How to Write an Etsy About Page (Template & Examples)

 

Whether you have an Etsy shop, website, or just need a bio for promotional purposes, there’s a right way and a wrong way to write an About section. Just like the mistakes I commonly see in Etsy Announcement sections, there are many sellers making similar mistakes in their About sections.

 

This article shares the right way and some big DON’TS I’ve come across.

 

 

Why would somebody read an About page?

Most shoppers read an About section or page because they’re interested in the seller’s products but are looking to be persuaded, one way or another, to buy or not to buy.

 

It may be that the products haven’t quite sold themselves, or that the shopper has looked at several Etsy shops and is trying to choose between two competitors.

 

They’re searching for more information about a business to either put them at ease and encourage them to buy, or to act as a sign that they shouldn’t buy.

 

Keep this in mind as you write your About text.

 

This isn’t a place to tell your life story or share random facts.

 

It’s a place to build trust and share information that will help sell shoppers on your products/business.

 

 

How do you write a good Etsy About page/section?

To write a good Etsy About section, you must try to make a connection with the reader.

 

Most people are reading it to try and determine if your business is a fit for them. And what tells them it’s a fit? Feeling a connection…like they have something in common with your business.

 

A good About page keeps the target market in mind.

 

Although it’s about your business, it should be consumer-focused. What does your target market want to read about? How can you share information in a way that’s interesting to your target market?

 

It’s almost impossible to write content that connects if you don’t know who your target market is (it’s like trying to buy a gift the recipient will LOVE, without knowing who the recipient is).

>> Here’s a guide if you need help determining your target market.

 

 

How to write an Etsy about page (5 things to include)

To write an Etsy About section or page, consider the important information your target market is looking for. If they’ve viewed your products, and are on the fence about buying, what do they need to read to nudge them towards buying?

 

It’s important to keep in mind, your Etsy shop exists to sell your products.

 

Everything in your shop, including your About section, should help make sales.

 

Consider including these 5 elements to encourage shoppers to buy.

 

 

1 – A Connector

Your About section is about your business, but it’s important to find a way to make it about the reader. They’re reading the section because they want to know how your business and/or products relate to them.

 

What does your business/products/brand have in common with your shoppers?

 

The person reading your Etsy About section is obviously shopping for the products you sell.

>> What is it they care about most when it comes to that product?

 

For example:

• Jewelry – does your target market care most about the style of jewelry (e.g. retro, or punk, or boho, etc.), the materials used (e.g. 24K gold, or healing crystals, or recycled materials, etc.), or the meaning of the piece (e.g. a charm bracelet for BFFs, or stamped jewelry containing a message or important word), etc.?
• Art – does your target market care most about the colors, or the medium used, or the story the picture tells, the décor style it follows, or the size, etc.?
• Candles – does your target market care most about the container, or label, or scent, or ingredients, etc.?

 

Once you determine the most important factor, consider how you can connect with readers based on it.

 

>> Why does your target market care most about that factor?

 

For example, If I sell 24k gold and sterling silver jewelry, why does my target market care about those materials? It may be they appreciate the quality of the materials and that they don’t lose their value.

 

>> How can you incorporate what your target market cares about, into your story?

 

For example, I would want to tell the part of my story that creates a connection to “quality” and “value”. That might be a story about the pieces my grandma passed on to me and how they’re still in great shape or still valuable. Or how sick I am of all the cheap jewelry being sold in fast-fashion stores that don’t last longer than a year.

 

Also, consider what your target market cares about most when it comes to the businesses they support.

 

That might be:

• Good communication and great customer service
• Keeping their dollars within their community and supporting local businesses
• Knowing the business stays on top of market research, trends, latest technology, etc.
• Reducing their carbon footprint and being an environmentally friendly business

 

Again, highlight how your business aligns with the values your target market cares about most. These 3 questions may help you come up with an answer. As well as knowing the buyer intent of your handmade products.

 

 

2 – A Differentiator

A shopper is reading your About section because they’re trying to answer the question: why you?

 

Why should they spend their money with your business?

 

You don’t need to be reinventing the wheel to stand out from competitors.

 

But you should be able to point out something that makes your business and its products slightly different from all the other options out there.

>> If you’re not sure what makes your business unique, this article may help.

 

 

3 – A Benefit

Your About section should communicate the perk customers get buying from you, without turning the section into a sales pitch.

 

We’re not going for: “Buying from me means you’re supporting a small business and allowing me to fulfill my creative dreams”.

 

As great as that is, helping your dreams come true isn’t really a perk for them.

 

Instead, think about the general features of your products/business/brand, and what those features mean to your customers.

 

For example:

• If one of the features of my jewelry is it’s made with 24k gold, the benefit of that feature (to the customer) is that it will hold its value.

 

• If my art is contemporary in style, the benefit to the customer is that it helps them create a modern living space.

 

• If I sell aromatherapy candles, the benefit may be that they promote a sense of calm and help reduce stress.

 

You may also consider:

• What is your target market hoping to gain?
• How does your target market want to feel?
• Does your target market have frustrations they’re hoping your products will alleviate?

 

Focus on one main benefit and work it into your story.

 

 

4 – Your Credentials

Your About section should build trust with shoppers.

 

Sharing the training you’ve been through, your experience, or what makes you qualified to be selling the products you sell, helps build that trust.

 

For example, if I’m buying skincare products from a small business, I want to know that I can trust their products on my skin. I’m not necessarily looking for a background in chemistry, but some sort of reassurance that their ingredients are safe or they know what they’re doing.

 

That assurance may come from the soap business having hundreds of sales under its belt. Or they might share how many years they’ve been applying their own products to their skin, or maybe even the hours of research they’ve done to learn about traditional ingredients and natural ones that offer similar results.

 

Credentials may even stem from a passion for what you make.

 

For example, someone selling art may not have an education in art, but perhaps they’ve had an interest in art from a young age and have been painting most of their life.

 

Or, someone selling jewelry may have a passion for fashion; staying on top of the latest trends by obsessively watching every red carpet event, having a subscription to several fashion magazines, or attending fashion shows throughout the year.

 

Find something that highlights why consumers should trust your products or business, what makes your products authentic, or what makes you a “leader” in the industry.

 

 

5 – Branding

The way you write your About section text should give off a feeling or vibe. That vibe should be in line with your brand.

 

If you don’t have your brand sorted yet, simply think about your target market and the vibe, tone, language, etc. they might want from a business like yours.

 

For example:

>> If I’m selling jewelry to brides, they would likely appreciate a more elegant and professional form of writing.

>> If I’m selling to people who practice yoga, I may go for a more relaxed tone and use fewer “formal” words.

>> If I’m selling children’s products to parents, I may want my style of writing to be fun, whimsical, and high-energy.

 

If you keep your brand in mind as you write your About section, your writing will have more personality and will connect with your readers.

 

 

Etsy About Section SEO (search engine optimization)

Search engines are what match a user’s search term to results. Google is the biggest search engine, but Etsy also has a search engine within their site.

 

Information about exactly how terms are matched to results will never be fully shared. So it becomes a bit of a guessing game for shop owners.

 

The best practice I like to go by is assuming EVERYTHING matters when it comes to SEO.

 

Does Etsy’s search engine scan your About section when trying to determine if your products are a fit for a shopper’s search? We’ll probably never know.

 

But I believe, the more the content in your shop follows a theme, the better it is for SEO.

 

For example, if I want my products to show in top results when someone searches “bridal necklace set”, then my shop should use “bridal”, “necklace”, “set”, and related keywords (e.g. wedding, earrings, gift set, etc.) more than once or twice. And my About section is a good opportunity to incorporate more of those keywords.

 

You don’t want to “keyword stuff” (i.e. overuse keywords in an unnatural way), but when writing your About section text, do keep in mind the keywords you’d like to rank for.

 

>> Read more about finding the right keywords and Etsy SEO here.

 

 

Etsy About Me Template (& Examples)

Etsy doesn’t give you a lot of room to get creative. When you have an About page on your website, you have more space and freedom to add eye-catching elements.

 

On Etsy, you can add images, video, a headline, and text. So it’s important to use this limited space wisely.

 

Follow the template below and try to imagine you’re writing an email to a friend to tell them about your business.

 

This will help you write more freely and with more personality.

 

Unless your brand is very professional and corporate, there’s no need to make this section too formal.

 

Have fun and don’t overthink it. Write freely and then go back in and edit.

 

 

1 – HEADLINE

The Etsy About section has a “story headline”. This should be a short sentence that catches a reader’s attention.

 

Think of this section as an email subject line.

 

When you’re sending an email, you summarize what’s inside in a way that will get the recipient to open the email.

 

If you were sending your About section in an email to your shoppers, what type of email subject line would catch their attention?

 

“Hi, I’m Erin. Welcome to my shop” probably wouldn’t make the cut.

 

Have a look through your inbox and get inspired by the subject lines that have encouraged you to open an email.

 

The headline should be business related and it should catch a shopper’s attention.

 

First, define:

What is your target market most interested in (as it relates to your products/business)?

 

For example, if I sell bath and body products, I want to define why someone is most interested in my products. That might be:

• Ingredients
• Scents
• Purpose (e.g. moisturizing)
• Packaging
• Etc.

 

Once I determine the product feature they’re most interested in, then I would get more specific.

 

If I decide on “ingredients” as the element my target market is most interested in, I would then determine what kind of ingredients pique their interest and why.

 

That might be: ingredients derived from nature because they try to live a toxin-free lifestyle.

 

“Toxin-free” is the interest I would want to focus on for my headline.

 

With that interest in mind, write a headline for your About section.

 

Examples:

• Your elevator pitch – if you want to go for more traditional About text, you may opt for a short sentence that describes what you sell.
  • Bath & Body – Soaps infused with nourishing ingredients derived from the ocean
  • Home fragrance – Hypoallergenic candles that improve the air quality in your home
  • Accessories – Red Carpet inspired jewelry
  • Home Décor – Sustainable pillow collections for the Modern Farmhouse home
  • Stationery – Plantable greeting cards to show a loved one, and the planet, you care

 

You don’t want to repeat what you’ve already shared in your shop’s description, text overlay on images, or even in your Etsy shop announcement (here’s how to write an Etsy Shop Announcement). But you may put a different spin on what you sell in your About headline.

 

Alternatively, you could create an elevator pitch for your business or brand, instead of one for what you sell.

 

• What happened to make you start your business
  • Bath & Body – My skin was at its absolute worst
  • Home fragrance – I couldn’t figure out what was triggering my allergies
  • Accessories – I couldn’t believe the trend I saw on the Red Carpet
  • Home décor – I was renting a run-down apartment (and needed a way to make it feel like home)
  • Stationery – I always felt bad about tossing birthday cards

 

 

• A surprising fact about your industry/products/business/brand
  • Bath & Body – The average bar of soap contains X number of ingredients; my soaps contain 3
  • Home fragrance – Many candles contain ingredients that are known carcinogens 
  • Accessories – Most retailers take X months to bring you a new fashion trend; I bring them to you in X days.
  • Home décor – The average homeowner spends $X on ______ (art, pillows, lighting, etc.)
  • Stationery – the average person receives X number of greeting cards each year

 

 

• A mistake that inspired your products/business
  • Bath & Body – I had unknowingly been damaging my skin’s barrier
  • Home fragrance – I was filling my home with harmful fragrances
  • Accessories – I had no idea I was making such a huge fashion faux pas
  • Home Décor – I regret buying my home décor from Target
  • Stationery – I forgot to send my mom a card on Mother’s Day

 

 

• A frustration you share with your target market
  • Bath & Body – I was so frustrated with the skincare product graveyard growing under my sink.
  • Home fragrance – I can’t stand when a candle loses its fragrance half way through.
  • Accessories – I don’t want to wait months to be able to buy the newest trends in jewelry.
  • Home Décor – I have kids. I need my throw pillows to be durable and washable, but look good.
  • Stationery – I love sending cards, but I hate to be wasteful.

 

 

• What you’re inspired by or passionate about
  • Bath & Body – I’m inspired by the ocean and how it can be healing for the mind, body, and soul.
  • Home fragrance – I spend my days researching how scents affect moods.
  • Accessories – Over-the-top Red Carpet fashion inspires me
  • Home Décor – I’m obsessed with Fixer Upper and eat, sleep, and breathe modern farmhouse.
  • Stationery – I’m committed to doing my part to reduce waste and protect the planet.

*It’s important that your audience is also inspired by or passionate about the same thing. Otherwise, the information isn’t relevant to them.

 

 

2 – CONNECTOR

You want to try and make a connection with your reader immediately.

 

As you continue to write, it’s important to ask yourself:

>> Is this relevant? (As in, does it relate to your business and why a consumer is in your shop)

And

>> Does my target market care?

 

Keep the information focused on your products/business/brand and related to your target market’s interest.

 

For example, writing about how “my boredom at my 9-5 job influenced me to look into new ways to make money, which resulted in me starting a soap business”, is not relevant to my target market, or their interest in toxin-free living.

 

On the other hand, a personal story about how the toxins in my everyday products caused a health issue and inspired me to start a soap business is relevant to my target market, and it incorporates their interest in toxin-free living.

 

Stories connect, are easy to read, and hold our interest.

 

Instead of writing a fact sheet (e.g. My name is ____, I’m X years old, I’m married with 3 kids, etc.), try telling an interesting story.

 

Imagine you’ve just been introduced to someone who shares the same interest as you and they want to hear about your business.

 

Now write an email to them and consider including:

• How your business started.

 

• Who you created your business and products for.

 

• What you’re providing; think bigger picture (e.g. it’s not about me selling earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, but rather, I want people to feel as glamourous as celebrities feel when they’re walking the red carpet).

 

• Why what you’re doing is important to you – this may add a personal element (e.g. I’m a single mom and want to build a business I can pass on to my daughter one day) or it may incorporate your target market’s interest (e.g. why I want others to use toxin-free skincare products).

 

• How your products are made – most people who purchase handmade are doing so because they appreciate the quality that tends to come with it. Or that the products aren’t made under unethical working conditions, by a machine, or with cheap/harmful materials/ingredients. You don’t have to give a technical explanation about each step your pieces go through but try to share the highlights. For example, if you take extra time to research ingredients, or hand select each stone for your jewelry, or put extra care into assembling packages since they’re often given as gifts, be sure to mention it.

 

You may also want to include:

• Where you’re located – if your products are related to a location, traveling, or your target market has an interest in supporting local, you may add a few sentences about where your business operates (e.g. if I make soaps infused with ingredients derived from the ocean, I may want to paint a picture of my house near the ocean, or my travel ventures to the ocean).

 

• When you started your business – a timeline may also be important to your business’s story. For example, if I’ve been making soap for a decade, I may want to share when I started my business as a way to build trust with my readers. On the other hand, if I just started my business last week, I may leave that date out, as not to break their trust.

 

 

You may also work off your headline and:

• Continue telling the story of why you started your business.

 

• Expand on the surprising fact and how it relates to your products/business.

 

• Explain more about the mistake you made and how you corrected it with the products you’ve made and the business you’ve built.

 

• Expand on the frustration that triggered your business idea and how your business/products solve the problem.

 

• Share more details about your interest or passion and how they relate to the products you make.

 

 

3 – DIFFERENTIATOR

Share a sentence or two highlighting how your products or business are different.

 

This can be a hard thing to define and isn’t something you can make up on the spot.

 

However, look at your competitors on Etsy and see if you can find:

• What’s different from competitors? Do you source your materials differently, or focus on different styles/colors/scents/ etc.?

 

• Who does your business serve? It may be that your products are made for a different target market than your competitors.

 

• What do you feel you do better than your competitors? Your products may not be much different, but are they better in some way?

 

• What aren’t your competitors highlighting? For example, serging seams may be the norm in the sewing industry, but if competitors aren’t mentioning it, it gives a business an opportunity to stand out.

 

 

Examples:

• What makes my _______ (products/materials/ingredients/designs/etc.) different is __________.

 

• I/my products/my business focus(es) on _______________ (draw attention to what you do differently/better).

 

• _______________ (what you do different/better) is very important to me because _______________.

 

• My ___________ (e.g. materials/ingredients/designs/etc.) are ___________ (how they’re different/better).

 

• I choose _____________ (e.g. materials/ingredients/designs/etc.) that are _________ (how they’re different/better).

 

• I want ___________ (the specific type of person you serve) to have/know/feel/etc. ____________ (how you provide something different/better) (E.g. I want people who live a toxin-free lifestyle to know they’re getting the safest and most effective ingredients when they buy from me).

 

 

4 – BENEFIT

The benefit is what you provide to your customers, and you want shoppers to be aware of that value. But in your About section, it can be a bit more about you.

 

Tell your story about the value or benefit you want your products and/or business to provide and why.

 

You may even share an experience of yours and the pleasure/enjoyment/benefits/etc. you get from using your own products.

 

For example, if I sell skin care products, I may share my nighttime cleansing ritual and the exact steps and products I use, what I love about each, and how I feel after. I may even paint a bigger picture benefit (e.g. it’s not just about having clean skin, it’s a stress reliever to take those 10 minutes and pamper myself, guilt-free).

 

Or maybe it’s something you do, so your customers don’t have to, but they reap the benefits of your labor.

 

For example, perhaps I love to spend time researching new trends in natural ingredients and the benefits each offer. That in turn provides a benefit to my customers because they don’t have to spend their time learning about new developments in natural skincare ingredients and they can trust that I’m bringing them the newest and safest skincare trends.

 

Examples:

• I spend my time ________________ (what you do to bring your customers more value) so that you ______________ (benefit they receive).

 

• I have a passion for ___________ (what you do that offers a benefit) because I want my customers to________________ (feel/be/have/etc.). (E.g. I have a passion for researching what natural ingredients have to offer because I want my customers to have a toxin free skincare routine.)

 

• I love to _______________ (experience you have/create when using your products) because ______________ (benefit/enjoyment you get from it). (E.g. I love to take 10 minutes each night to dim the lights, wash my face, and massage my skin as I apply a serum because I get into bed feeling so much more relaxed.)

 

 

5 – CREDENTIALS

Even if you’ve just started your business, you should be able to offer some credentials to shoppers.

 

You may share (as it relates to your products):

• Educational background
• Courses, classes, training you have taken
• Real-life experience you have
• Personal traits that make you suited to offer the products/run the business you do

 

Think about what makes you an “authority figure” in your area of expertise.

 

Write a sentence or two explaining what qualifies you to be making the products you do.

 

Examples:

• Bath & Body – I’ve been living a toxin-free lifestyle and using my skincare products since I discovered my health issue 5 years ago. (More details)

 

• Home fragrance – Before I purchase a fragrance to use in my candles, I research the background of it, how it’s made, and its benefits. (More details)

 

• Accessories – I was voted best dressed in high school and am a personal shopper for many of my friends. I’ve always loved fashion and take pleasure in learning about new fashion trends.

 

• Home Décor – I’ve taken several interior design courses online over the years and HGTV is always on at my house. My background and interest in interior design allows me to offer beautiful pieces that add a touch of professional design to your home.

 

• Stationery – Organization has always been a strength of mine, and I’ve never forgotten to send a birthday card 😉 That organization translates into creating useful sets of greeting cards, making sure each order goes out in a timely manner, and following up to ensure you’re happy with your purchase.

 

 

6 – CALL TO ACTION

If someone has gotten to the end of your About section, they’re invested.

 

Give them a little nudge towards buying by including a call to action.

 

You may thank them for checking out your shop and suggest what they should do next.

 

That might be to:

• Check out your favorite product – explain what it is, why it’s your favorite, and include a link to it.

 

• Browse a section – if there’s a type of product that sells better than the others or a type of product that’s better suited for new customers, guide shoppers towards that section of your shop.

 

• Get in touch – if your products have higher price points and often require more “selling”, you may want to encourage shoppers to contact you to discuss their needs or so you can answer any questions they have.

 

 

I’m not big on sharing social media links. The reason being, it’s a lot of work to get a shopper to your Etsy store. That’s the goal! So why drive them away?

 

If you send shoppers to social media, chances are, they’re going to get distracted once there and won’t come back.

 

If you have a social media account that has a high conversion rate, it may be worth sharing a link to it.

 

But otherwise, do your best to keep shoppers on your page for longer.

 

The benefit of asking people to check out your social media pages is that you have a better chance of staying in touch with them if they don’t buy.

 

However, a newsletter is a MUCH better option when it comes to staying in touch.

 

You don’t need a website to start a newsletter. You can create a free landing page using a service like Mailchimp. That page can simply be an image, text to encourage people to sign up, and a form to gather email addresses.

>> Here’s how to start your newsletter quickly.

 

You may even offer a perk to those who sign up (e.g. a promo code to get a small discount on their first order, or a free download, such as a current style guide).

 

 

Etsy About Section Don’ts

Here are a few don’ts to consider as well:

 

Don’t make it a sales pitch

Your About section should keep the shopper in mind, and it should help sell your products. However, it should not sound like a sales pitch.

 

It’s a more subtle way of selling yourself/your company/your products.

 

You can almost think of it as the conversation a business owner might have with someone when they’re at a dinner party and someone asks them what they do.

 

They’re not trying to sell their product at the dinner, they’re just making conversation (and maybe trying to make themselves/their business sound impressive;).

 

 

Don’t make it hard to read

Today’s online shopper scans. Big blocks of text are hard to scan, so break your About section into short paragraphs.

 

 

Don’t get too corporate

There’s something about writing text for a business that makes people overthink and overcomplicate the content.

 

You don’t have to use big fancy words or be too rigid with your writing (unless that’s part of your brand).

 

You also don’t need to come up with a clever way to say something simple.

 

Write as you would speak, or as though you’re having a conversation with your friend.

 

And remember, you’re writing for your shoppers, not your colleagues.

 

You may know what certain terms mean (e.g. serging seams, cold processing soap, triple plated jewelry, etc.), but those terms may not mean anything to the average consumer.

 

 

Don’t share irrelevant info

It’s okay to include some information that shows your human side, but sharing your favorite movie, drink, and ice cream flavor likely isn’t valuable to the person reading your About section.

 

Keep the information relevant to your business and your shoppers.

 

 

Don’t ruin perceptions

Don’t ruin the good perceptions your shoppers may already have about your business with information, photos, or videos that aren’t on-brand.

 

You may be working on your business in the middle of the night in the corner of your basement, but your shoppers don’t need to know that.

 

What type of workspace or environment might your target market want to imagine their beautiful pieces being made in?

 

Paint that picture for them, whether it’s completely true or not.

 

You don’t have to lie, but some information may be better left out.

 

For example, sharing that I have a full-time job, 2 kids, and am making my products in a corner of the basement in the middle of the night is not useful.

 

As impressive as my side-hustle might be to other business owners, to a consumer, it creates the illusion that their pieces are being quickly slapped together at the end of a long day.

 

Help paint the picture your target market wants to see.

 

 

 

Where is the About page on Etsy?

When using the mobile app, the About page is found by clicking the “About” tab at the top of the screen, when in a shop.

 

When on a desktop computer, there is an About section found at the bottom of a shop page, after the reviews.

 

 

How do you edit an Etsy About section?

To edit an Etsy About section:

1. Click “shop manager”
2. Under SALES CHANNELS in the left panel, click the pencil icon next to your shop name
3. Scroll to the About section