How to Know What Needs Work in Your Etsy Shop (SEO vs. Conversion Rate)
It's really easy to get caught up in a cycle of "idk what to do, nothing is working," so I made you this post to help you determine, should you focus on SEO or your listings for conversion? Let's dive in.
1️⃣ KNOW YOUR NUMBERS.
If you don't know what you're numbers are, you won't know what needs work. What is your current conversion rate & average views? Of course, the goal is to increase BOTH. But if you increase your conversion rate, you don't actually need more views to get more sales 👀
2️⃣ IS ETSY YOUR MAIN TRAFFIC SOURCE?
If Etsy is your #1 traffic driver, then you ARE showing up in searches, and the lack of sales might be due to conversion, not searches.
3️⃣ KNOW WHAT YOUR CONVERSION RATE "SHOULD" BE.
There's not hard fast rule for what a conversion rate should be. Experts try to quantify it, but it depends SO much on what you sell and your price point. For example, $1,000 wedding invitations vs. $3 sticker isn't a fair comparison. One is an impulse buy, one is an investment. These two items will have wildly different conversion rates, most likely.
So to start, know that...
👉🏼 If it's high ticket, expect it to be on the lower end.
👉🏼 If it's low ticket, expect it to be higher
and the goal is increasing YOURS, not meeting some fake standard.
4️⃣ ARE YOU GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS?
If yes, this tells me you ARE showing up, but, if people have questions, it means your listings aren't clear enough.
💎 Lots of questions + low sales is a conversion problem, not a SEO problem. 💎
5️⃣ WHAT PERCENT OF PEOPLE HAVE TO MESSAGE YOU BEFORE BUYING?
(it's ok to guess on this) Have you ever thought about this? If everyone has to message you, even for custom orders, is that the most efficient?
⚡️ People order without asking; showing up in more searches will be helpful!
⚡️ If everyone has to ask you questions, focusing on conversion will be helpful.
Stationers, I know there are a lot of you here. I also know that quoting + speaking to clients before they order is important. You're an exception to this. HOWEVER 👉🏼 If you want a more semi-custom, hands-off kind of vibe, this definitely applies!
6️⃣ IF YOUR VIEWS ARE LOW
If your views are zero or very low, start with SEO so you can start gathering this data! Keep these things in mind as you answer questions, add listings, and look at your stats.
Where do you see the biggest opportunity in your shop? Let's recap:
⚡️FOCUS ON YOUR SEO IF:
You're not getting views from Etsy Search
Your views overall are really low
A note: this is what my views are on a $1,175 day. I don't need to get insane views to make sales. Why? Because my listings are set up to sell!
⚡️ FOCUS ON CONVERSION IF:
You get a lot of views but not as many sales as you'd like.
You get a TON of questions.
If you're committed to making more money on Etsy, You can grab How to Increase Your Conversion Rate on Etsy in 2023 for $27. In this class we'll be going over more specifically what purpose your pictures should have, how to add purpose to the pictures you already have (aka no having to reshoot all your photos!) + how to create videos that build confidence whether you sell physical or digital products.
RELATED BLOG POST: HOW TO INCREASE YOUR CONVERSION RATE ON ETSY
Want to learn more about Etsy pictures, listings, and everything in-between for FREE?!
I have a huge ebook You’ll get instant access to…
49 STRATEGICALLY CHOSEN LESSONS ON SETTING UP YOUR ETSY, SERVING CUSTOMERS, MARKETING YOUR PRODUCTS, AND SCALING YOUR ETSY SHOP + BUSINESS.
SPECIFICALLY, YOU'LL GET ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS LIKE:
What exactly do I need to show up in Etsy Search?
What am I supposed to include in the pictures?
How and why should I link your Etsy on my website?
How do I set up an announcement?
How can samples help my Etsy shop?
What's Etsy Plus, and is it right for you?
What should I avoid as I start and grow my Etsy shop?
...and that's just from the FIRST SECTION!
And get some of my most saved Instagram posts, easy for you to refer to like:
Five types of content for your product-based business
BTS of my Etsy Ad Strategy
How Samples Help Grow Your Etsy Shop