Step 3. Continue To Grow
After you launched your Artist Shop you’ll want to keep it growing! The good news is we cover Shop hosting, logistics, and customer service so you can focus on your art and marketing. All you do have to do is update your Shop with fresh designs and continue to get the word out. As a brand and a business, you always want to show off your latest work to as many new people as possible.
#1. Make sure your Artist Shop is opted into the Threadless Marketplace.
A majority of the designs we feature on our main site come directly from the Threadless Marketplace. By opting into the Marketplace, your shop’s products may appear in Threadless search. Having designs in the Marketplace increases your chances of getting featured in promotional emails, social media posts, and on the homepage. It could also boost your sales over time. In 2020, shops that opted into the Marketplace had a 104% lift in sales compared to shops not opted in.
Since designs in the Marketplace are curated for Threadless customers, opting into the marketplace does not guarantee your designs will be included in the Threadless catalog. Selected designs have been curated and prioritized to fit Threadless customers' browsing and purchasing preferences. If you have opted into the Marketplace and your designs are selected to be included, customers may find your designs as long as they are tagged appropriately. Read this guide to tagging to ensure your designs will queue in a search on Threadless.
#2. Add 1–2 new designs to your shop each week.
In addition to opting into the Threadless Marketplace, you should regularly update your shop with new designs. The more designs and products you add, the more chances you’ll have at making a sale and the more chances you'll have to share about your shop and designs on social media to help spread the word.
#3. Tell customers your story on your About Page.
Don't just connect your social media and call it a day. How would you describe your art? What inspires you? What led you to become an artist? Your customers want to know more about you. A personal About Page allows you to connect with your fans on a more individual or even emotional level. And if your Artist Shop is selected to be featured on Threadless, this information also allows us to share your story if and when we feature your art!
But do remember to add links to your social media profiles and website. If we share your art on our social channels, we want to tag your preferred profile.
#4. Expand your talent in Design Challenges.
Design Challenges allow Threadless to curate designs centered around specific themes. Challenges have been around since the beginning of Threadless, and continue to be a way we keep the Threadless Marketplace fresh. If you submit to a Design Challenge and win, you’ll get a cash prize and we’ll print your design. You’ll also receive earnings every time your design sells, and it will be immortalized on the challenge’s page.
Even if you don’t win, it's a good way to create new work that can be added to your Artist Shop and there’s still a chance that your design will make it into the Marketplace. Plus, hundreds of Threadless community members will see and score your design or better yet discover your shop. More traffic means more potential for sales!
#5. Join Threadless in fundraising for great charities.
With Threadless Causes, you can use your art to fundraise for charities doing critical work around the globe. This Artist Shops feature enables you to donate a percentage of your earnings from the sale of any design you select in your shop. You also choose the Cause and charity to support. Additionally, Threadless is matching collective donations up to $100,000 for each Cause!
On Threadless, we routinely feature Causes designs on social media, via the Threadless Blog, and in our email newsletter. If you decide to join us in our fundraising efforts, you’ll increase your chances of a feature. Refer to our Help Page for more information on adding Causes to your designs.
#6. Make your Artist Shop look awesome.
Not just for your current customers, but we’re always looking for examples of great-looking Artist Shops to share with the Threadless and Artist Shops community. There are so many ways you can customize your shop to make it uniquely yours. If you haven't already, we highly recommend doing the following:
- Upload a shop logo and custom banner. These images set the tone for your shop and are the first things your visitors see. Use them to showcase your art style and establish your brand’s personality.
- Curate your homepage collection. Include a mix of new and popular designs and products. Also use custom imagery such as lifestyle photos to grab attention. If you don’t have the time or resources to snap lifestyle photos yourself, edit your designs into our lifestyle overlays. Or, make lifestyle images using Placeit. We’ve even arranged for you to get 20% off a monthly subscription using this link.
- Make themed collections. Treat them as curated gift guides enabling curious shoppers to quickly find what they want. Consider creating collections based on specific subject matter, art styles, holidays, and types of shoppers.
- Customize your Department Names. You can edit any of the five default Department Names to make your shop gender neutral, add additional branding, and/or highlight specific products. Refer to our Help Page for more information.
#7. Promote your shop often on social media.
This is a biggie! The more you promote your Artist Shop on social media, the more chances you’ll have at getting seen and even reposted. Reposts can present your shop to new audiences unfamiliar with your work. Here are a few tips on how to get reposted by Threadless on social media:
- Be sure to tag us with @Threadless so we can find your post.
- Include custom imagery of your designs. Lifestyle photography in particular allows potential customers to envision how your products will fit in their everyday lives. Share pictures of your friends, family, and customers wearing your stuff to build excitement and grab attention.
- Write a caption for your post. Tell us a little bit about your designs and make sure to link or direct followers to your Artist Shop (e.g. Link in bio!).
Check out our Creative Resource article 10 Answers to the Question “How Do I Get More Sales?” for more tips and tricks to growing your Artist Shop and gaining more sales.