by Grace Mattina
Etsy is an online marketplace designed for artists to become their own entrepreneurs! Etsy was founded in 2005 by Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik. Their vision was to create a business that would function as a marketplace for artists and craftsmen to sell their goods and services. As of 2022, there are 4.36 million active sellers on Etsy and 83% of sellers on Etsy are women!
I'm sure a lot of people reading this have used Etsy before. Whether they have bought handmade jewelry or a customized portrait of their pet It is a widely known online marketplace specializing in selling handmade goods and craft supplies. This is a perfect website for beginning freelance artists who want to sell their work. It's accessible to those who don't necessarily know how to make a website! Most of us have interacted with Etsy as a customer but have you seen the helpful information it provides to its sellers? Etsy has an interesting section to their website called the sellers handbook that provides articles that teach their sellers tips and tricks on how to promote their business through marketing strategies. The Ultimate Guide to Marketing is an amazing resource for those who are entirely new to selling their work for the first time. This article provides awesome information on promoting through social media, email, SEO (search engine optimization), and even use of press. If you are a freelance artist thinking about expanding your market online, Etsy’s Guide to marketing is a great place to start if you are feeling lost.
What I thought was really insightful and interesting was that nailing the relationship between you as the business owner and the publication itself is what can help tremendously with press marketing for your business. They also post some inspiring seller stories of people who weren’t afraid to take that first step and receive the benefits of becoming their own employer. The sellers handbook is a great place for new artists to read about other success stories to get inspired and gather advice to grow their online business.
Grace Mattina is an Arts Management major with a minor in Digital Marketing from West Chester, Ohio. She enjoys weightlifting, making crafts, and journaling. She has an Etsy shop called Whimsy Spirit Co where she sells handmade jewelry and accessories.