• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Tutorials
  • Crafts
    • Jewellery Making
      • Everything jewellery
      • Beadwork
      • Wire jewellery
      • Book reviews
    • Feltmaking
    • Crochet
    • Knitting
    • Kid’s crafts
    • Book reviews
    • Other
  • Inspiration
    • Everything inspirational
    • Handmade showcase
    • Colours
    • Materials
    • Crafty Links
    • Start a Blog
  • Lifestyle
    • Tips
    • Recipes
  • About
    • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Disclaimer / Disclosure

Craftaholique

Embracing The Handmade Life | UK Craft Blog

You are here: Home / Blogging / How Starting a Blog Can Skyrocket Your Etsy Business

April 11, 2017

How Starting a Blog Can Skyrocket Your Etsy Business

How starting a blog can skyrocket your Etsy Business - handmade business tips

*Affiliate links are included in this post.

Are you an Etsy seller looking for ways to help your business succeed?

A dedicated website / blog can do wonders for your Etsy business! It can lead to increased traffic to your Etsy shop and in turn, more sales for you!

In this post, find out exactly why it’s a no brainer to have a WordPress blog set up alongside your Etsy shop – and how to set one up really quickly for very little cost.

7 great reasons for Etsy Sellers to start a blog!

1. A blog will enable you to grow your fan base

Your own dedicated blog will become another place to grow a following for your handmade products. On a blog, you can share heaps of information about your Etsy business – you’ll have the freedom to write as much or as little as you like – unlike the limited space you’re allocated as part of an Etsy listing or on your shop profile.

Importantly though, blogs allow for interaction between you and your customers. You can have a comments section at the bottom of every post that you publish where your readers can give you their feedback on your latest goods and request orders!

Build an email subscriber list easily from your blog

Any blogger will tell you that their email list is worth its weight in gold – and it really is. Why? A subscriber list consists of an amazing group of people who are genuinely interested in what you have to say or offer! As an Etsy seller, you’ll know how crucial it is to attract and retain people who are interested in your handmade products, right?

With a blog, you can capture the email addresses of people who want to find out more about your offering. Take a look at the subscription box at the top of my blog for example. This is how I encourage new readers to input their email addresses and sign up to my weekly craft related newsletter.

You can do the same to let your followers know about new products in your Etsy Shop or new posts on your blog. It’s so easy to set up!

Simply set up an account with Mailchimp or Aweber, these are both email marketing platforms. I use MailChimp because it’s free for your first 2000 subscribers. When your blog is up and running, you can download a plugin for your website that connects a subscribe box to your Mailchimp account and you’re done!

Link your social media profiles to your blog

Yes, there’s a space to add social media profile links within your Etsy profile. But they’re a bit hard to find, unless your followers are of the determined and patient variety. You can easily link your social media profiles to the homepage of your blog by installing a WordPress plugin (see mine at the top right of the navigation bar).

There are plenty of plugins to choose from, I use Simple Social Icons which is compatible with my blog’s theme (design). It’s just a matter of downloading and installing it your blog (a few clicks of the mouse) and then inputting the URLS of your social media profiles.

Make it easy for potential customers to connect with you by sticking your social media profiles right in front of them – your blog is a great place to do this! You can also add widgets to your blog, for example in the sidebar, that will display your latest tweets, posts or pins.

2. Get found in Google easier with a blog

You can optimise your Etsy shop to help it appear in search engine results, but in addition, having a dedicated website / blog will help more people to find you, it’s as simple as that. You can use keywords relevant to your handmade business within blog content and headings to help with search engine rankings.

Google loves fresh content, so if you keep your blog regularly updated say once or twice a week, this could lead to higher rankings.

3. Use your blog to explain your handmade business

Everyone loves a good story and handmade buyers are no different. In fact, knowing the history and passion behind a product can sometimes be the reason why people buy handmade goods in the first place.

Use your blog to show photos of your workstation / craft areas and different stages of the creative process that you go through (without giving too much away of course). Tell product stories – explain what inspires you and what makes you see an idea through from concept to fruition.

Let your readers know about upcoming sales that you’ll be having and show off your latest materials. All these things will be of interest to your fans.

how to start a craft blog in seven simple steps with Bluehost

4. Build a brand identity through your blog

A great logo and visual identity is important for any business, but a great brand is more than that. A successful brand is all about the way that your followers perceive your business.

By continuously writing about and showcasing your work, you can begin to build your own brand identity – one that your followers will recognise and associate with your products.

5. Sell your handmade products directly from your blog

It’s really easy to turn your blog into an online shop. Some WordPress themes (designs) come with a functional online shop page. Mine does actually although I’ve switched it off for now until I have more products to sell.

(In case you were wondering, my blog theme is built on Genesis and is “Pretty Happy” from Pretty Darn Cute).

Established Etsy sellers can use WooCommerce or Shopify (these are both free WordPress plugins) with your WordPress blog to turn it into an ecommerce website.

The benefit of selling from your website directly is that there are no fees to eat into your profits! (And there’s nothing to stop you from still selling on Etsy too.)

You can also use Etsy Shop WordPress plugins that will display your Etsy products on posts and pages – like this free one or simply add a link to your Etsy Shop from your blog (which is good for search engine optimisation anyway).

6. Use affiliate links to Etsy from your blog

Etsy sellers can also sign up to be an Etsy affiliate and that means you can link to your own products (and others if you like) from your blog using an affiliate link. When someone makes a purchase through your affiliate link, you’ll get paid a small commission from Etsy.

7. Bonus! Use your blog to make even more money!

If you’re looking to skyrocket your Etsy business, using a blog for additional promotion and to grow a loyal following will definitely help you do this. But did you know that you can use your blog to make passive income on the side of your Etsy business?

You can make extra money through your blog by:

  • Selling advertising directly to interested parties or through Media.net or Google Adsense (network ads).
  • Selling sponsored posts (like an advert, only article based).
  • Selling text links.
  • Becoming an affiliate for products that your followers would be interested in (check out the thousands of affiliate programs on awin.com).
  • Creating your own digital products (eBooks, patterns, tutorials) and selling them through your blog. You can also sell eBooks through Amazon via the Kindle Direct Publishing (KPD) platform and you can sell patterns through Craftsy or Etsy too.

As you can see, blogging can be very rewarding for several reasons!

Set up your blog within an hour – for next to no cost!

I use WordPress for my own blog and would highly recommend it! I’ve recently written a detailed guide on how to set up a blog in 7 steps using WordPress and Bluehost – see it here.

To briefly explain, WordPress is a free platform on which you can build a blog or website and Bluehost is a web hosting provider – a place where your website files are stored in the “cloud”. Like a big server, basically!

How to start a blog with Bluehost

There are lots of web hosting providers around but I’d always recommend Bluehost for beginners as they operate worldwide and you can also get your domain (web address) free of charge when you sign up.

Bluehost have an offer on right now where you can get their starting hosting package for just $2.95 per month!

Follow these steps to get started!

1. Take advantage of Bluehost’s amazing hosting package, by signing up through my referral link!

2. Choose a free domain and download WordPress as part of the sign up process – there’s an automated route you can choose for easy set up.

3. Choose a theme for your website by going to “Appearance” and “Themes” within your WordPress dashboard. Click on “Add new” and choose from the many free themes available – see the screenshot of my WordPress dashboard below:

how to choose a theme for a WordPress blog

You can of course purchase a premium theme like I’ve done. Premium themes do offer more functionality and are easily customisable so they are worth considering. However, don’t stress too much about themes as you can always switch yours later if you want to!

4. Start to publish content for your blog. Simply click on “Add New” under the posts section and begin typing! You can add images by clicking on “Add Media” and when you’re ready, click on “Publish” to make your post live on your blog.

How to create your first WordPress post

Don’t forget to check out my detailed blogging guide as it covers lots of other things, such as different pages you might want to set up, how to find pretty images for your blog and more detail on making money from your site too!

Don’t delay – start your blog today!

You might be wondering how you’ll ever find time to blog as well as run your Etsy business (and everything else you do in your life). Blogging doesn’t have to take up that much time though – you can start with just an hour a week!

The chances are that you’ll love blogging – and seeing the results that blogging can bring. A blog is such a great (low cost) marketing tool!

Have questions about blogging? Feel free to leave a comment or get in touch and I’ll do my best to help! You can also subscribe to my “Blogging Tips” newsletter via the box below to receive details of my best blogging strategies from time to time.

Subscribe to Craftaholique’s Blogging Tips!

* indicates required


*Affiliate links are contained in this post. This means that I will receive a small commission should you decide to purchase anything through one of my links, at no cost to you. I only ever recommend products that I think are great and any commissions received help me to keep this site up and running! Thanks for using my links if you are able to!

How starting a blog can skyrocket your Etsy Business - handmade business tips

*Image source – Thanks to Keren at Free Pretty Things for You for allowing me to use her digital papers to create the top and bottom graphics in this post!

Share this post!
  • save 
  • share 
  • tweet 
  • email 

Filed Under: Blogging Hayley 4 Comments

Reader Interactions

Beadwork Tutorial! Learn Flat Odd and Even Count Peyote Stitch
Make it! Cute Owl Beaded Cuff Bracelet – Peyote Stitch Pattern

Comments

  1. 1

    Madissen says

    October 19, 2018 at 7:48 pm

    Hey Hayley!
    I am planning on starting my Etsy store and blog in the next few weeks. Would you happen to have any tips for someone getting started in both platforms. It’s exciting and terrifying all at once!

    Reply
    • 2

      Hayley says

      October 23, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      Hi! I would concentrate on your Etsy store first and get some products listed. Then work on your blog. Once you have around 10 posts (each linking back to your Etsy store, you can start to really promote your content and attract visitors. Is there anything in particular you need tips on? I’ll try my best to help!

      Reply
  2. 3

    Jennifer says

    March 7, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    This is info I definitely needed. I originally wanted to start an etsy store but knew I also wanted to do a blog at some point. However, it seems more financially feasible for me right now to start my blog first and can always update with links later, but after reading your post above, I’m second guessing myself. What you mentioned about linking, etc is exactly how I envisioned them working together. What I am struggling with is a name. My blog will not be strictly about crafts so do I need to have the same name for both my etsy store and blog have the same name?

    Reply
    • 4

      Hayley says

      March 10, 2019 at 10:03 am

      Not necessarily Jennifer. As long as you have a section on your blog for your Etsy products, that’s the main thing. So feel free to use different names if you need to.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Primary Sidebar

Connect

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Advert



Instagram

I finally finished this bead loom bracelet! Starte I finally finished this bead loom bracelet! Started it before the first lockdown... I think I lost my mojo for a while! So this is a flat piece of beadwork, which I then glued onto a cuff bracelet blank.
Started this loom beading project last May... Prou Started this loom beading project last May... Proud to say I finally finished it more than one year later! More photos coming soon! What's your longest ever project? #beads #beadwork #loombeading #crafts #crafting #craftblogger #crafty #longestprojectever
My latest beaded creation! Peyote with a twist. Lo My latest beaded creation! Peyote with a twist. Love the chunkiness of it and how it shimmers with the galvanised silver Miyuki Delica beads. #beads #beadwork #beadweavingpeyote #peyote #flatpeyotestitch #silver #beaded #beadedjewelryofinstagram #beadedring #beadedjewelry #miyukidelica #miyukipeyote #miyuki #miyukibeads #beading #crafts #crafting #craftblogger
My latest tubular peyote bracelet! It's made up of My latest tubular peyote bracelet! It's made up of hundreds of tiny Miyuki Delica beads in vibrant colours of metallic blue, silver, white and pink. The pattern is available in my Etsy shop, Craftaholique Designs. #beads #beadwork #beadweavingpeyote #tubularpeyotestitch #miyukipeyote #beading #beadingpattern #etsyshop #etsysellersofinstagram #etsyseller #etsyshopowner #bracelets #vibrant #tubularpeyote #beadaddict #beadaddiction #miyuki #miyukibeads
My finished bead embroidery - I've used it as an e My finished bead embroidery - I've used it as an embellishment for a beadwork storage case I've just made. I upcycled the case from an old padfolio / conference folder. Inside there's an integrated beading mat where I can do my beadwork - no more beads rolling away! I've posted a tutorial on my blog (link in bio).
My latest project... Bead embroidered flowers! I'm My latest project... Bead embroidered flowers! I'm making this as an embellishment for something. Will post the final project pic soon! #beadwork #beadembroidery #embroidery #embroiderydesign #embroideryart #embroidelicious #flowers #beads #beadedembroidery #beadedembellishment #crafts #crafting #keepcraftingcarryon #keepcraftalive #keepcraftingandcarryon #beaded #beadaddict #beadaddiction #embroideryhoop #craftblogger #crafty
Just finished this set of Miyuki Delica bracelets Just finished this set of Miyuki Delica bracelets in pretty colours of peach, white, pink and gold! I made the two diamond pattern bracelets using a bead loom. The single strand bracelet I just strung together. What do you think to my creation? #beads #beadwork #beadloom #beadloompattern #beadloomingbracelet #beadlooming #beadloombracelets #beadweaving #loombeading #loombead #beadingpattern #beadedjewelryofinstagram #beadaddict #beadaddiction #miyuki #miyukibeads #miyukidelica #crafts #crafting #craftblogger #crafty #bead #craftblogger #beadedbracelets #cuffbracelet #stackingbracelets
Though I've been beading for many years, this is t Though I've been beading for many years, this is the first time I've used a bead loom! It's pretty straightforward and quicker than peyote. #beading #beadloom #beadlooming #beadloomingbracelet #beadloomingnewbie #beadloombracelets #beadloompattern #beadwork #beadingpattern #miyuki #miyukibeads
I had tons of fun over the Easter weekend making t I had tons of fun over the Easter weekend making this rag rug sample with a kit from @raggedlife. This was part of an online workshop on rag rugging, with four other craft bloggers (hosted on Zoom by Elspeth at Ragged Life). It was brilliant! I'd highly recommend it. I've just posted about my experience on the blog - see link in bio.
Tomorrow, I'm taking part in an online rag rug wor Tomorrow, I'm taking part in an online rag rug workshop with @raggedlife! Can't wait, I've been wanting to try out rag rugging for ages. The class is being hosted on Zoom and will be fully interactive. Will post my project when I've done it!
I've needed a bit of colour in my life recently, a I've needed a bit of colour in my life recently, after the last few weeks of darkness. I made this bangle using tubular peyote stitch, with Miyuki Delica beads. Pattern available in my Etsy Shop, Craftaholique Designs!
If you're stuck for what to get your mum this Moth If you're stuck for what to get your mum this Mother's Day, I've put together an Etsy gift guide on my blog that you might like (link in bio). Etsy is my go-to place for gifts as you can find some really creative and unique products, plus it's a great way to support the handmade community! Featuring these amazing Etsy sellers... @pawprintillustration @kustomproductsinc @jemmamarston_design @butterflyandtoadstool @bonnenouvelle_uk @silveristicjewelry @crystalfiligree
Load More… Follow me on Instagram

Popular Posts

Popular Posts

Recent Posts

  • I’m back (with a new bead loom bracelet pattern)
  • Leaf Art Craft Project with Sharpie Pens
  • Chevron Tubular Peyote Bracelet Pattern
  • DIY Beadwork Storage Case (with Beading Mat)
  • Set of Two Bead Loom Bracelet Patterns

Advert



Recent Comments

  • Christina Athanasuleas on I’m back (with a new bead loom bracelet pattern)
  • Hayley on Beadwork Tutorial! Learn Flat Odd and Even Count Peyote Stitch
  • Jasmine on How I Salvaged My Tarnished Silver Pandora Bracelet
  • Lindsey Parry on How I Salvaged My Tarnished Silver Pandora Bracelet
  • Monica Shaw on Beadwork Tutorial! Learn Flat Odd and Even Count Peyote Stitch

Looking for Something?

Footer

My favourite place to shop handmade!

Featured on Feedspot

Disclaimer

Craftaholique is a personal blog. The content you'll find here is for your entertainment purposes only. Craftaholique is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.co.uk and www.amazon.com. Read the full site disclaimer here.

Blogroll

  • Free Pretty Things For You
  • Golden Age Beads
  • Off The Beaded Path
  • The Graphics Fairy

© 2020 Craftaholique

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT