Etsy Advertising – KnitLuck

HandmadeMarketing.org recently spoke with Angela Pallatto from KnitLuck about how KnitLuck can help handmade sellers advertise their products.

“I’m very excited at the opportunity to meet more handmade sellers and help obtain more exposure for them,” Angela told us.   ”Handmade sellers should advertise on KnitLuck because I offer content that targets crafters. Crafters are more likely than any other group to purchase handmade items because they know the work that goes into creating them.”

Angela says other crafters are much more likely to click a banner link to a handmade shop and make a purchase. “For KnitLuck readers, it’s a fuzzy feeling to support your fellow crafters, especially when they’re producing so many phenomenal things!” Angela said.

“Since I am also a crafter,” Angela explains, “I understand how small crafts sellers’ profit margins are and offer low cost advertising ($5-$10) that fits in with seller profitability.”

Before advertising your shop online, HandmadeMarketing.org suggests checking to see who visits the site.  Who will see your ad?  Is the site beneficial to your overall marketing plan?  What the return on investment (or “ROI”)?

Who is the typical visitor to KnitLuck?  “Primarily, visitors come to the KnitLuck blog to see what’s new – whether it be knitting techniques, handmade sellers or gossip, but usually it’s the cool stuff that other people are doing,” Angela told HandmadeMarketing.org.  “My target market for advertisers is any handmade seller who wishes to advertise to well-connected crafters who are always checking Facebook, Twitter and Ravelry for what’s new.”

“It’s amazing what’s out there and you don’t know it’s there until you find it and not everyone has the time to go searching. I provide a single location to find out what’s really new in knitting, by visiting knitbloggers, crafts sellers and Ravelry. I’m doing ground-level reporting that you don’t find on the other knitting blogs. Some knitting blogs focus on what’s going on in the larger business industry, or in their own personal lives, but we’re more interested in what knitters themselves are doing personally and professionally,” Angela said.

Angela explains the biggest difference between KnitLuck and other blogs is that she makes an effort to make a personal connection with both readers and advertisers.  ”I update on average 4-5 times a day. I drop everything when I find a handmade seller that we have to tell everyone about,” Angela said.

“One of the best things about offering advertising is that I get to find more awesome handmade goods. Several times, in addition to providing banner advertising, I have taken the time to mention an advertiser on the main blog because we truly believe in what they’re selling and believe that our readers will too. Readers pick up on that authenticity and it builds trust with them. Then they come to trust you so much that they’ll check out your advertisers.”

Angela believes when KnitLuck promotes another blog, shop or product, it benefits everyone involved.  ”Hopefully that blog gets more traffic, that shop gets more sales and that product gets more attention. The reader is happy to find something great and KnitLuck benefits in return traffic. I don’t see a loser in this scenario,” she told us.

Who should check out KnitLuck to advertise?  Angela said KnitLuck’s target market for advertisers are Internet savvy knitters who are connected to Ravelry, Facebook and Twitter.

“At this point, we’ve targeted Etsy sellers mainly because they’re so well-connected,” Angela told HandmadeMarketing.org. “Many of them are aware of the different marketing opportunities out there. They’ve been around a little longer than sellers on the other sites, so they understand that marketing your product is the only way to stand out. There are thousands of people making beautiful things. Doing a few small things to draw attention to your shop puts you at a major advantage over those who do not.”

“That being said,” Angela continued, “we will be targeting ArtFire and 1000 Markets in the near future.”

How can KnitLuck help sellers increase sales and traffic?  Angela explains a chain reaction that happens on the site.

“The people who are the most connected on the web are the people who are always looking to find out what’s new. These are the same people who are more likely to purchase crafts from a small artisan seller,” she explains.  “They already know about handmade selling outlets and because they’re always connected to the web, they’re also looking for personal connections within that technology and handmade sellers fill that need.”

Currently, KnitLuck has ten paying advertisers. Advertisers include Angi, from the Girl Called Purls Etsy shop, who has has advertised with KnitLuck since the site started offering advertising.

When asked what Angela thinks is lacking in the advertising market for handmade sellers and where there is opportunity, she shared some insights.

“I don’t want to give away the secret sauce, but there are few venues for low cost advertising that targets crafters. I see that changing as bloggers realize that corporate affiliate marketing doesn’t work and that it’s more satisfying to advertise handmade sellers,” Angela said.

As for the future of marketing for handmade sellers, Angela sees a bright future online.  “I think online selling will be prevalent for many reasons,” she said.  ”Sellers don’t have to wait for craft festivals to sell their wares anymore. They don’t have to spend the extra money to have a booth and they don’t risk damaging their wares transporting them from one fair after another.”

“Handmade sellers reach a much larger audience -a world wide audience by offering their wares on the web,” Angela continued.  “That’s not to say that face-to-face marketing will disappear. Some crafts sell better in person, but online advertising will become a must for all handmade sellers to maximize their sales and stay connected with their existing customer base.”

Interested in learning more about advertising on KnitLuck?  Angela created the “WindowShop” which features up to 26 banners for Etsy sellers. “I have the demographic Etsy sellers are looking for,” she said.

“We only charge $5 for each banner. Our latest advertising mission is the “Mother’s Day WindowShop”, which will be featured prominently on our site especially for the holiday. That’s nearly 3 weeks of advertising coverage. We’re also offering up to 10 spots on our front sidebar for $10 each to last for 3 weeks,” Angela told us.  “I have room for 20 more spots. The sooner people sign up, the better placement they get in the shop.”

Have you had experience advertising your handmade shop?  What worked? Which advertising avenue misses the boat?  What do you think about KnitLuck for advertising your shop?

HandmadeMarketing.org wants to hear your online and offline advertising experience.  Tell us your tips for advertising handmade shops!