How To Boost Your Print-on-demand Sales With Etsy Ads

Getting your brand and products in front of shoppers on Etsy can be quite tricky. With over 4.36 million other active sellers on the site, it’s easy for your items to get lost in the sea of other listings. And while Etsy’s search engine has gotten a lot better over the years, there’s still no guarantee that your target audience will be able to find you.

The good news is, there is a way to let your potential customers know that you exist, and it’s through Etsy Advertising. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at what Etsy Ads are, how they work, and how you can use them to boost your print-on-demand sales in no time!

Getting To Know Etsy Advertising

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Etsy Ads are basically a form of paid promotion that allows you to put your listing in front of shoppers who are most likely to be interested in what you’re selling. Your products will stand out in the search results and category pages of both the Etsy app and web version. This will not only help you get more views, but also increase the chances of making a sale.

On-Site Etsy Ads

As mentioned, when you launch an Etsy ad campaign, your product listings will appear in high-visibility locations on both the Etsy app and website. These are called on-site Etsy ads, and they can be extremely effective in getting your products seen by potential customers browsing through the platform.

Off-Site Etsy Ads

Apart from letting Etsy users see your products through on-site ads, you can also reach out to shoppers who are not currently using the platform. This is done through off-site Etsy ads, which are basically display ads that appear on other websites and apps that partner with Etsy.

All sellers on the platform are automatically enrolled in the off-site Etsy Ads program. However, it can be optional for those whose sales did not reach $10,000 in the last 365 days. 

Sellers that make sales beyond that mark, however, will ultimately benefit more from off-site Etsy ads. Thus, they will be required to stay in the program with discounted advertising fees.

Why Use Etsy Ads?

Your store is up and running, and you’re getting a few sales here and there. So why bother investing in Etsy Ads? Well, there are actually quite a few reasons why you should give them a try.

They Make Your Products Visible

Of course, just like any other paid promotion, Etsy ads let your items be seen by more people. And compared to organic traffic, which can be quite slow and unpredictable, using these is a more surefire way to get your products in front of potential customers. This is especially helpful for POD businesses that are marketing to popular niches with fierce competition.

You Only Pay When Someone Clicks on Your Ad

That’s right! You only get charged when someone actually clicks on your ad and is redirected to your listing page. This is called pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and it’s a pricing model that is used by most online advertising platforms.

The good thing about PPC is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get started. In fact, you can set a daily budget as low as $1, and Etsy will only charge you when someone clicks on your ad. This makes it a very low-risk way to promote your business, and is perfect for those with limited marketing budgets.

You Get to Choose the Countries You Want to Target

Another great thing about Etsy Ads is that you can target specific countries. This allows you to make sure that every cent you’re spending on advertising is going to good use, and that you’re not wasting your money on ads that are being shown to people who are not even in the areas you’re shipping to.

You Can Set a Daily Budget

As mentioned, you can start joining the program for as low as $1. However, if you want to scale up your ad campaigns, you can set a higher daily budget. First-timers are allowed to spend up to $25 per day, but this can be increased further once you’ve become more familiar with the platform and have seen positive results from your ads.

You Can Pick Which Products to Promote

While launching an ad campaign will automatically promote all of your listings, you can actually handpick which products you want to feature. This is perfect for those who only want to invest in ads for their best-selling products, or for those who want to test which items are more likely to generate sales.

You Can Track Your Results

Etsy Ads come with a handy dashboard that lets you track your campaign’s performance. This includes detailed information on the number of impressions, clicks, and sales that your ads have generated. This allows you to see which of your ads are performing well and which ones need to be improved.

Setting Up Your Own Etsy Ads

Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of setting up your Etsy Ads campaign. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Log in to your Etsy account and go to “Shop Manager.”
2. Click on “Marketing” and select “Advertising“.
3. Adjust your daily maximum budget according to how much you’re willing to spend.
4. Click on “Start Advertising”.
5. Choose which of your listings you want to promote by going to “Manage advertised listings.”
6. Deselect or select the listings according to your preferences, then save the progress by clicking on “Update”.

Building Your Foundations

Quite easy, right? Well, there’s a little more to it if you want to make sure that your ad campaigns are effective. 

Here are some things you need to take care of before you even start promoting your products with paid ads:

Make Sure You Have Great Product Photos

This one’s a no-brainer. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, and this definitely applies to product photos. Make sure that your pictures are high-quality and accurately represent your products. This will help reduce the number of returns and cancellations, and will also make your products more likely to be clicked on and purchased.

Write Compelling Product Descriptions

Aside from having great photos, your product descriptions also need to be on point. They should be able to accurately describe your products and must be free of any grammar or spelling errors. Keep in mind that your online shoppers can’t physically examine your products, so it’s up to you to give them as much information as possible.

Optimize Your Titles, Tags, and Keywords

Make sure that your titles, tags, and keywords are all properly optimized. This will help ensure that your products are being shown to the right people, and that they’re being found by shoppers who are actually looking for what you’re selling.

You can use Etsy SEO tools like Alura and eRank to monitor the different trends and spy on your competitors. This will give you an idea of which keywords are being searched for the most, and will help you come up with titles and tags that are more likely to be seen by shoppers.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Creating Effective Etsy Ads

Phew! That was a lot of information. But don’t worry, we’re almost done. 

Now, let’s take a look at some things you should and shouldn’t do when creating your Etsy Ads.

Do: Start with a Daily Budget You’re Comfortable With

As we mentioned earlier, it’s important that you start small when you’re first getting started with Etsy Ads. It’s better to start with a lower daily budget and gradually increase it as you get more comfortable with the system. This way, you won’t blow through your entire advertising budget in a matter of days.

Do: Test Different Ads and Products

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your ads. Try different combinations of products and photos to see what works best. You can also experiment with different ad types, such as promoted listings and video ads.

Don’t: Use Irrelevant Keywords

As much as possible, avoid using keywords that are irrelevant to your products. This will just waste your advertising budget and could even get you suspended from Etsy Ads.

Don’t: Promote Products that are Not Ready to be Shipped

Make sure that the products you’re promoting are actually in stock and ready to be shipped. Clicking on product listings that aren’t available can be quite disappointing for shoppers, and could reflect poorly on your shop.

Let the Online Community Know Your Etsy Store Today!

Now that you know the ins and outs of Etsy Ads, it’s time to start promoting your products! With the right selection of well-crafted listings, you’ll definitely be able to boost your sales and attract more shoppers to your store in no time!

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