Are Etsy ads worth it?
13 déc. 2023
Table of contents
Introduction to Etsy ads
If you're not convinced about using Etsy ads, read this article: it might change your mind. I've been using them for about 10 months now, and it has significantly boosted my sales. Keep in mind though, every Etsy shop needs to find its own strategy. (This article is all about onsite ads, and not about offsite ads)
Etsy search results: More visibility
The first objective is to gain more visibility, whether for an already performing product or for a new Etsy listing that you believe could work (even if the second option is riskier).
How Etsy ads work: Etsy ads operate on a pay-per-click basis, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your promoted product listing. Etsy will promote your product listing to customers searching for something similar. (One click on your Etsy ad = $0,2/$0,4)
Data to analyze
Running Etsy ads, whether they work or not, provides valuable data to analyze. You will know if your product needs optimization. For example, last month, I ran Etsy ads campaign for a product I thought was optimized and in demand, but I noticed it wasn't spending the entire budget.
The issue wasn't the thumbnail since the click-through rate (CTR) was good, but rather the demand/need. So, I stopped the advertisement for that product and replaced it with another one with more potential.
Boost your sales
The use of Etsy ads has significantly boosted my revenue, with a return on ad spend (ROAS) of over 3.2. Just by using ads on Etsy, I've made a profit of over $12,000 this year.
First strategy I used
Initially, I started with an daily advertising budget of $5 for the 10 products I sold the most. Etsy automatically managed the budget based on the performance of the selected products. The results were promising and I achieved an ROAS of 3.4. I maintained this budget and ROAS for 3 months, then I decided to increase it to $10 per day on my advertised listings. Although my ROAS dropped slightly to 3, my profits increased, allowing me to earn $900/month just from Etsy ads. I also noticed an increase in organic sales, going from an average of 8-9 sales per day to 12-13.
Second Etsy ads strategy I currently use
Later, I decided to set the daily advertising budget to the maximum after meeting someone who had success with a similar strategy. With a ROAS of 3, I thought it was worth testing. So I increased my budget from $10 per day to $200 for the same 10 items. However, my ROAS dropped to 1 and I started losing money on ads. After analyzing the situation, I de-selected products priced below $4, optimized the keywords and got better results.
The ROAS increased to 1.7 and my expenses were better controlled. I continued this approach for two weeks and my ROAS stabilized around 1.9. More importantly, my organic sales increased to over 20 per day. I'm currently using this strategy and achieved a ROAS of 2.9, which increased to 4.7 in September, my most successful month to date. Please note that Etsy does not use the entire budget allocated for this type of amount.
Today my budget is $1000 per day, but Etsy only spends $60 maximum per day.
This boosts your traffic
Another underestimated aspect of Etsy ads is the increase in organic traffic they generate. For instance, if you promote a product for 3 weeks and get one sale per day through ads, then decide to stop the ad campaign, your product will still receive organic "boost" as previous sales have enhanced its ranking, possibly placing it on the first page for several keywords.
Accumulating around 20 sales during these 3 weeks signals to Etsy that your product is performing well. Etsy will then enhance this product in search results and suggestions, boosting its visibility. Personally, when I notice a slight decline in sales for a product, I run ads on it for a few days or weeks to give a little boost to organic traffic, even if my ROAS is 1.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Etsy ads are a valuable tool for the growth and success of my shop. By striking the right balance between budget, product selection, and optimization, I've been able to use ads to boost sales, improve ROAS, and increase organic traffic to my shop.
However, it's important to constantly monitor and adjust your advertising strategy to ensure its effectiveness. If your budget gets out of hand or is not in the green, feel free to cancel Etsy ads anytime on your Etsy ads dashboard. Take a moment to review your data for enhancing your Etsy shop.
You can activate Etsy offsite ads. It's recommended to keep them on if you sell digital products; your ad placement will show on Google and other websites.
Thank you for taking the time to read my content! If you enjoyed it and don't want to miss any updates, feel free to follow me on Youtube or X.
You can also check out my Ultimate Etsy ads guide for Etsy sellers, if you're interested to learn more about how Etsy ads work, and how to successfully run ads campaign for your Etsy listings.