"Just what are the Etsy Teams and how do I get involved?"  Do you Etsy Teammates hear that ringing in your ears right now?  As part of our All about Etsy FAQ series, admins Sara and Amy weighed in about Etsy Teams.  Over the past year, Etsy Teams have swelled in number and it's truly gratifying to see Etsians self-organize. Soon, we hope to launch new tools to help the Etsy Community communicate and to give Etsy Teams a more visible role on the site. On the Storque, you can keep on top of Team-related content by clicking on the EtsyTeams Featured Column.

At Etsy, community is super important to us, and one big way Etsy members can become active in the Etsy Community is to join an Etsy Team.  Here are a few simple things you need to know if you'd like to participate in Etsy Teams, and to learn more, you can always visit the Team's Pages at http://team.etsy.com to find lots more information in a few quick clicks.

What is an Etsy Team?
Etsy Teams are smaller groups of organized Etsy members who network, share skills, and promote their shops and Etsy together. A Team forms around a shared location, a medium, or another interest. Etsy's 150+ teams make us not just a marketplace of individuals, but an interconnected and diverse handcrafters' community. Teams are Etsy’s biggest and most creative grassroots engine for support, networking and marketing — for each team member’s shop, for the Teams themselves, and for Etsy as a whole.

How do I join a Team?
You can browse through the list of Etsy Teams, which are sorted by location and by interest, to find teams that suit you and your shop. Most Teams have contact information on their profile page about how to join.  If the team you're interested in doesn't have a leader or contact person listed, you can email teams@etsy.com to join. Don't forget to include the name of the team(s) you're interested in, along with your Etsy username in the email!

Can I join more than one Team?
Sure! Please join as many teams as your schedule permits you to be actively involved in. 

What team should I join?
You can browse through the Team Profiles to see what each team is up to — visiting the Teams' pages and clicking through their websites and blogs will help you get an idea of what the team is about and how active they are. We do ask that you join location-based teams according to where you spend most of your time (ie, where you live).  Some Teams have membership requirements, and these are listed on the profile pages.  If you have specific questions about a Team, try contacting the contact person or leader listed on the page.

There are over 150 Etsy Teams and new Teams being formed each week, so there's an Etsy Team for practically everyone!  If you don't find a Team that interests you, or if there isn't currently an active Team in your area, you can start an Etsy Team yourself. 

How do I update my Team's page?
If you've started an Etsy Team, you can have the profile page updated by emailing updates to teams@etsy.com, and we'll make the changes for you.  You can update to add new members, include new links to websites or blogs, and let us know about event, challenges, contests and more. We like to include this kind of content in the posts we do on the Storque. If you fill out the Storque pitch form, be sure to include the words "Etsy Teams" so that the Storque editors know to forward it to the Etsy Teams admin.

Want to be in the loop about Etsy Teams?  Be sure to join the Etsy Teams Email List for updates and news. Also, don't forget that the Team pages are also full of great resources, like how-to guides and downloadable graphics and more, so take a quick browse through, even if you're not currently on a Team!