And I've worked hard to get better photos so that people would want to use them in treasury collections.
That was one of my goals for 2011.
Have better photos, get more exposure, get new customers.
If you've ever tried to sell anything online, you know how important photographing your work is in order to get people to want to actually purchase it from you.
My photography has come a long way since the beginning...
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| MNS Chickadee Photo enhancement |
And still, there are some days where I need to photograph something, but the weather is not cooperating, and it is too cloudy out, I photograph anyway, and things have a bit more blue to it than I would like.
I always have to go back and shoot them again (will I ever learn?!)
I think if you want to start to figure out how to improve your photography and increase your exposure on Etsy and through other online Social Media outlets - such as Pinterest - and really get results...
You've got to have beautiful photos and you've got to update and refresh tags once in a while.
Think popular colors, seasonal themes, holidays, & teams - just as the basics for more involvement.
An exercise for your brain and to refine your photography skills at how you want your work to be seen is:
1. Look at treasury collections that you are drawn to - what items stand out?
What is is about those listings makes you want to click on it?
Why is a treasury successful or just eh...
2. Do you have items that would fit into these collections?
3. Does your current photograph of that item make the grade?
If not, try again. Use props. Use models. Watch out for shadows.
Try a 12"x12" scrapbook paper - make your background stay to the background.
Do not let it distract from it.
Ensure success:
1. Don't be overwhelmed. Take small practical steps. Get your brain ready.
2. Work by item groups in your shop - updating common items makes you feel like you accomplish more.
3. Take a fewphotos, put them in your computer, try them out. If they don't work, try to figure out why.
4. Once you get your photos done, organize them. Title them. Create files for easy access while updating.
Maybe consider grouping by items that are easy to "copy listings" with minimal changes.
5. Tags. This is something to look at before going overboard with listing items.
Look into your shop stats & see what people are typing in to find your items use these as tags.
Try searching for items as if you were a customer looking. What would you type in?
Where do you show up in searches through Etsy?
Don't forget team tags. Try using the most of the space you have.
Combine tags that make sense.
Like for the Delaware Etsy team I use the team tag: DETeam
For events there are abbreviated tags: FFAW for FirstFridayArtWalk
So I would use DETeam FFAW all on one line.
That way, when someone is searching for items from the Delaware team, it shows up.
When someone is looking for FFAW it shows up.
And if my team member is creating a treasury and wants to use items from our Delaware team that they know are participating in this First Friday event, they would have direct access to a narrowed search which allows them to have to put out less effort. I want to make it easy for them to find my shop and use my items. Tagging properly makes it easy for someone to find you through the Etsy search.
6. Google Analytics. It is a bit scary I admit. But if you have the time look into it - at least get it turned on for your Etsy shop so it can start tracking (shop settings, options, shop analytics).
I just felt like it was important for me to write this stuff out.
Everyone does things different with what makes their shop successful.
These are things that I do that have helped my shop success in the last year and for being active on various Etsy teams.
I hope it might help you out a bit if you are struggling with your shop.
Etsy.com has a lot of things to help too:
Learn How To Sell on Etsy
Selling FAQ's
Etsy Do's and Don'ts
Etsy Blog - Keeping Current
