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. ;-)
The technological process. Eeeeek!!!
Now, this is advice from us using Etsy as an amateur shopkeeper.
Don't expect a genius here, since we have never sold anything on Etsy.
We opened a fake/real shop on Etsy to create these screencaps for you.
So no, this store doesn't actually sell anything, haha.
Creating a Listing
You will see this section when making a new listing:
Watch it for tips on taking Great Product Photos.
She mentions things we have mentioned, like how great photographs help sell your items.
Create strong, clear photographs.
Use nice backgrounds, not your messy craft table.
Photograph your items in natural light.
Take close-ups, wide shots, full shots.
White backgrounds help your items pop.
Try photo editing software.
It does amazing things!
Make sure your photographs convey the size, scale and use of the product.
If it is for AGs -- show it with AGs!
Show the items in context.
"Help them imagine it in their home or wardrobe."
Emphasize details, textures.
At the end it includes info on the Etsy Seller Handbook.
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2013/the-seller-handbook-archive/
You can read Handbook posts here on their blog:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/category/seller-handbook/
Remember, you want to run with the wolves on Etsy.
Or dance with them.
Whichever.
This is what other people are creating, and what gets on the Etsy homepage.
3) Controlling Your Etsy Square
Now here comes the 'hard' part.
Or more like the subtle part.
The first image in the row of your listing images is your Etsy Square.
You can shift those images around easily when creating a listing to rearrange image order and pick the best image for the Etsy Square.
So when I have the banner image as my first image here:
Up next in Step #5 we will go through this process with actual doll photographs.
But hopefully this will help in the meantime while we prep that. :-)
p.s. We are almost done posting the 2013 FDC Second Outfits here: http://2013dwfashiondesignchallenge.blogspot.com/
Now, this is advice from us using Etsy as an amateur shopkeeper.
Don't expect a genius here, since we have never sold anything on Etsy.
We opened a fake/real shop on Etsy to create these screencaps for you.
So no, this store doesn't actually sell anything, haha.
Shout-outs to Pippaloo and Melody Valerie for helping us figure out what to do.
Creating a Listing
You will see this section when making a new listing:
Several things to note here.
1) Etsy says to use pictures at least 570 pixels wide.
It has highlighted our green logo as too small.
Change it they say.
If you click on the little blue magnifying glass you will see the pop-up.
See how much "white space" is on either side of the green square?
That is why they are saying the green square is too small.
When that square is in your listing it will look like this.
Which is fine for a blog button, but not for your handmade product.
So make sure you are uploading pictures into your Etsy listings
that are at least 570 pixels wide.
The DW Banner image is fine.
The pop-up looks like this:
The listing image will look like this:
See how it fills the space? You want your listing images to do that.
You don't want the user to have to use zoom to see your product.
2) Upload all five pictures.
You can see below that you have 5 spots to fill.
Fill them all.
Etsy even tells you to "Convey the shape, size, color, and texture.
Try to use natural light and include a great close-up."
They also provide this useful video for you:
Watch it for tips on taking Great Product Photos.
She mentions things we have mentioned, like how great photographs help sell your items.
Create strong, clear photographs.
Use nice backgrounds, not your messy craft table.
Photograph your items in natural light.
Take close-ups, wide shots, full shots.
White backgrounds help your items pop.
Try photo editing software.
It does amazing things!
Make sure your photographs convey the size, scale and use of the product.
If it is for AGs -- show it with AGs!
Show the items in context.
"Help them imagine it in their home or wardrobe."
Emphasize details, textures.
At the end it includes info on the Etsy Seller Handbook.
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2013/the-seller-handbook-archive/
You can read Handbook posts here on their blog:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/category/seller-handbook/
Remember, you want to run with the wolves on Etsy.
Or dance with them.
Whichever.
This is what other people are creating, and what gets on the Etsy homepage.
Just because you are making stuff for dolls does not mean it will never get on the front page.
Aspire to be on the front page.
3) Controlling Your Etsy Square
Now here comes the 'hard' part.
Or more like the subtle part.
The first image in the row of your listing images is your Etsy Square.
You can shift those images around easily when creating a listing to rearrange image order and pick the best image for the Etsy Square.
So when I have the banner image as my first image here:
And then select "Preview" my listing, it will look like this:
The banner is featured up there in the Etsy Square at the top right.
Etsy says "Hey, do you want to adjust this photo in your square?"
Our Square doesn't look too bad, but we can play around with it.
Click on the "Adjust Photo" button right there.
This will load the "Crop" and "Cancel" buttons.
You can click and drag your image around in that thumbnail space.
Here we have dragged the image to right, showing us the front end of our banner.
Then we dragged it back to the other end of the banner.
We even tried it with the "the" in there.
You are not modifying that first image in your actual listing.
You are only modifying what the potential buyer sees in that Etsy Square.
So when you have moved the image to your desired location, you click "Crop."
This does not crop the actual listing image.
Again, it is only controlling what the potential buyer sees in the Etsy Square.
Let us try to use my green logo as the first listing image and as my Etsy Square.
We already know it is not wide enough for Etsy's preferences.
But we'll try it anyway.
If your first image in the listing is too small to be cropped you will see this:
So that is what your Etsy Square will look like.
You can't control or crop the image.
But it doesn't look so bad.
And it is just a blog button.
But remember, you aren't selling a blog button.
You are selling a product and it should have a big first image in your listing.
Big.
But hopefully this will help in the meantime while we prep that. :-)
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!!!
We have had a couple requests to "critique someone's squares" --
so we will offer this service to you completely free.
But it does mean we'll post about it on here, haha.
That way our advice can help as many people as possible.
Even the shy peeps who don't ask us to critique their squares. ;-)
So if you want your squares critiqued,
comment below or email us at nora.demington@gmail.com.
When we are able to, we'll post about your squares and our advice and examples on how to improve them.
(Which will be soonish.)
_______________________________
p.s. We are almost done posting the 2013 FDC Second Outfits here: http://2013dwfashiondesignchallenge.blogspot.com/
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