Do you need help branding your TPT store? If you’ve known me for some time, you probably know how big of a role that Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) has had in my life. I was in the midst of deep postpartum depression when I found TPT and started using it to make my life as a young mom and middle school teacher easier.

Soon after that, I realized that I could sell my teaching resources online and opened my own TPT Store! Seven years and a lot of hard work later, my appreciation for Teachers Pay Teachers runs deep. I’ve learned a lot along the way, and now I get to share my tips and hacks with you so that you can grow your TPT store too!

Keep Your TPT Store Name the Same as Your Brand

As Donald Miller says, “When you confuse, you lose.” So if you are building your business with one brand name, use that same name when naming your TPT store! You can also add your name in the title so that when customers are searching for you in the search bar, they can find you both ways. 

If you’re having trouble coming up with a brand name, download my free workbook to help you get started selling your teaching resources online. Then, think about your ideal customer. For whom are you creating these resources? Who do you want to click on your store and think, “I’m home! He/she has everything I need!”? Create a TPT store name that resonates with that person. If you feel stuck in this process, feel free to join our CEO Teacher® community over on IG and post a question there! We love helping each other in our businesses!

Use your Brand Colors and Fonts in your TPT Store Design

Brand colors and fonts are KEY! Now, if you go to my TPT store, you’ll see that I didn’t follow this hack. My resource covers don’t have a cohesive branded look. But, when you know better, you do better! As you’re creating your TPT store, pick 3-5 brand colors, and keep the hex codes somewhere that you can grab them as needed. For example, my light pink brand color’s hex code is #F4b4b9. Pick 2-3 brand fonts as well.

I know this is SUCH a hard thing to do! As teachers, we love using all the colors and fonts. But, when you hone in on one specific brand, you will start to be known for those colors and fonts and that style. I want your TPT store to be so cohesive that when a customer is searching for a resource, they see your product cover, recognize your brand, and become a repeat buyer because they know your work quality is high!

Create a Banner That Shares More About Your Brand

Now that you have your name, colors, and fonts picked out, let’s talk about your TPT store banner. This is also called your store page leaderboard. You can create this banner in Canva (my favorite for all things graphic design) or PowerPoint. Think about the customer when designing your banner – what will catch their attention? What will connect them to you? Continue to use your brand elements in the banner too.

You can also link your TPT store banner to a section or product in your store! So, you can highlight a specific product line and link to it. Don’t skip this banner, as it’s another opportunity for free marketing and showing your customers what you offer! 

Add a Branded Rotating GIF to your TPT Store Quote Box to Engage Visitors

You’ve seen them all over TPT, and they help capture your customers’ attention! The quote box is a great place to put a GIF to engage those who visit your store.

I recommend having a slide that welcomes people to your store and asks them to follow you, another one that highlights your primary freebie, one that points them to the custom categories, and something else that shows some of your personality! This is also linkable so that you can link to a specific part of your store. Remember to keep everything branded, and I encourage you to get creative! Add a picture of yourself or your top resources in action, and make it personal so your TPT store customers get to know, like, and trust you.

Create Custom Categories for Your Resources That Serve Your Customers

Custom categories in your TPT store are so crucial for your business. I teach my students how to track their TPT data using custom categories. They also serve your customers in navigating your store. You want to make sure you have custom categories that make sense for your ideal customer avatar, such as seasonal categories, specific units of study, and categories they would search. 

I can’t wait to see how you take your TPT store to the next level with these hacks! Don’t forget to take it one step at a time and keep moving your business forward. I’m cheering you on! If you have any more ideas that I missed, comment below! We are better together.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these posts:

Your Guide to Starting A TPT Store From Scratch

Start Or Expand Your Online Business

How to Sell On Teachers Pay Teachers With Strategies And Systems

Are you looking for ways to increase your income BEYOND creating an online store? No worries, I've got you. Creating a storefront is just one of the ways our CEO Teacher® Community is making a bigger impact and income online. And the best news of all time? They all began their journey with a proven path and roadmap. And I am now offering the same 4-week kickstart to YOU.

Let’s work together to turn what you already know and love (teaching!) into a successful & sustainable online offer. You provide the passion and expertise, and I’ll share all the business know-how to turn your greatest strength in the classroom into something so much more!