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Etsy Insights: Photography for ads
Happy New Year, folks! My name is Gabby, and I’m a Specialist on the Ads Support Team here at Etsy. I help sellers optimize their advertising campaigns so they can reach goals for their ads.
A question many of our sellers have is: once a potential buyer sees my ad, what will encourage them to take the extra step to click on, and hopefully purchase, the item? Remember that buyers can’t hold and touch the items you have for sale, so buyers rely on images to get a real sense of your products. Having great photos is critical to success for your advertising campaigns and shop overall.
As you plan for the new year, I wanted to provide some best practices for optimizing your images for your advertising campaigns.
Here are three Pro Tips to consider:
--Make sure your main images are clear of watermarks and text overlays. Research shows buyers prefer clean images that really display the product. If you do prefer to use watermarks or overlays, we suggest placing those images further back in your listing photo slots.
--Use images with a seamless solid white or gray background. Consistency is key! This helps highlight your items, and creates a cohesive brand. That said, don’t be afraid of using similar neutral background that complement one another.
--Ensure images are clear and well-lit, and the item for sale is easily distinguishable. The item should be well-framed and highlighted in the image so buyers can see details of the product.
For more tips, check out Etsy's Ultimate Guide to Product Photography.
As you consider the tips above, what image strategies do you use to improve engagement with your ads? Share your tips below for a chance to be featured on our Etsy Success Social pages!
ReecesDesigns
·6 years agoMy best tip is to take your photo's using a square mode on your phone. If you have a smart phone that has the edit then hit square there. This will help you when you put your picture size to 2000 pixels and how they appear on your Etsy adds.
cedarandgreypaperco
·6 years agoThanks for these tips!! I have spent 2020 working on creating a cohesive feel to my shop before I give Etsy ads a try :)
MistryVisuals
·6 years agoHi everyone my name is Hiten I'm an artist I have been on etsy for awhile but have not had any sales yet. I had got feedback from the etsy community and made all the necessary changes but still then no luck.
Any advice on anything I have to change or anything else please.
My page is www.etsy.com/shop/mistryvisuals.
Look forward to your reply.
Many thanks,
Hiten
OliverCarllStudio
·6 years agoThank you for your amazing tips will have to get going on this!
OddsOrnaments
·6 years agoWell photos are pivotal to internet selling. If you cant get it right you will struggle.
Buyers response is luke warm to fuzzy for dark or single photos. On ebay single photo items or badly focused items rarely attract bids. Because when people want to buy something they need questions answered in their head. If the photos don't provide answers and other sellers do then you have lost the game.
The best place to start is imagine you are buying fruit in the supermarket with no fruit seller present. First it needs to look good so that you are attracted to it above the other fruit present on the table. Its not the same as selling a commodity. If you need cabbage or sprouts (who needs sprouts?) you will buy them whether you see them or not. We are talking about fruit you didn't realize that you wanted. That large soft red gold mango which leers at you suggestively. Then of course you pick it up and look at it, feel its heft, gentle squeeze. Then the smell might persuade you to buy. All of these things represent a feelgood matrix which slowly ticks the boxes of purchase persuasion. Until you finally say to yourself 'Your comin home with me darlin'. Heh heh!
What a lot of sellers don't realize is that this box ticking thing which is partly emotional also works in the other direction. As soon as a buyer clocks up thee or four negatives they move on.
So how do you replicate that.
1 )First learn how to take good photos its important. Photo quality is directly related to sales. I cannot make that any clearer.
2)Learn visual speaking. So that you tell the story of the edible mango with that amazing fruity smell.
3) Most importantly indicate all of the unanswered questions a normal buyer would have.
Wrt. 3 single photo johnny's most asked question is whats on the other side!!!!??? The most commonly asked question is 'How big iz it????
So here's an example selling silver perfume bottles from 1890. The condition is important so show the bottle from all sides show the top and show the stopper!!! Show any damage too. It does not stop people from buying. An experienced buyer will look for deformation cracks and rub through on the silver and.....the stopper. No stopper no sale. Stoppers on old glass bottles must be original or the value dips to less than a quarter or the bullion price. Also show some common object such as a clean hand with no skin defects to indicate the size.
Describe your item from all sides, get the colors right (white balance), get the focus right. Have some pure descriptive object shots and show the most interesting details which tick the boxes in the shoppers mind. Have a t least one 3/4 sexy sexy sales shot. The lead shot for the thumbnail is the most important it has to speak to the buyer of exactly what you are selling with no doubt. The first doubt is the first negative box ticked. Which put off buyers from making a more inquisitive inquiry.
Don't have distracting backgrounds. Get rid of any half arsed unwanted awkwardness with obvious unanswered questions. Remove the development of negative ticks that make buyers move on.
SoftHomeTextile
·6 years agounfortunately, I had to stop the ads, I spent 110 dollars in 5 days but I was able to make only zero sales. Please review my store and advertising strategy as an expert and please criticize me.
I think google ads are very expensive and sellers selling handcrafted products can't compete with these prices.
I would like to ask one more thing, do I pay when my competitors click on my ads?
there are too many sellers selling my products every day 20 competitors click on my advertised products, my budget is already running out.
my total advertising spend for the last 6 months is $ 350.41,
views 79,964
clicks 449
order 1
I should continue advertising.
JillsTopnots
·6 years agoSorry I saw a couple of predict text words and two errors after the final check but couldnt edit them out. Jill
JillsTopnots
·6 years agoI hate grey, sorry. I much prefer to see things with splashes of colour near or around. Like the heart and floral buttons I just put on yesterday. These are shown lying on my hand painted table clothe, ( you ll often see it as it is right under the light where I constantly work and it s easy to keep fresh on a day to day basis and rarely needs laundering in truth.
I have to watch which exact bit of this I used as it can give an impression of having had the cat be sick over it at times, and in places. But it also has to look as if I have casually strewn the buttons across it artistially.
My animal photos and most of my puppets definitely look better sitting in a bush or on a gravel path outside, even if the weather is n't that sunny. I think it helps the viewer ( I won't say the customer) to feel that they could be alive or real, to perhaps visualise having a little person or creature living in their home, or maybe picturing them playing in their garden etc. (especially as I cannot legally state anywhere that they could be for a child of any age and that if they were to use them in this way it would be totally at their own risk. In spite of the fact that I make them pretty much child proof and with no small parts or loose bits anyway.) I usually place them on wine bottles, to model for photos,, as I do all the time, to show them off to my visitors and friends, we all love them and , just as I've always being known for wearing my hats everywhere, to shelter me and keep me shaded or dry. it proves to everyone that my stuff , although a bit surreal at times and unusual, they can be used by anyone who wants to create a mood or a style of their own.
I don't incidentally where the long tailed or pointy topped ones to go shopping. But most of the others are ideal.
My 'female hat lady models' also glow when they are taken against a dark green hedge. or a fence, especially if they are blonde, grey haired or wearing a palish hat. But these are never grey.
If it s raining when they arrive to model I'm lucky as I have a nice warm bright, plainly dressed, comfy sun room that comes in useful, and blue and blue artwork is the only back ground. which I am happy with overall. its rare I use grey or even white.
Putting things on the floor inside or outside, is a favourite for me because the lights fall well that way, with less shadow to interfere .
Sometimes I also use red chairs and sofas to set things upon. Dolls puppets etc. I have some adorable photos from the past of girls lounging in my hand made pantaloons and mop caps, relaxed and comfy, stretching and posing happily.. I don't make these at the moment . But I loved photographing them.
Thanks for reading. Have fun with your camera or phone.
FallenAngelBrass
·6 years agoIt's telling that the staffer who opened this discussion has not been back to participate in it.
EventsEclectic
·6 years agoI turned off ads because I'm getting "0" sales from them, wasted a lot of money this year.
beachmix
·6 years agoI read somewhere that Google needs a white background with our items to help it identify/categorized our photos. Does this mean that it is analysing our photos to decide what is in the photo rather than using our words? Interesting. Is this true?
MidnightScentworks
·6 years agoAdd me to the list of sellers who hate the new ad system. PL worked - I could focus my money where I wanted it spent! Now, my sales dropped off 30% when this new system was instituted. Hate it.
FenderGemsNCrystals
·6 years ago@CatskillVintageCo You should revise your original message to make it clear you are talking about listing photos not Search Ads. There seems to be a lot of confusion and this discussion is becoming about the controversial paid advertising Etsy offers.
SophiasDreaming
·6 years agoThe new ad platform worked amazing for me... i day my sales go up 3-4 fold... is a sound investment for me ad it pays off nicely.
Im very grateful to the team.behind it, im sure they are putting tons of analytics ans efforts to make this work
Love and happy 2020 etsy team¡
SamariPrints
·6 years agoI also have turned off the ads for the same reasons as the previous posters.
Please, let us have PL's back!!
They worked!
AnniebelloPaper
·6 years agoGood suggestions, straight out of the Etsy guide. Insight is nice but can we (sometimes at least) get insight from Etsy staff who actually have a viable shop, working with the same tools and obstacles as us 'ordinary' sellers.
FenderGemsNCrystals
·6 years agoThere are some minor differences between my image in my online photo editor output and once I put the photo on Etsy. The Etsy photo is slightly more saturated. My photos would be better if Etsy had a photo editor as part of the listing process
steelhipdesign
·6 years agoI'm hoping the shops who really need a black or dark background don't get penalised in the new visual search algorithm. My items don't "pop" on white and I need the contrast. It also fits with my genre and brand. I must be doing something right with them as they are used all over the net when doing a google image search.
You have a virtual art gallery here. Please don't make everyone look like the gift shop on the way out. Amazon and Ebay already have that "look" locked down.
Real tip for photography: Don't assume modern digital cameras/phones are better than old film cameras in regard to holding the camera still enough. They are not. That is probably why your shots come out blurry and out of focus, especially taking natural low light indoor photos. Buy a $2 desk tripod and use the 2 second shutter delay.
MarKatKnitNCrochet
·6 years agoWe continue the ads because otherwise we would not be seen nor have any sales. Our photos must be "ok" as some get clicks and some are purchased. Photography is challenging for our shop but I continue to use the suggestions above as well as those in the photography guide. Every once in a while we update photos also.
Thanks for the tips
FallenAngelBrass
·6 years agoMy strategy was to turn off ETsyAds and let my wonderful product photography work all by itself on the search pages. EtsyAds yielded a paltry return on my budget compared to Promoted Listings.
GRITSGirlz
·6 years agoI imagine most Etsy sellers are constantly working to improve photography, whether they use Etsy Ads or not.
I'm Advertising fewer listings with Etsy Ads than I did with the former PL Ads. Etsy Ads simply do not perform as well as PL Ads and the EA tool is lacking in valuable data needed for informed decision making. I plan to turn EA off completely in the coming weeks, especially if the concerns submitted to Etsy via the EA feedback form are still present.
Gabby, for your ease of reference, I just submitted the concerns again via the EA feedback form.