I really understand your frustration Heather, it's extremely disheartening when you're working your butt off and nobody seems to be noticing, but you're doing all the right things! :)
Unfortunately having the patience of a saint (I've found) really does come into it, but just plant seeds WHEREVER you can, but plant as many as possible and eventually people will click on your shop and have a look round.
All the things you listed in your post are, like you say, exactly the things you need to do to get things moving, and I've found that there aren't really other secrets, it's just those things, but working and working and working on those things continually; approaching them from different angles, asking others what they think, taking a step back and REALLY being brutal about your shop, re-writing and simplifying your descriptions, making things smooth and easy for customers. Although it's hard, I've found putting my "customer head" on and actually going through the process of going on Etsy, finding your shop with the mindset to buy and seeing how I would feel if I was in the customer's position really helps; is everything explained, clear, is the shop coherent, pleasing to the eye, is buying from you a pleasurable experience, why should we buy from your shop and not someone else's - they're all the things I think are valuable to ask yourself. In no way have I cracked all those questions myself, but I realize answering them is what is hopefully going to drive my shop forward. You just have to push yourself every day to truly make everything the best it can be. I really wish you good luck!
Chloe xx
