Complete Guide to Advertising on Etsy

Looking to get your products in front of more people? Well, Etsy ads can be a good way to advertise on Etsy, which is a great way to increase visibility and sales for your products. When done right, it can build a permanent brand image in front of your target audience.

Whether you are an expert Etsy seller or just beginning your journey, we will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to leverage Etsy advertising effectively. We will walk you through the different advertising options available, unpack how they work, and guide you through the process of choosing the right campaign to achieve your specific goals.

What is Etsy?

Etsy is an online marketplace where individuals and businesses can buy and sell unique, handmade, vintage, and craft supplies. Founded in 2005, Etsy has grown into a global platform with millions of active sellers and buyers. It provides a platform for craftspersons, artisans, and vintage enthusiasts to showcase their creations and connect with customers worldwide. Etsy offers a wide range of products, including handmade clothing, jewelry, home decor, art, and more.

What is Etsy advertising?

In the competitive landscape of Etsy, where countless artisans showcase their handcrafted goods, ensuring your products are seen can be a challenge. Etsy advertising offers tools to enhance your visibility and reach a greater audience, ultimately driving sales to your shop.

Etsy advertising is a paid promotional service offered by Etsy to help sellers increase visibility and sales for their products. Sellers can create advertising campaigns to promote their listings within the Etsy marketplace, targeting specific audiences based on factors like location, gender, age, and interests. Etsy advertising options include promoted listings, which appear notably in search results and on relevant product pages, and pattern advertising, which showcases sellers’ entire shops to potential customers.

How does Etsy advertising work?

When used properly, these advertisements have a lot of potential. These Etsy advertisements can raise sales and enhance the visibility of your merchandise. So, how precisely do ads on Etsy work? Your products are more likely to show up at the top of search results and in other areas of the website where customers are browsing if you decide to run an advertisement. More views, clicks, and eventually purchases for the vendor can result from this.

Running advertisements also enables you to advertise your products to consumers who are most likely to be interested in them by allowing you to target particular consumer groups.

What are the different advertising options available on Etsy?

Etsy offers two main advertising options to boost your product visibility and reach:

1. Onsite Ads

Think of these as prime real estate within Etsy itself.  Your listings get displayed in prominent places like search results pages or alongside similar products. This helps you grab the attention of Etsy shoppers already browsing for items in your niche. You pay a fixed cost each time someone clicks on your ad within Etsy (called cost-per-click).

2. Offsite Ads:

This option lets you advertise beyond Etsy. Your product ads can appear on search engines, social media platforms, and even on websites frequented by your target audience. Essentially, you’re reaching potential customers who might not be browsing Etsy at that moment. Here’s the best part: you only pay a commission (between 12-15%) on the sale price if someone clicks on your ad from those external platforms and then makes a purchase within 30 days.  This means you only incur costs if your advertising translates into actual sales.

Here’s a complete guide to advertising on Etsy:

• Choose your advertising campaign: Etsy offers several different advertising options, including promoted listings and patterns. Choose the option that best fits your marketing goals and budget.
• Set your budget: Determine how much you’re willing to spend on advertising and set your budget accordingly.
• Select your target audience: Choose the target audience for your advertising campaign by selecting the location, gender, age, and interests of the customers you want to reach.
• Choose your keywords: Choose keywords that describe your products and target audience to help your ads appear in relevant search results.
• Create your ad: Create your ad using the information you’ve gathered in the previous steps. Use high-quality images and compelling language to attract customers to your products.
• Launch your campaign: Launch your advertising campaign and monitor its performance regularly. Adjust your budget, keywords, and targeting as needed to optimize your campaign’s performance.
• Evaluate your campaign: Evaluate the performance of your advertising campaign by tracking its results, including the number of clicks, impressions, and conversions. Use this information to make informed decisions about future advertising campaigns.

How to choose the right advertising campaign for your products on Etsy?

Choosing the right advertising campaign on Etsy depends on your specific goals and resources. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

1: Increase Brand Awareness

• Choose: Offsite Ads
• Why? Offsite Ads take your products beyond Etsy, reaching a broader audience on search engines, social media, and relevant websites. This helps build brand recognition and attract new customers who might not be actively searching for products on Etsy yet.

2: Promote Specific Products

• Choose: Onsite Ads
• Why? Onsite Ads position your listings prominently within Etsy search results. This is ideal for promoting specific products you want to push during busy seasons (think holiday sales) or for new product launches. They put your products in front of Etsy shoppers who are already actively searching for similar items, increasing the chance of a quick sale.

3: Maximize Sales with a Limited Budget

• Choose: Offsite Ads
• Why? Offsite Ads only charge you a commission on sales, not for clicks. Offsite ads can be budget-friendly, especially if you’re unsure how effective your ads will be. However, keep in mind that offsite ads might take longer to show results as you’re reaching a broader, “cold” audience who might not be familiar with your brand.

Additional factors to consider:

• Product Type: For unique, handmade items, onsite ads might be more effective as they target Etsy’s niche audience actively searching for handcrafted goods.
• Competition: If your niche is highly competitive on Etsy, consider offsite ads to reach a wider audience and stand out.
• Budget Flexibility: Onsite ads offer more control over your daily spending, while offsite ads can be more flexible as you only pay for conversions (sales).

No matter the size of your business, Etsy ads can help promote all big and small brands through paid promotions. By following these steps, you can create effective advertising campaigns on Etsy and increase visibility and sales for your products. It’s important to keep in mind that advertising is just one aspect of a comprehensive marketing strategy, and it should be used in conjunction with other marketing efforts, such as optimizing your product listings, offering promotions and discounts, and promoting your products on social media.