Etsy for Everyone

Obsessing about the stats

My Google Analytics stats since starting on Etsy make for funny reading. :)

5 things you need to know about having a domain

This is actually a blog post from 2007, but I figured it was worth an update, since I know many of you are using your Etsy address for your business cards. But - there are many advantages to having your own domain.

1) Leaving your options open
First of all, do not put all your eggs in one basket. What happens if Etsy does something to really p. you off tomorrow, and you close your store? Then you have a whole set of cards that you can just throw away.

Instead, you can buy a domain and either put up a simple site with your Etsy Mini, or just forward the domain to Etsy.

2) Protecting your business name
Ideally, you have a business name where the .com domain is not yet taken. Imagine having a successful Etsy store, and then finding someone else using that name on their own website, possibly taking away business from your shop. They will be found on Google along with your store - you can prevent that by registering a domain.

3) Professional appearance
It just looks much more professional to have www.myshop.com on your business cards instead of www.myshop.etsy.com. And it's easier to remember, too!

4) Choosing a domain
Personally, I would not settle for a .net or .org domain if your .com domain is already taken. Each domain ending communicates a certain image. .org is meant for (non-profit) organizations, .info for info sites, and .net is only second-best.

For anyone outside of the States, I would suggest registering a .com domain along with the address in your country's domain ending. That is one weakness of my current set-up – my business name I only have as .de, which is okay since I do lots of local business; I do also own a different brand name on .com, though, so those two names will eventually be interlaced.

5) Thinking of alternative URLs
So what do you do if your domain is already gone? Go to NameBoy and let them come up with combinations - for example adding "design" or something similar to your business name.

When registering a domain, you don't necessarily need hosting - you can find more info on websites and providers here.

Etsy tools I cannot live without

I have a whole bunch of bookmarks that I use daily when running my shop. Thought I'd share them with you. :)

Craftcult
This is where I keep an eye on my shop and item hearts. Sudden unexpected rise? Then check their featured section, maybe you've been on the frontpage? P.S. It's also handy to sometimes check out the competition, who made it to FP, etc.

Craftopolis
Don't use it as much as I used to, but still very handy for a quick treasury overview - if you have it connected to Google Analytics.

Google Analytics
While I still find it a shame that the stats aren't real-time, they are helpful. I try and get the numbers into my own Excel sheet once a month, to track what worked and what didn't. If you haven't set up GA yet, Etsy has some great resources.

Statcounter
I use Statcounter for my website/ blog. A tad easier to handle than GA, instantaneous updates and lesser choices - I like it. And I stop by there once a day to see if everything looks okay with my website and blog visits.

Project Wonderful
I am over there regularly, as I usually have some ads running and want to switch them around.

Twitter
I love the instantaneous nature of Twitter, Short, concise messages and lots of laughter. Still expanding the people I follow, and the connections you make appeal to me. Hardly ever post actual listings, but do update on my blog posts.

Facebook
I am on FB a lot for private matters, and also try to update the page as much as possible without seeming spammy. Of the two, I prefer Twitter. Want to learn how to pimp your FB page, the way I did? Click here.

Cosaverde
I occasionally check on views and possibly update my Cosaverde page, a market place/ portfolio for "green" products.

Trunkt
I should check way more often on my Trunkt, a wholesale website, but my linesheet isn't done yet, and I am still not comfortable with their new business plan. Need to schedule that in!

Google Reader
My daily blog reading is often done in Google reader. Unless I forgot to add the blog and then get confused. :)

Etsy Hacks
At all times, I have my Etsy hacks set up. It a separate piece of software for Firefox, that makes so many things on Etsy easier by placing additional links etc. Couldn't live without the hacks "copy listing", "bulk image uploader", and "quote post".

I probably forgot stuff - what are your must-have tools or sites when running an Etsy store? Let me know in the comments!