** This is a one-off cross-promotional episode of our new podcast: Sharetribe Founder Stories.** This new podcast features interviews with founders building successful online marketplaces with Sharetribe. Discover how founders identified opportunities, overcame challenges, and scaled their platforms—from their first transaction to millions in GMV. Each episode dives into both the strategies that worked and the mistakes that taught valuable lessons. In this first episode, you can hear the story o...
May 14, 2025•44 min
Learn how Sharetribe has been helping marketplace founders succeed for a decade. This bonus episode walks you through key moments in Sharetribe's history, from launching the world's first no-code marketplace builder, Sharetribe Go, to creating the developer platform Sharetribe Flex. On January 30th, we launched our best product yet: the new Sharetribe, a no-code marketplace builder you can extend infinitely with code. And scale to any size. We were featured as #2 Product of the day with over 900...
Jan 30, 2024•9 min•Ep. 32
Backlinks are votes of confidence from other websites to your marketplace. This final article of our marketplace SEO series discusses how you can build quality backlinks for your marketplace. Article available at: Link building for marketplaces . Mira Muurinen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: Google’s John Mueller: Total Number of Backlinks Doesn’t Matter , Matt G. Southern, Search Engine Journal Lessons from two decades in two-sided platforms with Casey Winters (Eventbrite) , T...
Dec 20, 2023•26 min•Ep. 31
In the previous episode of this series, we learned about doing keyword research for a marketplace. Now it’s time to put those keywords to work. Article available at: Keyword-targeted content marketing for marketplaces . Mira Muurinen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: Keyword Cannibalization: What It (Really) Is & How to Fix It , Joshua Hardwick, Ahrefs blog Topic Clusters for SEO: What They Are & How to Create Them , Rachel Handley, Semrush Blog Google is Rewriting Title ...
Dec 13, 2023•22 min•Ep. 30
This episode helps you find your initial set of keywords and get started with a marketplace keyword strategy. Article available at: Keyword research for marketplaces . Mira Muurinen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: How to Kickstart and Scale a Marketplace Business , Lenny Rachitsky, Lenny’s newsletter The Advanced Guide to Keyword Clustering , Tom Casano, Moz Domain Authority , SEO Learning Center, Moz Long-tail Keywords: What They Are and How to Get Search Traffic From Them , T...
Dec 06, 2023•26 min•Ep. 29
This episode introduces the basics of technical SEO and suggests ways to tackle common technical marketplace SEO issues. Article available at: Technical SEO for marketplaces . Mira Muurinen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: Technical SEO , The Beginner's Guide to SEO, Moz SEO Learning Center , Moz Technical SEO , Ahrefs Blog Technical SEO , Semrush Blog What Are Title Tags? How To Write Them for SEO , Joshua Hardwick, Ahrefs blog How to Create an XML Sitemap (and Submit It to Goo...
Nov 29, 2023•36 min•Ep. 28
How to avoid common marketplace SEO pitfalls – and tap into the unique opportunities. Article available at: Opportunities and challenges of marketplace SEO . Mira Muurinen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: What Crawl Budget Means for Googlebot , Google Search Central Spam policies for Google web search , Google Search Central Duplicate content: Causes and solutions , Joost de Valk, Yoast How to Kickstart and Scale a Marketplace Business , Lenny Rachitsky, Lenny’s newsletter How t...
Nov 22, 2023•18 min•Ep. 27
This series gives you a comprehensive introduction to SEO, tailored specifically to online marketplaces. The first episode looks at what investing in marketplace SEO entails, how to estimate the potential returns, and when is the right time to take the plunge. Article available at: Marketplace SEO: The complete guide . Mira Muurinen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: How results are automatically generated , Google Search Here’s What We Learned About Organic Click Through Rate , B...
Nov 15, 2023•19 min•Ep. 26
For our final SEO expert interview, Sharetribe’s Head of Content Mira spoke with Gregory Edwards, Senior SEO Manager at BlueArray, a UK-based SEO agency and consultancy. They discuss what Gregory has learned running SEO for some of the biggest marketplaces in the UK. Gregory shares fantastic advice and tips on tackling the technical challenges of marketplace SEO and how to nail your content marketing efforts in a way that’s pleasing for both your audience and search engines. Episode transcript: ...
Feb 06, 2023•33 min•Ep. 25
Sharetribe’s Head of Content Mira and marketplace founder Michael Caldwell discuss what sets marketplaces apart from other websites in terms of SEO. In the late 1990s, Michael founded GigMasters (now The Bash), a platform for musicians to find paying gigs, and is currently the founder and CEO at Petworks, a marketplace for pet-related services. Michael shares what he has learned from his decades-long experience with both marketplaces and optimizing them for search engines and why it’s important ...
Jan 17, 2023•42 min•Ep. 24
In this episode of the Marketplace Academy Podcast, Sharetribe’s Head of Content Mira interviews Mike van der Heijden, founder of Portal Ventures. They talk about the challenges and opportunities of marketplace SEO. Portal Ventures is an SEO agency that specializes in marketplaces. They’ve worked with marketplaces like Flippa, Fresha, and Luxury Escapes and invest in marketplaces through Portal Ventures Capital. Episode transcript: https://www.sharetribe.com/academy/marketplace-seo/seo-bottom-li...
Dec 23, 2022•42 min•Ep. 23
In the final episode of this season, the complete guide to marketplace funding, Sharetribe CEO Juho presents three non-dilutive marketplace funding options: loans, grants, and revenue-based financing. Article available at: Marketplace funding: How to fund your marketplace without giving up equity . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy Further reading on non-dilutive funding: Aunnie Patton Power ’s book Adventure Finance is a comprehensive guide to non-dilutive funding options. Esme Verity offers a...
Sep 06, 2022•12 min•Ep. 22
Your marketplace startup funding options aren’t limited to bootstrapping or raising venture capital. Listen to our CEO Juho’s best tips on an increasingly popular startup funding method: crowdfunding. Article available at: Marketplace funding: How to crowdfund your marketplace . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: Sharetribe raises EUR 1.1 million in crowdfunding . Good News from Finland Two-sided: Lessons from building Kickstarter with Charles Adler . Sharetribe Plat...
Aug 30, 2022•19 min•Ep. 21
How to prepare for a VC funding round? How to choose the right investor and catch their attention? How to close the deal? This episode is Sharetribe’s CEO Juho’s complete guide to raising venture capital for your marketplace. Article available at: Marketplace funding: How to bootstrap your marketplace . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: A Guide to Marketplaces: Third Edition . Angela Tran, Max Webster, and Bors Wertz, Version One Ventures All Markets Are Not Created...
Aug 23, 2022•17 min•Ep. 20
Are you building a marketplace to make a lucrative exit? Get rich? Change the world? Listen to Sharetribe CEO Juho’s advice on if and when to bring VCs onboard. Article available at: Marketplace funding: Why raise venture capital – and why not . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: Pre-Money Valuation . Will Kenton, Investopedia VC Math . Homan Yuen, Hackernoon "Network effects are key to successful marketplaces," says James Currier . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy...
Aug 16, 2022•20 min•Ep. 19
In this episode, Sharetribe CEO Juho discusses an approach familiar to most early-stage marketplace founders: self-funding, or "bootstrapping". Article available at: Marketplace funding: How to bootstrap your marketplace . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: How much does it cost to build a marketplace business? Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy. Your marketplace MVP – How to build a Minimum Viable Platform . Cristóbal Gracia, Marketplace Academy. Also available as a...
Aug 09, 2022•19 min•Ep. 18
How much funding does a successful marketplace need, and what is the best funding source? This episode of Marketplace Academy by Sharetribe CEO Juho Makkonen answers these questions. Article available at: Marketplace funding: The complete guide . Juho Makkonen, Marketplace Academy Sources and further reading: Uber squeaks tiny adjusted profit in Q3 despite $2.4B net loss . Alex Wilhelm, TechCrunch A Guide to Unit Economics for Startups . Alex Kepka, Fundsquire Your marketplace MVP – How to build...
Aug 02, 2022•17 min•Ep. 17
The Practical Guide to building an online marketplace was written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. All articles are available in Marketplace Academy and as a book, Lean Marketplace . This episode concludes the guide. Stay tuned for more marketplace content! Article available at: How to turn your marketplace into a community , Christóbal Gracia Sources and further reading: PaulCamper’s community-building playbook for marketplaces , Marketplace Academy Two-sided Podcast , Sharetribe Distrib...
May 27, 2022•21 min•Ep. 16
It is chapter fifteen of our first season, the Practical guide to building an online marketplace . The guide was originally published in Marketplace Academy and it is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. Article available at: How to build trust in your marketplace , Christóbal Gracia Sources and further reading: Jessica Tiwari: Building trust in two-sided marketplaces , Marketplace Academy How to turn your marketplace into a community , Marketplace Academy A Guide to Marketplaces: Thi...
May 24, 2022•26 min•Ep. 15
The Practical Guide is a series of articles about how to start your own marketplace business by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen, available in Marketplace Academy. This podcast brings you the content in audio format. Article available at: 11 marketplace metrics you should be tracking to measure your success , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: Ramen Profitable , Paul Graham Growing a marketplace? How to balance sellers and buyers using customer lifetime value , cleverlayover How to de...
May 20, 2022•21 min•Ep. 14
The Practical guide is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. All articles are available in Marketplace Academy and as a book, Lean Marketplace . Article available at: How to find the best marketplace growth strategies , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: A Guide to Marketplaces: Third Edition , Angela Tran Kingyens & Boris Wertz Brian Rothenberg: Driving growth via buyer/seller overlap , Marketplace Academy How Not to Die , Paul Graham Conquer one city at a time – An interv...
May 17, 2022•19 min•Ep. 13
It is chapter twelve of our first season, the Practical guide to building an online marketplace . The guide was originally published in Marketplace Academy and it is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. Article available at: How to launch your marketplace , Christóbal Gracia Sources and further reading: How To Structure A Marketplace , TechCrunch The concierge marketplace model , Marketplace Academy How to promote your online marketplace with email marketing , Marketplace Academy 7 pr...
May 13, 2022•20 min•Ep. 12
The Practical Guide to building an online marketplace is a series of articles about how to start your own marketplace business by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen, available in Marketplace Academy. This podcast brings you the content in audio format. Article available at: How to build your marketplace supply , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: James Currier: Tactics to solve the chicken-or-egg problem , Marketplace Academy A Guide to Marketplaces , Boris Wertz & Angela Tran Kingy...
May 10, 2022•19 min•Ep. 11
The Practical Guide to building an online marketplace is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. All articles are available in Marketplace Academy and as a book, Lean Marketplace . Article available at: How to design your marketplace transaction flow , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: How to choose the right marketplace business model , Marketplace Academy Marketplace payments 1: Compare payment providers , Marketplace Academy Marketplace payments 2: What are the key features o...
May 06, 2022•23 min•Ep. 10
It is chapter nine of our first season, the Practical guide to building an online marketplace . The guide was originally published in Marketplace Academy and it is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. Article available at: The marketplace search engine: How to help your customers find what they’re looking for , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: 3 Ways to Improve an Ecommerce Search Bar , Jonathan Ellins 20 Ecommerce Site Search Best Practices and Examples , Graham Charlton Th...
May 03, 2022•24 min•Ep. 9
The Practical Guide to building an online marketplace is a series of articles about how to start your own marketplace business by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen, available in Marketplace Academy. This podcast brings you the content in audio format. Article available at: How to communicate your marketplace value proposition , Christóbal Gracia Sources and further reading: How to build a Minimum Viable Platform , Marketplace Academy Meet Europe's Newest Unicorn: BlaBlaCar Raises $200 Million ...
Apr 29, 2022•12 min•Ep. 8
It is chapter seven of our first season, the Practical guide to building an online marketplace . The guide was originally published in Marketplace Academy and it is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. Article available at: Your marketplace MVP – How to build a Minimum Viable Platform , Christóbal Gracia Sources and further reading: 3 reasons you shouldn't outsource your startup, and what to do instead , Joel Gascoigne The Manual-First Startup , Vinicus Vacanti The Concierge Minimum V...
Apr 27, 2022•21 min•Ep. 7
The Practical Guide to building an online marketplace is written by Christóbal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. All articles are available in Marketplace Academy and as a book, Lean Marketplace . Article available at: How to validate your marketplace idea before building the platform , Christóbal Gracia Sources and further reading: What can be learned when sharing leads to failing , Pando Spotify: the unproject culture , Henrik Kniberg The only thing that matters , Pmarca Guide to Startups Video: Valid...
Apr 06, 2022•18 min•Ep. 6
The Practical Guide to building an online marketplace is a series of articles about how to start your own marketplace business by Christobal Gracia and Juho Makkonen, available in Marketplace Academy . This podcast brings you the content in audio format. Article available at: Marketplace pricing: How to define your ideal take rate , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: A Rake Too Far , Bill Gurley Rake table , Bill Gurley How eBay failed in China , Forbes Network effect , Wikipedia Is the ...
Apr 06, 2022•20 min•Ep. 5
This is the fourth chapter of our first season, the Practical guide to building an online marketplace . The guide was originally published in Marketplace Academy and it is written by Christobal Gracia and Juho Makkonen. Article available at: Managing marketplace leakage – How to discourage people from going around your payment system , Juho Makkonen Sources and further reading: How to choose the right marketplace business model , Marketplace Academy How Two-Sided Marketplace Can Prevent Disinter...
Apr 06, 2022•16 min•Ep. 4
