Etsy has become a thriving marketplace for artisans and creatives to sell their unique products to online shoppers.

However, with so many Etsy shops on the platform, it can be really tricky for your shop to gain visibility and traction. Especially as most Etsy sellers are small, one-man businesses with a limited budget.

The most effective and easy way to do this is through giveaways.

This is such a great strategy that even Etsy themselves run them:

Offering a chance to win a prize when people complete entry actions such as liking, commenting, or sharing a post, sigining up to a mailing list, submitting a photo, or following your Etsy shop is an awesome way to incentivize engagement and generate leads.

There are loads of benefits to incorporating giveaways into your Etsy sales strategy. 

• Promote Your Product: Giveaways are an awesome way to build excitement and urgency, which is a great way to get more eyes on your marketing campaign. By offering your own product as the prize, you not only get more eyes on your marketing efforts but also showcase your product directly to potential customers.

• Drive Meaningful Actions: Giveaways offer a valuable way to drive actions that matter, like boosting your follower numbers, expanding your email list, and bringing in new customers. By customizing entry requirements—such as asking for subscriptions on YouTube, likes on Etsy, or follows on social media—you directly engage and guide your audience in a way that supports your specific objectives. This not only helps in growing your online presence but also ensures the actions taken are meaningful and aligned with your marketing aims and goals.

• Reach New Customers: Giveaways are an exciting method to spark conversations about your brand and create a buzz. They're incredibly effective because your existing followers will share your campaign on their profiles as part of their entry, naturally promoting your brand to their friends and family. This sharing, especially when you add a "Viral Share" action that rewards them for spreading the word, helps your campaign grow really quickly. Plus, it lets you reach a lot of new customers without spending as much money as you would on traditional advertising strategies.

A super simple way to run a giveaway, which you will certainly have seen before if you're a regular social media user, is a like, share or comment giveaway.

They work by posting your giveaway on your preferred social media channel, then asking viewers to like the post, tag a friend, or reshare the content on their profile, for a chance to win a prize.

Running this type of quick and easy giveaway is a sure way to quickly boost engagement, but it might be tricky to drive meaningful actions that will benefit you in the long run.

If you want to promote your giveaway on social media and not have to waste time manually validating entries, it is best to run your giveaway through a third-party app like Gleam. We have a template below that is super quick and easy to use.

  Learn More   Use This Template

This really is the best way to host your giveaway because you can select entry requirements that directly benefit your Etsy shop.

You can choose entry requirements like subscribing to your mailing list, visiting your shop, and loads more, and you have the added benefit of not having to manually select winners or checking fraudulent entries.

You can even ask users to make a purchase to enter using the template below, just make sure you check the No Purchase Necessary Laws.

  Learn More   Use This Template

Once you have created your campaign with Gleam, you'll need to promote it. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are ideal for this. They let you reach a wider audience and create excitement without linking the contest to purchases. You can post and share updates about the giveaway on your main feed and stories, and interact with potential buyers and customers through comment sections and direct messages, driving interest back to your Etsy shop.

In essence, while Etsy is your storefront, social media is your promotional stage. It allows you to conduct giveaways effectively, reach a broader audience, and drive traffic to your Etsy shop.

So, what other things do you need to take into account for a successful giveaway campaign?

To ensure your giveaway is a hit, aim to have a couple hundred real followers first. This will give your giveaway the attention and interaction it needs.

Engage with other accounts by following, liking, and interacting with their content and following relevant hashtags. The more active you are in your social media community, the quicker you'll grow your audience. Starting with an engaged base is crucial, as a giveaway with very few followers might not seem legitimate.

If you stay super consistent, you can do this in a few weeks, you don't need loads!

Email marketing can be a valuable tool to drive participation and engagement in your giveaway. Send personalized emails to your existing customer base, enticing them to enter the giveaway and share it with their friends. Craft compelling subject lines and include eye-catching visuals to grab their attention. You can also include a brief story about your Etsy journey or the inspiration behind your shop. This personal touch can build a stronger connection with your audience and encourage them to support your Etsy business, as Etsy is primarily used for handmade crafts and small businesses.

Plus, by growing you mailing list, it means you aren't at the mercy of an algorithm and you don't have to worry about things like getting shadowbanned — you're in control.

On social media, you need to craft engaging posts so people do't just scroll past. Create eye-catching posts that convey the excitement and value of your giveaway. Use high-quality images or videos that showcase the prizes to get people invested.

Plus, add in compelling captions that highlight the benefits of participating and encourage your followers to share the giveaway with their networks.

You can experiment with TikTok's, Instagram Reels, and other video content like YouTube too to get the word out.

Hashtags are an effective way to increase the visibility of your giveaway on social media. Research and use relevant keywords and hashtags that are popular among your target audience. This will help your posts reach a wider audience and attract participants who are genuinely interested in your products.

For example, avoid:

#FreeStuff #Win #Freebies #NoPurchaseNecessary

Targeted hashtags to use instead can be something like:

#EtsyGiveaway #HandmadeGiveaway #ShopSmall #ArtisanGifts

Leveraging the influence of loyal customers, social media followers, influencers or brand ambassadors can amplify the reach and impact of your giveaway. Just make sure you identify influencers who align with your brand values and have a substantial following in your niche.

Partner with them to create sponsored posts or giveaways, allowing you to tap into their loyal fan base and gain exposure to potential new customers.

This can be expensive, so brand ambassadors offer a middle ground. You can ask followers or customers if they'd be willing to post about your product in return for discounts or free products.

Consider running targeted ads on social media platforms to boost Etsy sales. Utilize the demographic and interest-based targeting options to reach your ideal audience.

Craft compelling ad copy and visuals for social media ads that highlight the unique selling points of your giveaway and encourage people to participate.

You can do this on TikTok, Instagram, your Facebook page and more.

You can also run ads on Etsy.

To track your campaign's performance, use the Etsy Ads performance graph. You can adjust your daily budget or the listings you're advertising at any time.

It could be a nice idea to run some ads alongside or after your giveaway to jump on the momentum and keep up with the extra engagement.

Engagement is key to building a strong online presence and driving participation in your giveaway.

On your social media accounts and on your Etsy store, make sure you respond to comments, messages, reviews, and mentions promptly. Also encourage participants to share their excitement and experiences related to your brand.

Etsy offers several features for sellers to engage with customers and enhance their shop's community.

Shop Announcements allow you to share updates and news, directly reaching visitors on your shop's homepage. The Conversations feature enables direct communication with buyers for personalized interaction. Responding to customer Reviews and Feedback shows you have great customer service.

You can also use Etsy Shop Updates to share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your creative process, updates, or a bit about you and your shop. Linking your social media accounts also helps integrate your Etsy audience with your other platforms.

You can also offer things like coupon codes to incentivize repeat purchases and use the filter features to make your shop sections easy to use. Leveraging these tools effectively can strengthen your Etsy presence and drive more sales.

The success of your giveaway campaign largely depends on the prizes you offer. To attract customers and encourage participation, it is crucial to create compelling giveaway prizes that resonate with your target audience and highlight the value and benefits of youru offering.

Here are some tips to help you craft irresistible prizes:

By giving away your own products, you will target people who would genuinely be interested in your Etsy store and gain high quality leads and followers, not just freebie hunters wanting to win an iPad.

It's better to have fewer, higher quality leads, than hundreds of entries that are going to unfollow you right after the giveaway and never look at your store again.

With this in mind, it's a good idea to give away your own product:

Exclusive or limited-edition items are awesome because they make the giveaway higher value, creating a sense of urgency and buzz among your customers.

Try creating special versions of your products or collaborating with another online store to offer unique prize packages that can't be found elsewhere.

This is perfect for an Etsy giveaway, as the platform has a focus on unique and handmade pieces.

To cater to a broader audience and increase participation, it is a nice idea to offer a prize like a gift voucher or a shopping spree. Combine this with offering vouchers to spend in your niche will target potential customers and generate good quality leads. By providing options, you allow participants to choose a prize that truly appeals to them, increasing their motivation to enter the giveaway, but also stay relevant to your target audience.

Adding a personal touch to your prizes can make them even more desirable. It would be a great idea to offer to personalize or customize the winners prize. For example if you are a jewellery business you can incorporate the colour of the winners birthstone or engrave their name onto the piece. This not only increases the value of the prizes, but offers something unique, different, and personal that nobody else has.

Partnering with other Etsy sellers or complementary brands can help you create a more attractive prize package for more customers. By combining products or services from different sellers, you can offer a more diverse and appealing range of prizes.

This collaboration can also introduce your brand to new audiences and create cross-promotional opportunities.

If you do this, it's a good idea to choose a theme. Think of things like a fashion edit or a seasonal collection.

So, giveaways can be a powerful tool to unlock the awesome sales potential on Etsy and achieve long-term E-commerce success. By hosting giveaways, you can increase brand awareness on your Etsy shop, reach new customers, and create a loyal customer base. 

However, it is important to plan and execute your giveaway strategically, offering compelling prizes and promoting it effectively on social media platforms and through email marketing.

By measuring and analyzing the success of your giveaway campaign, you can make data-driven decisions and refine your strategies for future success. 

So, don't underestimate the power of giveaways and start harnessing their potential to encourage more customers to purchase and share your offering!