5 of the Latest TPT Trends for Sellers

Kirsten 0:00

You're listening to the creative teacher podcast, a show for busy teachers looking for ways to engage, inspire and make an impact in their teacher businesses. I'm Kiersten, a teacher business owner who is all about simple and actionable tips, strategies and resources that result in wins, big or small. If you're looking for that extra spark of creativity, you've come to the right place. Let's dive in together.

Welcome to Season Two of the creative teacher podcast. I have been MIA for a good reason I made sure to take some time over the summer to take a break. And hopefully you've done the same. I cannot wait to start the season up again with some new topics to share. And just a little slight change of format. I will be posting new episodes every other week, just so I can keep that work life balance. But there's still going to be lots of great tips and ideas for you. So it'll give you a little bit more time to really soak in those episodes, go back and rewatch some episodes or re listen to some episodes, and all that fun stuff.

This episode I wanted to start it off with sharing five of the latest trends that I've noticed in the last year among TPT business owners. This episode is a really great opportunity to be in the know and just get some ideas for how you can keep your TPT store current and relevant. Two very important ways to stay top of mind.

basically, here's how this episode is gonna break down. We'll talk quickly about what a trend is. And then I'm gonna give you five different trends that are happening in the last six months to a year among TPT sellers in the business world. And just some tips. If you feel like it might be a little overwhelming for you. I want to break down what a trend is.

resources as you would now in: 2022

All right, let's talk about five trends that I have noticed in the TPT world, you may already be aware of these trends, but I just want to touch on them. So we're all on the same page with that. And it just kind of is a really great reminder in general to make sure you are current and relevant in your TPT business.

started revamping my store in: 2020

All right, Trend number two mock ups. This is for probably, well, most likely the product listings, bright, colorful mock ups in place of photos with screenshots of your resources. I, I've always gone back and forth with this, because there have been, you know, ways to make it look good. And there have been ways that it just doesn't look good. So one thing to just think about is not to overdo it, don't have every single resource, every single cover thumbnail be a mock up, you want to give potential customers an idea of what it looks like. So it does help, I really think it does help to have some photos in some, you know, in some capacity. But at least that screenshots always do good. Some of my best sellers still, you know, I still haven't had photos for quite yet I have maybe one or two, but I just kind of combine it, I use mock ups and photographs in screenshots and overlap them and kind of make them look decorative. So definitely make sure you vary the photos so that your mock up, doesn't end up looking like the other hundreds of TPT sellers with the same mock ups, there have been some really great mock up artists or photographers who do mock up photography out there, especially in the last year. I know Katie brockmeyer does a really great job of that. So shout out to her. So I have noticed a lot of her, you know her mock up photos everywhere, in some product listings. So just make sure you know not to overdo it so that you're not looking like every other person with those same mock ups. It's such a big help. And it's, you know, they're really great photos, I love them. And I use them in my own resources. Just thinking of how you know, with our all of our resources, we want to be in a way unique and stand out. So just thinking of how you can make that happen.

Trend number three would be landscape previews. So there are three ways you can orient your previews. So there's the portrait how most of your printable resources are. But that would be you know, the typical eight and a half by 11 inches. This can be helpful if you want to add a sample in your pre preview. And I started out just doing portrait previews, in the times that I did have a preview because at the beginning, I did not have a preview at all, it was not very good. Square is my second favorite. And this is really great because you can be efficient if you want to have your cover in thumbnails in one slide show. So it's just kind of like an extended version of what you already have with your covers and thumbnails, your first slide could be your cover. And then in the next six or seven slides, you have a variety of different things you add to each slide. And then three of those become your thumbnails. So that's really efficient if you're just kind of like not knowing to do what to do with your previews. And my favorite, my new favorite is landscape 16 by nine proportion dimensions. This is something that was suggested by a couple of colleagues I've heard around about this, this is a really great way for potential buyers to see everything on one page without having to scroll and see on desktop and on mobile. Previously with the other two preview, orient, tations, portrait and square you you're gonna have some words cut off, and some pictures cut off, and usually you'll have to scroll to see it. This is a little bit different on the TPT app. It's like hit or miss. But I noticed that the square previews do end up there, it's easy to say but landscape is really easy to even more easier to see on both desktop and mobile. And this is just a way to keep attention the less scrolling, the less distraction, the more opportunities to convert. You don't want to give potential customers a hard time as they're scrolling through the preview just to quickly see what they want to see. With the landscape orientation. It's really easy to see everything just in one go. And it's a lot you know, it's just that's what you want to make it as easy as possible for people trying to see what's inside the resource.

Trend number four is offering differentiated options. So with a maybe you have a test or some of some sort or an assignment where it is multiple choice, don't just put in that set of multiple choice questions. Because keep in mind, there are assuming, you know, assuming there's a variety of teachers who purchase your resources, you're going to be as a variety of students at a certain level, even if it is just for third grade, or just for fourth grade. So try adding a version that is possibly short answer where they have to fill in the answers, or maybe even add a version where some of the questions have to correct answers. So just try to see if you can make different versions to make it a little bit more challenging. Rather than just a typical multiple choice assessment, add an extension or challenge activity that's related to the topic of the resource, this can add value to what the teacher is getting, because they have more than one way they can implement it in their classes. And from year to year, depending on their students, it's really great to offer differentiated options. I know you know, I love getting resources that have variety of different ways I can implement them. It's not just one set way in stone. And even as I'm talking to you, right now, I can think of a couple of resources that can really beef up and add like, you know, instead of just multiple choice, just add another version in there. And that could be a really great selling point is that, you know, there's three, four differentiated options. So definitely consider how you can make it more differentiated, instead of just one version.

The fifth trend is making resources that are easy to prep. As a teacher in the last couple of years, I was so overwhelmed when I saw a really great resource, but it just took time to cut and laminate and prep all the little pieces and so much more. And this actually what I wouldn't even say the last couple of years, it's pretty much been my whole teaching career because I'm always wanting something really easy to prep. And I understand that from a primary standpoint, it's really good to have a lot of things to manipulate and move around because they need that visual, you know, tactile learning. But still, even then the current trends are leaning less towards preparing all the things for each station and more towards printing, and go like minimal prep as minimal prep as possible. Things have changed in the last year. And if you can keep the integrity and the fun of the resource, while making it easier on the teachers. I think this can make a really big difference.

All right, so to recap the five trends in the last year that I think TPT sellers should be aware of our having a resource that is both print and digital in one mockups the use of mockups, landscape previews, offering differentiated options, and having resources that are easy to prep. Now, if you've made it this far, you might be thinking this is so overwhelming, I've got a ton of resources that are not trending according to what has been shared. So what do I do? So I have a few tips for that, of course, don't stop everything you're doing and go back to update every single resource so that it meets the criteria of what I mentioned. That's something so you know, you don't have to panic, you can do when you have the time, go back and update a resource a little bit of time, or just try incorporating one or more of the trends as needed. If you're currently creating a resource, think of these five different trends and see how you can incorporate that. Also, another tip would be just enhancing a few of your best sellers, think about what sells pretty well in your store and see what you can do to enhance it, maybe there's a way to make it a little bit more differentiated, maybe you can update your preview so that it's landscape orientation, maybe you can add a digital version, even if it's just adding like an easel page, making it digital as something just to enhance it. And then also just take note of resources that might not have been updated for a while. And maybe it just doesn't sell as well try to update it with one of the trends I mentioned. So those are some tips. Just first and foremost, don't try to stop everything and update it so that it's trending relevant. We have to be our you know, we have to be realistic of what we can handle and it's okay. You know, just thinking towards the future is to make sure as you're creating your resources that it is in line with what is currently trending.

Alright, here's my creative action tip for you. I want you to pick one resource, either your best seller or one you have not yet updated. Take a look at the resource and see what you can do to make trending. Maybe you need to cut out, you know all the prep that it has all the little pieces. Maybe you could add a short answer version of a activity or quiz. Those are some ideas. Now I have a special presentation that I shared at the TPT forward conference. And I know not everybody had the chance to attend for a variety of reasons. And that's totally fine. My presentation was all about creating a viral worthy resource. But I do have good news. I have the TPT session in my TPT. Store. I'll share the link in the show notes and on the blog. But if you're interested in finding out, you know, what does it mean to be viral worthy, and some steps into that as well as a case study on one of my best sellers, I always love learning from different case studies. Definitely check that out, check out that link and see if it is something that is right for you if you're looking to see how you can really create trending and current and relevant resources.

Well, that's the end of this episode. Thanks for tuning in. And I cannot wait to talk to you again soon. Thanks for tuning in to the creative teacher podcast. If you enjoyed listening to today's episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review. I'd love to hear your feedback. You can also find me on Instagram at the southern teach. I cannot wait for you to join me in the next episode for more tips and inspiration. Have an amazing day.