SEO isn't just for tech giants and online stores—it's a powerful tool that the best handmade product brands use strategically to attract customers.
We understand that you're busy crafting your unique products, and the thought of optimizing your website might feel like another burden.
But here's the deal: you don't need to be an SEO expert or spend a fortune to make it work. Just a few simple steps can significantly improve your online visibility and bring more customers to your brand.
To help you out, we have built a free SEO checklist - also, for a full action plan, please check our pack of marketing tactics and strategies for handmade product brands.
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What is SEO for handmade brands exactly?
Simply put, SEO is all about making your handmade products brand’s website more attractive to search engines like Google.
When someone searches for "best handmade jewelry in [Your Town]" or "unique handcrafted gifts," SEO helps your brand show up in the results. The goal is to get your website higher up on the search results page so more people can find and purchase your handmade products.
Why is SEO Important for Handmade Products Brands?
SEO is incredibly important for handmade products brands, and here’s why:
- Increased Online Visibility:
The higher your website ranks on search engines, the more people will see it. This means more potential customers discovering your unique handmade products online, especially when they're looking for special gifts or artisanal items.
- Higher Rankings on Search Engines:
Most people don’t look past the first page of search results. By optimizing your site, you can climb those rankings and beat out the competition. Imagine someone searching for "handmade leather bags" and finding your brand right at the top!
- Attracting More Local Customers:
SEO isn't just about getting anyone to your site—it's about getting the right people. Local SEO helps ensure that when someone nearby searches for handmade products, your brand pops up. This means more foot traffic to your store or more local online orders.
Key Components of SEO
Now, let’s break down the main parts of SEO specifically for your handmade products brand:
On-Page SEO
This involves making sure the content on your website is optimized. It includes things like:
- Keywords:
Using the words and phrases people are searching for in your titles, descriptions, and content. For example, if you create handmade candles, make sure you use phrases like "best handmade candles" or "artisan candle shop" on your site.
- Content Quality:
Providing useful, engaging, and fresh content about your products. Share your product details, special offers, upcoming collections, and stories about your crafting process and team.
- Meta Tags:
Using meta titles and descriptions that are relevant and appealing to searchers. For instance, a meta description for your homepage could be "Discover unique, handcrafted jewelry at [Your Brand Name], the top-rated artisan shop in [Your Town]."
Off-Page SEO
This focuses on actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings:
- Backlinks:
Getting other reputable websites to link to your site, which signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and relevant. This could be from craft bloggers, local news sites, or community event pages.
- Social Media:
Being active on social media with your brand’s page can drive traffic to your site and improve your online presence. Share your latest creations, customer reviews, and special events to engage with your audience.
Technical SEO
This ensures your website meets the technical requirements of search engines:
- Site Speed:
Making sure your website loads quickly. No one likes to wait, especially customers eager to see your unique handmade products!
- Mobile-Friendliness:
Ensuring your site looks and works well on mobile devices. Many people search for products on their phones while on the go.
- Secure Website (HTTPS):
Having a secure website that users (and search engines) can trust. This is especially important if you have an online store where customers can make purchases.
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Which keywords should you target for your handmade products brand?
Handmade product brand owners, like you, must target specific keywords in SEO because it helps your website appear in search results when potential customers look for the type of handmade items you offer. This increases the chances that people will find and purchase your unique creations.
For example, if you specialize in handmade jewelry, targeting keywords like "best handmade jewelry" or "unique handmade jewelry near me" helps attract customers searching for those terms. This makes it easier for people interested in handmade products to find your brand online.
Here are some keyword ideas for you. If you want a more developed strategy with actionable steps, go check out our strategy pack for handmade product brands.
Keyword | Competitiveness Level | Tips and Initiatives |
---|---|---|
Best handmade products in [Your City] | High | Optimize your website with high-quality images of your products, gather customer reviews, list on local directories, and use local SEO strategies. |
Where to buy handmade [Product Type] | Medium | Create blog posts or pages on your website highlighting your best products, use keywords naturally in content, and engage with local craft bloggers. |
Handmade gifts near me | Medium | Use beautiful imagery of your products, gather positive customer reviews, and ensure your Google My Business profile is complete. |
Best place for handmade [Product Type] in [Your City] | Medium | Feature specific product types prominently on your website (e.g., jewelry, home decor), use local SEO tactics, and promote specials on social media. |
Unique handmade [Product Type] in [Your City] | High | Highlight unique aspects of your products, create SEO-friendly content about your items, and engage with the local community online. |
Top-rated handmade products near me | High | Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, optimize your website for mobile, and ensure accurate information on local listings. |
Affordable handmade products in [Your City] | Low | Highlight affordable options and specials on your website, use keywords related to value, and promote deals on social media. |
Where to find handmade [Product Type] near me | Medium | Use local SEO strategies, create content around popular products, and ensure your website is optimized for mobile users searching nearby. |
Popular handmade products in [Your City] | Medium | Use social media to share popular items, engage with local influencers, and gather customer testimonials to build credibility. |
Best handmade products for gifts in [Your City] | Low | Create gift-friendly content, highlight gift options on your website, and host gift-themed events to generate buzz. |
What really matters when you do SEO for a handmade products brand
Actually, we think that SEO often follows the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For handmade product brands, like yours, this means it's crucial to focus on the right strategies to maximize impact without feeling overwhelmed.
Action / Initiative | Why It Matters / How It Helps Bring New Customers |
---|---|
Optimize Google My Business profile | Ensures your brand appears in local search results, provides essential information (hours, location, product offerings), and collects reviews to build trust. |
Gather and respond to online reviews | Positive reviews build credibility and trust. Responding to reviews shows you value customer feedback, encouraging more people to purchase your handmade products. |
Create high-quality content with targeted keywords | Helps your website rank higher in search results for relevant queries, attracting customers looking for specific types of handmade products. |
Optimize for local SEO | Ensures your brand shows up in local searches (e.g., "handmade products near me"), driving foot traffic from nearby potential customers. |
Ensure website is mobile-friendly | Most users search for products on their phones. A mobile-friendly site provides a better user experience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. |
Use high-quality images of products | Attractive photos entice potential customers, showcasing your handmade items, which can significantly influence their decision to buy. |
Include detailed product descriptions with keywords | Allows search engines to index your products, helping you appear in searches for specific items, and makes it easy for customers to understand what you offer. |
List your brand on local directories | Increases your online presence and backlinks, improving your search engine ranking and making it easier for customers to find you. |
Engage with local bloggers and influencers | Generates buzz and word-of-mouth, reaching a wider audience and attracting customers who trust these local voices. |
Promote special events and offers | Creates a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging potential customers to purchase your handmade products for unique experiences. |
Utilize social media to share updates and engage with customers | Builds a community around your brand, keeps customers informed about new offerings, and drives traffic to your website. |
Ensure accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across all platforms | Prevents confusion, helps search engines trust your business information, and improves your local SEO ranking. |
Offer online purchasing options | Makes it convenient for customers to buy your products, leading to increased sales and customer satisfaction. |
Create blog posts about your handmade products and crafting process | Attracts visitors to your site through informative and engaging content, improving SEO and showcasing what makes your brand unique. |
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What is always useless when you do SEO for a handmade products brand
We have studied a lot of car wash self-service businesses when we built our strategy pack and we saw a lot of SEO-related initiatives that don't help attract new customers. We explain here why they might be a waste of time or even counterproductive.
Action / Initiative | Why It Doesn't Matter / How It Doesn't Help Bring New Customers |
---|---|
Using meta keyword tags | Search engines no longer use meta keyword tags to rank pages, so focusing on them doesn't improve SEO for your car wash business. |
Keyword stuffing in service descriptions | Overusing keywords in service descriptions makes them hard to read and can be penalized by search engines, turning away potential customers. |
Paying for backlinks from unrelated websites | Backlinks from non-automotive related or low-quality websites don't improve your SEO and can even hurt your ranking if considered spammy by search engines. |
Using exact match domains like bestcarwashintown.com | Having an exact match domain has minimal impact on SEO and can appear spammy, especially if it doesn't reflect your brand well. |
Creating multiple pages for the same services | Duplicate content confuses search engines and can dilute your SEO efforts. Focus on one high-quality page for each unique service or topic. |
Using Flash for service or booking pages | Flash is outdated, not supported by many devices, and negatively impacts SEO. Modern alternatives like HTML5 should be used instead. |
Focusing only on desktop optimization | Many customers search for car wash services on mobile devices. Ignoring mobile optimization leads to poor user experience and lower search rankings. |
Using automated link-building tools | These tools often create low-quality or spammy links that can be penalized by search engines, hurting your car wash's SEO efforts. |
Ignoring structured data for services | Structured data helps search engines understand your services better. Ignoring it means missing out on potential SEO benefits like rich snippets. |
Not updating your service list regularly | Outdated service information can frustrate customers and harm your SEO. Regular updates keep content relevant and maintain search rankings. |
Using irrelevant stock photos on your site | Low-quality or irrelevant images can negatively impact user experience and SEO. Use high-quality photos of your actual car wash and services. |
Over-optimizing anchor text in links | Using exact match keywords for every link appears unnatural and can be penalized by search engines. Use varied, natural anchor text instead. |
Ignoring page load speed for your website | Slow-loading pages frustrate users and can lead to higher bounce rates, negatively impacting your car wash's SEO. Ensure your site loads quickly. |
Using too many ads above the fold on your homepage | Too many ads at the top of the page can be off-putting for users and may be penalized by search engines, impacting your SEO negatively. |
Should you pay someone for the SEO of your handmade products brand?
Well, let's be transparent. Here’s the thing: SEO can get pretty complex, and having some support can really make a difference. Imagine trying to juggle running your handmade products brand, managing inventory, keeping customers happy, and then on top of that, diving into the world of search engine optimization. It’s a lot, right?
Having someone handle your SEO means you can focus on what you do best—creating and selling your unique handmade products. SEO experts know the ins and outs of getting your website to rank higher on search engines. They stay updated on the latest trends and algorithms, which means your site will be optimized correctly and consistently. This can lead to more people finding your brand online, and ultimately, more customers purchasing your handmade creations.
- But here’s the kicker: there are a lot of low-hanging fruits in SEO that you can tackle on your own, even if you don’t know much about it.
You will find a lot of low-hanging fruits that cost nothing, are quick to implement, and will make your brand’s website much more visible in strategy pack for handmade product sellers.
Simple actions like optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, and using relevant keywords can significantly improve your online presence. These tasks don't require deep technical knowledge but can make a big impact.
So, should you increase the marketing budget of your handmade products brand and pay someone to manage your SEO? If you can do it, it’s a worthwhile investment. But don't underestimate what you can achieve on your own. Start with the basics, see the results, and then decide if you need more specialized help.
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We have studied the strategies of the best handmade brands in the world. All their tactics are explained in our pack!
Useful tools handmade brand founders can use for their SEO
Here are some essential tools that our team has collected and listed, to help you improve your handmade products brand's online presence and SEO.
Tool | How It's Useful |
---|---|
Google My Business | Ensures your handmade products brand appears in local search results and Google Maps, provides essential information (hours, location, product details), and collects customer reviews. |
SEMrush | Helps identify the best keywords for your handmade products, analyze competitors, and track your search rankings. Provides insights to improve your content and visibility. |
Yext | Manages your brand's listings across multiple directories, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information to boost local SEO. |
Google Search Console | Monitors your website's performance, identifies issues, and provides data on search traffic and keywords to optimize your SEO strategy. |
Etsy | Collects customer reviews and ratings, which improve your brand's online reputation and visibility in search results within the handmade products community. |
BrightLocal | Offers tools for local SEO audits, citation building, and review management, helping your brand improve its local search presence. |
Moz | Provides keyword research, link building, and site audit tools to enhance your brand's SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings. |
Ahrefs | Analyzes your brand's backlink profile, identifies top-performing content, and tracks keyword rankings to boost your SEO strategy. |
Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Crawls your website to identify technical SEO issues, such as broken links and duplicate content, helping improve site health and rankings. |
AnswerThePublic | Generates content ideas by showing what people are searching for related to your handmade products, helping you create relevant and engaging blog posts and pages. |
Canva | Helps create visually appealing social media posts and graphics for your website, which can improve user engagement and indirectly boost SEO. |
Hotjar | Provides insights into user behavior on your website through heatmaps and session recordings, helping you optimize user experience and reduce bounce rates. |
Copy the SEO tactics of the best handmade brand founders
We understand why many handmade product creators might shy away from SEO and marketing.
Running a handmade products business is already a full-time job, and the concept of SEO can seem vague and foreign. The terminology can be confusing, and it often feels like marketing is a luxury only big corporations can afford.
Plus, there's the constant worry about costs and whether any marketing efforts will actually pay off. We get that you prefer to focus on immediate, tangible improvements to your products rather than dive into something that seems complicated and uncertain. No need to deteriorate your business’s budget here.
That's why we've created a "marketing pack" specifically for handmade product creators like you.
Our pack is designed to address all these concerns head-on. It includes easy-to-follow guides that break down SEO and marketing into simple steps, so you don't need to be a tech expert to understand. We offer cost-effective strategies that fit within tight budgets, and our step-by-step plans ensure that you can implement a good marketing strategy for your handmade products without feeling overwhelmed.
Plus, we've included real-life examples and tips that have worked for other small handmade businesses, so you can see the tangible benefits before you even start.
Our goal is to make marketing accessible and practical, helping your handmade products business thrive without adding extra stress to your already busy life.
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