One of the reasons artisans are flocking to Etsy as an ecommerce platform is that it already has a built-in market. Rather than starting from scratch and struggling to connect with a user base, you can jump into a platform where people are actively searching for handmade or vintage goods. So why should you worry about creating a unique selling proposition for Etsy?
A unique selling proposition (USP) is the element that makes you stand out among a homogeneous marketplace. It can also help you decide which users are going to be best to target moving forward.
As of 2018, Etsy is home to 31.7 million active buyers. That’s a ton of people — but there are also 1.9 million sellers to compete with. If you’re thinking about getting started yourself, developing a USP is going to help you get a head start right out of the gate.
Market Research
Before you jump in, take a look around the Etsy marketplace to gauge what your competition looks like and how similar items sell. You might have a hyper-specific product that will automatically stand out, but if you’re a knitter like me, you’re going to be one among thousands.
Make a list of keywords that customers would search for if they wanted to find a product like yours (you’ll do this anyway when you create your listing!). Search them yourself to get a feel for how many other shops are doing the same thing. Take a look at their pricing, their shop’s total sales, and the number of goods they sell.
Here’s an example. One of my favorite hats is a piano pattern. If I search “piano knit hat,” I rank a few rows down, but the bulk of the listings that appear belong to one other shop owner who seems to list the same pattern separately for each color. Hmmm. Maybe that would be a good route to take if I want my hat to be more visible.
I can also see that most knit hats range from $20-$50. The more expensive hats are knit with finer materials, like Merino wool. Now I have a clearer idea of what prices my goods will actually sell at — without going so low that it’s not worth my time.
Market research is crucial if you want to get started on the right foot. I didn’t do this at first, and for a few months my hats were underpriced and unable to stand out among the competition. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into!
Define Your Niche
Now that you have a better understanding of what the market looks like, it’s time to decide what space you want to occupy within it. Common sense might suggest that the wider your range of products, the more you’ll sell. It’s a number game after, all — isn’t it?
Well, I’d argue the opposite. While more general shops with a wide range of goods certainly can and do rack up plenty of sales, part of the reality of the Internet is that specialization is the best way to speak to a core base of customers.
Let’s say you’re a knitter and you decide to open an Etsy shop. You’re planning on selling anything you’re interested in making — scarves, potholders, hats, mermaid tail blankets — and seeing what sticks.
The problem is, handmade goods take time to make. Spreading yourself thin can lead to smatterings of products in various categories and you’re not yet sure if you’re going to be able to rank for customers’ general searches with these.
One of the core ideas in online marketing is the idea of long tail keywords. Sure, many more customers are searching general terms like “knit scarves” in any given day. But the competition is so thick that it’s going to take an insane amount of work, resources and time to rank meaningfully for these types of keywords. Take a look at this chart from Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO for a visual understanding of the concept.
This applies to search engine algorithms, but guess what? Etsy is using one of its own. It can be more fruitful for you to focus on less-searched, but highly specific search terms like “knit scarf with green frogs.” If you can deliver that product, you’re much more likely to make a sale.
Plus, choosing a narrow niche will help you sell yourself as a specialist! This leads into the next step, which is defining who you are.
Create Your Story
One of the unique points of Etsy is that it connects a human face to a shop from the get-go. In your account photos, shop descriptions, shop updates and more, you have the opportunity to apply your USP as your story.
For Holly G Hats, my unique selling proposition for Etsy is that I’m young and focus on specialty patterned hats with customization options. Between my shop name, top announcements, products and description, everything comes together to let users know what I’m all about. My shop is all about hats, and I’m eager to work with customers to deliver the perfect handmade good.
A USP makes you memorable and unique. It helps visitors feel like they understand the point of your shop and who you are as a person. Etsy is for small businesses, so customers are hyper aware that they are directly contributing to another living, breathing human. Let them know why you’ve earned their support!
How do you nail down your own USP?
- Write down why you’re opening a shop in the first place. What’s motivating you?
- Bullet a few things that make your story unique. Maybe you’re a single mom, a traveler, or a precocious kid who learned how to make jewelry at the age of 4. Create a kind of persona for yourself while staying genuine.
- Why do your products stand out? Market research helps here too. Takes these points and weave them into every product listing and shop update.
This may evolve over time, but it’s best to have one unified message from the start. This helps your shop remain memorable and humanized.
Stick to a Brand
Lastly, make sure that your unique selling proposition for Etsy is consistently applied across your entire brand. Your social media accounts, website, emails, and anything else you use need to align with the message you choose for your Etsy shop. This will help your growing brand feel genuine and relatable.
I post a lot on social media about the various custom options I’ve worked on for my hats. If your USP is that you cater to young brides, make sure that message is obvious across all channels. Are you a huge dog lover who makes custom collars? Paste those pups all over Instagram. Building your brand can be a ton of fun and it’s extremely impactful if you’re looking to create any kind of following from those most likely to purchase your goods.
Some of these points may seem a little obvious, but there’s a lot to be said for writing down your purpose and nailing down key messages long before you start listing goods willy-nilly. If you’re clear on what makes your work stand out from the crowd, that naturally carries over into your shop descriptions and social accounts.
Ready to Create a Unique Selling Proposition For Etsy?
Defining a USP gives you a chance to thrive in whichever corner of the market you call your own. Stay narrow, stay researched, and stay authentic to have the best chance possible when you finally buckle down and start selling.
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