Key Takeaways from the February 2025 TPT Town Hall

If you missed the February 20th, 2025 TPT Town Hall, don't worry -- I've got you covered! There were some big updates announced, and I want to make sure you know what's coming, when it's happening, and what you should do to prepare. While there were discussions about the TPT Live workshops & community events, the biggest news was all about platform improvements and new features that will impact your store. Let's dive in!

 *You can click here if you want to read my full notes on the Feb 2025 TPT Town Hall. There is much more information listed there. 

TPT's commitment to Growth and Seller Success

TPT CEO, Paul Mishkin, kicked off the session by reassuring sellers that TPT is actively working on improving the marketplace experience for both buyers and sellers. The focus? Better search visibility, enhanced seller stores, and a more intuitive shopping experience to help teachers find the right resources faster. 

To help guide future updates, TPT will be sending out a Seller Feedback Survey at the end of February/beginning of March. Make sure you participate when you get the email -- it is a direct way to have your voice heard! 

Paul also shared some interesting growth trends: 

• November 2024: Down 14%
• December 2024: Up 21%
• January 2025: Down 2%

Overall, TPT has stabilized and is performing better than it was in January 2024. While more buyers than ever are visiting and purchasing, the average cart size is lower, potentially due to budget constraints and economic conditions. 

To address these trends, TPT is focusing on modernizing pages and removing roadblocks to improve the buyer experience, encouraging them to return and purchase more. This effort is part of the "TPT Super Powers Project," aiming to evolve TPT to match other major marketplaces like Etsy. 

Key Platform Changes and New Features 

Will from the TPT Product Team shared exciting news about upcoming enhancements to the Seller Dashboard, search algorithm, and product listing tools. Here's exactly what's changing: 

1. Tags/Filters Updates 
   

   One of the biggest updates involves enhancing tags and filters to improve search and product discovery. Let me just list the info for you (and my skimmer mind).
   
   - First, there are no change to the search algorithm itself with these tag & filter updates. 
   
   - Tags and filters are being reorganized into clearer, more intuitive sections. 
   
   - New tags and filters will be added based on buyer behavior and content trends on TPT. 
   
   - Some tag names have been consolidated to remove redundancy. 
   
   - This change will also enhance SEO impact, improving visibility within TPT and external search engines, like Google. 
   
   - A new File Format Tag feature will be added to the your product tags to allow you to manually change the file format labels instead of relying on TPT's automatic categorization. 
   
   

   Here's what this means for you... 

   While there is no action required, checking your product tags after the update rolls out can help optimize your product visibility. 
   
   
   

2. Product page Redesign & Preview Experience

   A significant update to product pages is going to be rolling out in Spring 2025, aimed at improving buyer engagement and conversions. The changes include: 
   - Larger thumbnails that eliminate the need for buyers to zoom in. 
   
   - A new Preview Window, allowing buyers to view thumbnails and preview files in a single experience. 
   
   - More information higher up on the page, reducing unnecessary scrolling. 
   
   - Quick glance at key details, including pricing, discounts, and bundle information. 
   
   - A new "About the Seller" section, pulling information from your store bio to showcase your expertise. 
   
   

   Here's what that means for you... 

   No action is needed! Your product pages will be automatically updated. Just be sure that you have a cover, 3 thumbnails, a preview file, a bio completed to see the changes when the go into effect. 
   
   
   

3. Improved Buyer & New Seller Sign up and Shopping Experience

   TPT is refreshing its buyer sign-up process to make it more welcoming and intuitive. Why does this matter? A smoother onboarding process means: 
   - More first-time buyers turning into repeat customers.
   
   - A better first impression of TPT, leading to more trust and conversions. 
   
   

   Here's what that means for you...

   You can expect an increase in buyer retention, which means more potential customers for your products. Yay! 

What You Should Do Now

With these updates rolling out in the coming months, here's how you can stay ahead: 

• Participate in the upcoming Seller Feedback Survey to share your thoughts 
• Optimize your product listings (titles, descriptions, thumbnails, and previews) 
• Review your store bio to ensure your credentials are up-to-date