The Handmade Shop: Etsy Business Strategy for Makers with Physical and Digital Products

Sarah Waggoner
  • 4.8 (26)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

If you want consistent, daily sales on Etsy without relying on social media, you’re in the right place. Hosted by Sarah Waggoner, Etsy sales strategist and owner of a top 0.1% Etsy shop, this podcast teaches you how to grow your Etsy business. This show is for handmade sellers who are ready to build a shop that actually gets found by the right buyers. Inside each episode, you’ll learn how to: - Increase your Etsy sales organically - Build product lines that drive consistent traffic - Understand your Etsy stats - Create listings that convert - Grow your shop without ads, social media, or cha

  1. 18h ago

    243. How to Know If What You're Selling Is Actually the Problem

    Is it really your products that are holding back your Etsy sales? Probably not…but here's how to know for sure. Most sellers jump straight to blaming their products when sales slow down. But the majority of the time, the product isn't the problem. In this episode I'm giving you a four-step framework for figuring out whether your product is actually the issue, or whether something else entirely is holding your shop back. What you'll learn in this episode: The four checks that tell you whether your product is actually the problem or not What zero impressions really means (and why it has nothing to do with your product) How to tell if there's real search demand for what you're selling on Etsy Why the timeline matters more than most sellers realize when evaluating a product The three specific scenarios where switching products actually is the right call Why starting over is often the most expensive mistake a seller can make Resources mentioned: Summer Search Workshop Series:  Your next steps: Join the Summer Search Workshop Series: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/summerofsearch/ 1:1 Coaching: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/coaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@sarahjwaggoner Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theheartlandcreative YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SarahJWaggoner

    12 min

  2. 6d ago

    242. Summer is not a slow season if you do this

    Summer is coming, and most Etsy sellers are about to make the same mistake they make every year. They slow down, they pull back, and then they wonder why they're not ready when Q4 hits. This is a short episode with a big announcement. If you've been wanting to understand how Etsy search actually works and stop guessing at what's getting your shop found (or not found), you're going to want to hear what's coming this summer. There's also something new for sellers who are already making consistent sales and are ready to grow. Two things are launching this summer, and my email list hears about both of them first. Resources Mentioned: Get on the email list: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/getmorepodcast Your Next Steps: Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggonerJoin the Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theheartlandcreative

    4 min

  3. May 13

    241. The Time Audit Every Etsy Seller Needs to Do Right Now

    Not enough time is the number one reason sellers don't invest in their Etsy strategy. But in my experience, the sellers who say they don't have time are usually spending a significant amount of it on things that aren't working. So let’s fix it. In this episode I'm taking you through a real time audit so you can see exactly where your Etsy hours are going and which ones are actually moving your shop forward. For most sellers, the time is already there. It just needs to be redirected. I'm also walking you through two columns that will change how you think about your Etsy to-do list for good. What You'll Learn: The difference between Etsy tasks that feel productive and ones that actually build momentum A quick audit you can do this week to see exactly where your time is going Why checking your stats multiple times a day might be one of the biggest time drains in your shop How chasing new product ideas is spreading your authority thinner instead of building it faster Why social media time often produces the least results for Etsy sellers specifically Why a clear strategy doesn't add time to your week, it redirects the time you already have What to do next: Enroll in the Etsy Visibility Accelerator before cart closes tomorrow: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/evapodDM me on Instagram before cart closes to talk through whether EVA is right for you: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/

    5 min

  4. May 13

    240. Why Your Etsy Shop Can Rank Even If You Don't Believe It Yet

    "My shop just can't rank on Etsy."  I hear this constantly. And then comes the reason. My prices are too high. My photos aren't good enough. I'm not selling the right product. My shop is too new. I don't have enough reviews. The big shops have taken over my niche. In this episode I'm going through all six of these beliefs one by one, because most of what sellers think is standing between them and consistent traffic is either misunderstood or completely fixable. None of these are reasons a shop can't rank. They're reasons a shop hasn't ranked yet. But we can fix that. What You'll Learn: Why price is almost never a ranking factor on Etsy and what it actually affects instead The real role photos play in your visibility Why there is a buyer on Etsy for what you make and what's actually standing between you and reaching them What new shops need to understand about how Etsy tests listings from day one Why reviews matter for conversion but not in the way most sellers think they do for ranking How to find room in your niche even when the biggest shops feel like they've taken over The difference between a shop that can't rank and one that just hasn't had the right strategy in place yet What to do next: Enroll in the Etsy Visibility Accelerator before cart closes on Sunday: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/evapod DM me on Instagram to talk through what's been holding your shop back: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/

    9 min

  5. May 11

    239. Every Etsy Niche Is Saturated. Here's What to Do About It.

    If you've ever talked yourself out of going after a product line because the niche felt too saturated, this episode is going to reframe that completely. Saturation is one of the most common reasons sellers hold back on Etsy, and it's also one of the most misunderstood. Every niche is saturated. The entire internet is saturated. And yet new sellers are breaking through in competitive spaces every single day, because saturation doesn't mean there's no room. It means there's demand. In this episode I'm breaking down why saturation is a strategy problem, not a niche problem, and how to find the pockets of opportunity inside even the most competitive categories on Etsy. What You'll Learn: Why a saturated niche is actually a sign that buyers are there The difference between competing everywhere in a niche and finding where you actually have room to grow Why the biggest shops in your niche can't dominate every buyer search and what that means for you What long-tail keywords have to do with finding your opening in a saturated market What to do next: - Enroll in the Etsy Visibility Accelerator: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/evapod - DM me on Instagram to talk through where your opportunity is: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/

    4 min

  6. May 7

    238. Why Your Etsy SEO Didn't Work Before and What to Do Differently

    You did the research and optimized your listings and your shop is still slow as heck. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. A lot of sellers come to me frustrated with Etsy SEO because they feel like they've already tried it and it didn't work. But when I dig into their shops, the issue is almost never the concept of SEO itself. It's one of a few specific things that are quietly undermining the whole strategy. In this episode I'm naming all of them so you can figure out which one is showing up in your shop, and what to do about it. I'm also sharing the story of one of my students, who had been selling on Etsy for two years before joining my program. She thought she understood SEO. She had done her research. She had optimized her listings. And she was still not seeing the growth she wanted. Her first month inside EVA she doubled her monthly income, and by six months in she was making almost four times what she had been making before. What You'll Learn: The three most common reasons Etsy SEO stops working Why broad keywords one of the biggest things holding your traffic back What happens when you target keywords with no real search demand behind them Why not knowing how to read your Etsy stats is costing you more than you realize Where to start if you want to finally get a complete strategy working for your specific shop Calls to Action: Join EVA here and get daily sales on Etsy: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/evapod DM me on Instagram to talk through what might be missing in your shop: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/

    6 min

  7. Apr 28

    237. Why Your Etsy SEO Isn't Working (It's Not Your Keywords)

    You did the keyword research. You optimized your titles and tags. And your shop is still slow.  If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. The most frustrating place to be as an Etsy seller is when you've followed the advice and it still isn't working. In this episode, I'm cutting through the noise and pointing you at two specific things you can actually look at this week…your product line and your thumbnail. Neither one is glamorous, but both of them are what separate shops that get consistent traffic from shops that stall out after a few sales. What you'll learn: Why your SEO is probably not the actual problem (and what is) How Etsy tests your listings Why keywords are the entry point, not the whole strategy How building listings that support the same keyword space compounds your authority over time and speeds up your timeline to consistent sales What click-through rate is and why Etsy is paying very close attention to yours Why your thumbnail is making or breaking your visibility before a buyer ever lands on your listing page Resources: Sign up for my free Live Masterclass here: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/freeclass/ DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/ Your Next Steps: Join the Etsy Visibility Accelerator: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/etsy-visibility-accelerator Work with Sarah 1:1: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/coaching Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/ Join the Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theheartlandcreative Follow on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@sarahjwaggoner

    7 min

  8. Apr 23

    236. Five Questions to Ask Before You Add More Etsy Listings

    Do you actually know if your Etsy product line is set up to rank or are you just hoping it is? Most sellers are putting in real work and still not seeing consistent traffic, and a lot of the time it comes down to one or two specific gaps in how their product line is built. In this episode I'm walking you through five yes or no questions you can ask about your shop right now to find out exactly where those gaps are. What You'll Learn: Whether you have enough listings for Etsy to start treating your shop as relevant in your niche Why the number of listings you need isn't a one-size-fits-all answer and what actually determines it How to know if your keywords are based on real buyer search data or just educated guesses The three specific listing elements that need to work together for your SEO to actually land Why your thumbnail image is doing more work than you think and what it needs to do in search results What a healthy Etsy conversion rate actually looks like and how to calculate yours in two minutes How to use your nos as a starting point instead of a reason to panic Resources Mentioned: Free Live Masterclass: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/freeclass/ DM Sarah on Instagram with which question gave you a no: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/ Your Next Steps: Work with Sarah: https://sarahjwaggoner.com/etsy-visibility-accelerator Join the Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theheartlandcreative Follow on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@sarahjwaggoner Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjwaggoner/

    8 min
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4.8
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

If you want consistent, daily sales on Etsy without relying on social media, you’re in the right place. Hosted by Sarah Waggoner, Etsy sales strategist and owner of a top 0.1% Etsy shop, this podcast teaches you how to grow your Etsy business. This show is for handmade sellers who are ready to build a shop that actually gets found by the right buyers. Inside each episode, you’ll learn how to: - Increase your Etsy sales organically - Build product lines that drive consistent traffic - Understand your Etsy stats - Create listings that convert - Grow your shop without ads, social media, or cha

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