FAQ
What is Handmade Spark?
Handmade Spark is a marketing service for Etsy pros. We provide search engine optimization (SEO) services for Etsy shops so that your handmade items are more easily found in search results.
What does the Handmade Spark marketing service include?
Handmade Spark Mini-site - Get more visibility for your handmade items with a Handmade Spark Mini-site and Product pages with our unique SEO structure that helps your items get more visibility in searches. Plus, your Mini-site serves as a communications hub for all of your online "homes": connect your blog, website, Etsy shop, Facebook page, Twitter - all in one spot.
See example Mini-site here.
Handmade Spark Directory - All Handmade Spark members are listed in the Handmade Spark Directory - where sellers can be found by category or by location.
See Directory here.
How can I buy on Handmade Spark?
If you see an item on Handmade Spark that you want to buy you can buy it on Etsy. Simply click the "Buy on Etsy" button on Product page, or ask the seller a question through the "Contact Me" button.
See an example product page here.How can I sell on Handmade Spark?
You must have an Etsy shop to join Handmade Spark. All sales on Handmade Spark are completed on Etsy.com through the Etsy sales system.
How do I install Google Analytics on my mini-site?
Here is a step by step tutorial to help you install a Google Analytics (GA) tracking code on your mini-site: Make sure that you have separate GA tracking codes for each of your "web profiles" that you want to track. For example: if you set up separate web profiles for your Etsy shop and your Handmade Spark Mini-Site, they will look something like this:
UA-12345678-1 (code for your Etsy shop)
UA-12345678-2 (code for your Handmade Spark mini-site)
Once your GA tracking code is installed in your Handmade Spark mini-site, it usually takes between 24 and 48 hours until you can start seeing the traffic coming into your mini-site. You can also learn more about Google Analytics by going to their website: http://www.google.com/analytics/
How quickly will the traffic increase into my Etsy shop?
Handmade Spark gets you more traffic by helping you take up more "real estate" in search results. Handmade Spark members generally see the best results after 3 months of membership. Because our service optimizes your Etsy shop so that search engines crawling the Internet find more of the items you're making and selling online, you may experience slow traffic initially as the major search engines find and index your pages.
The simplest way to think about the service is to imagine your Etsy shop and the number of items you are currently carrying. Now double that number. If that number is over 200, then your handmade items are more likely to be found. However, if you're just starting out and your shop "shelves" are still sparse, Handmade Spark might not be the best marketing service for your needs. Handmade Spark uses the Etsy API to pull a data-feed of your handmade items and automatically create a second location for people to find and love what you make along with links to all your other online homes.
Handmade Spark members that generate the most organic search traffic generally have:
- 100 or more items in their Etsy shop
- 9-12 months on Etsy
- 2+ other online marketing channels, such as Facebook Pages, Twitter feeds, blogs, websites, or other marketing outlets that help get the word out about your love of handmade goods.
Still on your way to reaching those benchmarks? We've got a site for you:
ThingsPeopleMake.com is a free site for social making, and a great way to get feedback from other handmade enthusiasts on your journey to becoming a star Etsy seller!
Do I have to do anything?
A Handmade Spark Mini-Site should be one of many "tools" in your toolbox to help you build your handmade business. The most successful Etsy sellers polish their titles and descriptions, carefully choose only the best photographs, and get the word out about their handmade genius by sharing their passion for making.
For more detailed suggestions to help you go from Etsy newbie to superstar, check out our New User Guide and Blog. Both are filled to the brim with tips for aspiring crafters and Etsy pros.
I need to update my mini-site, how do I log-in?
To log in to your Mini-site, click here. Then choose the SAME social login you used when you first activated and logged in to your Handmade Spark Mini-site.
I am not getting any emails from Handmade Spark, what do I do?
Please check your spam folder for the sign-in confirmation emails or our Daily Fuse emails. Then mark Handmade Spark as "safe" to ensure sure that all emails come directly to your inbox.
The system is not letting me log-in, what do I do?
There are a few reasons why you may not be able to log in:
- Your account was never registered. Check your email for your subscription confirmation and click the registration link enclosed.
- You are not using the correct social login. Handmade Spark has 6 different options to log in the first time: Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo, Google, and Flickr. However, after you choose your login method for the first time, you must use the same social login EVERY time. (Have two Handmade Spark Mini-sites? Use different social logins for each one to ensure that you will be able to access your account.)
If you still can't get in, please contact support@handmadespark.com and we will contact you as soon as possible to assist with your issue.
How do I get my avatar to show up in the comments section on your site?
In the comments section of any blog post, hit the "Disqus" button above the comment section. You can create a profile for Disqus, upload an avatar, and add information that you want to include. Disqus is a popular comment program used by many websites and blogs, and your Disqus profile is universal to all of those sites. Disqus will even keep track of your favorite sites and provide a record of your comments.
I have multiple Etsy shops and would like to have a Mini-Site for each one. Can I sign up using the same email for each shop?
You can sign up multiple shops with the same contact email address, however you must choose a different social login method for each shop. For example, you could choose to log in to your 1st shop with Twitter and your 2nd shop with Facebook. Please be sure to note the different login methods for your shops, since Handmade Spark can only associate one login method per shop.
I want to change my credit card info for my Mini-Site. How can I do that?
If you're using PayPal to pay for your monthly subscription payments, log into the Paypal account you used to purchase your Handmade Spark subscription and update your credit card information there.
If you did not pay with PayPal, contact the Handmade Spark Support Team at support@handmadespark.com to change or update your credit card information.
I received an email titled "Account Past Due Email Notification", but the payments are made monthly automatically via PayPal (or from my credit card). Why am I receiving this email? What will happen if I don't make the payment or respond to the email?
An email is sent to the accounts that we receive notification that the payment cannot be processed. Most of the time this is due to an expired credit card, missing payment information, and/or a change in your bank accounts.
If you do not update the credit card account any and all payments from that account will not be processed and will cause your Handmade Spark to have an outstanding balance. Upon receiving the email, please verify your payment information and follow the instructions provided. If you fail to provide Handmade Spark with your updated information or do not respond the email prior to the date provided, your Handmade Spark mini-site will be cancelled.
How do I cancel my account?
You can cancel your Handmade Spark account in the dashboard of your Mini-site by clicking the "Cancel Account" button in the bottom right corner of the box on the right side of the page.
Where can I read your terms of use?
http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/terms/Where can I read your Privacy Policy?
http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/privacy-policy/
