For Etsy sellers who are just starting out, investing in paid traffic may not be feasible.
In this guide, I’ll run you through my recommended methods of getting traffic to your Etsy shop for free. I’ll also include my ratings with some common mistakes to avoid.
Let’s get started.
Etsy search is probably the most important traffic source for most Etsy sellers, as it’s the primary method for the 96.6 million buyers on Etsy in Q2 2024. It’s free and powerful if used right. There are a few easy tweaks that you can do today to fine-tune your Etsy listings so they have a better chance to rank higher on the search algorithm.
Begin with comprehensive keyword research. To identify long-tail keywords, use the autocomplete feature of Etsy's search bar, or market research tools like Alura or EtsyHunt if you don’t mind paying a small amount for efficiency. For example, instead of using a short keyword like “candle” and face competition from thousands and thousands of other sellers, use a long-tail descriptive keyword like “sandalwood scented soy candle” to limit the sellers you’re competing with.
High-quality photos are just as important. Although not directly contributing to Etsy SEO, clickable photos mean higher click-through rate for your listings, and that leads to higher ranking on Etsy search potentially.
Avoid using generic or irrelevant keywords that don’t really describe your product. Also avoid using keywords that your customers wouldn’t know or search for.
Etsy frequently hosts sitewide events like seasonal and holiday sales, which can help boost your shop’s visibility if you choose to participate. Participating in sales events on Etsy is free.
You should be notified for sitewide events on your Etsy shop dashboard, and Etsy makes it pretty easy to take part in them. Usually, there’s a button that allows you to join in with just a few clicks. Etsy often requires participating shops to offer a minimum discount, so ensure your profit margins can accommodate that.
Limited-time sales create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to make quicker purchasing decisions. These sales can increase your conversion rate as listings will have a coloured text counting down the time until the end of sale:
Etsy allows you to run a few types of sales - A percentage-off sale, offering free-shipping, offering a promo code with a fixed amount discount, etc. I recommend running these sales with a set expiry date to create a sense of urgency.
Plan your sales around relevant holidays, seasons, or special events. Use Etsy’s sales tools to schedule discounts with clear start and end dates. And for your bestsellers, you can also highlight the sale in the product titles by adding “Limited Time Sale” at the front.
Promote the sale through your shop banner, announcements, and social media accounts.
Running sales too frequently can train customers to wait for discounts, reducing your regular sales. Also, avoid running sales that last too long as that would reduce the effect of urgency.
Free shipping is a compelling incentive for online shoppers. Etsy's data shows that U.S. shoppers are less likely to complete a purchase if shipping costs exceed $6. Also, for US sellers that sells locally, Etsy gives higher ranking to shops that offer free shipping for order over $35.
If your shipping fee is lower than $10, it’s generally a good idea to incorporate that into your product price. So instead of a $20 product with $5 shipping fee, you can sell the product for $25 and offer free shipping. Mention the free shipping in one of your listing photos and listing description is a good idea.
Make sure to calculate your shipping fees carefully to include additional costs like packaging, transit to the post office, etc. So that offering free shipping doesn’t affect your profit margin.
The Etsy Star Seller badge is given to shops that provide excellent customer service, quick shipping, and positive reviews. Shops with the Star Seller status gets a purple badge next to your shop name on the search result page, which can help you stand out among competitors. This badge can also build trust with customers and potentially improve your conversion rate.
In order to get your Star Seller status, I recommend these few actions:
And because these recommendations are best practices for your shop no matter you’re aiming to become a Star Seller or not, I’d recommend all Etsy sellers for doing them.
Instagram is a powerful platform for Etsy sellers to showcase their craft and build a community. Coupled with influencer marketing, it can significantly boost your Etsy traffic by reaching a wider and more engaged audience.
Set up a business profile on Instagram to access analytics and promotional tools. Consistently post engaging posts and stories related to your products, such as behind-the-scenes reels, crafting process and user-generated content. Use Instagram reels to increase reach, and engage with your audience meaningfully in comments and DMs (direct messages).
You can also collaborate with influencers whose audience is similar to your target customers. For example, if you sell handmade jewelry, partner with fashion influencers who can showcase your pieces in their outfits. For smaller influences (i.e. micro-influencers), it’s common to offer free products in exchange for reviews, which is a lot more cheaper than bigger content creators who require payment in addition to free product.
The drawback of marketing on Instagram (or other social media platforms) is the time commitment and uncertainty of results. Creating engaging content could take a lot of time, so I’d recommend focusing on only 1-2 platforms that you’ve seen the most traffic from.
One of the biggest mistakes I see in my students is that they just post their product photos on Etsy, which may not be engaging enough to stand out on Instagram. I’ve written an article on the 13 mistakes I see Etsy sellers make when marketing on Instagram.
Pinterest functions as a visual search engine. Compare to other social media platforms, posts (or pins) on Pinterest have a relatively long lifespan, making it ideal for driving long-term traffic to your Etsy shop through evergreen content. It’s also a platform with users that have relatively high purchase intent, meaning a lot of Pinterest users are looking to buy.
Design tall, eye-catching pins with high-quality images. Optimise pin descriptions with relevant keywords to improve Pinterest SEO. Organise your pins into themed boards that reflect your products and related interests. I’ve written a guide that goes through the marketing strategies for Etsy sellers on Pinterest.
Using low-quality images can result in poor engagement. Also, avoid using landscape photos as they don’t take up enough screen real estate. Also, avoid publishing a large amount of pins all at once or stop pinning for a long time (schedule your pins in advance can help with that).
Facebook may have a reputation of a declining social media platform, but what's often overlooked is the value of its niche-specific groups. They can be great for connecting with your potential customers.
Joining relevant Facebook groups allows you to engage directly with your target audience, share your expertise, and subtly promote your Etsy shop by helping others in a meaningful way.
After you joined the relevant Facebook groups (either as a business or an individual), I’d recommend going in with the mindset of helping the community. Usually hard-selling and directly promoting your product is not allowed, nor is it effective, in Facebook groups. Actively participate by providing valuable insights, answering questions, and sharing tips related to your niche, and gently plug your product offerings only when it’s relevant to the topic.
Avoid over-posting or self-promoting in groups as they can be perceived as spammy and get you kicked out of the group. Also don’t neglect reading the group rules carefully about promotions and advertisements.
Driving more traffic to your Etsy shop for free is entirely achievable with the right strategies and consistent effort. Out of all the strategies above, you should first focus on the ones that strengthen your Etsy shop’s foundations, including optimising for Etsy SEO and achieving Star Seller status.
If you are looking for strategies to leverage paid traffic, start with this guide for paid Etsy ads. And for more marketing tips, check out this guide for 19 tips to help boost your Etsy sales.
