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Etsy Insights: Using social media to tell your brand story
Hi Everyone,
Happy New Year, ya’ll! My name is Evan and I work on the Social and Community team here at Etsy. I work on creating content for our Etsy Success social channels that helps sellers make the most of the tools that Etsy has to offer.
Social media has become a great way for our sellers to showcase their items and help to build their brand all while connecting to potential buyers. When creating posts it’s important to think of them as opportunities to tell your brand story and resonate with buyers so they can build an emotional connection with you and your items.
Crafting your story on your social channels:
- Make a connection with video - Facebook and Instagram are still surfacing video content more than single images or links. Facebook loves videos that are 3 minutes or more, and Instagram has now given users the ability to post previews of their IGTV videos in their feed (you can also post IGTV videos on your Instagram Stories with a swipe up link (available to all users)), to help you get more eyes on your content).
- Speaking of stories, consider creating stories on a regular basis - maybe 1-2x per week. Stories as we mentioned before are a great way to give potential buyers a look into your creative process, into your studio space, and sometimes into your life. Instagram also allows you to cross post your stories to Facebook as long as your accounts are connected. To up your Instagram Stories game, consider getting inspiration from your favorite lifestyle influencers, brands, or publications.
- Think of using longer captions - This is true for Facebook and Instagram, less so for Twitter. There used to be an adage that shorter copy was better and more engaging, but we’re seeing that longer copy isn’t always a bad thing. Think of how your friends, family, and influencers use their social media channels. Longer copy allows you a chance to share successes and inspiration, and even the hard times, which can lead to more engagement.
- Be sure to link to your shop in your Instagram Bio - this way you can drive buyers to your shop to purchase your products.
While sharing your brand story can be intimidating at first, you can test out a few ways to share your story. Try Stories, or try making videos, we can’t wait to see what you all come up with.
How do you use social media to help create a story for your brand on your social channels??
HandPaintedPetals
·6 years agoI get that videos make good content -- but I don't know what to SAY or show! I mostly paint glassware, and also sell a lot of gift boxes for glassware and wedding favors etc. Half-painted glassware just looks washed out.
TIA for any ideas!! Good thread here!!
TatteredRoses41
·6 years agoI do use social media all the time. Love Instagram and Twitter!
OliverCarllStudio
·6 years agoNew to Etsy, I am loving all of the insight and collaboration on Etsy forums.
I have always been intimidated by being on camera but absolutely know that it would help my brand to tell stories about my process.
Does anyone have equipment suggestions that they would recommend?
Thanks,
OliverCarllStudio
jayval
·6 years agoI recently re-opened my shop and when I post on my fan page Almost every day now , it seems like it only reaches 10 or 20 of my followers instead of the 250 that follow me.
WellWeatheredCoStore
·6 years agoomg, i am on about 8 different platforms with my photography and my fashion brand and it doesnt help at all.
i mean, etsy shop is my side gig, i am selling out my vintage designer wardrobe here, but i really struggle with my fashion brand website as well. the only things that seems to take peoples attention is my photography. Yes i did the whole campaign by myself, but it was to tell the story and now it seems like the story is interesting but no one buys. not the garments and bags, not the art poster and photo prints. i am very tired of trying to make it.
i have been posting content related to my fashion design on my instagram for last 4 years, and i still have the same number of followers - under 400. people who poste their bathroom selfies get more attention than my artworks and fashion collections. no matter what i do for my business online and offline, it goes nowhere.
how is this even possible what is happening, does my work not deserve attention? can you honestly visit my website & my etsy shop and tell me what is wrong with my work? i work 7days a week this is really troublesome...
cedarandgreypaperco
·6 years agoI am terrible at posting to social media - working on it in the new year! I would love some tips on Pinterest! I have an okay following on Instagram, but I haven't really found it to help with sales in my shop, but feel like Pinterest could be a good way to drive traffic to my shop.
BlackberryDesigns
·6 years agoI post 3-4 times a day on Facebook, where my customers hang out. Not just product posts, I only do a product post once a day, the others are things that help brand my product and the ones customers react to. I run giveaways on Facebook, do a group and business page, and run ad's. This took time to narrow down those posts that they like. I also post to pinterest, intermittent to Instagram and twitter. Blog when I can. The best thing to do is choose 3 social media, be consistent, and find what works for your brand.
Woodsparkle
·6 years agoYou advise the 5-5-1 formula for hashtags. does this mean only use 11 hashtags? Is that the recommended number now or am I missing something? You never know with Instagram, are you penalized for "filling up" your hashtags?
kikiyavi
·6 years agoIs anyone using blogs/vlogs to reach their target market?
SouthernCharmWreaths
·6 years agoStories are on the rise and you should post stories more than 3x a day! What wasn’t mentioned is the engagement aspect. Everything you post on social media should be to engage with your followers and bring them into your brand.
MyChouChou
·6 years agoI post mostly on Twitter. I used to be able to easily post from the Etsy app to IG, but now I for some reason can't anymore?
JomiamsByKathy
·6 years agoFacebook marketplace will not allow me to sell my insulin pump bands and belts on marketplace. It is disgusting because they say it is inappropriate for their marketplace. I have appealed it and relished it and was met with threats that it didn’t meet their criteria .
coxbm2vm
·6 years agoThis is so helpful! Reading through all the comments and getting some great tips here. I've just started trying to plan out my feed a bit more on instagram to be more intentional with it. I'm hoping to get in a routine with it all, really need to figure out Pinterest... Having always just been a consumer, both platforms feel so different to use from a business perspective!
ThreeBredEwes
·6 years agoThanks for getting back to me on Instagram! I like your advice about consistent posting. I am going to try to follow your Monday/Weds/Friday concept...Thanks again.
CountryLaneHomeDecor
·6 years agoIG is the way to go these days, I think. I post there frequently.
Also....You may want to edit your title. Just sayin'. ;)
JHFWBeadsAndFindings
·6 years agoOh yes great! If they put back our Social media buttons back
LittleJapaneseHab
·6 years agoI have tried Pinterest and it hasnt really brought much to me let alone sales. To be honest it is overwealming after focusing on IG and FB. Yes I have done the odd Twitter. SIGH! I want to do what I like than all this admin! BUt the sales will not happen unless you do it so do it! :)
dorothydomingo
·6 years agoI mostly use Instagram and it kinda blew up (in a good way!) for me in the last 4 or 5 months. I've been on it for about 5 years.
I try to post once a day and I like to include a mixture of finished pieces and process photos. Buyers and beginning potters like to see the way things get made and will ask a lot of questions about the materials and techniques. It's fun to share my methods with beginners and show pics with larger groups of similar pieces since I don't list them for sale that way. It looks way more impressive to show 12 spoon rests in different glazes than just one all by itself.
I don't use super long captions, but enough to explain the work in the photo and where I am in my production cycle if that is pertinent. Hashtags are the key if you want new followers so I always use as many pertinent ones as possible.
I got lucky by finding that certain work would bring in hundreds of likes (a few got several thousand!) so I try to work that type of photo into the rotation to remind the algorithm I'm still there, lol. I try not to overdo that, but the sugar high from a popular post is hard to resist.
My goal for the new year is to make more stories, especially if I'm at the stage in my production cycle where I'm not able to make a permanent post. I see so many really good ones from the accounts I follow; I'm sure it will take some time to learn how to make meaningful stories that add to way I interact on IG.
modestly
·6 years agoI find it exhausting ! I use Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook but cannot say that it brings much footfall to my shop -
WildRoseAndSparrow
·6 years agoI use Pinterest successfully to really communicate the aesthetic and the story of my shop’s brand. It really helps connect potential buyers to the inspirations I have and the story my bridal items are trying to tell 😊💕 ig stories are also great to help show buyers the behind-the-scenes of my creations 💕
KaileysMonogramShop
·6 years agoWhat is the ideal listing schedule? Once a day, 2-3 times a day(do not want to be annoying), 2-4 a week?
And I have read make 2 post back to back rather than a single post at one time.
What suggestions for a schedule please?
Thanks
ImperiumShaving
·6 years agowe only use Instagram. Gave up on Facebook long time ago
artbyjocelyn
·6 years agoI post here and there, but I probably do not do it really well like some people seem to have the right recipe and knack for. It is easier with my Other shop as I am not working with print partners, and can do more wip videos and such for my hand crafted items. I am really not sure how to go about it for this shop, though I do sometimes post screen shots of my Photoshop working screen for designs, as well as my photo trek inspiration shots with little sayings on them that I right myself as opposed to grabbing quotes from the net.
It is Hard! I need to improve but with a full time job, it's pretty hard to make a lot of time, and I like to do it Manually, none of this auto post stuff to every SM channel I am on stuff.
SweetWillowHandmade
·6 years agoI am still new to Instagram (I just started using it on a daily basis earlier this month). So far I like it, but I’m having a challenging time finding true customers (vs those who want free items). Pinterest is good but it’s only been successful for a couple of my listings.
BGLASSbcn
·6 years agoI love Instagram, it's where I'm most actively posting about my work. I like the good and creative community on there.
TheCuteandHandmadeCo
·6 years agoWhat other ways can you social media, other than Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?
CreationsOfTrueFairy
·6 years agoI'm regularly post on Twitter and Pinterest and get hundreds visits to my Etsy store.
Most important is regularity and perseverance in posting to social media. Do it every single day and you will get success!