If you want to see THE blog post to read to catch you up on Etsy and relevancy–check out Etsy Relevancy Search Explained over at Brittany’s blog. It explains it ALL.
You may have popped into my shop and noticed that it’s basically 200+ listings of address labels and more address labels. You’d think, hey, there must be some matching stationery around here, right?
Uh, no. (But I’d be totally happy to whip up some for you–I’ve got more than enough supplies–I’m just lacking the focus to branch out.)
So, yeah, I’ve been a little nuts about address labels. I’m fixated. I can’t help it. I have to say, labels have been very good to me, especially in the beginning. Back in 2008, there were no round address labels–really, there were very few address labels–at Etsy. Back then, if I posted a design, it probably stayed on the front page of search listings for HOURS.
It’s not like that anymore, that’s for sure–obviously, there are plenty of designs to choose from, and really, I should probably expand out into other products, but I have to tell you: I love designing on that tiny 1.5″ piece of paper, even if Etsy is getting to the point where’s it’s a bit saturated when it comes to labels. When I really get going, I can cocoon myself in a Spotify playlist, close out the rest of the world, and create a little piece of art.
So, labels make up my little, happy place. And, you know what? It’s important to me that I’m doing something that makes me happy, something that I have choice in and something that I can put my all into. It calms me, gives me a focus and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I’m finished. And, I think all that positive energy shines through on the designs I really put some love into.
What puts you in your happy place?
If you want to read a bit more about me, there’s a sponsor post up at Originally Me that focuses on little ‘ol me. Awww.
At this very moment, this once-unknown and ignored label design is sitting high on the first page of search results for "address labels." Last Friday, when it was on the second or third page, it sold three or four times. I knew it was a great design, but it took a new search method to bring it out into the open.
Etsy’s relevance search has been working out pretty well for my not-so-little community of label and sticker sellers. I’ve been watching the searches for my specific product pretty carefully since the change and the big search-related brouhaha that’s blown up in the Etsy forums.
Here’s what I’ve found (but it doesn’t pertain to really over-saturated categories, like jewelry):
I haven’t edited all the listings in my shop, but I’ve gotten to about three pages of product. Seriously, I’m sitting at 211 products at Etsy. I want to enjoy what’s left of summer just a bit, you know?
If you’re a seller, how is it going for you? Are you seeing something different? Buyers–have you noticed better results when you search at Etsy?
Interested in winning $25 to spend at Bohtieque? Run on over to Snuggly Monkey and sign up for the giveaway!
Thank God that Etsy decided to switch their search default from most recently listed to relevancy in August, before I started school and before the hordes of holiday shoppers started to descend upon the site.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here are the basics: the buyers at Etsy, the site that I get most of my traffic through, mostly rely on the site search to find new products. So, if someone doesn’t know my shop and is at Etsy looking for address labels, she’ll probably take a look at the top of the page, type in “address labels,” and then several pages of results featuring address labels (or not–which is another issue entirely) will pop up.
Since the beginning of time (well, since the beginning of Etsy, I imagine), that search was sorted by the most recent listing. So, if I had just posted a new label or had relisted after selling something, my new item would be at the top of the first search page.
Now, Etsy is using relevancy for its results. That means items more related to your search term are placing higher in the results and that the quality of your search results should be better and more topical. There are fewer unrelated products showing up on the first several result pages, and that’s good for customers and sellers.
Sellers are having to do a lot of work to make sure that their items are showing up at the top, though. And, it’s a bit of an art to get the search listing stars to line up as I’d like them to. Lots of sellers in the forums are, to put it mildly, freaking out.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t be concerned–it is a big deal. In the end, though, I know we’ll all get the hang of it if we pay attention, and we’ll move on to the next obstacle.
That’s right, I’m taking it in stride. After a bit of research and work, I think I kind of have things figured out–for now. In a few days or weeks or months, I’ll have to do this thinking all over again…but that’s life. Life is change.
The sentiment in the forums right now reminds me of my life right now as a teacher in Wisconsin. Let me preface this all with the note that I wish things were different, that we hadn’t had our education budget slashed and that kids weren’t going to be coming back to school with bigger class sizes and to teachers who are worried about when the next shoe is going to drop. Despite the fact that I’m not happy about the state of our state or economy right now, I know that dwelling on it hour after hour, day after day and week after week doesn’t make it any better. Instead, I had to focus on the good, focus on what I could control–myself–and make me the best that I can be. Sure, it’s been a challenge, but I’m working at it and I know that no matter what happens, we’ll all get through this.
I think all of us have to remember that change is inevitable–we can’t get so caught up in the fact that things are changing. Instead, our energies need to be directed at getting through the upheaval and worry, and possibly coming out in better shape on the other side.
Over the last few days, I’ve been posting Halloween designs, and I’ll probably have a few more before September rolls around. I’ll confess to you, though, that I’m very partial to the line I just made into rectangle labels.
See all my Halloween designs at Etsy.
It was a fun week, last week. Originally, it was the week my sister and I had planned to go to Door County, but I had to back out of that this spring, so instead I spent it chauffeuring Small Child around to various events and, as you know, cooking or canning.
That means I didn’t spend much time on Bohtieque. Of course, because I did the minimum, which means that I fullfilled orders and relisted at Etsy, now I’m all energized and excited to get the show on the road.
Here’s what I’ve done in the last 24 hours:
Oh, and hey–what do you think about my product listing image changes? I’ve waffled between a graphic with no background, a photo featuring the label in use, and now back to a graphic with a linen background. I’d love feedback!
