If you’ve opened an Etsy shop recently, you’ve probably seen the little prompts encouraging you to try Etsy Ads. Etsy makes it sound like a quick way to boost traffic and get more sales. But is it really that simple?
In this post, we’ll walk through what Etsy Ads actually are, why they can be risky if you don’t have a strategy, and how to tell when you’re actually ready to try them.
What Are Etsy Ads?
Etsy Ads are promoted listings that show up higher in search results. You set a daily budget (as low as $1/day), and Etsy shows your listing to more people. But here’s the deal: you only pay when someone clicks on your listing, not when they just scroll by.
Sounds good, right? But if you don’t know how your shop is performing or what products are converting well, you can spend money fast without seeing any return.
What Happened When I Used Etsy Ads Too Soon
In the first few months I was on Etsy, I wasn’t seeing a lot of traffic or views.
A whopping 35 my first month, and only 11 my second month – I did make one sale though! Since I didn’t have anyone like me giving me Etsy advice, I turned on ads in my third month. I didn’t have a plan. I hadn’t tracked what products were getting views, I didn’t understand keyword strategy yet, and I didn’t have enough data to know what was working.
Result? I spent more than I earned. Like $60 more! So I had to pay Etsy for that crazy month – and it took me months to make it back.
If you’re new, I don’t want that for you.
Why Do People Use Etsy Ads?
Once your product is getting steady views and sales on its own, ads can give it a helpful boost. More visibility can lead to more sales, and more sales can help you rank even higher in Etsy’s search results.
But here’s the thing: Etsy ads won’t fix a listing that isn’t working. If people aren’t clicking or buying, ads won’t magically make them start. You’ll just end up paying to promote something your audience doesn’t connect with…yet.
What Your Shop Stats Can Tell You (For Free)
Before spending money on ads, dig into your shop stats.
- Go to your Shop Dashboard
- Click Stats
- Change the timeframe to “Last 30 Days”
- Scroll down to see which listings are getting views and which aren’t
Compare listings that are performing well with ones that aren’t:
- Is the first image clear and attention-grabbing?
- Does the title include keywords your buyer would use to search?
- Are you using all 13 tags, and are they specific?
Sometimes small tweaks like rewriting your title or changing your thumbnail image can make a big difference. And you can do all of that without spending a dime.
What If You Don’t Have Any Views?
New listings need time. While Etsy doesn’t say exactly how long it takes, and depending on the product, it seems to be somewhere between 2–6 weeks for Etsy’s algorithm to learn what your product is, who to show it to, and ultimately where you’ll land in search.
So before you call a product a flop, give it time. I’ve had plenty of products that didn’t sell and eventually expired. And that’s okay. That’s part of the process. Some I’ve tweaked and tried to improve, others I just go.
Use this time to improve your images, test different keywords, and keep building your shop. Once you’ve got some traction, then consider running ads.
How Do You Know When You’re Ready for Etsy Ads?
You’re probably not ready if:
- The listing is brand new or hasn’t made any sales
- You haven’t tested your SEO or first image
- You don’t know how to check where your views are coming from
- You’re not sure how to track ad performance
You might be ready if:
- The listing has made organic sales
- You’ve tested and improved the listing
- Your SEO and photos are clear and clickable
- You’re willing to spend $1–2/day for 1–2 weeks
- You can track your results and adjust if needed
Are Etsy Ads Worth It?
Here’s my honest take:
- If you’re still figuring out your shop and what works, hold off.
- If you’ve got a listing that’s already performing well, test it with a small daily budget and keep a close eye on your results.
Ads can help, but they aren’t a fix for listings that haven’t found their audience yet. Use Etsy Ads to scale what’s already working, not to try and force something that’s not.
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