Promoting Your App

If your app is ready to go into production, you're probably eager to promote it to Etsy users. Etsy is a social community; one with rules for how members interact. Before you start to communicate with Etsy members, you should familiarize yourself with our Etsy Guidelines.

Contacting Etsy Members

Etsy has a messaging system called Conversations (or "Convos" for short). Using Conversations, you can reach out to users of your app directly, and your users can reach out to you privately for support. You may use Conversations to provide customer support to your users.

However, we have strict rules concerning the use of Conversations for unsolicited commercial messaging or bulk messaging (i.e. "spam"). Simply put, you may not use Conversations to promote your app to any Etsy members. Accounts that misuse the Conversations feature for unsolicited messaging may be terminated without warning. Please see our Conversations policies for more information.

Teams and Forums

Etsy has a number of Forums where members come together to discuss topics of general interest. You may not create new threads to promote your app—this policy also applies to sellers promoting their shops in the Forums. However, you may mention your app in a direct reply to a forum post if relevant. For example, if an Etsy member asks a question such as, "Is there an app that will renew my listings?", you can reply in the thread with a link to your app. Etsy Forums moderators may remove content or close threads that violate these policies or the Community Policy.

Similar to Forums, the Teams feature allows Etsy members to organize themselves into communities based upon common interest. Each team sets its own rules. Before posting in a team discussion, check the team's charter for its rules and regulations. If you're in doubt, check with the team's captain.

Etsy also has an official Etsy Apps Team. This team was set up with the sole purpose of connecting Etsy members with app developers. You are free to promote your app in this team at any time.

In addition, consider starting a new team for your app. This is a great way to stay in touch with your users and provide customer support.

More info: Community Guidelines