The Teacher VA

18/07/2023

Here’s how I take the pulse of my TpT store.

1. Go to the dashboard and select custom time frame
2. I selected July 1 - 31 of 2022.
3. I selected my products and looked at what sold last year

My July is slow like last year. I can see what sold last year and when.

The summer months are@slower for many sellers. Relax and enjoy the break, and optimize those products that are selling to the teachers overly excited for the school year to start.

Just a heads up, I go back next week, so you may see a sales increase for districts like mine that.

Enjoy your warm coffee on a Tuesday, because soon, these slower mornings will be gone.

14/07/2023

Getting your resources seen in search is the number one piece of advice I would give to anyone gearing up for the new school year. Here’s what you can do:

1) Conduct research on TpT. Go to the search and find out what teachers are searching for.

2) Select a keyword phrase that has a high search volume, but that you could rank for. Showing up on page 1 of a search with 20 results is not the same as showing up on page of a search with 500.

3) Repeat your keyword phrase 2-3 times.

4) Track your progress, looking at how long it takes you to get 100 views, the conversion rate, the view to preview rate, and the preview to purchase rates. These numbers will help you analyze what is, or isn’t working, in your listing.

Need help? Check out my blogs for TpT sellers.

Want help listing and tracking this BTS season? Send me a DM and I will get your listings ready for the BTS season.

03/07/2023

Carousel: 3 ways to isolate your TpT data

With quarter 3 officially underway, and BTS season just a month away, it’s time to start isolating your data.

You can do this in your TpT dashboard with a few simple clicks, or your can download your TpT data (I prefer the first method personally).

Here are some ways I use my data dashboard to prepare for quarter 3:

📊Time specific

I do this looking at specific months, and specific quarters. This helps me decide what products to improve, what new products to make, as well as what Pinterest pins to create, or other advertising efforts I want to make. Combine this super power with email marketing to know what emails to send your audience.

📊Data specific

Finding extra money in your TpT existing products is as easy as playing with views, price, and conversion. Predict sales for the coming quarter and even find ways to pull on one of the three data levers to bring in extra money from products that sold well last quarter 3.

📊Product Specific

Limit the noise in your dashboard and see what your top five sellers were last quarter 3. What in those listings could be better to get you more views, more sales, or more revenue?

Interested in getting to know your dashboard better? Want a BTS product planning session?

I want to spill the beans in a 90 minute workshop and I have my product planning Airtable that keeps me organized and on track when it comes to product updates and listings as a BONUs. Let me know if your interested by dropping a 🧨 below, and I will get to work setting it up.

04/06/2023

I remember when I scoured Pinterest for things to keep me busy all summer long while my husband was at work and I, then childless, was a teacher on summer break.

Yesterday was the official start of summer and it took me all day to stage and take photos for another teacher because we have a teething 6 month old.

Helping other teachers is a challenge when you have kiddos. How do all the mompreneurs do it? Dish your best kept secret in the comments.

02/06/2023

Need help? Here are five things I am an expert in:

🔥Cooking over the fire (especially Dutch Oven recipes - think Oregon Trail) when camping

💻SEO Title optimization for your TpT listing

👩🏼‍💻Analyzing TpT data and finding a extra $1k in existing products

📱🤳🏼Ordering via DoorDash for school lunch

🤱Pumping, grading, and eating DoorDash on a 30 minute lunch break

What are you an expert in?

13/05/2023

After implementing my data based approach to product updates, I started seeing more views, hear more chachings, and see measurable growth on my TpT listings.

Updating your listing is rooted in the buyer’s journey.

When a buyer goes to TpT, they:
1) Type a query into the search.
2) TpT crawls listings ranking results using keyword data in titles, listings, and ranks the results based on having certain listing elements, as well as reviews and overall ratings
3) if your listing shows up on page 1, a buyer has to be intrigued by your cover and snippet to even click on it.

Then the journey continues to your actual listing.

So, what data matters? I have a blog for that, but let’s just focus on views.

No 👀, no 💰

How can I help? With an SEO optimized listing that helps you rank in search, you will get more 👀which can lead to more 👀💰.

Ready to start showing up? Comment 👀 and I will send you my listing services.

I can’t wait to help you show up in search.

07/05/2023

Let’s plan your best ever product update summer session.

How should you slice the update cake? Check out my five ways in this week’s blog post.

Need the link. Comment “facelift” and I will send it to you!

03/05/2023

Hey, hey, hey! What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say TpT sales are down?

If you're thinking something like "inflation," "economy," or "personal search," then you're not alone. But hold up, hun. Blaming external forces for your low sales is not the way to go.

When you start pointing fingers and playing the blame game, you're giving up your power to make a change. And that's not cute, okay? Plus, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and ain't nobody got time for that.

Let me drop some knowledge on you from Michael Hyatt, the author of Mind Your Mindset. His business coach once asked him why his publishing company didn't meet their quarterly goals. And what did he do? He blamed it on the consumer patterns, girl. Sound familiar?

But then the coach asked him a different question: "If you could go back 30 days, what would you change about your approach?" And guess what? He had two things he would've done differently, but he didn't. So, the coach hit him with the truth bomb: "It was your leadership that led to that failure."

Now, TpT sales may be down for many sellers, and everyone's out here blaming the economy, personal search, and bad luck. But here's the tea: there are still stores growing and selling.

So instead of playing the blame game, let's take responsibility for our actions and decisions. We can think outside the box and come up with new strategies to increase sales. It's time to take back our power, baby!

And while we're at it, tag a friend below who needs to hear this message.

01/05/2023

3, 2, 1…

3 things I love in no particular order (😉):
🏕️camping
🍹cocktails
💻courses

2 things I can’t live without:
📱iPhone
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦family

1 fun fact:
🦉I started teaching by taking live animals to classrooms, including a great horned owl named Thor

Hey, I’m Jenn, your TpT data Queen. I am obsessed with checking my Tpt data to understand what’s working, what’s not, why, and how I can leverage that information to improve yearly impact goals.

If you are making product after product, but not seeing an increase in your monthly, quarterly, and yearly TpT profits, it’s time to ask why.

The secrets are waiting in your TpT data. Are you ready to unlock them?

If the answer is yes, drop an emoji from one of your own 3,2,1’s and lemme guess if it’s your love, must have, or special fact.

14/04/2023

Wanna win $25?

I am giving away 2 gift cards to either TpT or Starbucks (wish it could be BevMo 😂). Winners will be selected from those that complete the quiz in my stories (or highlights).

If you’re a TPT seller who has at least 25 items in your TpT store, I want to know which Golden Girl is your leading lady when it comes to analyzing data in your TpT store.

Complete ALL the questions in the quiz, and your response will be recorded. Winners will be selected Friday, April 21.

Tag a TpT seller friend below for an additional entry. One entry for every tag.

This giveaway is in no way sponsored by Instagram.

11/04/2023

But does it really work?

For the past two months I have told you:

- optimize your listing
- use your data to narrow your focus

Behind the scenes I have been doing just that.

I analyzed my yearly and quarter 2 data to decide what product to give the full VIP treatment.

I identified this product, it had a crappy cover, no thumbnails, and a meh preview.

I worked with to have product photos and a video made. I researched keywords and made sure the title and product description were spot on (those were already pretty dialed in).

Sunday we uploaded the video. We have sold 3 since then.

Imagine if you systematically worked on optimizing your current products, and had a system in place to guarantee new listings started off on the right foot?

That’s exactly what I am working on. Not only has it ignited my passion to work on my TpT store after feeling burned out, tired, and discouraged, it has me excited to expand it further in the future.

When I used to feel overwhelmed with all I had to fix in my store, I wondered if I should just abandon my OG products.

It was hard to push forward when you were putting in effort and not seeing returns. It was also challenging knowing bigger sellers had hired help to make their products look amazing, and in some cases make more products for them.

I hope this encourages you that it’s in your control. Rakel has a course on product photography that just finished its beta launch. I would get on her email list so you know when it opens again. That’s something worth investing in if you can’t hire out for all of your products.

What’s holding you back from investing in your TpT store?
⏱️time
💰money
📉results

06/04/2023

Hey there, it's Q2! Have you set your sights on your targets yet?

Personally, I'm all about increasing those profits! And to make it happen, I'm running some tests on three of my top quarter 2 sellers.

First things first, I'm doing some keyword research and revamping my titles and descriptions. Then, I'm upping my photography game with some new skills I learned from . That means new covers and thumbnails!

Of course, I'm also sprucing up the preview and even creating a video to show off all the awesome features of my resources.

You know what? I'm feeling pretty confident that these changes will bring in more traffic and sales.

If you wanna get in on the action, check out 's quarterly marketing workshop and grab my cheat sheet for finding your Q2 best sellers. And if you need someone to keep you accountable, just slide into my DMs, sister! We've got this.

23/03/2023

Psst! Want to know the secret to boosting your TpT listings?

It's all about the keywords, baby! Spice up your research with short-tail, long-tail, branded, and even competitor keywords.

Get ready to rock those search rankings and attract all the teacher buyers! 🚀

Here’s a breakdown of the types of keywords you should use:

1. (Head words) Short-tail keywords: These are the big idea words (often one or two) that describe your resource in the simplest form such as, “task cards”, “math”, “open house”. These would be very difficult to rank for alone as the amount of results are very high.

2. Long-tail keywords: these are phrases that are more specific. They are usually 3 words or longer. There is less search volume, and therefore they are easier to rank for. A teacher will likely use these to narrow their initial search down. Some examples are, “sight word playdough mats for reading centers”, “fractions on a number line math task cards”, or “Thirteen Colonies Research Project

3. Branded keywords: These are keywords that you may often use to describe your brand or your brand values. They should appear consistently in your listings and give both your buyers, and search engines, an idea of what to expect from your resources and values. Examples: “collaborative”, “conceptual understanding”, “student-centered”.

4. Competitor keywords: these are the words that your competitors are using in their resources to attract their buyers. Using these words gives you a competitive edge and reduces some of the grunt work you have to do since they did some if for you.

Check out the FULL blog using the link in my bio.

22/03/2023

Listen up, TpT sellers! Your products won't sell themselves, so it's time to get savvy with SEO.

The latest blog post spills the tea on all the important SEO terms you need to know, plus I’ll spill the beans on how the TpT search engine really works.

Heck, I’ll even teach you how to do keyword research like a boss and share the kinds of keywords you need to track.

Don't be basic - learn how and when to use your keywords to make sure your products are front and center in TpT search results.

Get ready to slay the competition with these must-do SEO strategies for selling on TpT. Check out the post now and watch those page views soar! 💁‍♀️📈💸

Link: https://jennifervanblair.com/selling-on-teachers-pay-teachers-2/

21/03/2023

Hey, Conversion Queens!

Let’s get those views up by boosting our SEO.

TpT is a search engine. Teachers come to search for resources.

The most important thing to consider? How are teachers searching?

1) Is your ideal buyer using 🔥current keywords, or are they using dated terms?

2) How can you include keywords naturally in your title and description so the search engine (both TpT and Google) return your resources in the search?

Getting your resource into the hands of teachers that need it is so important.

I personally use the keyword tracker in the Trello TpT listing checklist and the Airtable Title tracker, both of which are FREE using the link in my bio.

17/03/2023

It’s never too late to review expectations and procedures.

I had the privilege of photographing these classroom procedure and expectations sorts for .

Let’s be real, after spring break is a perfect time to review what was easily lost during a week or two break.

I love taking pictures of resources.

Have a new resource or a older one that needs pictures? Let’s get it looking it’s best. Link in bio.

15/03/2023

TPT troubles? No problem!

Head to your product stats, and download them to excel.

Seasoned sellers, head back to your dashboard and select earnings, compare to last year, and set the time frame to April 1 - June 30.

What sold really well in quarter 2?

Cross those items off the printed sheet.

Now, let’s find things on this list we can improve in quarter 2.

Highlight similar items that are relevant to quarter 2.

Don’t pick 🎃👻🦃🎄🎅🏻

What can you improve that will have the highest ROI in quarter 2 if it got more page-views?

That’s where you want to spend your time and effort.

Low page-views come from:

1) Title troubles
2) SEO poor descriptions
3) covers

Those are less work to fix. Invest your efforts there.

Grab my ultimate title tracker using the link in my bio, or comment 📈below and I will send you the link.

15/03/2023

Hey TpT teachers!

Join me today as I chat with the email queen 👑, Branda, from

We will be talking everything data, from email open rates, landing page conversions, and click through.

I am especially interested in hearing how teacher sellers like us can use our TpT store dashboard to know what to send out to our audience and how to plan our emails in quarter 2.

I am also going to be asking her about how we can use UTM codes in our emails to track traffic to our TpT store, as well as how successful putting leads in our products can be to adding subscribers to our email lists.

Have a question? Show up today at 2 pm PST and drop it in the comments, or send me a DM so I can be sure to ask!

12/03/2023

What secrets does your TpT dashboard hold?

I made a bite-sized cheat sheet of 4 secrets you can unlock from your TpT dashboard.

Grab it in my latest blog found using the link in my bio.

12/03/2023

https://jennifervanblair.com/tpt-dashboard/

Hey TpT seller, don't overwork yourself. Unlock the secrets of the TpT dashboard to increase your sales and grow your store

11/03/2023

Where do you see yourself in your teacher business in the next 5 years?

Here’s a letter to myself 5 years ago sharing what I wish I knew now:

Hey there Jenn, I see you sitting in the crook of the couch at 3 am creating resources for other teachers.

You feel stretched and exhausted, knowing that you need to go to sleep so you can show up for your students, and be refreshed and ready for your own son come morning.

But, you think if your could just add more digital downloads to your Teachers Pay Teachers store, you will make more money.

I know what anxieties keep you up at night. You’re making that resource because you know you have to do something that feels proactive. Worrying doesn’t solve problems. You could sit and wonder if you should pay the credit card that is nearly maxed out thanks to the recession of 2009. Yes, you still haven’t found your way out of the hole that finishing your credential at the height of layoffs caused. Or, you could search for recipes and budget friendly foods that you will use your last $46 on. But creating more resources seems to be the only proactive solution.

I wish I could tell you that there’s an easier way. If you spent more time looking at your TpT dashboard and optimizing your products, you would be able to make more by doing less.

You should go back to bed and soak up the snuggles of that little cuddle bug who now is too big to pick up. The time will go fast, and you’re missing it.

Don’t worry, you find ways to generate the income to start paying down that debt and build a savings. You aren’t having to choose between buying groceries or paying bills anymore. But, you are having to spend extra time and effort repairing the time you lost with your son.

You also help other teacher sellers amplify their reach by optimizing their TpT listings, creating courses, and doing more with less. The best part is, you love seeing other teachers get their resources into the hands of teachers who desperately need them.

Alright, Jenn. Close PowerPoint and do a quick 10 minute title search on one of your products. Optimize the title, and then pop off to bed.

Night.

10/03/2023

Read more here:
https://jennifervanblair.com/selling-on-teachers-pay-teachers/

08/03/2023

Hey TpT creator,

I know it takes a lot of time to make quality resources.

Sometimes it feels easier just to post a product to your Teachers Pay Teachers store and move on.

It can be time consuming to go back and check in on your resources and make sure they are converting and analyze why.

But here’s the thing, you made that resource to help a teacher across the nation make an impact in the lives of her students. Problem is, she can’t find it.

It’s buried underneath hundreds, maybe even thousands of other products, some good, but some not, when compared to your own product.

That also means you aren’t earning the extra cash you need for your son’s braces or that family trip to Disneyland.

So, I have a quick win for you.

By spending as little as 10 minutes a day focused on your TpT listing titles, you can get your resources into the hands of teachers that need them. That’s more cash in your hyper wallet.

Need a dynamic tool to help you easily track your title’s performance? Grab the FREE Ultimate Guide to TpT Titles and get he exclusive digital title tracking tool linked on page 2. Don’t miss it!

https://jennifervanblair.com/selling-on-teachers-pay-teachers/

07/03/2023

06/03/2023

This FREEBIE is for you if:

✅You’re a TpT seller who has phenomenal products, but aren’t getting the pageviews you want

✅You create products for Teacher Pay Teachers, but you aren’t showing up in search

✅You are a teacher creator of digital products for download and you want to improve your visibility

✅You are ready to start tracking your TpT store data to improve your sales

https://jennifervanblair.com/selling-on-teachers-pay-teachers/

04/03/2023

I asked my grade level team member how she would search for resources to teach equivalent fractions.

“I type in ‘equivalent fractions’.”

“Well, Karen, you have over 19,000 results.”

That’s definitely not a search you want to try ranking for.

In this week’s blog, I break down strategies for showing up in search using your TpT Title.

https://jennifervanblair.com/selling-on-teachers-pay-teachers/

02/03/2023

How do you show up in TpT search? Having the right title helps! In this blog, we talk searchable titles, keywords, and give you a FREE guide to show up in a TpT search better.

Are you selling on Teachers Pay Teachers and looking to show up in search? In this post, I break down how to create a TpT Title that ranks.

26/02/2023

Creating product covers that bring teacher resources to life makes me so joyful.

Make sure your covers:

- use easy to read font
- have crisp and clean images that stop the scroll
- Use less text since they are a thumbnail image

Need a TpT product checklist? Grab yours here:

https://mailchi.mp/72d92bf75acc/tpt-sop

25/02/2023

Why do you create for TpT?

In 2016, I had a TpT store and had been passively selling since 2013. I was earning enough for my go to Starbucks order: a grande peppermint mocha.

Let me clarify. I was making enough for ONE grande peppermint mocha a month 😂.

But in 2016, student loans and daycare costs made it so I HAD to generate some extra money and it needed to be in my bank account tomorrow.

I worked around the clock, often only sleeping an hour a night. It took a couple of years, but soon I could use my TpT earnings to make my monthly car payment.

Fast forward to 2023 with child number 2, I use my TpT earnings to pay for daycare. It blows my mind since that was always the goal!

But, it came at a cost. My son is 6 now, and there were times I missed out on my son’s early life because I was creating for TpT. Or, there were times I snapped at him because I was tired and had to finish this one thing before posting a new product. All he wanted was the attention he deserved as a growing boy.

I love making covers for TpT products, hence the picture. These fly swatters are just some of the random props I have on hand to make your classroom resources shine.

Making your covers, thumbnails, and previews is just part of what I do.

I love diving into data, making products shine, and helping other TpT moms get the results they deserve without trading milestone moments with their children for that financial consistency.

Because it’s almost March (my birthday month) I am running a special 20% savings on Data Dives. If you want to leverage your TpT store data and optimize your teacher created classroom resources for maximum conversions, these exclusive data dives are just the things.

Or, if you want a group experience, join the exclusive waitlist for the TpT Conversion Playbook. This Beta mastermind group is launching soon, and I want you to be a part of it.

You can reach your online business goals without sacrificing your child’s memories. The solution lies in diving into your store’s data. Let’s geek 🤓out together.

Your data dive begins with your TpT Title. Find the ultimate TpT title with this simple guide and start tracking with my exclusive title tracking tool.

https://jennifervanblair.com/selling-on-teachers-pay-teachers/