If you are a seller on Etsy and you’ve been around a while, you know there are a ton of ways to promote your shop.  You have dozens of forums, message boards, social media outlets, websites that need to become part of your daily life in order to get your name out there and start driving traffic to your shop.  Most businesses have their own website, usually this is where you would directly buy products, but it’s also a great resource to allow others to find you on the wonderful world of the internets.  Completely customizable, you can make it look however you want, include amazing photos and even plug all your other web places (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc).

The Storque on Etsy recently had an article for a new Etsy hack called Webs.  This allows you to create a simple website if you don’t already have one and integrate your Etsy store along with all your other web places.  Here is the article below with the basics:

Webs.com, a service that makes it easy to create professional-looking websites, was founded in 2001 by three brothers. Haroon Mokhtarzada, the middle brother, noticed that there were a lot of Etsy members making websites on Webs, and yet there was no easy way of getting their Etsy items onto their sites. He also noticed that Etsy teams didn’t have a way to display all their items in one place. So he set out to develop the Etsy App on Webs, a simple and quick way to showcase Etsy products on a website. For his part, Haroon is now trying in vain to stop searching Etsy while at work for handmade items for his two little girls.

What’s the basic idea of the application?
You can create your own website at Webs.com and connect it directly to your Etsy shop with one click.

The Etsy App syncs your entire Etsy portfolio with your website. In a matter of seconds, it automatically pulls all of your products from Etsy — complete with images, descriptions, and prices — to a new page on your website. This new Etsy page lets your visitors browse, search, and view full descriptions of all your items. And when they click the “Buy Now” button below each piece, they are conveniently taken to that item’s “Add to Cart” page on Etsy. It’s not about replacing your Etsy shop; it’s about promoting all the items in it from your own professional-looking website.

As we’ve seen from the success of Project Runway and its spin-offs, people love to watch as designers create their handmade pieces. A Webs.com website with the Etsy App can give your customers insight into your creative process. Write about your inspiration on your blog, post photos of sketches and designs for new items, and post videos to show how you make your pieces. These elements will bring your products to life. Your personality comes through, cultivating and deepening your relationship with your customers.

Does this involve a lot of work? How many sellers are using it?
Not at all! The app takes seconds to set up and automatically syncs all of your product information. All you have to do is type in your Etsy username. Your items instantly appear on your website and they will be linked directly to Etsy.com, so if someone likes what they see they can purchase right away. The Etsy App is available to all Webs.com users, and is free for a limited time. Thousands of members have tried the app. Check out a few: Puppy Friends (a.k.a. JHannah), TootleWear, and Art By Michelle.

What’s it like to create a website on Webs?
My brothers and I created Webs to be simple enough for our mother to use. Basically, you choose a template, select what pages you want, add your content and publish. You don’t even need to know what a server is; you just have to be creative… and we have a feeling you might be! You don’t have to download anything. And with our apps you can add rich content like blogs, photo and video galleries.

Where do we go to find it? What’s the URL, etc.?
New users should go to Webs.com and sign up. Once you have your site up, visit the Webs App Store to select the Etsy App.

What should one do if there’s a bug or a problem? Who should one contact?
All Webs users can visit our Support Portal for any issues. With our Knowledge Base, Forum, and Video Tutorials, you’ll find the help you need. Plus, if you’re a premium member you have access to our 24/7 Live Chat support.

What’s your favorite part about the app?
Our favorite part is its inherent simplicity, which goes well with our general philosophy. I’ll leave you with a testimonial from one of our most loyal users:

“Thank you so much for all that you’ve done for us! The Webs Etsy application has been wonderful. It has opened up a new avenue for French Cupboard by allowing us to promote our members who have Etsy shops as well as drawing in new members. Because of the way that the application functions, we are able advertise our site on the Etsy promotional boards and work with Etsy teams to cross-promote. We are so delighted with the application that we are in the process of planning a Holiday Market in addition to the French Barn. We are especially grateful to Veronica and the developers for working so closely with us and making this an affordable and successful option for our business. Many thanks. Blessings, Polly.”

And if you think you want something a bit more involved, you can always hire a web designer like Fat Dude Design to create an amazing website for you.