Tutorial: Google Keyword Tool

How to Use the Free Google Keyword Tool

I get a lot of people asking how to use the Google Keywords Tool to do keyword research for their shops, so I threw together a quick tutorial with screenshots for those who find it too intimidating.

The Google Keyword Tool is found here: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

The tool does several things:

1)    tells you how many people search a specific term each month on Google

2)    tells you how much competition there is for the phrase from people buying Google Adwords.

3)    gives you other related terms that you might not have thought of using

Load the Tool, and start filling out your first search keywords. It will look like this (click to see image larger):

1)    enter your main search term

2)    click the “x” to change the search options to worldwide instead of your country

3)    enter the “captcha” letters (those weird words in black) into the box

4)    click “Search”

Then you will see this (click to see image larger):

 

 What does this mean? First, the top result shows you that 880 people do searches on Google every month that include the words “abalone earrings”. The keywords beneath are Google’s suggestions, some of which will be completely irrelevant for your item, but others will give you new ideas & info.

Do a quick skim through to get more keyword ideas to try, and then unclick the “Broad” search box on the top left, & click the “[Exact]” box (see the arrow on the left, above). This will tell you how many type the exact search you are researching every month. Clicking “Exact” is a key step, or you may end up choosing keywords that aren’t very popular by themselves & are therefore not particularly useful.

When you click “[Exact]” you will see:

[Exact] match tells you that 210 people search “abalone earrings” on Google each month, and that there is high competition for the phrase (as opposed to Medium or Low competition), in terms of paid Google ads.

Clicking on the blue keyword links on each line will give you several options including “Google Search” which takes you to a Google search for that term, so you can see what is currently ranking on the search pages. There is also a link to “Exclude term” if it is useless to you & you want more relevant results, & one to show more phrases similar to the one you click on – very useful!

Take note of all of the good keywords you see (there can be up to 100) then enter another term to get more suggestions. Keep doing this until you have a full list of keywords that describe your items. Now you are ready to optimize one listing, several similar listings, or even a whole website!

There are a few other things you can do with this tool; here are a couple of more advanced tutorials including different aspects of it:

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Google's-Keyword-Search-Tool

http://todaymade.com/blog/google-adwords-seo/

http://www.ecommercefuel.com/keyword-traffic-research/

But to do basic Etsy keyword research, using the above tips & also checking the suggested searches on Etsy, you don’t need to get too complicated, so only click on those links if you have mastered the basics and are looking for more advanced ideas  

Post by Cindy.  Cindy is the co-captain of the SASsy Mentors team and an SEO expert.

How to: Getting Started in the SASsy Critiques Forum

Every day we have a few new Etsy sellers apply to the SASsy Critiques team.  With all of these new users, we thought it might be helpful to write a little guide to the SASsy Critiques forum.

Who can join?

Anyone can apply to be a part of the team, but you have a little homework to do. First you need to read the Shop Critique Checklist, which is located right here.   Why?  This checklist answers many of the questions that new sellers have and it has lots of links to great information for the most frequently asked questions.  By going through the checklist, you might be able to answer many of your questions on your own.  After you have read the checklist, come back and apply to the team.

We also encourage all of the SASsy Mentors to be a part of the Critiques team.  These mentors are there to participate in the discussions as a voice of experience.  They should identify themselves as a "SASsy Mentor" in their comment, so you will know who they are.

How do you participate? 

Post a question.  

Once you have been accepted to the team, you can start a new thread with your question by clicking the "Create Thread" link at the top of the discussion list. Be sure you are asking a specific question like "I would like some help with my titles.  I don't think they are helping me get many views." or "Please critique my photos, I don't know if the background color is working for my items"

We cannot do a full shop critique, as it says in the forum guidelines.  If you post a question like "Please look at my shop and tell me what I am doing wrong.", we will probably ask for you to narrow it down and be more specific.

Be a part of the discussion.
Everyone is encouraged to be a part of the discussion to answer a question.  If you know the answer or have an opinion, please chime in.

What are the rules of the forum?
They are pretty simple.  First, please be respectful.  The forum is about helping each other and being constructive in your comments.

We won't critique your prices or your art technique.  Only the seller can know what is an appropriate price for an item based on costs, overhead and desired profit.

Your questions have to be about your shop.  We can't help you with critiques of Treasuries, Facebook pages, blogs etc.

No "critique me and I will critique you" games or promotional threads, please.

And you need to abide by Etsy's Terms of Use:  http://www.etsy.com/policy/terms


What if I want to talk to a mentor one-on-one and not have a discussion in the forum?
That's great!  That's why we have our Mentors List.  Sometimes you have a question about a difficult situation with a customer or you just want a little more personal conversation.  Look at the list, choose a mentor who specializes in the topic you are looking for and send them a "conversation". 

You don't need to be a member of any team or forum to contact one of our mentors.  If you have a question, please ask!

Photoshop Tutorial: Making an Etsy Banner

I had a request from a new seller a few days ago who needed help making a new Etsy Banner.  She wanted a background image, some other images layered over the top and to be able to add her shop name.  I decided that the best way to answer her question was to write a tutorial and share it with the blog, because I know she is not the only one struggling with this.  This tutorial is made using Photoshop CS5, but other versions of Photoshop will be very similar to this.

(Be sure to click the images to see them larger.  Numbered steps correspond to numbers on the images.)

Part One: The Background Image
Open up a photo in Photoshop that you would like to use as a background.

1.  Choose the Rectangular Marquee tool.  It looks like a box drawn with a dotted line.

2.  We need to first make this photo the right shape for our banner, by making it a rectangle that is the right ratio.  Choose Style -> Fixed Ratio.

3.  Now enter the right ratio for the rectangle you need.  For an Etsy banner that is width 760 height 100.

4.  Your cursor will look like a little plus sign.   Click and drag a box (dotted line) to select the part of the image that you would like to use.

Then choose Image -> Crop.  This will take away the rest of the image and leave you with the rectangle you selected.

Next we need to make that rectangle be the right size, or the right number of pixels.

Choose Image -> Image Size.  It will bring up a new window.
A.  Make sure that "Constrain Proportions" is checked.  This means to keep the image at the same ratio.  No squishing or stretching.
B.  Now type in the number of pixels you need:  width 760 height 100
C.  Finally make sure the resolution is 72 pixels/inch.  (That's all you need for a web based graphic.)

(More after the jump...)

Time Management and Etsy

Etsy and Your Full Time Job
Keeping up with your Etsy Shop when working full time can be overwhelming, however a little planning can go a long way. Start with a list of the hours a day that you can dedicate to Etsy related activities and be realistic about it. Once this is done, you can assign time slots per day to the different tasks to be performed. Now you can focus and stick to your plan for a while to see how it works. Pretty soon you will see your accomplishments and feel good about it. Remember, you can always adjust it!
Author: Patricia from www.karmacrochet.etsy.com

Etsy and You Part Time Job
If you are like me and have a part time career unrelated to Etsy (I’m a scientist) but you are also a seller for the rest of your part time, we probably face the same two major challenges every week: Managing Time and Keeping Focus. Since we have just part of the week to dedicate our keyword is organization! This presentation was first meant for Holiday time management I find it a very useful guideline for every day organization. My personal favorite time saving tip is to prepare the coming week listings all at once. How? Create a listing but don’t click Finish, copy and save the URL as text somewhere (you can even send it to yourself by email in case you want to use it far from your computer). Later, when you want to list your new item, just paste the URL in the navigation bar, click enter and tatata!: your listing is still there, all you need to do is click Finish and you have your fresh new listing. (discovered by www.Littleputbooks.etsy.com )
Author: Fru from www.Fruccidesign.etsy.com

Etsy and full-time student life
Running a successful Etsy shop while attending the University full-time can seem somewhat daunting. For many students / Etsy sellers, it is a way of supplementing income and gaining real-life experience in business. The key is learning how to prioritize projects while never loosing focus on the larger educational goals. Being honest with both yourself and customers will only benefit in the long-run, by making sure never to take on too much or agree to overly ambitious custom orders during exam times.
Many students have dual work / study spaces, keeping both organized will save time and headaches. Same goes for your computer, it is super-helpful to keep all Etsy-related files, photos and more separate from coursework. This also makes it easier when you need to focus on your studies with no distractions!
Author: Monica from www.UrbanBead.Etsy.com

Time Flies When You’re a Stay-at-Home Parent
Being a stay-at-home parent is a 24/7 task. As the mother of two small children, I admit it is a challenge. The first question I encounter when I tell someone about my home based business is “How do you have the time to do that?”
• Take some time in the morning to decide what you want to accomplish for the day.
Make a list of things you want to accomplish and separate these items in order of urgency and importance. Be realistic about how much time you have.
• Utilize nap time to the fullest extent.
When nap-time comes, immediately tackle your high-priority items. Don’t have nap time? (I rarely do) Have activity time where your children can create along side of you. This will allow you to work, even in short bursts.
• If you have a partner, encourage them to be on board with your business plan.
When your partner/spouse is supportive of your business, you can utilize some time at night and on the weekends without having it interfere with family time.
• Utilize the resources available to you.
USPS Carrier pickup the best example of this. Then you only go to the post office if you have an international package. All other packages are picked up from your front door. http://www.usps.com/pickup/welcome.htm
Author: Jessica from www.buggalove.etsy.com

Time Management Tips for the Full Time Etsian
Managing a full time Etsy shop is quite a task. Here are some creative ideas I use to keep up with the 40+ hours I work on my shop and manage my home and family.

• Allow only so much time for “surfing” per day. Research and online chitchat are real time eaters.
• Create an Order Summary Spreadsheet: I fill this out for every single order. It tells me at a glance where I am on order fulfillment, packaging and shipping.
• My fields include: Date, Item, Buyer, Address, Paid (yes/no), Shipping Label Printed (yes/no), Item finished (yes/no), Item Shipped (date)
• Batch printing of Shipping Labels (via Paypal) – a great time saver.
• Create a Shipping Center - Make sure to always have plenty of shipping supplies on hand – running to the store or waiting for a shipment causes unwanted delays.
• Make sure to let your seller know in a convo or email your ship date. This helps keep procrastination at bay. A high level of customer service will bring buyers back for more.

Author: Steph from www.SStargell.etsy.com

7 Timesaving Firefox Add ons Every Esty Seller Should Use.
You will need to download the current Firefox web browser to use these.

• Sxipper This will save you from having to type in your password each time you want to log in to Etsy or anywhere else.
• Morning Coffee Opens the web pages you use daily (email, Etsy, your blog, etc.) with one click.
• Plain Text Links This allows you to right click on any plain text link to open the URL.
• ReminderFox allows you to set simple reminders for anything you need to remember. It’s simpler than an online calendar and easy to use.
• QuickNotes is like a little post it pad for your desktop. It saves automatically too.
• PasteEmailPlus lets you save text that you use often and paste it anywhere. If you have text files saved (think email to buyers thanking them or letting them know their order has shipped, etc.) this will streamline the process to one right click.
• GreaseMonkey allows you to run Etsy Hack scripts, designed especially for Etsy sellers.
• For full instructions & more about EstyHacks go here

Author: Andrea from www.kitsandcaboodles.etsy.com

Our Top 10 Tips for Time Management

• Organize your work space and daily routine.
• Be realistic with your time.
• Focus on your goals.
• Don’t procrastinate.
• Take one step at the time.
• Create “me” time when family and friends know not to interrupt you.
• Create batches of time for certain tasks. For example take all your photos for the week in one session.
• Use all the resources you can to save time.
• Make lists to stay on top of your daily tasks.
• Relax! Don’t work yourself too hard. A stressed out seller makes more mistakes.

Simple Browser Tweaks for Sellers

By now I'm sure you know that there are tons of ways to make the internet work for you. I want to share some simple tools to make running your Etsy shop a bit easier. These will be super easy to use, some will just work without your help, and some you wont even know how you lived without.

First you will need to download Firefox if you don't have it already. Firefox is an internet browser like Internet Explorer or Safari. Its free and comes with some useful features that could be saving you time in your shop. Since time equals money then pay attention.

Once you have Firefox installed and open we are going to install some add-ons. There are tons of fun add ons so try not to get distracted. All you will need to do to install each suggestion is click the green add to Firefox button and follow the directions. It literally only takes seconds. After all off our add ons have been installed you will just need to close your browser window and reopen it to restart. All of your changes will then take affect.

8 Add ons you should use.
The highlighted link will bring you directly to the download page for each one.

• My first suggestion is to install a password manager. This will save you from having to type in your password each time you want to log in to Etsy or anywhere else.
• I also use the Morning Coffee add on. It lets me open all of the web pages I use everyday (email, Etsy, my blog, etc.) with one click.
  
• Plain Text Links is a useful one on Etsy since links to outside webpages arent clickable. This allows you to right click on any plain text link to open the URL.
• I have seen literally dozens of forum threads asking how to save a whole web page. You will want to do this when you get on the front page or in a treasury. There is a print screen function on most keyboards, but it will only save the portion of the screen you can see. There are also a few programs that allow you to save the whole page but the ScreenGrab add on makes it super simple. You can save the entire screen as an image file in one click.
• ReminderFox allows you to set simple reminders for anything you need to remember. Its simpler than an online calendar and easy to use.
• This one doesnt sound fancy, but I swear I use it constantly. QuickNote is like a little post it pad for your desktop. It saves automatically and you wont need to search for a file to find that little something you wanted to jot down.
• This add on is my absolute favorite. It has saved me so much time with convos and email. Paste Email Plus lets you save text that you use often and makes it available with just a right click of your mouse. If you have text files saved that you use to copy and paste from (for convos thanking your customers or letting them know their order has shipped, etc.) this will replace those and make your life 100 times easier. Absolutely try this add on. You will love it.
  
• Last but certainly not least is GreaseMonkey. Now I'm not exactly sure how this one works but somehow it allows you to run scripts that integrate seamlessly with web pages. That sounds very technical, but trust me, this is the easiest add on there is. You dont even know its there. You will need this to install the next set of tweaks from EtsyHacks.

We're not done yet! Now that we have pimped out our browser its time to head on over to EtsyHacks.com to add a few bells and whistles to our shop itself. Ian is the other half to a very lucky Etsy Seller. I would kill for my husband to be so handy. He has created some pretty amazing solutions for shop owner. I would go ahead and download everything on this page. The changes will show up as part of your the page when you are viewing Etsy and your shop. I cannot stress how useful some of these scripts are.

Now you are ready to restart Firefox and enjoy your new tools. Running your shop will be a new experience once you are used to the changes. You might also notice a little red underline when you are typing. Thats because Firefox has a built in spell check. No more misspellings in listings! Just right click on the word that is underlined and select the correct word. You can also set Firefox as your default browser so it will open each time you go online. Click here for instructions on how to do that.

Let me know if this information was helpful to you or if you had any difficulties with any of the add ons or instructions. I'm making a little video tutorial that I will post soon.

A little bit about me: I'm Andrea from kitsandcaboodles.etsy.com. I have been part of the Etsy community for over a year and just recently reached 1000 sales! I'm thrilled to be able to share what I have learned with others. You can find me often in the forums or one of my monthly critiques in the Virtual Labs. Or you can visit my personal blog. ♥