How are you using Google+?

[ThreeRiversForge]

Being someone slow with computers, I'm just now finding G+ and set up an account.

In less than a week, I've got 10 followers and 3000 views. While I've been careful to include a link to my etsy page, there hasn't been a big uptick in my stats on etsy.

I've joined 18 communities that somehow tie into the blacksmithing that I do. Interior design, recycling, preppers, DIYers, and even Steampunk communities seem to be doing well over there, but is there more I can do?

What am I missing? What have you found works?

[Googenheimers]

Right now I haven't found a huge difference in sales, but I do get a lot of views from G+. So I've found folks and groups to follow and then I post my stuff and kinda still seeing what happens.

[ThreeRiversForge]

I'm in the same boat, Jana. I'm not seeing a lot of views coming from G+, but my G+ account is actually through the roof with views. The performance on G+ has been soooooo much better than what etsy has accomplished. I really can't even compare the two. The only "upside" is that etsy has a buy-now button and my G+ page doesn't. If I can find a way around that, I'll be quitting etsy entirely!

[Former_Member]

I've been hearing alot about it through some of the podcasts I've been listening too, thinking I will sign up and see what happens...

[ThreeRiversForge]

Kathryn, I can tell you that it certainly won't hurt. My views in a week are head and shoulders above what I got on etsy in a month, and I thought I was doing decent. And I just got an email from a guy interested in one of my pieces.

That means that G+ has done as much for me in just a few days as etsy did in a month - and I haven't changed a thing on my etsy page.

Just remember to not get too focused on the communities you join. Artist groups might be great just for getting seen, but those are the kinds of people that will be tempted to borrow your idea and try it for themselves. Look into pet lovers, jewelry clubs and such. Look for where your customers would be hanging out.

Out of 19 communities I've joined, I now have access to over 50,000 members - and all of them are possibly familiar with or interested in forged ironware.

[Former_Member]

Wow! Thanks for the advice, Ferrumitzal. Definitely will check it out. I'm feeling like I need to be more choosy about my social media involvement, so I don't get sucked in to spending all my time online!

[Former_Member]

For me personally, its helped tons for my local rankings, I can be reviewed and Im listed in business places as a verified business. All my Google is tied together. Its dog eats dog local and just having the business G+ page has boosted me.

G+ is worth using becsue its a growing platform and well... Its Google!

[ThreeRiversForge]

Good point about it being "google", Kelly.

Having a G+ page cannot hurt your sales in any way. My ability to target specific demographics that have demonstrated an interest in blacksmithing is a huge plus. You cannot do that on etsy.

To compare numbers:

Etsy = 15 teams with 19,797 members.

G+ = 19 "communities" with 55,000 members.

Etsy views are below 2,500 total since I started in February.

G+ views are over 19,500 since starting this month.

When I first started getting into the discussion forums, folks told me that I needed to network and join as many teams as I could because that would help me get noticed. According to my stats, the response has been mediocre, at best, and hasn't resulted in any sales.

Of the 10,000 teams on etsy, I only found 15 that I felt were a good fit for me and my product because 9,500 of those teams are one woman shows or haven't had a new post in months. The other 400 and some teams were specific to a certain type of seller (usually a city, state or women). So, really, there aren't that many teams for a guy to join. No sense in joining a team that only have three members and no traffic, right?

Anyhow, posting regularly on those 15 teams has amounted to no real boost in my numbers, and certainly no sales.

The same effort spent on G+ netted me 19 communities, and I had to cut my search short because there were simply too many options. Now I'm busy building my brand and developing relationships on those boards.

[Former_Member]

Oppsie! because


I never spent much time in teams here, I have no interest in promo teams. My focus is building outside Etsy.. While I know sellers here are buyers and I carry a broad market product they are not my niche.

I do like some of my teams but they are business oriented not promo. I joined them more for me to help others over helping myself. Ive been running on the net for over a decade and Im SEO/Social media/photography savvy so I can help others. I enjoy helping.


As the SEO geek I am... Being strong outside Etsy in other areas of the net will only help you here in the long run.

[ThreeRiversForge]

I've got tons of work to do on my tags and sundry other SEO. I'm such a computer-hater, though. Takes me forever to understand what seems to come so natural to others!

[Former_Member]

It wasnt natural to me a decade ago and now it is and now I can teach it. Dont feel bad or worry because you dont get it right away! :)

The average non tech person doesn't get it in an instant. Learning to run online has many layers and many layers take time to build and hone. What matters is taking the time to try to understand the layers and then trying it and doing it. thats what you are doing. :)

[MoonlightnWaterfalls]

Hi, I am new to this team, and right now I am in the midst of destashing many jewelry items and buttons that I have accumulated over the years while making jewelry, selling collectibles, etc. I have a couple of gmail accounts. I have been seeing the 'G+' for a while now, but since I didn't know what it was, I basically ignored it. Could someone fill me in on exactly what it is,, how it works, and how it can help improve my views and my sales? I'm not that computer literate, but I have learned Twitter and Pinterest, which increase my views to some degree, but not so much on the sale side. How do I start it?

[ThreeRiversForge]

Raye, at the top left of your G+ page is a drop-down menu with "my business", etc on it. Click on the "communities" tag and it will open to a page full of different communities that are basically just a bunch of folks that share a common interest. You can search through them and join however many you like.

The key is that it gives you incredible visibility. Since my last post, I'm up to 23 followers and 24000 views. Fill your main page with photos of your work, how you make the stuff, anything that comes to mind. Join communities that have things in common with your work. Also look for communities where your customers are likely to be. A room full of jewelers probably won't turn out much business for you because they can make the stuff, but a community full of young mothers or college girls.... that's a whole new ball game. As long as you're actually interacting and becoming a part of the community, you're golden. If you're just spamming, they'll probably kick you to the curb.

Just be sure to pick communities that have high member counts and high post counts so you know they are an active concern. A lot of the smaller communities only have one or two people actually visiting regularly.

There is an etsy community.

[MoonlightnWaterfalls]

Thanks so much! I'll start working on it today! I'll let you know what happens.

[MoonlightnWaterfalls]

I am finding that using goolg+ is increasing my views, not a lot, but I'm getting more consistent views than I was before, and some are adding me to their circles, (but I have no idea what that means,lol). I do feel that it is a great marketing tool, but also networking with like-minded artisans, etc. This is really welcomed and appreciated!

[ThreeRiversForge]

Glad to hear that things are going well for you, Raye Ellen. Since my last post here, I'm up to 24 communities. My page has 28 followers and 31, 437 views.

I'm not entirely sure what it means when someone puts you in their circle. I think it's so they get notifications any time you add something new to your page, and everyone in their circle can see what you've posted. Just be sure to have your stuff set to "public". It's a lot like Facebook in that you can isolate who sees what.

No matter what, I'm very happy with my G+ account. I get to talk with folks that I'm interested in talking with, learning things while getting my name out. That's a win-win situation.

Here's my page:

https://plus.google.com/b/102358017089267789244/102358017089267789244/about/p/pub

[MoonlightnWaterfalls]

Oh. I didn't know I could get a page too! I'll lok into it. So far I have only joined about four communities. maybe posting to a page might be less time consuming?

[ThreeRiversForge]

I'm the last one that should be giving internet/computer advice, but I think you should already have a page if you're able to join communities.

If you find out what it means to be "followed" or "circled" by someone, please let me know!

[rdboyer]

Wow - I had no idea. I think I need to joins some groups on G+

[BlueStockinette]

Pretty clueless about G+ communities even though I've been on it for about a year-like many I joined, set up the page & ignored it...definitely going to give it another go :-)

[ThreeRiversForge]

Since my last entry I've increased to 26 communities, have 46 "followers" and a grand total of 54,448 Views on my page.

The upside to the whole experience has been the exposure. Not only do I get to learn from the small-business community, but I get my name and product in the forefront of a lot of minds.

The downside is that there's no shop feature. Like facebook, folks can see photos of what you do, but they have to go somewhere else to buy it. This creates friction that can stop buyers in their tracks.

Of course, the shopping cart on etsy is only good if you can get people to etsy and they don't find a competitor with a better product or price.

Don't take my lack of sales dissuade you. I'm a blacksmith and hand-worked ironware is a very tough market to get sales in because most folks just don't understand the product.

[BlueStockinette]

I have a newbie question about sharing a post...I have a choice of sharing w/communities, following, or my page only-what is the proper etiquette? I don't want to spam my communities or the people I'm following-should I exclude them from the share?

[ThreeRiversForge]

If you post on a community board, it doesn't get shared between all the communities you might be a member of. However, it can be shown on your personal page and this is a bad thing.

I think I don't share with anyone. If you're following my page, you might see what I post on my page, but that's it. I think.

When I first started the page, I didn't have the right boxes checked and every single thing I posted on all those communities also appeared on my page. It was horribly cluttered and often confusing because I'd say one thing on one post and something not-quite-similar on another community..... and they were both there on my page for folks to compare. Every time I posted photos on a community, they would appear on my page, too. The same photo repeated a dozen times!!

Make sure you uncheck those boxes in your settings so the only thing that appears on your page is the stuff that you want on there.

Don't worry about spamming folks because those following your page can opt out on their end. I don't think you're stuff actually appears on their page. They just get a notification that you posted something new.

That's my take on it, anyhow. I have four people in "circles", whatever that means, and I don't get any of their posts on my page.

I'm now up to 50 followers and 60,000 views..... and just got my fourth sale of the year!!!

[BlueStockinette]

Congrats on the sales and thanks for the info...so glad I took a 2nd look at google+ thanks to advice of a friend from your group here :-)
I couldn't believe that I had 10,000 plus views considering I'd done next to nothing w/that page-made me wonder why I'd been spending all my precious time on FB, lol

[ThreeRiversForge]

Christina, thanks. I've gone through the same thing with FB and now only spend my time over there to argue with folks. :D