Traditional Website vs Etsy’s Pattern
on April 7, 2016Well, I have to say that I’ve looked into Pattern by Etsy and overall it seems to do a great job of showcasing your Etsy Shop Listings… but that’s it. Etsy most likely is catering to those that do not understand how or what it takes to get a website up and running. However, there are several limitations to using Pattern over a having your own traditional website and I’m going to outline 5 of those here.
- SEM (Search Engine Marketing). Using SEO and SEM is a must in todays competitive market and without it you’re losing customers. With Pattern, you are limiting your effectiveness to market your products that you have spent so much time on.
- Content. Though Pattern offers a place for an about us page, that’s not enough for Google and other search engines to index your site. Content is king with today’s search engines. Having a blog is VERY important to increase new visits to your website.
- Creativity. Pattern offers a number of themes and a way for you to customize colors and the like but you are limited in really making your site stand out from your competition. With your OWN traditional website you can make sure that you have something that stands out from the rest.
- Monthly costs. Yes, you have to pay money for hosting but you get much more with your own website over Pattern. It’s not enough to just have your items listed on your website. You have to think bigger to be part of this massive market called the internet. Your money would be better spent having your own website that you can manage and maintain without limiting your reach.
- Scalability. Do I need to say more? This is all about that, right? Having to pay for something that is not scaleable is very scary. With WordPress, the sky is the limit! You have access to thousands of plugins, themes and a community of 100’s of thousands to help get you where you need to be.
It’s important to note that having your own website is a key factor in scaling your business. If there’s anything you can take away from this post, it’s that you MUST be marketing your products the best way possible. Having a glorified item listings page just won’t cut it in today’s internet market. Also, I want to point out that I think Pattern is a great tool for those that are getting started but it’s truly just not enough if you want to be a major player. Have a look at Etsy360.
We have recently partnered with Squarespace to offer web solutions and recommend them for your Etsy Business.
Don’t just take my word for it… here’s just one successful Etsy seller with why you should have your own site.