Branding Your Etsy Squares, Step #1

If you sell on Etsy, how often do you think about what your "Etsy Squares" look like?

Sure, you have probably obsessed over your shop name, your shop banner, your prices, your stock numbers, your sale numbers, your feedback, but have you obsessed over your squares?

If not, you really should.

As a buyer we scroll through dozens of Etsy pages every day to see what has been added.

Yep, every day.

This is what we usually see:

We don't see anything else that you may have obsessed over, except that square.

Which of these squares would we click on?

None.

We aren't trying to insult any of those sellers, but the only square that says "click me" to us has pink in it and hopefully y'alls know by now that we don't buy pink, unless it is an AG-store exclusive item and then we impulse buy shamelessly.

Etsy sellers need to think dynamically about how to make 

their Etsy Squares stand out from the pack.

In essence, you need to brand your Etsy Squares, so the buyer knows it is your Etsy shop and your Etsy item just by glancing quickly at the square.

And when we say brand, we don't mean to just put big words "My Shop Name Here" in your square, but to visually brand your images. Make them work for you 110%.

Our steps will hopefully help you accomplish this goal.

If you want to research this more, you can probably search for ways to maximize your Etsy 'thumbnail.' We like saying "Etsy Squares" though, so we are going with that. ;-)

Step #1

As we have stated before a thousand times, if you want to sell to AG fans, show your product on an AG doll. We don't even click on 99% of non-AG doll squares.

And there seem to be more and more non-AG squares as time goes by.

Which is fine for people who own those types of dolls, but we don't, so yeah.

Many of you probably think we are being super-picky about this issue.

Or being a brand-snob.

But not all 18 inch dolls are built with the same proportions and fit is very important to us for anything we buy for our collection.

If the item isn't a proper scale, isn't a proper fit, we won't buy it.

And if you show your meant-for-AG-clothing on a non-AG doll, then I have no idea what the scale or fit of that item is on an AG doll.

See?

If you are selling an accessory, like purses, shoes, jewelry, or food items, always include at least one shot of that item with an AG doll, even just a hand, feet, ear, etc. Preferably this should be in your Etsy Square, so that the potential buyer can see right away the scale of your item.

For example this square from Dolly Dorm Designs:

It tells us so much information, just with one pic of the cookies with the doll hand.

Here are some examples of Etsy Squares showing AG doll clothing on AG dolls.

These are the types of squares we would click on.

They make it blatantly obvious which type of doll the items are made for.

They aren't just another pic of a doll with her head cropped out from the square, which we then have to stare at her hands to figure out if she is an AG.

We know these are AGs.

There is no guesswork.

From Emily's Doll Closet:

Note the off-center, asymmetrical format which really helps this picture stand out.

Also, she has added some feather accessories to the doll hairstyle, which also make the image pop.

The feathers are unique and our eyes are drawn to them.

From Kate Lauren Designs:

We don't mind arty angles in your Etsy squares, as long as they are telling us this is an AG doll.

Here we can immediately learn that this is for AGs, the hoodie is definitely part of the listing, it is modern clothing with a good fit, and has a black and white color scheme.

That is a lot of great info.

From Selah Soo Designs:

Here are three squares shot from three different angles.

These examples show us that there are multiple ways to make it clear that these items are meant for AGs, and mixing up your shooting angles and doll poses can really add some spice to your squares.

From 123 Mulberry Street:

Pay attention to your doll's head position and hairstyle.

Does she looks like she just came straight out of the box with 

a stiff posture and a messy mane?

This square is showing us a natural, very realistic image which is boosted by the doll's head position and hairstyle.

You want to make your doll look like this -- real, thinking, alive, natural.

It may sound creepy, but it's not meant to be, haha.

From Shimmer Myst:

Don't be afraid to put the hair first.

Yep, just like this square from Shimmer Myst.

You may think that it is counter-productive to place your dolly's beautiful locks right over the outfit you are trying to sell, but it's not.

It helps your square immensely.

You aren't really selling an item with your square.

You are probably saying "Whaaaa????" right now.

You are selling an idea, an image, a vision in the viewer's mind of how this will look on their doll.

So overall you want them to be saying "Whoa! That's so pretty!"

Do whatever you can to make your doll and her outfit look pretty,

including placing her awesome hairdo right over her shoulder, over the outfit.

Just make sure you include shots of the outfit without her hair over it in your listing's pictures.

Some more great examples of Etsy Squares...

From Janie Jumps:

From Fox and Family:

From Lost in a Jungle:

From Royal Doll Boutique:

We have several more steps for how to Brand Your Etsy Squares to help you learn more about what types of squares we tend to click on and how to make them yourself.

So Stay Tuned!!!

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to let us know!!!

p.s. The winner of the Buzzin' Bea outfit giveaway will be announced soon!

p.p.s. Second Outfit Tasks for the 2013 Fashion Design Challenge are due on Sunday, Aug. 25th.

We'll be flexible with you on this though because we know it is back to school time and your schedule might be blowing up right now. ;-)

p.p.p.s. We have a doll jewelry giveaway happening right now, here...

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2013/08/2-sisters-sew-crafty-earring-dangles.html

Enter on or before Aug. 31st, 2013.