Sell Jewelry Online

6 Ways to Build Your Professional Presence on the Internet

© by Rena Klingenberg; all rights reserved

To sell jewelry online, it's helpful to make yourself more visible on the Internet.

Expand your presence on the Web to expand your sales.

The Web offers endless opportunities to showcase your artistry, position yourself as a professional artist, and make people feel comfortable with buying from you online.

Here's how to build your professional presence on the Internet, which will ultimately help you sell jewelry online.

6 Ways to Build Your Professional Presence
to Sell Jewelry Online

Get Published Online

Unfortunately, potential jewelry customers are not likely to see the jewelry-making magazines where your jewelry designs and projects are published.

However, they're very likely to see some of the places you're published online.

When you sell jewelry online, potential customers often do a Google search for your name (or your jewelry business name) to find out more about your work and your business before they buy.

And if their Google search turns up a nice array of your jewelry articles, tips, tutorials, gallery postings, etc. published around the Web, it really gives you an aura of professionalism and trustworthiness in their eyes.

So create some high-quality, original jewelry-related content and get it posted somewhere on the Web (other than on your own site or blog), with your name, your jewelry business name, and a link back to your website.

You might submit a tutorial, a jewelry making tip, a writeup about a recent jewelry show you did, or even post an image of one of your recent creations in an online jewelry gallery.

Consider doing this at least once a month, to build up a body of jewelry-related content on the Internet with your name and link.

My network of jewelry websites publishes lots of great content from jewelry artists - you can share your jewelry content here.

In addition to boosting your website traffic, getting published online also enhances your status as a professional artist.

For proof of why it's worthwhile to get published online, see jewelry designer Dawn Woodward's experience with The Power of Being Published.

Own and Use a Permanent
Web Address for Your Jewelry Business

No matter how you sell jewelry online, it's important for your jewelry business to have a permanent, unchanging "home" webpage on the Internet.

This permanent home can be either a blog or your own website - but it should have a domain name that you own and have complete control over.

A permanent web page for your jewelry business
will gain more links and traffic over time.

Use this permanent URL ("www" address) on your jewelry business cards, your jewelry packaging, your email signature, and all of your other marketing efforts.

This is also the URL you'll use for all the backlinks you build, all around the Internet, that point to your jewelry business - links that increase in value and send more traffic over time.

So no matter how or where you decide to sell jewelry online over time, your growing base of customers and friends will always be able to find you in the same spot on the Web.

Your permanent jewelry business home on the Internet could be a simple one-page website featuring a lovely photo of your jewelry, your contact info, plus a link ("enter my online jewelry boutique") that leads to whatever online storefront(s) you're currently using.

This way you can switch to a different online storefront without losing any customers, traffic, or backlinks. Simply change your "enter my online jewelry boutique" link to point to your new storefront.

Learn more about this important strategy in Why Your Jewelry Business Needs a Permanent Web Address.

Make Your Website Banner
Your Brand

The banner across the top of your website or blog is an important part of your branding (the overall impression people have of your jewelry business).

A great banner can help you sell jewelry online because it communicates that you're a professional artisan.

It sets the stage for your entire website and your image as an artist. It's the first impression that invites people to stay or makes them want to leave your site - as Sue Runyon explains in Banner Design Tips (her fascinating story of evolving to a professional-looking banner).

Every element of your banner - the colors, fonts, images, layout, etc. - should express the personality of your jewelry and the way you run your business.

Establish your jewelry business brand on the Internet by using the same banner on your website, blog, online storefronts, etc.

Complete your branding by carrying the elements of your banner design (color, fonts, images, etc.) over onto your jewelry business cards and packaging.

For more inspiration, see How a Custom Banner Was Created for Curvy Girl Jewelry Etsy Shop.

Sell Jewelry Online by
Building Customers' Trust in Your Work

Somewhere in your online presence - preferably on your own website - include these features that help potential customers appreciate your artistry and feel comfortable doing business with you:

• An "about me" or "artist bio" page -
  
  This sharing is a powerful way to build trust. Many people who land on your jewelry website will go to this page to learn more about the artist - how you got into making jewelry, your experience, etc. Even though they can't meet you in person online, they still want to get to know you - especially before they buy anything from you. See my tips for creating an effective "about" page.


• A "press page" or "as seen in" section -
  
  Show all the places your jewelry has been talked about or showcased, both online and offline. Also include all interviews of you as an artist, and anyplace you've been featured as an artist. This section reassures customers that you've been around as an artist for awhile, and that you're the "real deal".


• A "sold gallery" page -
  
  Show images of your jewelry that's been purchased in the past (it doesn't matter whether customers bought the jewelry online or offline). People always feel more secure about buying from a business when they can see that other folks have happily shopped there too.


• A page or section on how your jewelry is made -
  
  Use photos and text to demonstrate how your jewelry is made, and the quality features you build into each piece. It's hard for people to appreciate your quality craftsmanship and designs, unless you provide a "show and tell" that helps them understand the value of your work. See this discussion for tips on educating customers about the quality of your jewelry.

If you want to sell jewelry online, building your potential customers' trust in you, your jewelry, and your business is a huge factor.

Make customers aware of your jewelry's handmade quality features.

Sell Jewelry Online
by Being Interesting

Give people an interesting peek into your life as an artist.

People get to know you when you regularly blog a bit about your experiences, goals, jewelry showings, classes you're taking or teaching, your works in progress, etc.

They also learn more about the quality and expertise that go into each piece of jewelry you make - which elevates the value of your jewelry in their eyes.

Blogging like this also gives customers the opportunity to communicate with you via the comments on your posts.

And when people get to know you and develop an appreciation for your artistry, there's a good chance they may be interested in buying it.

An actual handmade jewelry customer explains this beautifully in Why I Buy from a Jewelry Blogger.

This kind of open communication and sharing is an important way to build your professional, positive presence online.

You may even sell jewelry online directly from your blog,
when a customer reads about your process of creating it.

Build a Friendly Presence
Where Your Customers Go Online

I often mention social networking as an excellent way to build your jewelry business presence online.

Make the most of opportunities to interact in non-business ways with your jewelry customers (and potential customers) online.

Go where they go on the Web, and interact with them "off duty", as a true friend. Give more than you expect to receive.

Get to know them, and let them get to know you.

They will naturally find your online jewelry business via your social site profiles and signature links.

And they'll naturally be interested in - and feel comfortable with - shopping from you, their friend.

For more tips, see Social Networking: Sell Your Jewelry Online the New Way.

Cultivating true friendships in your customer niche is a huge success strategy if you want to sell jewelry online.