I spent over $300,000 on Etsy Ads: Top Seller Shares His Secrets

Summary

In this video, Vlad, a top Etsy seller and consultant, shares insights on effective advertising strategies on the platform. He emphasizes that ads are not a magic solution but a tool to magnify visibility of suitable listings. Vlad explains the importance of understanding traffic types and targeting crossover niches with ads, while avoiding hyper-niche products. He discusses metrics to assess ad performance, like the favorites chart and click-through rates, and advises on when to stop ads based on seasonal trends and product interest. His experience shows that focusing ads on a select few listings can maintain traffic without unnecessary spending.

Takeaways

• 💰 The speaker has spent over $300,000 on Etsy ads, which highlights the significant investment required for advertising success.
• 🚫 Not all ad spending was effective; some decisions were not good, indicating the importance of strategic advertising.
• 📈 Ads are a tool to magnify and grow business, not a magic button for guaranteed sales.
• 🔍 Identifying the right listings to advertise is crucial; not all listings should be advertised indefinitely.
• 🏠 The investment in ads is compared to buying a house, emphasizing the scale of spending and the potential return on investment.
• ❌ Avoid using ads on hyper-niche products that have a very specific target audience and little crossover appeal.
• ✅ Focus on mid-niche and crossover niche products that can attract a wider audience and benefit from being advertised.
• 📊 Use data points such as favorite charts, view-to-visit ratios, and click-through rates to determine the effectiveness of ads.
• 📅 Be mindful of seasonal trends and know when to stop running ads based on product relevance and declining interest.
• 🔄 Experimenting with ad strategies, like reducing the number of listings with ads, can provide insights into effective advertising without impacting overall traffic.
• 🔑 Understanding traffic and targeting the right kind of traffic with the right listings is key to successful Etsy advertising.

Q & A

How much has the speaker spent on Etsy ads according to the transcript?

The speaker has spent over $300,000 on Etsy ads.

What does the speaker claim is the main reason for their success on Etsy?

The speaker claims that the main reason for their success on Etsy is running ads.

What does the speaker want to share in the video?

The speaker wants to share dos and don'ts of running ads on Etsy, including which listings to run ads on and which not to.

What is the speaker's name and their role on Etsy?

The speaker's name is Vlad, and they are a top seller on Etsy, as well as a consultant and manufacturer for other top sellers.

What is the speaker's view on the role of ads in business?

The speaker views ads as a tool, not a magic button that guarantees sales. Ads are a magnifying glass that can amplify the visibility of the right listings.

What are the three types of niches mentioned in the script?

The three types of niches mentioned are hyper niches, main traffic, and mid-niche.

What is a 'crossover Niche' according to the speaker?

A 'crossover Niche' is a product that is appropriate for a specific niche but can also appeal to other niches, such as a luggage tag being suitable for both travelers and bridesmaids.

Why should one not run ads on a micro-niche product?

One should not run ads on a micro-niche product because it is very specific and unlikely to appeal to a broader audience, thus wasting ad spend.

What metrics does the speaker suggest looking at to determine if a product is suitable for ads?

The speaker suggests looking at the favorite chart, the view-to-visit ratio, clickthrough rate, and the keywords that are being clicked on to determine if a product is suitable for ads.

What is the speaker's strategy for deciding when to stop running ads?

The speaker's strategy for deciding when to stop running ads involves monitoring the favorite chart for a decline in interest, considering the seasonality of the product, and evaluating if the product is still relevant and appealing to the target audience.

What was the impact on the speaker's traffic when they reduced the number of listings with ads from over 100 to 15?

There was zero difference in traffic when the speaker reduced the number of listings with ads from over 100 to 15, indicating that focusing ads on the right listings that can spill over to other niches is more effective.