When I first opened my Etsy Shop back in March of 2012 I was an official "Newbie" and I did everything wrong. In hopes of helping someone out who is just opening or considering opening a shop, I thought I would share a few things that I learned along the way that would have saved me a great deal of time.
What is Etsy?
Etsy is THE Largest Seller of Handmade items in the world. There are controversies over what defines handmade but essentially it allows sellers to list items in their shop that have been substantially created by the Artisan Him or Her self.
If you are planning on selling white postcards with one line of print on them you will probably not have a chance, but if you have a good handmade item that is easy to make and something other people would find desirable, Etsy is your Market Place.
Should you sell on Etsy? Why not! It's FREE and it just takes a bit of research before you are off and selling in no time!
Naming your Shop
When you are going to start a shop, think about your merchandise and try to name your shop something that relates to your products. I should have named my shop, "Sea Shell Treasures" or something along that line, but being I was not exactly sure what we would be selling, I chose a rather generic term that covered all situations. If I had it to do over again, I would have been more specific and may even start a new shop under a more specific name in the future.
The reason you want to do this is that Google uses your shop name in it's search data base, so if your shop is named "Joes Shoes" it will come up in google search every time someone searches for "Shoes". Google is a very important part of etsy, it's the way most people will find your products so you want to be google compliant.
Directly under the Shop name is your shop title, make sure your future sale items are described and listed here also in less that 90 characters.
Under this is your shop announcement. Many people use it to list sales and such, and that's fine, but it should also describe what it is you are selling once again and what makes it special. These three items are the first thing everyone is going to see when they come to your store. Tell them what you have and why it's unique to you without getting into story telling...save that for your "Profile" and your "About Me" Page. Google also uses this info for it's searches so use some keywords, even repeating words from your store description and title to give special emphasis to the search engine.
Shop Banner
Do a search for Graphic Artists on Etsy for making a professional shop banner, or make it yourself if you know how, it is better to have no banner than a bad one! Some people go without the banner so their items are higher up on the page but it's up to you!
Profile Page
This is where you begin to tell your story of how you started out and a bit of back round on how special your products are because they are handmade by you, (or if you are doing Vintage, why you became a collector and why your collection is so important).
The following Online Lab videos are very important and the second one is quite long, but this is a very important part of your shop, you are up against over 10 million etsians and you need to be special to get their attention and loyalty.
About My Shop Page
This is new to Etsy and it is important, here's where you show pictures of your shop or process in creating items, it's the best way to showcase your process and show you are a legitimate Artisan. Be creative, short and to the point, include pictures of any and all contributors making the items yous sell.
Item Titles and Descriptions
The following Online Labs are more important than anything can say here, but I will add this, if you are trying to get seen in Google and Etsy Search, (and believe me, you are), you must use keywords in your title and description that accurately reflect what you are trying to sell so when a customer types in a search term, they get your item search result as opposed to ten million others sellers items.
In a nut shell, you have to name your item and initially describe it using keywords that will get customers to click on the thumbnail and enter your shop. You should try to say what your item is in the first three words so it is readable under the thumbnail in the title, such as "Big Red Shoes" or "Girls Blue Jumper", you should then go on to add a few keywords into the title such as "Girls Blue Jumper size 10-12 Floral knee length".
In your description you want to restate your title in the first line but mix up the order, perhaps adding a word or too. "Girls jumper size 10-12 blue floral knee length with pockets". This is very important for search engine optimization.
Below are the Labs for the rest of your description, personal storytelling at it's best!
This is so important, I have just copy/pasted the entire thread for your reading, Etsy just recently implemented these changes and you can't get found without following these rules! I have included the link if you want to check out the rest of the forum:
On Search Engine Optimization:
Since Etsy’s default search
has changed to Most Relevant from Recently Listed, many sellers are
wondering- how do I make my listings more relevant? Well, fear not! We
have compiled our top tips for boosting the relevancy of your items.
Just getting started? Be sure to read this Seller Handbook post first:
www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/putting-your-shop-on-top-etsy%E2%80%99s-m...
TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR RANKING IN SEARCH RESULTS
The best way to begin revising or evaluating your tags and titles is to
start thinking like a shopper! Etsy’s most relevant search is built to
connect shoppers with exactly what they want; so showing up at the front
of the search results requires that your item (as defined by your tags
and title) matches what a shopper types into the search box.
1. Put the most important keywords and phrases at the front of your
titles. What are the most likely words and phrases that a customer would
search for? Please see tips below for finding important keywords. Eg:
BEFORE: Lotus Blossom Pink and Yellow Children’s Dress.....
AFTER: Girls Dress - flowers....etc etc
2. Use a variety of strong keywords and phrases in your titles and tags,
and vary what is at the front of the title (be sure to always use the
most important keywords and phrases, though). Don’t name everything the
same thing! Each listing is a chance for a buyer to find you, if you
diversify your keywords you’ll be found by lots of different searches.
For example, you might start off a few listing titles with each of your
strong keywords or phrases, then use other great terms on other similar
items in your shop. Eg:
Girls Dress - etc etc
Children’s Dress - etc etc
Toddler Dress - etc etc
----
Cufflinks....etc etc
Cuff links...etc etc
Steampunk Cufflinks...etc etc
Wedding Cufflinks...etc etc
Silver Cufflinks...etc etc
3. Use your most important, major search terms in your titles and tags.
The top keywords found in your Shop Stats can help you find these. But
they should always be evolving, so experiment with new keywords. More
help with deciphering your Shop Stats here:
www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/etsy-success-shop-stats-insights/
4. Add more items to your shop on a regular basis! Remember, recency
does play a role in search results sorted by relevancy to keep things
fresh when shoppers use broad search terms that return thousands of
results.
FINDING KEYWORDS AND PHRASES
1. Think about what a shopper would be searching for! What elements of
your item would be most important to a shopper? What the item is, such
as a necklace or hat, is often a great place to start. Try highlighting
different aspects of the item...for example, if I’m looking for a
painting for a specific space my living room, I may search by the size,
colors or theme of the painting that I want. Try different types of
terms and then check your Shop Stats to see what works.
2. Start typing what you sell in the search bar, with Handmade, Vintage
or Supplies selected to find relevant search terms. Think of synonyms
and try those as well!
3. Look in your descriptions to find keywords. Often you have some great ideas in there!
4. Brainstorm with others! They can often come up with terms you
wouldn’t have though of. Ask people you know who would be in your target
market, and ask other sellers on your Teams for ideas.
5. Use these resources to help think of keywords:
www.etsy.com/storque/make/guidelines-tips-tagging-on-etsy-281/
www.etsy.com/storque/seller-handbook/seller-how-to-tag-o-rama-with-...
Google’s Keyword Tool:
adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer
GENERAL TIPS FOR GETTING MORE VIEWS WITH SEARCH
Showing up in a search result is great, but ultimately you want the right buyer to click on your item listing.
1. All views are not created equal! Remember you want to connect your
items with the right buyers, not hundreds of uninterested buyers. So
keep it relevant. Comb through your item listings. Get rid of the tags
that buyers probably aren’t using to find this particular item.
2. Take great photos, since they will get more clicks in search. See the photography articles in the Seller Handbook for tips:
www.etsy.com/storque/seller-handbook/the-etsy-seller-handbook-all-o...
3. Don’t sound like a robot. Remember, showing up in search results
isn’t everything. You’ll also need to connect with your buyer when they
find your items, so don’t just fill your titles up with a string of
keywords. Find the right balance that works for you.
Our biggest tip? Go slowly with making changes, and use your Shop Stats
to see what is working before making more changes in your shop.
Also, we have a video series that will start tonight and will run
through next week where we will critique shops to give the sellers tips
for to improve their relevance. You can find these videos here, once
they are up:
www.etsy.com/community/online-labs
Conclusions
This is just the tip of the iceberg for starting your shop, and the information is daunting, but if you get it right the first time you wont have to change things later and you have the best chance at success.
Be sure to check out Etsy Forums and join the "Etsy Success Team" to get even more great fellowship and advice!
Good Luck! More to come- Photography, Shop Stats and What they should mean to you, Nay Sayers, etc...
This was so much fun to make, reminded me of all the pretty beaded items I used to make with my Mom and Grandmother when I was a child. It's great to be working in this medium again and I look forward to more seed bead projects! 
