In an era of virtual marketplaces and E-Commerce, Etsy took the world by storm by offering a place for anyone to sell unique art, jewelry, furniture and more, internationally. More importantly, Etsy has created an authentic seller community that hadn’t yet existed in the world of E-Commerce.

Etsy has quickly become the go-to site for special finds, one-of-a-kind decorations and even cool vintage clothes. What was once limited to local stores and malls is now open to anyone with a product to offer.

If you’re an Etsy seller, you’re probably always looking for ways to boost your sales and draw people to visit your Etsy store. If you’re not a seller yet but are thinking of opening an Etsy store, you’re probably wondering how to do it in the best way possible. Either way, these 5 simple tips will help you:

1. Take Amazing Photos

We all know that what we see greatly influences us. A good photo of a product will most likely make you want it even more than an average photo. Your products need to shine in vibrant, eye-catching and selling photographs. Experiment with textures, background, lighting and angles; a small change makes a great difference!

2. Know Yourself and Identify Your Brand

For people to want your products, they need to understand who you are and what you’re offering. Put effort in describing yourself, your products and your vision. Do some research on how to create a business plan and set goals to stay motivated. Success won’t come overnight – having an Etsy store is like running a business; you need a clear brand and business tactics to make it.

3. Remember Your Audience

You have to clearly identify who is your go-to crowd. Is it men or women? Single people or married with kids? Audience targeting is one of the most important things when marketing a product or service and you have to focus on who your brand is reaching out to. The best is to narrow it down to the most accurate audience – this way you can easily target your people and know where to find them. Also, don’t forget to invest in customer service. This will bring people back and make them want to recommend your store to others, which is the best kind of promotion.

4. Two Words: Social Media

These days, you won’t make it if you’re not relevant and active on Social Media platforms. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are the default 3 but other, more visually enticing networks, fit the Etsy vibe perfectly; Pinterest is a great Social Media marketing tool and even Youtube, in case you want to show your audience exactly how you made that wooden statue. Another great idea is to maintain a blog where you share your products, creative process and a bit of yourself. Remember – fame won’t come instantly and growing your Social Media following takes time; but it is by far the best way to promote your Etsy store.

5. Learn From the Community

With so many different stores and sellers on Etsy, it would be silly not to try and learn from your fellow Tastemakers. You can see the top stores, see what they’re doing to boost sales and draw inspiration from their Social Media channels, product descriptions or other creative tools they use to succeed. Etsy is a very close-knit community and it’s a good way to get the hang of things and stay motivated. It’s also worth to check out the Etsy Blog, which has cool ideas, tips and inspirational posts.

I hope these tips help you become a super Etsy seller and motivate you even more. Here’s a great infographic about how Etsy changed the economy (with a few more tips):

There are many people around the globe working and getting paid online, and each one of them requires a payment solution to receive their funds. At Payoneer our goal is to provide the best global payment solutions available, and so we conducted an anonymous survey to find out what people most look for in a payment solution.

What do you think about the results? Do you agree? Do you think any important factors are missing from the Infographic? Let us know in the comments!