Need Help with my new website.

[GMACK24]

ok folks.
I have opened up one of those Etsy Shops.
I have been open a month and no sales.
Am I doing something wrong ? I think I have my best shots up in the shop.
Can you take a look and let me know what you think of my Inventory ?

(This is not spam and I do not want you to purchase a print) I just need some suggestions.

Thanks.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MacKayPhotography
as a reference my photography can be seen here on my flickr site.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/sets/


*edit. Is it too regionalized ? (Strictly Boston) should I branch out ? put in more "pears in a bowl" or "ocean" photos ? branch out and do photos that go beyond Massachusetts ?

 

[elemenoh]

Your question is probably better asked in the Etsy Forums:
https://www.etsy.com/forums

There are lots of discussions there about how to market your store.

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

Well you need to find your market, they don't just come to you. I wouldn't change what you are doing because people do love the type of photography you are doing. You just have to find where they buy it (touristy shops and what not) and try to get it in there.

I'm not sure where to look in Boston but I know if you were to bring your prints around to stores or maybe set up a table on the Common (check into the rules for that) I'm sure you could sell them or start relationships with buyers who can put them in stores.

Etsy is great but people need to know to find you. Market yourself, online and off, and get in front of people. If you know of any photographers who are selling their work reach out and ask them for tips. One of the biggest things I've felt holding me back with my maps is who the hell makes maps? I know one other person who does what I do... and he is on the other side of the country. But I keep on doing it and slowly people take notice. But they do because I put myself out there. Believe me I wish I was doing way more with my maps but I am also doing way more than I was 5 years ago.

These things take time and knowing the right people. If you don't know the right people they take way more time. Network, meet people, and keep up the good work.

 

[Hutchison]

Not sure how Etsy does keyword optimization, but sadly you really need to get yourself on the first few pages that people will surf through for boston, boston photography, boston art, etc.

 

[Arlington]

Not sure how Etsy does keyword optimization, but sadly you really need to get yourself on the first few pages that people will surf through for boston, boston photography, boston art, etc.

I think more specific, "natural", what-people-search-for titles would help.

Also links from this forum should help! (So I'm going to give you some, below) Google knows that we talk photos and boston and infrastructure and architecture, and if folks who talk shop link to your store to say "this is stuff like the stuff we talk about" that should help its Google relevance (Etsy won't notice, though :-(

Before implementing this, check to see how Google indexes (or re-indexes) a page.

Take, for instance, the Zakim bridge photo. I think the title should be what "tourists" (or my mom, who lives in Virginia) would look for. She calls it "That Boston Bridge" (that's now in TV establishing shots of Boston...she, like most tourists, have no idea what it is called). All you know is that when people say "that Boston Bridge" they aren't talking the Tobin ;-)

So part of the trick is already saying that your photo isn't the "other kind" (the "International Place reflected in Boston Harbor" kind), with a title like:

Boston Bridge in Boston Skyline (Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge shot at night)

Or the Boston Fire photo. Shouldn't this be "Boston Fire Truck" (or Boston Fire Engine). Three short, specific, words.

I'd guess (but I don't know) that putting the word Photograph in the title does not help it to be found. At most, I'd call it Boston Fire Truck Night Photo.'

Words that work are going to feel more like image-tagging, I suspect.

Stuff like that is going to help (but read up on what the current state of the art thinking is for Etsy and photo-selling)

For the photos you've already posted, you'll have to weigh the tradeoff between losing the "fame" the pictures have already gotten versus the "keywordiness" that they'd gain from being renamed. It might not pay to switch, but it definitely would pay to change how you add new stuff.

Google puts you about 4th in relevance in its own photo search of Etsy
https://www.google.com/search?q=Boston+Skyline+Photograph+site:etsy.com&tbm=isch

But not at all when I search for "Boston Bridge Photo" constrained to Etsy
https://www.google.com/search?q=Boston+Bridge+Photo+site:etsy.com&tbm=isch