Top 4 Resources for Growing Your Etsy Shop

Written By Alyssa Ficcaglia

Learning and education is such a big part of being a small business owner. There is not a single person out there that knows it all, and even the biggest entrepreneurs strive to learn something new every day. Whether you are learning new skills to grow your business or learning ways to grow as an individual, self-education should never end.

I have done more reading, researching, writing, and math then I ever did while I was in school. If you aren't learning, you aren't growing, especially in business.

In this blog post I want share a few resources that proved to be extremely beneficial to us in helping to grow our Etsy shop/brand. 

TOP 4 RESOURCES:

1) Black Butterfly E-Course: Make Money on Etsy

This is my number one recommendation for anyone who is serious about growing their Etsy business. I took Judi's course when she first launched it in 2019, and let me tell you it was a game changer. I am usually very skeptical about e-courses, but Judi had the numbers and shop traffic to back it up. This course is designed to help make sure you have a "healthy" shop that Etsy wants to push to the top of the search results. Which if we are being honest, is THE most important thing you can do for your shop. While some of the information may seem simple, you will be amazed how so many small changes can make a world of difference in having your shop become successful. Prior to implementing the changes suggested in the course, our products never appeared on the top page of search results. After we made the changes, we would see multiple listings on page one of even the most generic search terms. The course costs $97 and comes with unlimited access to the e-course videos and resource links. Before you say that's a lot of money, remember that sometimes you need to spend money to make it.

2) Etsy Seller Handbook

Okay stay with me here! I know this seems so self explanatory, but if you have not looked/read through the Etsy Seller Handbook you are doing it wrong! The handbook has hundreds of articles with new ones constantly being released that provide a wealth of information regarding how to set up your shop and thrive on the platform. Take the time to read at least one of those articles a day to better your understanding of the site. The articles also provide inspirational stories of shops that are extremely successful on the site. Additionally, Etsy is always changing and the articles are great for helping you navigate through those changes. For example, in our first year Etsy made a HUGE shipping policy update calling for all shops to start offering a free shipping guarantee. The handbook helped us figure out what would be the best course of action for us to make the transition to free shipping a little easier.  

3) Google Skillshop

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, and advertising is the bane of my existence. This is what I've spent 95% of my time researching and learning. I went to school for Journalism and many of my classes covered this topic, but it is still something I just can't completely wrap my head around. That is until I found Google Skillshop (also known as Google Academy for Ads). This is a free online program offered by Google to teach you everything you need to know about SEO, Google Ads, Analytics, online marketing and more. Now if you are solely on Etsy, the site does offer Etsy Ads which basically does all the work of running an Ad for you. But I highly recommend learning how to do this stuff on your own. This way you can run your own ads when you have an independent site or if you just want to increase visibility on your products. The Skillshop has a TON of courses so it takes time to complete them all (I am still taking them) but investing the time to learn will help you in the long run. And you don't have to take all the "classes", you can just take the ones you need the most help with figuring out.

 4)  Your Maker/Small Business Community 

You may not consider them a "resource" but the makers you meet/follow on Instagram or at the booth next to you at a craft show are your biggest assets. It doesn't matter how much googling you do, sometimes you just can't figure something out, which why reaching out to others who have figured it out is helpful. One of the best parts of starting our craft business has been the overwhelming support from other makers like us. Other makers come with the same level of understanding that running a small craft business isn't easy. They are great for offering emotional support and giving much needed advice. Don't be afraid to reach out to makers in your community to ask for help. Most makers are eager and willing to answer your questions. The worst that can happen is you ask someone a question and they don't answer. Makers like The House of Timber, Willow Bee Signs, and Black Butterfly have been super helpful to me whenever I had a question.

I hope you found these four resources helpful! In our first year of business these 4 things have been crucial in helping us grow. I would love to hear what resources you use/used that helped you along this journey, so let us know in the comments below.