Unlocking Etsy Growth: SEO and Pinterest Strategies from Julie of P&W Designs

Are you pouring your heart into your Etsy shop but still hearing crickets? You’re not alone—and the good news is, there’s a way to change that. If you’re serious about Etsy growth, keep reading.

Meet Julie from P&W Designs. She used to sell custom paper planners on Etsy and knows exactly what it feels like to put in tons of effort and get very little back. Her shop didn’t take off the way she hoped—mainly because she didn’t understand one major thing at the time: SEO.

Fast forward to today, Julie is now a web designer and Pinterest strategist helping small business owners show up online and actually get seen.

Understanding the SEO Foundation for Etsy Growth and Success

Before Julie transitioned into web design, SEO, and Pinterest consulting, she ran a planner business—complete with an Etsy shop selling printable wellness trackers. Despite her passion, she struggled to gain traction. “If I had known SEO back then,” she reflects, “both my planner business and Etsy could have been so much more successful.” That experience fueled her mission: to equip small business owners with the SEO expertise they need to make their hard work pay off.

At its core, SEO on Etsy means more than dropping a couple of popular keywords in your title. Etsy search rewards listings that speak directly to buyer intent, so it’s critical to:

1. Conduct in-depth keyword research. Identify the phrases real buyers use—often multi-word queries (long-tail keywords) rather than generic terms.
2. Optimize every listing field. Titles, tags, descriptions, even image alt text: these all feed into Etsy’s algorithm.
3. Refresh and refine over time. Track which keywords convert and iteratively tweak your listings to stay ahead.

By mastering these fundamentals, you ensure that when someone searches for “minimalist weekly planner for entrepreneurs,” your listing actually appears—rather than getting buried under a sea of one-word tags like “planner.”

Long-Tail Keywords: The Secret Sauce

Many sellers default to short “head” keywords—one or two words that are fiercely competitive. Julie advises niching down: “Narrowing your content to long-tail keywords is one of the fundamental ways of getting people to see your content.” For example, instead of targeting “planner,” aim for “custom ring-bound desk planner for small business.”

What makes Etsy especially powerful is its ability to target multiple long-tail queries at once. Unlike Pinterest or standard websites, Etsy allows you to mix and match keyword variations in your tags and titles, giving you a multi-pronged approach without extra work.

Action Steps

• List 5–10 phrases that describe exactly what makes your product unique.
• Use tools like EtsyRank or Marmalead to validate search volume.
• Update your listing every month to refine tags based on actual performance.

Batch-Creating and Scheduling Pins for Consistent Traffic

Once your listings are SEO-tight, Pinterest becomes your amplifier—if you use it smartly. Julie’s signature approach? Batch working. Here’s how she scales pin output without burning your weekends:

1. Pick 4 core products or pieces of content.
2. Design 30 distinct pins per item. Rotate images, headlines, color schemes.
3. Schedule via Tailwind with spacing rules. Pin product 1 on day 1, product 2 on day 2, etc., then circle back every four days.

This yields 120 scheduled pins in a single 4–5-hour block. Julie notes, “You’ll get about four to five pins published per day on average, which keeps fresh content flowing without daily effort.” Over three to six months, this volume delivers meaningful clicks—often 10–100 per pin—and builds organic search traffic back to your Etsy store.

Optimizing Your Pinterest Profile and Boards

Traffic only matters if it comes from the right audience. Julie emphasizes cleaning house before promoting:

• Convert personal accounts to business. Hide (don’t delete) legacy boards that don’t align with your brand.
• Create at least 10 keyword-rich boards. A board named “Crafts” is too broad; rename it to “DIY Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids.”
• Write board descriptions naturally. Sprinkle long-tail keywords in sentences, not lists.

Proper profile and board setup tells Pinterest exactly who you serve—so it pushes your pins to relevant feeds, rather than random scrollers.

Leveraging Video Pins and Strategic Ad Boost

While image pins remain a cornerstone, Julie has seen video pins dramatically increase impressions. The caveat? Click-through rates are lower. To balance reach and engagement:

• Repost viral Instagram Reels (e.g., your top tutorial or testimonial) as video pins to boost visibility.
• Link back to long-form content (blog posts, YouTube videos) so viewers can dive deeper.
• Run ads only on your proven winners. Spend $50–$70 boosting a high-performing pin and watch it drive 1,000+ clicks—while lifting the performance of other pins on the same topic.

This combination ensures that ad dollars amplify genuine interest, rather than casting a wide net on untested creatives.

Building a Sustainable System

Realistic expectations are key: Julie warns that three to six months is typical before seeing consistent traffic growth. She schedules client content one month in advance, so there’s no rush to meet arbitrary posting dates. Tools she swears by:

• Canva for pin templates—store your 4–5 master designs and swap images or headlines as needed.
• Tailwind for scheduling, spacing, and basic AI-assisted descriptions (always supply your own keywords!).
• ChatGPT (or “Chachapiti,” as she jokes) to craft natural-sounding pin titles and descriptions—just feed it your target phrases.

By systematizing creation, optimization, and scheduling, you transform Pinterest from a time sink into a reliable traffic engine.

Etsy Growth: Take Action Today

You don’t need a big agency or a six-figure ad budget to grow your Etsy shop. Start with SEO fundamentals: long-tail keywords, optimized listings, and consistent monitoring. Layer on a batch-pinning strategy, refine your Pinterest profile, and selectively boost your best content.

As Julie of P&W Designs puts it, “You’ve already done the research for your Etsy listings—now pivot that work to Pinterest.” Commit a few focused hours each month, and watch true organic growth take root. Your next six-figure Etsy milestone could be just a pin schedule away.

About Julie:

Julie is the founder of P&W Designs, where she helps entrepreneurs grow their online presence through strategic SEO, Pinterest systems, and web design. With a background in Etsy and product-based sales, Julie now empowers other creatives to take control of their organic traffic. She offers Pinterest audits, SEO setups, and monthly management—plus a free Pinterest Marketing Guide to help you get started.

Website: https://www.bypwdesigns.com/pinterest-marketing-guide/#pinterest

Instagram: julie.pwdesigns

⏳ Currently booking new client.

To learn more about Etsy marketing tips, check out Etsy Seller Success podcast.

And don’t forget to follow Dylan on Instagram for more tips and behind-the-scenes seller strategies!