Etsy Conversations Podcast

Featuring inspiring interviews with Etsy (& some non-Etsy) shop owners

You are here: Home / Podcast Episodes / 003 – Etsy Conversations Resources – EtsyUp Conference Recap

003 – Etsy Conversations Resources – EtsyUp Conference Recap

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

If you’re subscribed to the podcast then you’ve probably been following my updates about the goings-on with respect to all things Etsy.

Earlier this month I attended the EtsyUp Conference which was a business/networking/educational conference organized and hosted by the good folks at Etsy. I promised to follow up with you once I got back so this week, instead of bringing you a new interview I’ll be summarizing my experience at the conference and some key takeaways I got from it.

Meeting EtsyConvo Community Members… And More

I was thrilled to meet a number of sellers within the EtsyConvo community at the event. Some I knew by name and from the Etsy Conversations Facebook Group and some I met for the very first time… It gave me such joy to talk face-to-face with them so I want to give these folks who were kind enough to say hello to me a special Etsy Conversations ShoutOut! 🙂

  • Cindy F. of Neatokeen – I’ve known Cindy for the longest time (speaking in online/internet terms, that is) so when we met in the main auditorium it was like saying hello to a dear long-time friend. Cindy specializes in selling Mid-Century (and other) vintage linens, particularly tea towels.
  • Dylan A. of Blissopia – Dylan and his wife Monika run this Etsy shop (and business of the same name) making and selling furniture. Dylan told me his own Etsy story of how he left his job to run his business full-time… I know it’s a story you’d love to hear on the podcast as well.
  • Tara of Ruby Wow – Lovely Tara was my “wing-woman” during the PayPal-sponsored cocktail party on the first night of the conference. Tara used to sell on Etsy and attended the conference because she’s considering getting back on Etsy, so yay!
  • Dawn M of DawnMSquared – Dawn and sells these lovely, brilliantly-colored hand-painted handbags and accessories. I got to see one of them live and in person and I can attest to how nice they are…and really good quality too!
  • Shanda C. of One Rich Lifestyle – OMGoodness… This lady is amazing! Shanda is a super-mom of 6 children (all of which she birthed herself, by the way). Shanda’s Etsy shop is a baby boutique in which she, appropriately, sells  apparel and gifts for moms and babies.
  • I made some new Etsy friends and acquaintances there as well and I’d like to give them a ShoutOut here too: Sarah M. of Paper Built, Ashley A. of Fine Day Press, Holly & John Z. of Z Create Design, Jacqueline G. of Goldfish Watercolor NY and Rebecca S. of Oodle Badoodle.

Now on with the details I mentioned in this special podcast episode. 🙂

Just a note… To fully understand everything I mention in this post, you’ll need to listen to this podcast episode to get some background information, so grab a cup of your favorite beverage, gather what you need to work on for now and let’s get to it… 😉

EtsyUp Conference Stand Out Keynote Speakers

…From My POV, That Is

  • Fay Wolf – Organizing Expert/Decluttering Pro and author of New Order – A Decluttering Handbook For Creative Folks (& Everyone Else)
      • Takeaway: Don’t subscribe to any more newsletters that don’t benefit your your business

  • Maxwell Ryan – Founder of Apartment Therapy… He gave a keynote titled “Dawn of a New Century”. Listen in to hear why I almost completely tuned him out and how it turns out he’ll be a guest on the podcast in just a few short weeks!! Yes!!!
  • Nely Galan – This lady is so super-accomplished it’s not even funny and her’s was one of the most inspirational keynotes for me. She was the very first Latina President of the Telemundo TV Network and is the author of Self Made – Becoming Empowered Self-Reliant, and Rich in Every Way.
    • Takeaways:
        • What are your goals? Start at the end of your life and work your way backwards.
        • Start with simple goals
        • You have to be your own Prince Charming (listen in to hear how I’m going to apply this principle in my own business life)

Standout Breakout Sessions from EtsyUp Conference

  • How I Developed My Best-Selling Product by Angie Johnson of Norwegian Wood – If you’ve ever wondered how some successful sellers hit their stride with just the right product(s) or product lines, then you’ll want to hear the session Angie gave… And guess what…? She’s going to be a guest on the podcast too! Watch out for that episode in the very near future 🙂
  • Meet The Press & Keep Their Attention, key points:
    • Cast a wide net – thank about your 5 favorite blogs or magazines and quadruple the reach
    • Make a gorgeous product and photograph it well (obviously, right…?)
    • Get the word out using social media… Focus on one season to begin with
    • Think and see like an editor
    • Photos propped and in place… Start your spreadsheet of contacts i.e. research and gather contact info for magazine editors and bloggers
    • Email or send your Lookbook
    • Follow up with samples
    • Get press! (Easier said than done…)
    • Send out “Thank yous” and then Start again…
  • Crash Course: Optimize Your shop in Etsy by Natasha Lende – Etsy Senior Account Manager on the Etsy Seller Account Management team
    • Branding – should be unique, have personality, and be authentic
    • Et-SEO:
      • Use ALL 13 tags
      • Use compound phrases in tags (it’s okay to repeat words, in context, that is…)
      • **Using the same phrases in your tags and titles WILL boost your rankings in search**
      • Put the most searchable terms (get these from your Etsy shop stats) in front of your product titles
      • Put compound phrases in titles as well
      • Shop sections –> Make it easy for buyers to navigate
      • Listing descriptions:
        • Capture attention right up front
        • Link to related items in your descriptions and make it easy for buyers to find stuff
      • Number of items in Etsy shop –> More items = More ways to be found
    • Marketing
      • Fundamental goal of marketing is to incite emotion
      • Use Shop Updates!
        • Share something unique, not just listing photos
        • Time it right for when your customer(s) will see it
        • Appeal to both old and new customers
    • Call to Action
    • Customer Service
      • Respond to buyers within 24-hours after an open order
      • Use coupons, sales, and promos for repeat customers
      • Use personal names
      • Packing, policies, and personality… Go above and beyond
    • Shop Stats (overall stats)
      • Direct traffic = traffic from a link to your shop outside of Etsy
      • Top search terms = if these change, then update accordingly
      • Most active listings = shows what’s working and what isn’t
    • Q&A Session After Presentation
      • I reviewed the most important/burning questions that were asked as well as what Natasha’s answers to these questions were in the podcast episode so go have a listen to it 🙂
        • Questions include – selling different product types in one Etsy shop, renewing listings…to do or not to do, vacation mode…does it really affect your search engine rankings?

Other Nifty Info from the EtsyUp Conference

  • Social media scheduling tools:
    • Twitter – Hootsuite, Buffer (I use both of these from time to time)
    • Facebook – Facebook’s in-app tool, Edgar (I’ve used this in the past but it have since unsubscribed from the service… If you’d like to know why please feel free to ask me in the comments section below and I’ll gladly tell you why 🙂 )
    • Pinterest – Tailwind (this was the first I’d heard of this app but I think I’d like to give it a whirl)
    • Instagram – nothing yet…

Phew… I think that’s it…!

Grand Conclusion…

I am really glad I attended the EtsyUp Conference despite the early-stage hiccups and if there is another one that is organized next year, I think I am about 95-97% likely to attend it again.

Let me know what you think in the Comments section below and if you have any specific questions about the conference please post them there as well, I’d be more than glad to answer them.

Please take a minute to subscribe and leave an honest review of the podcast in iTunes and Stitcher. That really helps to get the word out about the show.

Connect With Me:

For more help growing your Etsy-based business, check out these resources:


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Legal Stuff