Promoting your Etsy shop on social media is almost the only way to grow your small business these days. The online social world is taking over the age-old “word of mouth” tactic.
However, there is a slight problem.
Etsy sellers try to conquer every social media platform at the same time. While it’s normal to want to reach as many people as humanly possible in a short space of time, setting up all your social accounts at once isn’t necessarily the way to go.
Ideally, you should pick one platform (all of which are low-to-no cost, so you need to compare other factors!) at a time to focus on before moving on to the next. This way, you stand a far higher chance of being successful on each.
Social media promotion isn’t easy, but our discussion today should hopefully give you a deeper insight into the platform you wish to learn first, and how to get started.
The Pros and Cons of Each Platform
Before we get stuck into the how-to portion, it’s important to pick the social media platform that you want to focus on first. Some Etsy sellers decide to choose the one that they most like the look of, but others like to do a bit more research before they start.
If the latter sounds like you, then you’re in the right place. We are going to have a look at the good and the bad side of using each social platform for promoting your Etsy shop.
The early days of Facebook didn’t necessarily lend itself well to business promotion. However, as the platform has evolved and brought out the Facebook Marketplace and the all-important Business Manager and Facebook Ads, it’s growing increasingly popular.
If you plan to use video for your promotions, Facebook is a great way to go. This is especially true if you want to conduct a lot of live shows (although Instagram is useful for this too).
Moreover, this platform is fantastic for providing A-star customer service via the Facebook Messenger app. Plus, you can easily share your Etsy product listings and reach a varied audience.
You need to think carefully about your target market before deciding to use Facebook. Why? Because it is not good for attracting the attention of younger people since they don’t tend to use the platform.
Bonus Content: Etsy Facebook Groups
Find your community. Joining an Etsy Facebook group is a great way to find your people. Facebook groups are an easy free way for you to bring in new customers to your shop. Practicing your online networking skills in a Facebook group can give you a competitive edge.
If you use the search icon on Facebook and look up the word ” ETSY” under groups you will find a whopping 87 groups ( as of the date of this article).
We have listed below just a few great Etsy Groups we have worked with in the past to get you started.
| Group | Description |
| Awesome Etsy & Ebay Artist and Vintage | Established in April 2016 and 1.2k members strong this is the place to be. The Admin tells us that “This group is for Etsy and Ebay sellers. Artists, vintage sellers and general Ecommerce geeks just like me.” There is a nice mix of Seasoned Etsy seller and new Sellers chatting online and learning. Honestly, as an Etsy seller myself this is one of my favorites. |
| Etsy Buy, Sell and Support | A group for Etsy sellers and small business owners to buy, sell and support one another. in this group you are welcome to post your shops, advertise your craft, ask for advice and of course to buy! Created in May of 2020 with 6.1k members already this group is fantastic. The two admins that run the group are in the discussions frequently and take great care with this group. As a member myself I really appreciate and learn from these sellers. |
| Etsy Sellers / Buyers | This large group of Etsy sellers come in at 11.7 k members. Established in June of 2020. In their group they note that they want handmade products only and digital product are okay as long as it stays Etsy related. A friendly group ready to help. |
| Etsy Seller Support | I like this group. It’s a small but growing tribe. With 41 members you can really get to know the sellers. Established December 2020. Supportive fun group. If you’re looking for a small group with like-minded sellers this is a great place to start. |
| Etsy Success | Megan tells us that she started this group because She wanted to have like-minded people working and helping one another and it shows. |
Why Join a Facebook group?
- Are you launching a new product in your shop? Post a link to your new product your group.
- Looking for answers to Etsy related questions? Post your question to your group.
- Looking to connect with other sellers? You have access to thousands of Facebook members from around the world right at your fingertips in your groups.
Twitter is all about witticisms and snappy responses. It’s a place where everyone says what they like — so be prepared for people to publicly let you know if they don’t like your product.
This platform is great for updating your customers quickly or providing them with a unique inside into the thoughts of an Etsy seller.
Twitter isn’t the best if you are looking to give your customers long-form content or provide in-depth information or customer service.
Pinterest is the birthplace of “aesthetic” and tends to attract young adults or dreamers. With themed boards and the ability to share and save pins to your heart’s content, it can be a powerful promotional tool.
If your products/shop always keeps up with the trends, you’ll do well on Pinterest.
Collating inspirational boards will inspire your audience to interact with you and your products. It allows you to sell a lifestyle, not just an object. Your created pins will stick around for a long time and continued to be viewed.
For those of you looking for somewhere to upload time-consuming, video-based, or long-form promotional content, Pinterest won’t be your new best friend. A bit of a learning curve creating and posting Pinterest pins. Pinterest boards need to be loved and maintained regularly. If your willing to invest your time it will be worth it in the long run.
How To Add Social Links to Your Etsy Shop Homepage
By now, you’ve probably picked the platform you’re starting with. Once you have set up an account with the social platform, you’ll want to add the link to your Etsy storefront so your current customers can easily find you.
Follow these steps to set it up (it’s the same process for all social media!):
- Head to “Shop Manager” in Etsy.
- Click the pencil icon. It’s next to your shop name.
- Navigate to “Around the Web”.
- Copy and paste your social link in the relevant box.
- Click “Save”.
- Your link is active!
The Bottom Line
Remember, this is only the beginning! There is a whole world of social media promotion strategies to discover! Focus on one platform at a time and you’ll achieve your small business dreams.