Etsy Success Holiday Book Camp - Week #4

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There's a lot of good information in the Etsy Storque. And if you're in boot camp, you need to take time and sift through some of the articles. After all, you pledged to do your homework! If you're not in boot camp, you still have a great opportunity for tips, and I'll tell you what I think!




Johnny B. Truant is this week's Boot Camp guest author. His article is "How to tell a story." That sounds just up my alley! I always write a haiku, a three-lined Japanese poem, for every necklace and handmade book I create. I tell people at festivals and fairs, "You get a little story, a haiku, from the storybeader with this item." Some people aren't too exited, but others start reading all the poems, if they weren't already!

"She crept downstairs to
Find the treasures under the
Lighted Christmas tree."

I used to put my haikus first thing, just under the title in my descriptions, thinking it was a neat way to introduce my items. But then I found out it was better to put the most important information first. So it was nice to read Danielle's article , which reinforced what I had learned. She has a number of tips about how to best optimize your text, for both your shop and Google searches.

That reminds me of another tip I just discovered - when you're selling the same item in more than one place (I have a shop at Zibbet now) don't use the same title and first paragraph. This lets the search engine recognize one item in two different venues! You might even find that people are drawn to one writing style over another.

I still haven't learned how best to use my web analytics, but here's another suggestion from Danielle: keep track of the keywords visitors use in searches. And use those words in your descriptions. Looking for better keywords? Check out Danielle's Etsy Success Keyword Exercise.

There's just one more article I wanted to mention, and that is about writing a profile, by Stacey Brook. She has a lot of questions you can ask yourself and tips you might use.



Now go read!
And here's to lots of success!


(left)
Digital scan, Polar Bears Toasting Wine, rare antique French postcard by FrenchKissed