Etsy SEO Basics for Sellers

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If you’re new to Etsy or struggling to get your products in front of potential buyers, you’re not alone. Understanding what Etsy SEO is can feel overwhelming at first. With so many shops and Etsy listings, standing out can be tough. That’s where SEO comes in.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your products appear in Etsy search results when shoppers type in keywords. On Etsy, SEO works a bit differently than it does on Google. In this post, we’ll cover what Etsy SEO is and how it works, as well as share practical Etsy SEO tips you can start using in your shop right away.

What Is Etsy SEO and How Does the Etsy Algorithm Work?

Etsy SEO “explains” your listings to Etsy’s search algorithm and helps shoppers connect to your listings through the keywords they type into the Etsy search bar. Multiple factors determine a listing’s ranking in Etsy search results; we’ll discuss those shortly. There are two phases of Etsy search:

Query Matching

In this initial phase, Etsy’s algorithm takes a shopper’s search and matches it with listings that contain that keyword. This is where it’s essential to understand how Etsy SEO works and why keyword placement matters within your listings’ titles, descriptions, tags, attributes, and categories. There are two types of matching:

1. Broad Matching: This happens when a listing contains two or more terms from a shopper’s search, but those terms are not positioned next to one another. For example, if a tag is “handmade wooden tray,” broad matches would include “handmade tray.”
2. Exact Matching: This happens when a listing contains two or more terms from a shopper’s search, and those terms are positioned in the same order that a shopper typed them into the search bar. So, for the keyword “rustic wooden tray,” the exact matches would include “wooden tray,” “rustic wooden tray,” and “rustic wooden.” This type of matching sends a slightly stronger relevancy signal to Etsy, so listings that are exact matched to a shopper’s query rank slightly higher in search results. Use keyword phrases that are tailored to promote exact matching within your listings whenever it makes sense.

Ranking

After Etsy has found the listings that match a query, its algorithm uses various aspects of a shop’s quality and its listings’ details to rank the listings according to what best suits the shopper. This phase contains the personalization level of rank, catering results to each Etsy shopper individually.

Some of the things considered during the ranking phase include:

• Listing Quality Score: Etsy tracks how well your listings perform. Things like clicks, favorites, and sales matter. The better your listings perform, the higher they rank.
• Shop Quality: Your shop’s overall quality is important for building trust with your customers. Having a shop with a completed “About” section and an icon that represents your brand is important to building your shop’s quality. Completing your shop policies also sends positive signals to Etsy.
• Customer Service: Message response rate, case rate, and average review rating all have weight in how your products rank in Etsy search. Great reviews can also improve your Etsy shop’s visibility over time.
• Recency: Newer listings may get a temporary boost in search so Etsy can test how they perform.
• Relevance: Etsy favors listings that match what shoppers are actively searching for.

Now that you have a basic understanding of what Etsy SEO is and how it works, let’s dive into how you can improve your shop’s visibility with some actionable tips. For an extensive list of factors that affect your search visibility, check out the Etsy Seller Handbook’s article “How Etsy Search Works.”

Etsy SEO Basics You Can Implement Today

1. Research Keywords That Shoppers Are Actually Searching For

If you’re learning how to do Etsy SEO, the first step is understanding what keywords your potential customers are using when they search for products on Etsy. You’ll want to use keywords that describe your product and, as we mentioned earlier, occur in the same order that a shopper would type them into the search bar. For example, if you’re selling handmade wooden trays, try using specific terms like “handmade wooden tray” or “rustic serving tray,” rather than just “tray.”

Use tools like eRank’s Trend Buzz, Keyword Tool, and Monthly Trends to analyze keyword trends, identify search volumes, and get ideas for keywords you may not have thought of, so you can improve your Etsy SEO.

2. Optimize Your Etsy Listing Titles and Tags

Once you’ve got a list of relevant keywords, the next step is making sure that they show up in your listing.

Titles

One of our most useful Etsy SEO tips is to write clear, concise titles that include your items’ most relevant keywords in a “natural” manner. For example, instead of just using “Tray,” use a phrase that is more specific to your listing, such as “Handmade Rustic Wooden Tray.” Keyword stuffing, or trying to fit in as many terms as possible, usually ends in a nonsense jumble that is difficult for many shoppers to understand. Instead, try using a few short phrases that clearly explain what the item is. Save keywords such as “gift for mom” for your tags, as this keyword doesn’t provide any insights into the item itself.

Tags

Etsy provides spots for 13 tags in each listing, and we recommend that you use all of them! Make sure each tag is relevant to your product and reflects how shoppers would search. For instance, if you sell rustic wooden trays, your tags could include phrases like “handmade home decor,” “wooden tray gift,” and “rustic kitchen accessory.” Avoid single-word Etsy tags when possible. Etsy takes all of the terms in each of your listings’ titles, descriptions, tags, categories, and attributes and mixes them up to match shoppers’ queries. Because of this, it isn’t necessary to repeat the same word multiple times throughout a listing.

Superstar Keywords

These are short phrases (also known as “long-tail keywords”) that describe your listing. eRank uses these within the Listing Audit tool to provide more relevant information for each listing.

3. Write an Effective Product Description

Although Etsy doesn’t use product descriptions during the first phase of Etsy SEO, it does consider them in the ranking phase. Since it is used during the second, more personalized phase, a well-written description has the power to potentially boost your listings’ conversion rates. 

Your description should:

• Describe your product in detail
• Mention your primary keywords in a natural way (without keyword stuffing)
• Answer common customer questions (What is it made out of? What are its dimensions?)

4. Use All Relevant Attributes to Improve Etsy SEO

When creating your listings, Etsy allows you to choose attributes like color, size, material, and occasion. These are used by Etsy to filter search results, so make sure that you add all of the attributes that apply to your product.

For example, if you’re selling wedding rings, use attributes like “gold” or “wedding.” These act like extra keywords and help your product appear in filtered searches.

Please note that you should only use the “Holiday” or “Occasion” attributes when they are relevant for your items. Etsy recommends leaving these blank if they don’t apply to an item, as adding them to an irrelevant item will miscategorize it.

5. Pay Attention to Your Photos

Photos aren’t just for making your products look good; they can also affect their search rankings. Etsy favors listings with high-quality, clear images. Make sure that your listings’ photos showcase your products a) in use, and b) from multiple angles, if possible. Keep in mind that a listing’s first photo acts as its first impression to shoppers. It should clearly represent your product and encourage them to click. 

Bonus tip: Etsy allows you to add a video to each of your listings. Videos give shoppers a better sense of your products, which can boost engagement and help them rank higher in search results. If you need help with listing videos, try using eRank’s Create Video tool.

6. Don’t Fall for the “Active Listings” Myth

There’s a common misconception among Etsy sellers that making changes to your listings or regularly updating them will give you a temporary boost in search results. While it’s true that newly created listings receive a short-term boost (so that Etsy can test them in search results), simply tweaking existing listings doesn’t trigger the same effect.

That said, regularly updating your listings is still a good idea. It’s not for an SEO boost, but for other important reasons: refreshing photos, improving descriptions, or adding new keywords can make your products more appealing to shoppers and lead to higher conversion rates. Higher sales and engagement signal to Etsy that your listings are relevant, which can help improve their rankings naturally over time.

So, while updating listings won’t magically move you up in search, keeping your listings fresh and optimized for your audience will still benefit your shop in the long run. We recommend that you always check your listings’ stats before making any changes to their SEO, and never touch the SEO of a listing that is already performing well! You can use eRank’s Changes tool to track the changes you make to individual listings and determine whether or not those revisions are increasing the listings’ views, favorites, or sales.

7. Use Your Shop Stats and Traffic Stats tool

Etsy provides sellers with tools to track how well their listings are performing in search. In your shop dashboard, under “Stats,” you’ll find “Shop Traffic.” Click any listing within this section to see which keywords shoppers are using to find it.

If you have Google Analytics set up for your Etsy shop, sync it with your eRank account to access the Traffic Stats tool. This tool shows you your shop’s top keywords, where the traffic to your Etsy shop comes from, and buyer demographics. 

Use this data to fine-tune your listings. If certain keywords drive a lot of traffic, try applying them to similar listings. If you notice that a listing isn’t performing well, consider adjusting its tags, title, or description based on what the data tells you.

Final Thoughts: SEO Tips for Etsy Shop Owners

Etsy SEO might seem a bit overwhelming at first. However, once you understand what it is and start applying these tips, it becomes second nature. By using the right keywords, optimizing your listings’ titles and tags, and paying attention to their performance, you can help more people discover your products and rank higher in search results.

If you’re looking for more in-depth insights, eRank’s tools can help you track trends and competition, making it easier to develop your SEO strategy. Don’t forget to use Etsy’s own analytics to continually monitor and improve your shop’s performance. SEO is an ongoing process, but having the right tools and a good Etsy SEO strategy makes this process so much easier.

With time, patience, and a bit of experimentation, you can strengthen your shop’s SEO and get your items in front of more shoppers on Etsy!

Our team is continuously improving eRank’s tools to better serve our members. Due to this, some of the content featured in this post may differ from the content featured on erank.com.