Ever find yourself creating something out of boredom, interest, or just sheer curiosity of your abilities? Then after posting it on social media, you would receive comments like: “Hey! where did you buy that?” Or “That’s pretty! I want one!”
Such a wonderful and exciting feeling, isn’t it?
But what if you sell those creations? Use your talents and turn your craft ideas into something profitable? Make money out of something you enjoy doing during your free time?
Wouldn’t that be a brilliant idea to monetize your talent? You’ll be hitting two birds with one stone! Plus, today, there is a growing market for hand-made crafts and crafting websites that is definitely booming.
It would be the perfect time to start if you’re thinking of turning your hobby into a profitable business venture. You’d be surprised how much you can grow your money through small businesses.
If you don’t know where to start, you can also get craft ideas from craft websites, or better yet, create your own craft website.
You must think this can seem to be an overwhelming big step to take and setting up one is just not one of your special abilities. The thought of building a website can be intimidating, but fear not!
Nowadays, there are a lot of free tools and website builders that can help you build arts and crafts websites and an online shop at that.
So building your craft website to get your business going will be easy peasy.
You won’t even have to do any of the tedious codings or deal with HTML or coding!
All you have to do is go to Strikingly.
What is Strikingly?
Strikingly is a website builder, and a leader at that! It has different sets of tools and functions that allows craft websites to spring into actions.
It has helped thousands of individuals launch their businesses - including craft sites on its platform.
As a website builder, Strikingly provides a platform where you can create craft websites according to your liking without having to worry about coding.
Why Strikingly?
First of all, Strikingly is one of the easiest website builders there is. All you need to do to build your craft website design is to click and edit. It’s that simple.
Within 30 minutes, you can launch your craft website and make it live for the public to see your masterpieces! Just like that, you can launch your craft website successfully by choosing Strikingly as your craft website builder.
Secondly, Strikingly offers a lot of simple craft website templates for different craft ideas.
You can simply choose which one is more compatible with the craft website design you have envisioned. If you got your idea from different craft websites, you can apply them using Strikingly too.
Plus, you won’t have to worry and stress about starting with a blank canvas. These craft website templates will ease you through the process of building your website.
Image taken from Strikingly user website
Lastly, Strikingly does not only provide you with technical help in making your craft website but it will also provide you with other support to fully utilize your website. You will be able to create a user-friendly and interesting website as time passes by.
By publishing timely blogs and content filled with tips and information tailored fit to your craft website, Strikingly helps you get your craft website updated, efficient, and relevant all the time.
How To Turn Your Hobby Into A Successful Business Through A Craft Website
As stated, Strikingly provides elements tailored-fit to help you make your craft website design better and interesting than any other craft websites.
Here are some common elements that Strikingly found in most successful and the best craft websites which you too can apply in planning and designing your craft website.
1. A personalized domain
Craft websites need a domain name for internet relevance. A free craft website builder may provide you with a free domain attached to the platform’s brand. However, getting your personalized domain for your craft website might just do you better. Why?
For one, it makes your website look more professional because it gives the impression of independence with the ability to run the craft website on your own.
Two, it helps you create and enhance your branding. Your followers or customers will simply have to type your brand name to search for you on the internet. Make it effective for recognition and recall.
And you know what? Strikingly can provide you with your domain! Or you can also opt to use an external domain registration site.
2. Let your creativity shine through
When selecting and customizing a template for your crafts website, choose designs and elements that will reflect your personality and showcase your creativity.
Image taken from Strikingly product
Choose a color scheme that best suits your brand and fill your audience with pleasure!
Create engaging product images or build a gallery that showcases all your products!
3. Decide where you want people to purchase your crafts
Craft websites can serve as your store to sell crafted produced. When it comes to selling your items, you have a variety of options.
You can advertise the items on your craft website and direct them to your Etsy shop or a brick-and-mortar store for orders. Or even better, have an online store function on your craft website as well!
Image taken from Strikingly user website
By the way, did I mention that Strikingly has a built-in eCommerce in their platform? So if you choose to put an online shop on your craft website, Strikingly will make it easy for you.
Anyway, whichever is your preference, keep in mind that having both online and physical stores can be a management challenge. However, this widens your net and lets you reach a wider market for your products.
Pro Tip:
Some businesses start online through an Etsy store and then route buyers to their craft websites.
However, if you use Strikingly’s Simple Store, you can price your items a bit lower compared to your Etsy shop because this eCommerce platform does not charge separate transaction fees outside for letting people buy on your website.
4. Social media drives interest
Craft websites need social media mileage too. Leverage the power of social media to drive traffic and interest to your website by becoming your social media influencer!
Image taken from Strikingly user website
The number of social media influencers advertising and promoting products has grown massively throughout the years. This includes many products from different craft websites. Just like them, you can become one too.
Updating your social media by making it more aesthetically pleasing and look more professional can significantly increase your followers to help your website gain relevance.
You can use social media as a tool to advertise your craft website. Run a promotion on social media and attract interest to your craft website. Or it could also be the other way around.
You can add links to your social media pages and a social stream on your site to keep all your pages updated at the same time.
By doing this, your audience who also share the same interests as you can follow you on your social media and connect you with others who also share the same interests. Thus, widening your network.
5. Add a live chat feature and/or blogs
Craft websites need to have great customer services. One of the limitations of an online store is that customers do not get human assistance during the buying process and that can be stressing and discouraging for the customers.
Thus, having a live chat feature would be a great idea.
And with Strikingly, the live chat feature is possible. Under the Audience Plan, you can engage with your audience in real-time.
This allows you to attend to inquiries and answer questions promptly. With this feature, your customers will feel at ease knowing that they have somebody attending to their queries as if they were in a physical store.
Also, why not throw in some blogs on your craft website so that your audience can get to learn more about you and the story behind each of your creations.
Image taken from Strikingly user website
It is also a good way to regularly communicate and update your audience and it will let them feel that you are comfortable with them and that they are welcome in your creative space.
6. Keep learning and tweaking
Your craft selling websites should not be static. It’s a trial and error process. Keep testing and learning new ways to introduce new products to your customers. Ride with the tide and keep up with the latest trends.
Also, appreciate and value the voice of your audience. Listen to what the website traffic data tell you about your site’s performance and make improvements on your content accordingly.
Business is a work in progress and it’s important to keep learning. Don’t settle in your comfort zone. Take risks and see how far you and your craft website can go!
In conclusion:
Your simple hobbies can be monetized.
You can post them on your social media or in online marketplaces like Etsy.
But you can go as far as having your very own craft website which you can design and edit in whatever way you like!
You can use it to keep your followers and audience updated and interested in your creations.
And with Strikingly, all those things will be a walk in the park.
And, you’ll never see web designing the same way again.
So go and show the whole world what you got!
Build your craft website with Strikingly and become one of the best craft websites!
