Are you into crafts? Are you passionate about creating beautiful objects? Do you absolutely love DIY? Why not take your jobby to the next stage and DIY your own craft website?
If you think this is a pursuit for those who are more tech-savvy, think again. It is possible to DIY your own craft website as long as you have the right tools for it.
Craft websites are growing in popularity and have become easier to make and more accessible with the growing options available.
But before that, let’s remember what makes crafts exciting.
People have been crafting for millennia. We have always enjoyed making things with our own hands and creating things not just for utility, but also for beauty and ornamentation.
We probably started as soon as we learned to fashion our first primitive tools! Today, we still have much in common with our ancestors who lived centuries--even millennia--ago. Our cultural and personal lives have been enriched by crafting.
The great cultural contribution of crafts cannot be overly emphasized. Humans love self-expression, and crafters throughout history have used all kinds of materials to express their thoughts and emotions, to the great benefit of civilization.
Being someone who is passionate about craft, you may find it a way to connect with deeper memories and feelings, as well as carry on a tradition that means a lot to you. We might be living in the 21st century, but the heart and soul of crafting is alive today, thanks to you!
Now, how do you merge this wonderful, age-old crafting hobby of yours with your current modern environment? How do you share your passion and reach out to fellow crafters, as well as potential customers?
Building a craft website might be the answer.
You will want to begin your search for a craft website builder that will make things easy for you. After all, you are a crafter and not a computer programmer. (Although who says you can’t be both?) There are many options online that give you choices on how to build a craft website for free.
What is your best option for craft website designs and craft website templates to represent the uniqueness of your brand and the special quality of your work? You will want to look around for a platform that simplifies the process of craft website design.
Strikingly offers an ideal platform to get you started. Strikingly’s range of choices for craft websites provide you with a fuss-free starting point for sharing your passion or hobby online.
Using Strikingly will prove that building craft websites need not be complicated and technical. From signup to template selection and customization, crafters should not have a problem setting up a beautiful site in a few hours.
Before you decide on which template is best for you, consider what category or type of craft you are doing. If you intend to showcase as well as sell your crafts, it would be ideal to use an ecommerce integration to get you started on your online store.
You also need to consider whether you have all the necessary materials to go online: photographs of your items, perhaps a logo or brand, and creative photography spreads that showcase not just your work but your personal taste as a crafter. All these preparations go a long way towards enhancing crafts sites.
Hire a photographer or a fellow hobbyist friend to help you with your images. Remember that website designs can only go so far. Unique and original images are the signatures that make your crafts website stand out. Stage a shoot in your workshop, create flat lays of your products, organize lifestyle shots to make people understand how your products can make a difference in their everyday lives. Armed with this basic material, you are ready to proceed with your new site.
What to Expect if you Decide to Go Online
If you are a crafter who already earns from your hobby, the transition from in-person to online sales might be something you will want to be acquainted with. Craft websites come with certain responsibilities and time allocation from the owner, especially if you want to sell your items. There are differences between in-person and online selling. It is much easier to keep track of your inventory when you are dealing with in-person sales and have a simple shop or studio for physical storage. If you want to turn your craft website into an online store, online inventory tracking might be a bit of a learning curve for you.
Craft websites have unique attributes to them. You sell unique items. When you have such items in your inventory, you need to manage the expectations of your customers. Make them understand some items are one-of-a-kind and not reproducible. You also need to avoid overlaps in reservations of an item, or worse, duplicate sales when you only have one in stock. Inventory tracking is crucial in the craft website business, and you need to be able to immediately update your inventory, so that a sale reflects immediately. In other words, sold items on craft websites should immediately be marked as such.
These features need to be integrated into your new craft website so that you are in control of your small crafts business. Strikingly offers a service that provides you with the best options for personal, portfolio and ecommerce sites that suit your needs and objectives. It has a great showcase of some of the best arts and crafts websites courtesy of its users.
Packaging matters too. When you put your unique products out into the world, you will need to consider fulfillment. You need to make sure that your items arrive in good condition. This could be tricky for certain crafts, as some materials might prove to be fragile when shipped. Consider the size of your product, as well as the attributes of the materials. Make sure that there is enough insulation or padding when you are shipping out delicate crafts.
Take the time to list ingredients, especially with homemade items with chemical formulations. Add that extra touch of personalization to show your customers and fans that they are dealing with a real person who is creating special things, and not a factory.
Opportunity for Content Marketing in Craft Websites
Alongside the obvious opportunity to sell your creations is the fulfilling opportunity to share your experience through content. Tutorials on craft websites are a great way to connect with hobbyists and potential customers. They add to the authenticity of your site, and drive sales through engagement. The best craft websites always provide more than just static photographs of products; they have multimedia engagement.
Tutorials on craft websites also give creators an opportunity to build their own personal brand alongside that of their business. You can become an authority on your particular craft by posting interesting how-to guides and hacks that enhance the whole crafting experience. This can be a source of joy and fulfillment for you. Opening up to your audience draws in a community. You can improve your business model and brand by listening to feedback and constantly connecting with your potential customers.
Craft websites provide an opportunity for brand-building and standing out from the crowd. You get the chance to showcase your expertise in a way that makes your customers or followers focus on you as a source of knowledge and inspiration. Don’t be afraid to share ideas. That next idea could be the ticket to going viral, and on the way to being ranked as one of the best craft websites on your chosen hobby.
When you are starting out, you might want to consider a free option and do everything at minimal cost. One of the biggest complaints of people who start out on a marketplace such as Etsy is not gaining ownership of their store. Etsy owns all your information when you sign up as a seller on their site. Starting out as an independent crafts website on Strikingly allows you to take control of your original materials and customer base.
Don’t be afraid to share tips and tutorials on how to make your favorite crafts. Fans appreciate DIYs!
Making DIY Crafts Websites on Strikingly
If there’s anything crafters love, it’s DIY. Strikingly offers you the chance to build your own site by choosing your own theme and features. You can immediately begin by choosing a template that goes along with your aesthetic.
- Metalwork like casting or enameling
- Papercraft
- Jewelry
- Glass
- Ceramics
- Cloth or fabric crafts like printing or DIY dyeing
- Fiber and textiles
- Stone crafts
- Wood crafts
- Leather
Choose a site design that fits your product.
Whether you fall into these categories or create your own unique craft that you consider worth sharing to the world, Strikingly’s craft website templates are the easiest first step that will get you on your way to creating a successful craft website.
