Top 11 Ideas - What to Post on Your Facebook Page

If you have a Facebook Page, it is important to know what is helpful to grow your audience.  You want your followers to increase their engagement with your Page by Liking, Commenting and Sharing your posts with their followers.  Your goal in posting a post is to have you and your business be "seen," you want exposure. 

People are scanners when reading on the web, and definitely when reading the News Feed on Facebook.  You need to give them a compelling reason to stop and take a look at what you have posted.  In general, posts with a photo or video are viewed much more than text alone posts.  The following list is my... 


 Top 11 Ideas -  What to Post on Your Facebook Page 

1.  Photos

Home.  Eureka, CA. 

Sharing photos makes you more "real" to your followers.  They get to know more about you and what is important to you as a business owner.  People want to know that your brand has a heart and can interact with them on a one-to-one level.  Photo collages are a great way to do this type of share.

Ideas of photos to share:

- your artwork
- your work in progress
- your studio/office space
- you and/or your employees at work
- new equipment you may have purchased that you are excited about
- where you live
- places you've traveled to
- things that inspire you
- your garden
- your pet companions
- your family
- other interests or hobbies
- other artist's work that inspires you

2.  Videos

Photos and videos are viewed, commented on, and shared, much more than plain text postings. Informational, educational, tutorials, and videos showing your creative process are all interesting to your followers.

 3.  Humor

Humor is one of the best ways to connect to an audience.  If possible, it is best to share humor related to your business or industry.  This is a great way to show a lighter side of yourself and your business.  
 4.  Current News Events in Your Field 

Try to keep it positive.  You want your followers to have a good "feeling" from your share, and maybe even inspire them to share it on their page with their followers.

5.  Listings

This is your chance to show and tell.   Let your customers know when you have a new creation ready to buy.

6.  Blog Posts  

Announce when you have a new post to share, with a link.

7.  Customer Feedback and Testimonials

This is very important as a business.   Testimonials from previous happy buyers give proof to potential new buyers that shopping with you was a good experience.   Testimonials can be used to validate the value of your product, as well as your customer service level.

 8.  Expert Advice from Someone Else in Your Field

It is always good to share advice you may have, or you may have come upon, that would be helpful for your followers.   This makes following you a more valuable experience.

 9.  An Inspiring Quote from Another in Your Field

10.  Contests and Giveaways  

11.  Your Store Discounts and Sales

Customers quite often follow you for the value you can provide to them.

I hope this list is helpful for you in you ongoing Facebook marketing.

**If you do find it helpful and think it would help others you know, please Share.

Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites

As creative entrepreneurs, I believe we all have a limited amount of time to devote to marketing and social media outreach.  Because of this, I thought it would be helpful to let you know what I have found to be the most popular social media sites, currently.

eBizMBA.com, an online business guide that helps people find the web's best resources to grow an online business, ranked each of the following website's Alexa Global Traffic Rank, and U.S. Traffic Rank and came up with these results:

1.  Facebook

2. Twitter

3. Linked In

4. Pinterest

5. Google Plus+

6. Tumblr

7. Instagram

8. VK

9. Flickr

10.  Vine

11. Meetup

12. Tagged

13. Ask.fm

14. MeetMe

15. Classmates

Of course, if you are an Etsy seller, I would also recommend being active in the Forums and Teams.  I have found both places helpful for information, sharing, and letting other people know within the Etsy community about your business.

This has been updated to reflect the most current ranking as of March 2015.

Hope this information is helpful for you with your business marketing.

14 Great Tips for Using Twitter to Market Your Business

I found some great information by Jaime (last name unknown) on her blog, She's Baty Designs, about using Twitter, so I thought I would share.  This advice looks good whether you are a newbie, or someone who currently uses Twitter. 

1.  Follow your followers! this is the best way to make sure you don't lose any people who start following you.

2.  I use "twitter karma" to find out who's not following me so I can unfollow them.  You'll find this REALLY helpful to deal with people who follow you only until you follow them back (and then they unfollow you right away - not cool!). Once you see who's not following you, just click on their name to manually unfollow them. I use twitter karma every few weeks (or when I can't follow anymore people) to clean up my account (and keep my twitter account growing). Here's the link:

http://dossy.org/twitter/karma/

3.  On buzzom.com, you can bulk unfollow people who are no longer following you.  You can only unfollow 25 at time but just keep clicking "more" until there isn't any more... then click "flush" again and you'll get the rest of the people who aren't following you. Here's the link: http://www.buzzom.com

4.  I use twitterfeed.com so all my new Etsy listings get tweeted. I also use it for new flickr uploads :) Be sure to add hash tags when setting up these feeds. For example, on my Etsy feed I have #etsy added to the end of every Etsy tweet. This will help people find me when they search hash tags on twitter. Here's a helpful link for hash tags: http://hashtags.org/

5.  To find people to follow in your target audience, check out the lists people have already made. Lists are groups of people that someone has collected because these people tweet about certain things - Etsy for example. You'll find these lists on the right side of people's twitter profiles. Go to the profile of someone you are following (or check out etsy's twitter profile) and look for "etsy", "crafty" or "handmade" lists. You'll find lots of great Etsians to follow on these types of lists. I'm in a lot of Etsy, crafty and handmade lists so you can also check out my profile to get you started: http://twitter.com/shesbatty

6.  To set up tweets to post later (when you're not going to be at the computer for example), use hootsuite.com. I've found this to be the most useful site for "tweeting later". This is a great way to set up a bunch of tweets at once without bombarding your followers. It's also a great way to get some tweets out there during times that you wouldn't normally be at the computer so you're reaching the most amount of people.

7.  Make sure you set up your twitter profile completely. Have an avatar! I usually won't follow anyone that doesn't have an avatar (that icon that shows up when you tweet). 9 times out of 10 if the person doesn't have an avatar (and just has the twitter bird as their picture) they are a spammer and/or questionable. Be sure to add your Etsy or blog link to your profile and write a little bit about yourself. It's also helpful to include your location (State/Province and Country is usually sufficient) and "Etsy" in the "name" section of your profile. For example "She's Batty on Etsy". This will help people find you when they are making groups or lists (especially if they are using TweetDeck - the app I use to make using twitter WAY easier). 

8.  Don't spam with auto DM's (direct messages)! This is one of the fastest ways to get yourself unfollowed. 

9.  Don't just post links to your "stuff". If you're only going to take about yourself, soon you'll only BE talking to yourself! 

10.  Retweet interesting and helpful posts from other people. 

11.  Interact with other tweeters - reply to their messages, ask them questions, congratulate them on sales, etc. 

12.  Aim to tweet at least every few hours (but NOT every few minutes - don't overwhelm the system with a million tweets per minute!). 

13.  Keep your tweets interesting. Vary from links, to questions, to observations, to "regular" stuff. Share all your fav finds on the web and try to be as helpful as possible. But try to keep links to a minimum so you don't get reported for spamming (you can do this easily but offsetting link tweets with another non-link tweet). 

14.  It's OK to block "questionable" followers. This will mean different things to different people, just go with your gut.

FREE Advertising Online for Your Etsy Business

While surfing the Forums on Etsy, I came upon this post of places to advertise your business online for FREE.  I have included the names and shops of the artisans that have made up and added to this list.  Hope this is helpful in your marketing efforts. 

From Rhody from www.etsy.com/shop/ Rhody

plumdrop.com (you can add venues such as your shop, blog, website etc.)
etsylush.com ( you can submit one item of yours every 24 hrs)
pinterest.com (You make boards, like treasuries. People like and re-pin items. You name the boards anything you like)
stumbleupon.com (Read help link below. Worth joining)
www.theredheadriter.com/2011/05/how-to-guide-for-stumbleupon.html
Squidoo.com (you make lens about a subject, like your shop etc. Ads are put there and you get paid when someone clicks on as ad.
Twitter.com ( you can tweet an item from your shop right on your item page. Do it all day)
Facebook.com (advertise your shop and items)
Craftgawker.com (Does not accept anything from Etsy but submit your blog, which has your shop name in it)
Craigslist.com (go to classified ads for sale and then to crafts)
craftseekers.com (Go to submit a site and add your shop to the free bronze listing)
craftjuice.com (list an item of yours anytime you want)
100craftlinks.com/cgi-bin/ldb/ldb.pl (I get lots of views from here)
gallery.tryhandmade.com/ (Submit your favorite listing)
kaboodle.com (Join and add items from your Etsy shop or website. People can follow you and you follow them)
yaami.com/
tumblr.com (Join and add items from your shop. People can follow you and you can follow them)
www.wanelo.com (have to sign in thru facebook)
linkreferral.com (Join and put your site on there)
artchain.com (Where it says Submit Artist Listing, put your shop in)
thefind.com (Go to the bottom where it says submit a site and put your shop or website in)
Ravelry.com (for crocheters or knitters)
thingspeoplemake.com (Sign in using Facebook. Shows your items from your shop)
gumtree.com (UK & Australia) (Post an ad for your shop)
mywebees.com ( this lets you put your shop on facebook but you have to go thru them. Read carefully)
coolmaterial.com/basic-listing-the-black-book/ (This site is focused on marketing to men)
digg.com (search engine)
ecrater.com/ (free online marke tplace to sell on)
blujay.com/index (free online market place to sell on)
bonanza.com (free online market place to sell on)
smashion.com (can sell any fashion items including clothing, accessories, beauty & cosmetic products, and footwear)
___________________________________________________________
From ValValVoom www.etsy.com/shop/ValValVoom

etsyhacks.com/greasemonkey/ (Etsy tools)
myhandmaderegistry.com/ (List your items from your shop or website)
etsywishlist.com/ (Put your Etsy items on)
reddit.com/r/etsy (Put Etsy items on)
craftcult.com/treasury_widget.php (Tools to put Etsy treasuries on your blog, website)
directory.everythingetsy.com/ (List your Etsy shop for free!)
cr8tivity.com/ (Etsy tools)
handmademarketing.org/ (Sell your items here)
artfire.com/modules.php?name=forums&op=view_topic&tid=10816 (Sell your items)
freecraftylinks.com/ (Place an ad for your shop)
bit.ly/ (Track your links)
lookbook.nu/ (Post your own fashion looks)
craftopolis.com/ (Tools for Etsy)
stylishhome.com/Community/fabDesign-Bookmarks (Submit a link)
youtube.com/ (Upload a video about your shop. If you have Windows Movie Maker its very easy)
about.me/ (Put your info in about you and your shop)
linkytools.com/ (Tools for your Blog)
________________________________________________________

From Clairesparklesbridal www.etsy.com/shop/Clairesparklesbridal

plus.google.com (Like Facebook only better I think. Going to be the next Facebook)
Indiepublic.com (Put info in about your shop)
www.pearltrees.com ( put your items on this site)
www.wists.com/ (Add your items to this site and you can make a slideshow easy for your blog )
delicious.com (Share sites you find on the web, including Etsy shops)
snipi.com (Same kind of site, share sites)
___________________________________________________________
From TNTees www.etsy.com/shop/TNTees

www.attackofthecraft.com/stage/
www.handmadeology.com (Submit an item, tip, blog etc. Great place)
www.craftersbuzz.com (links only to your shop, but can advertise single items)
www.thehandmadecafe.com (may ways to promote - ads, forum, blogs, photos, and/or site)
www.thehandmadedirectory.com
www.handmadetop10.com (List an item and people will vote on it. If they click, it takes them to your item)
www.unanimouscraft.com (link to shop and update with new listings)
www.boingboing.net/submit/
www.kijiji (Canada only)
www.ebayclassifieds.com (US only)
www.aluminouspublishing.com/linkexchangepage.php
www.freecraftylinks.com (can be your shop and/or individual items. Also has banner exchange and artist of the month. I was selected!)
www.thecraftshopper.com (US only)
www.craftytips.com
www.widgetbox.com (great use for your Etsy feed - shows a photo, title and description of your first 10 listings. Adds you to their directory and lets others post your feed on their site easily.)

The following list of websites can be used to promote your blogs or other websites you run and host yourself. Most require you add a reciprocal link and users can’t add external code to their Etsy sites so they won’t work here.
www.relevantdirectory.ca (Canadian based)
www.relevantdirectory.com (for anyone)
www.2handmade.com
www.greatpremiumdirectory.com
www.gotop100.com/directory/ (exchange banners or run your own)
www.aussiecrafts.com.au (for Australians)
________________________________________________________

From TaylorCreativeDesign www.etsy.com/shop/TaylorCreativeDesign
www.thecoloroflust.com
________________________________________________
From PrincessEMarie www.etsy.com/shop/PrincessEMarie
www.totalartsoul.com (you can upload 2 images per 24 hour period)
www.weloveetsy.com/shops/ ( add your shop to their directory)
etsylove.ning.com/ ( looks like you set up a page for your Etsy Shop)
www.doyouetsy.com/ (Add your Etsy Shop)
________________________________________________
From Jen Roberts www.etsy.com/shop/BurashiArt
www.behance.net/burashiart (You can add your Etsy shop to their site and it will take people right to your shop)

Marketing Tips for Online Sellers -The Importance of a Good Avatar

An avatar is a graphic image that represents your store on the Internet.  If you sell handmade items or supplies on Etsy or Artfire, your avatar shows up right by your name on the homepage of your store.  You can also see your avatar right near your comment if you post a question or answer in the forums.  Also if you send a convo or message to a buyer or seller within Etsy or Artfire, your avatar will show.

Something I haven't heard anyone mention in all of my marketing reading is the importance of a good avatar.  And since this is the photo people come to recognize as you and your store, what makes for a good avatar?

If you go to the forums on Etsy or Artfire,  you will see people use photos of themselves, photos of one of their items, or a photo that is irrelevant to what they are selling as their avatar, such as their child or pet.  As a buyer, what draws me to click on a shop is not the shop name, but if I can see what it is that is being sold in that shop.  A clear, colorful photo is a lot more interesting and it grabs my attention better than any other image.  It gives me a good idea about what the seller is selling, and if it is something I am interested in seeing more of.  And believe me, I have made purchases, and I am probably not alone, by being directed to a shop because of their avatar. 

In addition to a good photo of something you sell, if your avatar has your shop name on it, that also makes it, and consequently your shop, more recognizable. And you really do want name recognition. Repetition, repetition, repetition is what my husband reminds me is needed for a buyer to feel comfortable with you as a seller.

I hope this is helpful advice for some of my readers. As with all advice, use what feels helpful and disregard the rest.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Simply Stated for Etsy Sellers

SEO, or search engine optimization, as simply put as I can state, is the art of optimizing your online presence to increase the amount of visitors to your website.    You do this by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a "search engine."  Examples of search engines are Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.  The most ideal result would be to have your business listed as the first result on the first page.  That is really very difficult to do, but the closer you can get to that position, the better your chances of having someone find your business, and possibly buy from you.

I have done quite a bit of reading on this subject,  and this is what I would recommend for relevancy on Etsy, Artfire, Ebay, or any other venue where your are creating a "listing" to sell a product.

I am going to use Tiger Bead Store as the example and show you what I do.

For Your Title:  The first 3 words you use are the most important.  You want to use words that you think your customer would put in a google search.  Don't worry that your title is not a sentence.  You want to use descriptive words.

As an example, here is one of my titles:  Cabochons Gemstone Amethyst Faceted Rose Cut 6mm FOR FOUR.

Search engines will look at the first 54-56 characters of your title.  It is recommended that you:
-Do not use all capitals.
-Do not use the same word twice in your title.
-Do not use punctuation.

For Your Keywords in the Title:
-What is the item?
-What color is it?
-What size is it?
-Is there more than one to your listing?
-I have also read that it is a good idea to add your business name to the title, at the end.

For the Listing: Reuse the same keywords that you used in the title in the first 2 sentences of the listing. This proves relevancy to the search engines.

For Your Tags: Use those same keywords again.

I hope this helps simplify SEO for you and is helpful.

(This blog post was edited and revised on 8/18/13)

Good Marketing Idea

My husband and I did a workshop this weekend on online marketing. Off the top of my head, the tip I remember that was repeated over and over was how important it is to collect email addresses. You want to grow and nurture your clients, and sometimes you need to touch some people over and over before they feel comfortable enough to buy from you.

There is a FREE email service named MailChimp that I heard was a good service. I can't tell you from experience how well it works or not. I haven't tried to use it yet. My husband likes to use Constant Contact. You get to start on it for FREE, but then after a few months, maybe three, there is a monthly charge.

Just wanted to share. It maybe helpful for you.

Marketing Tips for Online Sellers - Titleing Your Listing

To increase your sales, you need to increase your exposure. This is a little bit of information about internet searches.

When a person is searching on the internet or Etsy for a product, they will usually type in a general description of a product, nothing specific. An example would be "Childrens Hats," instead of "Beautiful Red Knitted Child's Hat Size ..." or "Gemstone Beads" instead of "Big Blue Sodalite Tube Beads."

If you were looking for a certain product, think of what you might type in the search box because others search just like you.

So you want the title of your listing to start with a general category, then the specifics of the product. This will make your product more visible in Etsy searches, and will also rank you higher in a Google or internet search.