Selling photos on Etsy is a great way to promote your work in a new marketplace and earn money at the same time. Many photographers use this as a way to earn extra money. Others treat it as a full-time job.
Either way, both groups need to approach Etsy in a very specific way to succeed.
Selling Photos on Etsy: What to Sell
There are many creative ways of selling photos on Etsy. You can choose one or a combination of the following options.
Physical Prints
People love hanging art on their walls or buying small prints of stunning landscapes. And prints are great gifts for friends and family. Best of all, they’re always in demand, regardless of time or season.
Selling physical prints comes with a lot of logistical and design-related challenges. Before you can sell prints in this form, you need to make sure the shipping fees aren’t overwhelming.
You can limit the countries you sell prints to. But this limits the number of potential customers you have.
You also need to find a printing/framing company (or printer) that is trustworthy. They must create images of the best quality possible.
If you want to take this even further, have a lot of packaging options available. If you go the extra mile for your clients, you’ll impress them. And you’ll inspire them to visit your shop more often.
If you juggle these tasks well, you’ll be able to attract a lot of clients without breaking the bank.
Digital Prints
If you don’t want to worry about shipping logistics, you can sell digital versions of your pictures. Users will get a download link to your photo as soon as they buy it.
This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to earn money on Etsy. If your images are striking and are accompanied by the right keywords, your business can attract a lot of buyers.
Copyright rules are very important when it comes to digital files. Have a note in your description stating what users can and can’t do with your pictures.
Photographers generally allow printing for personal use but prohibit commercial use. You can let users know that you’re okay with commercial use if they credit your art or pay you an extra fee. It’s completely up to you.
Photography Resources and Textures
Some photographers trade images of different textures. Users can turn these into prints or use them in design or photography projects.
Resources are very popular. Like Lightroom presets, they can enhance a simple image. If you take sharp and appealing pictures of textures, you should give this option a shot.
You can sell presets or actions as well. These are to help photographers enhance their images.
Photography Books
This is a fantastic option to showcase your work in one book. Again, you can sell this in the form of ebooks or physical copies.
If you don’t want to create a simple photo book, you can write a guide accompanied by your pictures. Or you can create a book filled with behind-the-scenes pictures or creative stories.
Photo books may not have a demand as high as normal photography prints. But they’re a great option to show off your creativity and teach photographers something new.
Come Up With a General Plan for Your Etsy Shop
Preparation is key for a successful Etsy shop, especially if you are a new user. Even a very vague plan can help avoid unnecessary confusion.
Start with the basics, including your business name and at least five pictures. Think about the resources and services you will offer, as well.
Think of your shop’s theme. How do you want potential buyers to feel when they visit your profile?
Treat your Etsy shop like an Instagram account. Come up with a creative bio and share only your best work.
If you want to be extra prepared, create a banner that represents your work. This can be a single photo with your name written on it. Or something more complicated such as a photo collage.
You can choose between a large cover photo (3360 x 840 px) and a small banner (760 x 100 px). You can create two versions to see which one looks best.
Create an Account and Set Up Your Shop
Once you have an idea of what you’ll be selling on Etsy, you can confidently create a new account.
Creating an Etsy account is super easy and will only take you a few seconds. Once you’re ready, click on “Sell on Etsy.”
You’ll have the option to choose your currency, country, and language. You’ll also have to let Etsy know your plans for your store.
Do you plan to turn this into a full-time job? Or would you like to keep selling products part-time?
This information won’t affect your sales in any way. But it will make it easier for you to navigate the site.
Create a Catchy Name for Your Etsy Shop
Names play an important role on Etsy. A creative photography business name will make potential clients smile. And it will entice them to check out your other products.
Come up with a name that represents your creative values. This can be as simple as your own name. It can also be a creative play on words.
Choose a name that symbolizes your products and is related to photography.
Here are a few successful Etsy shop names that clearly and creatively describe what they’re selling:
- CanvasVows
- PrintsVilla
- NovemberPrintableArt
- MrOverlay
You can choose words like photo, studio, art, and prints at the end of your name. This will let everyone know that you’re a photography business.
Add Your First Listing to Make Your Shop Official
This is the most important part of your selling process. Here, you have to come up with products, titles, keywords, etc. This will determine how many people view your shop.
Every listing on Etsy costs $0.20 to create, so choose your products wisely. Make sure your photos are vibrant enough to stand out from other listings, especially in thumbnail form.
Upload Photos That Stand Out
You can upload a maximum of 10 photos per listing. Ensure that the resolution is very high.
If you’re selling digital prints, show potential clients what they could do with them. You can do this with free framing websites.
They will give users a preview of what your photos would look like in books, in frames, on T-shirts, and so on.
Write a Creative and Informative Description
In the description box, you’ll be able to introduce your product. Let users know what they’re allowed to do with it and any other important information.
Write something that’s both informative and creative. Be friendly and bold. Give your words personality so that your descriptions stand out from the competition.
You can do this by writing about your photography background and why you want people to choose your photos. Or you can write about your company’s values and vision.
All of these things will make you seem more like a friend than a faceless company. Remember, people visit a shop not only to buy things but for the customer experience as well.
Also, describe your product in as much detail as possible. This allows search engines to attract the right kind of clients to your shop.
If you need an in-depth SEO and keyword guide, you can always check out Etsy’s search engine tips.
Make Your Product Easier to Find
There’s a whole list of options you can use to make your product description more detailed. It’s not necessary to fill them all out.
A few helpful ones are custom orders, adding detailed tags, and adding your product to a specific section in your shop.
The last option is ideal if you want to sell a variety of items, such as photography books, resources, and digital prints.
This makes it easier for clients to find what they need without getting distracted.
Set a Fair and Competitive Price to Attract Customers
Once all the details are out of the way, it’s time to set a price. You also need to figure out how many products you want to sell.
Make sure the price covers all of your creative, printing, framing, and shipping costs while still being competitive. Check out other Etsy shops similar to yours to get a rough idea of what people are charging.
If the prices are too low, you can always switch to selling products that demand fewer logistics. These can be digital prints or ebooks.
Choose an Easy Payment Method
Etsy offers a few payment methods, including Etsy Payments, PayPal, credit/debit cards, and others.
Etsy Payments takes 3% + $0.25 for every transaction. And it’s not available in every country.
For Paypal users, Etsy takes 5% per transaction.
Publish Your Listing and Spread the Word!
Once everything is ready, all that’s left to do is publish your listing. Set up a billing method so you can pay the $0.20 listing fee and promote your work.
It can take up to 24 hours for your product to appear in Etsy’s search engine. So make sure you start sharing your post as soon as possible.
You can publish as many listings as you like. I recommend starting with 3-5 products so people can get a clear idea of what you sell.
Marketing your shop and photographs is your responsibility. Promote them on social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook. If you have a photography website, you can link your Etsy shop to it.
You can also invest a little in your business by officially promoting your listing. By paying as little as $1 every day, you’ll be able to put your work out there. This increases the likelihood of finding new clients.
Get Great Reviews to Attract More Clients
Last but not least, ask your friends and family for support. If they buy even a single product and give it a great review, your clients will trust you more.
Of course, make sure your friends’ reviews aren’t completely biased and describe the product accurately!
Conclusion
Etsy is a great marketplace with millions of users who are always on the lookout for creative gifts. And it’s a great online marketplace where anyone can set up a business. But the success of your business depends on a few factors.
By investing some time into your Etsy store, you’ll earn extra money and find new clients to inspire and collaborate with.
