🔵 After finding a profitable niche, it's time to move on to keyword research! Grab my Free Etsy SEO'oodles Toolbox, which includes an Etsy Algorithm course and step by step Etsy SEO tutorials: bit.ly/EtsyNoodle
Great explanation, Starla. Out of the gates, I 'branded' my niche before I ever designed one piece of apparel. My approach was simple. Create a brand logo that would be on every design I came up with (think Nike or Adidas), add in a 'mission statement' of sorts (your brand's attitude or overarching mantra), and then design away!! I loved sports, and sports talk radio, and living near the Philly region, there were also so many awesome slang words (like the waaaay overused 'JAWN") that only people in our area would understand and relate to, so there was no shortage of ways to illustrate all of these ideas and colloquialisms. The key NOW was (and still is) how to grab the attention of people in the region.
This is such an awesome video!! I'm preparing the opening of my crochet shop and I've been watching your videos, I feel so much comfortable diving in a small business since having found your channel! Also, always looking forward to the Friday bean 😊 thank you so much!
I would love to see videos on niches and categories to sell in for digital items. Im selling digital papers (hand drawn, no ai crap) and would love some more insight and reviews of stores like me.. :)
I chose fitness since I’ve been a trainer for over 20 years. I feel painted into a corner since there is not that much of a demand and the competition is huge.
I would try expanding out a but while still maintaining the core of your niche. My husband and I were big into the bodybuilding scene a few years ago. Maybe begin exploring demand for items themed around other areas of fitness (crossfit, HIIT, bodybuilding, power lifting, etc). There's always something "new" that people gravitate towards in fitness and dietary (keto, IIFYM, paleo, etc). These topics could go hand in hand.
Is “seasonal” a niche? I’m trying to nail down my niche and I’m wondering if seasonal printables/activities for moms/parents is a good one? Seasonal wall art, games, invites for parties (Halloween, Easter, etc.). Am I on the right track?
Remember: If your products don't inspire YOU, they won't inspire shoppers to buy. It's very likely that you do have passions and interests that you're close to! You may just not see them as possible business ideas because they come natural to you. It may take a bit of deep diving and hard thinking, but everything worth doing takes time. 💛
Me too. My skills doesn't no longer interest buyers. They prefer to buy AI generated images for very cheap. I have uploaded some ai images to test and I got 50 sales in 2 months but the profit is so low I decided to let. A client contacted me to buy a custom design when she heard the price She went to buy my Ai generated image 😢😢😢. I felt so bad. My skills compete with Ai in my own shop. @@StarlaMoore
@@StarlaMoore I couldn’t agree more! You’re the master, and I’m just starting out on Etsy, so I guess my come-from isn’t exactly tried and true, yet. However, after watching so many YT videos on the subject of niches, enough to make my head spin and send me into too many different directions, I just decided to opt out of the whole niche, of niches.😉 I also have ADHD, so I’m already predisposed towards considering too many different directions at the same time. Which usually results in me taking none of them at all, in the end. So in order to avoid that very pitfall, I instead decided to create designs based on what me and my network of friends/family wished was already available to purchase. Sometimes I get my design inspiration from within, and sometimes it comes from something that friends/family are super into, with of course a little ‘editing’ involved, for shop coherence. I majored in fine arts and marketing, so it’s not that I don’t understand the importance of niches, I know they’re incredibly important, and I finally landed on a few that make sense for me, and my shop. But I kinda took a different approach to landing where I did, and it had everything to do with me starting with my design first (the part that excites me most). From there I decide what products it would work best on, always keeping in mind not to clutter my shop with incoherent product listings. I guess I’ll find out if my approach is sustainable, as well as if it will offer opportunities for growth. But at least it has stopped the head spinning and indecision involved in weighing too many niche options, and picking none. Now, I only tune into niche videos from a small handful of content creators, your channel being one of them, because I ALWAYS tend to learn something from you. So, thank you!!🙏
I've watched so many etsy videos and never have they explained it like this. 🙌🏾🙌🏾I want to do social media but not exactly sure what would go with that.
Hmmm. Did you want to create digital products? If you have design skills, you could create social media "Canva template" packs for different social media accounts!
@@StarlaMoore yes digital products. I might be thinking too hard lol but wouldnt I also need to niche down even further? Ex: canva templates for skincare biz or IG Story templates for realtors
I handmade my accessories from Swarovski crystals. And the account was suspended immediately. Is this still all wrong with the word "Swarovski"? It was just a material.
Thank you starla im obsessed with your videos My Question is if you already have a tshirt store and want to add a niche item is it best to start a new store or add it as a category
There's no real right or wrong answer. Having one niche item in a shop of many items is not the same as "having a niche", so I'd start by evaluating your overall brand. Do you make a lot of sales by appealing to many niches? If so, creating shop "sections" organized by niche may be your best bet. However, if you're not making sales and you're currently throwing spaghetti at the wall just to see what niche "sticks", it may be better to narrow your focus. Here's another video I created about how I speculate that Etsy's algorithm views niches: th-cam.com/video/5YkBRCDzkcY/w-d-xo.html
Unfortunately there's no way to maneuver around the law. My biggest piece of advice is to study brands who developed their OWN cute characters and who have created stories for them. Then try to capture the fun of "Disney" but with your own unique characters (I'd even recommend developing stories for them). A few brands that do this very well are TeeTurtle, Tasty Peach Studio, and Sorbet Jungle.
Hi Starla- as usual, awesome video! I learn so much with your content! thank you for doing this! I wonder how to price mugs/totes to compete with the beautiful ones Target has at SUCH low price. This concern always keeps me from launching these type of products. I'd love to know your thoughts on this. Thank you!
My suggestion is instead of trying to compare apples to apples, work to set your shop and your products apart from other sites. If you haven't yet, check out this recent video on my channel about creating perceived value of your products: th-cam.com/video/6VMEVCgMpUA/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for explaining niche vs industry, but is there any way you could make a video explaining the difference between niches vs trends, I can't seem to find this information anywhere.
A niche is a theme/idea/target customer who you base your entire business model around. For example, "Chihuahua owners" is an example of a niche. A trend is a fleeting idea/theme/color that may only be popular for a short time but that can sometimes be applied TO a niche in order to create a trending product. If your niche is "Chihuahua owners", you might make a line of small chihuahua sized pet beds with "cherry" printed fabric for summer. This would be an example of applying a trend to a niche. Not all trends can be applied to every niche. For example, "whiskey" was a huge trend last year... but those in the "nursey decor" niche wouldn't necessarily benefit from this trend. So it's important to only select trends that actually fit your niche in a creative way.
I handmade my accessories from Swarovski crystals. And the account was suspended immediately. Is this still all wrong with the word "Swarovski"? It was just a material.
Occasionally, but not recently. I've spoken at high schools and colleges since covid but I unfortunately haven't been booked for any major events since 2019. We did a short midwest speaking tour in 2019 where I was booked to speak in Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Pittsburg, but all of these events ended up being unpaid and I was left to pay out of pocket for travel, hotels, and boarding for our pets (several thousands in the hole). Since then, I decided "no free gigs" unless they are schools or closed community trainings. 😂 I definitely hope to do more public events in the future though! Heck, someday I'd love to host my own!
Unfortunately in order to both expand our tools and data, as well as our team (we now offer 24/7 support for all account levels), we have had no choice but to place limitations on free plans. I wish this were not the case, but as eRank grows, we must be able to pay a team to continue supporting the growth and development of our tools. The free plan still has a lot to offer though!
People are customers. The customers are looking for specific niches. Good niches that are interesting to the seller bring in the people, so don't create items for people in a niche that you hate. I hate people. Niche selected.
Hey Starla, I just want to say thank you so much for all the valuable content you provide for us on here. It’s so wonderful. I have been watching all your videos lately and taking on board your advice. I was hoping you could help me with a question I have? 🤍 I’m wanting to reopen my Etsy shop that I originally opened in 2021 selling my watercolour art as physical wall art prints. I hit a bit of a roadblock after only a couple of months when I got really sick though and let it fall by the wayside. In that time I only made 2 sales but I do have one 5 star review in my shop (not a friend or family member!). So I kind of gave up on it whilst I was unwell. This time I want to restart selling my art as digital prints (so it will be the same target customer I think) but I’m wondering if it’s okay to restart with my current shop (ideally what I’d like) or if that would count against me and I should open a brand new one? All the etsy TH-camrs seem to say opening a new shop is always best but it seems like such a waste to leave all these empty shops on the platform and I’m really hoping I can revive my one. I thought you would give me some honest advice! 😊 Thanks in advance! ~ Katie
Opening a new shop actually isn't best, nor is there any data to support an "advantage" for starting fresh with a new shop, as the age of a shop will not matter at all if that shop has not actively been selling. 😊 Not to mention, Etsy deactivates a good majority of new shops! Since you've had your account for several years, Etsy is very unlikely to wrongfully deactivate your account. So definitely work on your existing shop!
🔵 After finding a profitable niche, it's time to move on to keyword research! Grab my Free Etsy SEO'oodles Toolbox, which includes an Etsy Algorithm course and step by step Etsy SEO tutorials: bit.ly/EtsyNoodle
Great explanation, Starla. Out of the gates, I 'branded' my niche before I ever designed one piece of apparel. My approach was simple. Create a brand logo that would be on every design I came up with (think Nike or Adidas), add in a 'mission statement' of sorts (your brand's attitude or overarching mantra), and then design away!! I loved sports, and sports talk radio, and living near the Philly region, there were also so many awesome slang words (like the waaaay overused 'JAWN") that only people in our area would understand and relate to, so there was no shortage of ways to illustrate all of these ideas and colloquialisms. The key NOW was (and still is) how to grab the attention of people in the region.
It is POP not soda !!! - X-Ohioan here .. now live in TN. I give where I'm from immediately whenever POP comes up !
This is such an awesome video!! I'm preparing the opening of my crochet shop and I've been watching your videos, I feel so much comfortable diving in a small business since having found your channel! Also, always looking forward to the Friday bean 😊 thank you so much!
You are so welcome!
Very clear explanation of niches! Thank you!
You're very welcome!
Once again Starla, you pointed it out so simple and effective! Well done and thank you
You are so welcome! 😍💛
I would love to see videos on niches and categories to sell in for digital items. Im selling digital papers (hand drawn, no ai crap) and would love some more insight and reviews of stores like me.. :)
I chose fitness since I’ve been a trainer for over 20 years. I feel painted into a corner since there is not that much of a demand and the competition is huge.
I would try expanding out a but while still maintaining the core of your niche. My husband and I were big into the bodybuilding scene a few years ago. Maybe begin exploring demand for items themed around other areas of fitness (crossfit, HIIT, bodybuilding, power lifting, etc). There's always something "new" that people gravitate towards in fitness and dietary (keto, IIFYM, paleo, etc). These topics could go hand in hand.
Is “seasonal” a niche? I’m trying to nail down my niche and I’m wondering if seasonal printables/activities for moms/parents is a good one? Seasonal wall art, games, invites for parties (Halloween, Easter, etc.). Am I on the right track?
The things I'm good at don't interest me anymore, and I really don't know what other interests I have. I'm so lost with trying to find a niche.
Remember: If your products don't inspire YOU, they won't inspire shoppers to buy. It's very likely that you do have passions and interests that you're close to! You may just not see them as possible business ideas because they come natural to you. It may take a bit of deep diving and hard thinking, but everything worth doing takes time. 💛
Me too. My skills doesn't no longer interest buyers. They prefer to buy AI generated images for very cheap. I have uploaded some ai images to test and I got 50 sales in 2 months but the profit is so low I decided to let. A client contacted me to buy a custom design when she heard the price She went to buy my Ai generated image 😢😢😢. I felt so bad. My skills compete with Ai in my own shop. @@StarlaMoore
@@StarlaMoore I couldn’t agree more! You’re the master, and I’m just starting out on Etsy, so I guess my come-from isn’t exactly tried and true, yet. However, after watching so many YT videos on the subject of niches, enough to make my head spin and send me into too many different directions, I just decided to opt out of the whole niche, of niches.😉
I also have ADHD, so I’m already predisposed towards considering too many different directions at the same time. Which usually results in me taking none of them at all, in the end. So in order to avoid that very pitfall, I instead decided to create designs based on what me and my network of friends/family wished was already available to purchase. Sometimes I get my design inspiration from within, and sometimes it comes from something that friends/family are super into, with of course a little ‘editing’ involved, for shop coherence.
I majored in fine arts and marketing, so it’s not that I don’t understand the importance of niches, I know they’re incredibly important, and I finally landed on a few that make sense for me, and my shop. But I kinda took a different approach to landing where I did, and it had everything to do with me starting with my design first (the part that excites me most). From there I decide what products it would work best on, always keeping in mind not to clutter my shop with incoherent product listings.
I guess I’ll find out if my approach is sustainable, as well as if it will offer opportunities for growth. But at least it has stopped the head spinning and indecision involved in weighing too many niche options, and picking none. Now, I only tune into niche videos from a small handful of content creators, your channel being one of them, because I ALWAYS tend to learn something from you. So, thank you!!🙏
I've watched so many etsy videos and never have they explained it like this. 🙌🏾🙌🏾I want to do social media but not exactly sure what would go with that.
Hmmm. Did you want to create digital products? If you have design skills, you could create social media "Canva template" packs for different social media accounts!
@@StarlaMoore yes digital products. I might be thinking too hard lol but wouldnt I also need to niche down even further? Ex: canva templates for skincare biz or IG Story templates for realtors
I handmade my accessories from Swarovski crystals. And the account was suspended immediately. Is this still all wrong with the word "Swarovski"?
It was just a material.
Thank you starla im obsessed with your videos My Question is if you already have a tshirt store and want to add a niche item is it best to start a new store or add it as a category
There's no real right or wrong answer. Having one niche item in a shop of many items is not the same as "having a niche", so I'd start by evaluating your overall brand. Do you make a lot of sales by appealing to many niches? If so, creating shop "sections" organized by niche may be your best bet. However, if you're not making sales and you're currently throwing spaghetti at the wall just to see what niche "sticks", it may be better to narrow your focus. Here's another video I created about how I speculate that Etsy's algorithm views niches: th-cam.com/video/5YkBRCDzkcY/w-d-xo.html
I’m a proud Disney adult but this means my big passion is a POD no go. Have you any advice for around this sort of situation?
Unfortunately there's no way to maneuver around the law. My biggest piece of advice is to study brands who developed their OWN cute characters and who have created stories for them. Then try to capture the fun of "Disney" but with your own unique characters (I'd even recommend developing stories for them). A few brands that do this very well are TeeTurtle, Tasty Peach Studio, and Sorbet Jungle.
@@StarlaMoore thank you for the reply. I hadn’t considered this at all. I’ll be sure to check them out😊
Thank you Starla! It is a very nice and understandable explanation ^_^ And I was doing everything wrong %)
Awesome explanation, you are really a genius! thank you ❤
Glad you found it helpful!
Great video and tips! TY!
You are so welcome!
Hi Starla- as usual, awesome video! I learn so much with your content! thank you for doing this!
I wonder how to price mugs/totes to compete with the beautiful ones Target has at SUCH low price. This concern always keeps me from launching these type of products. I'd love to know your thoughts on this. Thank you!
My suggestion is instead of trying to compare apples to apples, work to set your shop and your products apart from other sites. If you haven't yet, check out this recent video on my channel about creating perceived value of your products: th-cam.com/video/6VMEVCgMpUA/w-d-xo.html
@@StarlaMoore Thank you! you're awesome!
Thank you for explaining niche vs industry, but is there any way you could make a video explaining the difference between niches vs trends, I can't seem to find this information anywhere.
A niche is a theme/idea/target customer who you base your entire business model around. For example, "Chihuahua owners" is an example of a niche. A trend is a fleeting idea/theme/color that may only be popular for a short time but that can sometimes be applied TO a niche in order to create a trending product. If your niche is "Chihuahua owners", you might make a line of small chihuahua sized pet beds with "cherry" printed fabric for summer. This would be an example of applying a trend to a niche.
Not all trends can be applied to every niche. For example, "whiskey" was a huge trend last year... but those in the "nursey decor" niche wouldn't necessarily benefit from this trend. So it's important to only select trends that actually fit your niche in a creative way.
I handmade my accessories from Swarovski crystals. And the account was suspended immediately. Is this still all wrong with the word "Swarovski"?
It was just a material.
Swarovski is a trademark word. Most brand names are trademarked and cannot be used without an official license from the company.
A niche is for fans of the cute alien Babadook behind you 😆
"Our state bird is a corn cob" 💀
It is. 😂🌽
So you live in Ohio!?! I do also. Do you ever do in person talks about etsy?
Occasionally, but not recently. I've spoken at high schools and colleges since covid but I unfortunately haven't been booked for any major events since 2019. We did a short midwest speaking tour in 2019 where I was booked to speak in Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Pittsburg, but all of these events ended up being unpaid and I was left to pay out of pocket for travel, hotels, and boarding for our pets (several thousands in the hole). Since then, I decided "no free gigs" unless they are schools or closed community trainings. 😂 I definitely hope to do more public events in the future though! Heck, someday I'd love to host my own!
I totally understand. I work at a library in Akron and I'm always looking for presenters. Thanks for taking the time to answer me though.
I’ve had an account for a while and it’s changed a lot.. the free version doesn’t have as much information anymore :(
Unfortunately in order to both expand our tools and data, as well as our team (we now offer 24/7 support for all account levels), we have had no choice but to place limitations on free plans. I wish this were not the case, but as eRank grows, we must be able to pay a team to continue supporting the growth and development of our tools. The free plan still has a lot to offer though!
People are customers. The customers are looking for specific niches. Good niches that are interesting to the seller bring in the people, so don't create items for people in a niche that you hate.
I hate people. Niche selected.
This comment is so unhinged. 👀
@@StarlaMoore 🤣
Hey Starla, I just want to say thank you so much for all the valuable content you provide for us on here. It’s so wonderful. I have been watching all your videos lately and taking on board your advice. I was hoping you could help me with a question I have? 🤍
I’m wanting to reopen my Etsy shop that I originally opened in 2021 selling my watercolour art as physical wall art prints. I hit a bit of a roadblock after only a couple of months when I got really sick though and let it fall by the wayside. In that time I only made 2 sales but I do have one 5 star review in my shop (not a friend or family member!). So I kind of gave up on it whilst I was unwell.
This time I want to restart selling my art as digital prints (so it will be the same target customer I think) but I’m wondering if it’s okay to restart with my current shop (ideally what I’d like) or if that would count against me and I should open a brand new one? All the etsy TH-camrs seem to say opening a new shop is always best but it seems like such a waste to leave all these empty shops on the platform and I’m really hoping I can revive my one. I thought you would give me some honest advice! 😊
Thanks in advance! ~ Katie
Opening a new shop actually isn't best, nor is there any data to support an "advantage" for starting fresh with a new shop, as the age of a shop will not matter at all if that shop has not actively been selling. 😊 Not to mention, Etsy deactivates a good majority of new shops! Since you've had your account for several years, Etsy is very unlikely to wrongfully deactivate your account. So definitely work on your existing shop!
@@StarlaMoore Thank you for replying Starla! That’s really helpful. I’m going to give reviving it my very best shot! 🩷