Struggling to get your products in front of the right Etsy shoppers? Your tags might be the bottleneck. These 13 little phrases work alongside your title, description, and attributes to signal to Etsy’s search engine—and shoppers—exactly what you sell. Use every tag slot, and you’ll cast a wider net. Miss a slot, and you could leave money on the table.
Here is a “dos and don’ts” list for Etsy tags along with some handy eRank tools to help with your tag research.
DO Search for Keywords With High Search and Low Competition
To be found in Etsy search results, you need to incorporate terms into your listings that have high search traffic. In addition, make sure these terms are not being used by tons of other shops in your brand’s niche. If your shop’s SEO stands out from the crowd, your creations will as well!
Use eRank’s Keyword Tool to find tags that meet these criteria by accessing it in one of three ways.
- Type any keyword into the “Enter Keywords” field at the top of the page and click the green lookup button on the right.
- Click the “Keyword Tool” button at the top of your dashboard.
- In the Main Menu, select “Keyword Research” > “Keyword Tool.”
Type any keyword into the “Enter Keywords” field in the search bar and use the dropdown menu on the right to select for which country you would like to view data. Select “GLO” to view global data. Click the green lookup button and start deep diving into the information.
Keyword Statistics
The “Keyword Statistics” section displays the keyword’s average number of searches and clicks per month, as well as its click-through rate (CTR). These numbers are based on the past 12 months of data collected for that keyword. If viewing keyword data from Etsy, you can also see the keyword’s estimated competition.
eRank color-codes this data to make your research easier. Green and yellow indicate that a term has relatively high average monthly searches, clicks, and CTR. They also indicate that items with the term have a relatively low amount of competition on Etsy.
If the keyword you entered is trending right now, the word “TRENDING” displays in purple underneath its average CTR. Keywords with a high number of clicks and/or a high CTR means shoppers are interested in the search results they are seeing. These keywords may generate more views and sales than other choices.
Want to view Keyword Statistics for the specific term you entered and exclude near matches? Just toggle the button in the top right corner of this section. Example: if you search “mom gift,” “gift for mom” and “mom gifts” are some near matches for this term.
Keyword Ideas
In the “Keyword Ideas” table (like the one below), you’ll see the keyword’s most popular related tags alongside their search data. Use this table to find strong keywords to add to your listings.
DON’T Use One-Word Tags, if Possible
What’s so bad about one-word tags, you ask? Well, nothing is inherently “bad” about them. However, one-word tags tend to be less effective for two reasons. One, MANY other shops are using them. This means that many one-word tags have a very high level of competition on Etsy. These “saturated” tags are not likely to help your listings get found in search results.
Secondly, shoppers who search one-word terms tend not to know specifically what they are looking for. Consequently, the chances of a shopper clicking a listing in one of these searches is very low. This means that listings that rely on one-word tags to be found likely have poor conversion rates. In other words, they are less likely to be purchased.
Long-Tail Keywords
Even though long-tail keywords tend to be searched less often, they generally have a higher conversion rate. Long-tail keywords are descriptive phrases such as “925 sterling silver ring.” Typically, they consist of several words that “niche down” a search. These words may denote a particular style, material, size, purpose, event, or recipient. It’s common for shoppers to begin their search with a broad keyword like “ring” or “gift.” Then, as the person gets a clearer picture of what they want, the keywords they use become more specific. eRank recommends using these longer, more descriptive keywords whenever possible.
It’s also important to note that long-tail keywords are made up of broad keywords. Therefore, Etsy’s algorithm shows your listing to the large pool of people who are browsing with one-word keywords as well as the smaller group who know what they want to buy.
eRank’s Health Check Report
eRank’s Health Check Report shows you which of your listings are missing tags or images. It also lets you know which listings contain spelling issues and one-word tags. Use this feature to find listings in your shop that may need some additional work to perfect their SEO. As you find better tags for your Etsy listings, you can gradually replace the one-word tags this tool finds.
DO Use Tags That Successful Competitors Use
Want to assemble a strong set of “tried and true” tags for your listings? Check out the top-selling shops within your brand’s niche! Multiple factors can determine whether or not a shop thrives on Etsy. However, having solid SEO is the foundation for success.
eRank’s Top Sellers ranks Etsy’s top-selling shops by their total volume of sales. This tool provides the ability for you to browse by country, category, and year opened. Use this feature to gain inspiration from successful shops in your category. View their total sales and monthly sales over the past 15 months.
Click any shop’s name to analyze their tags and study their recent listings using the Shop Info feature. Click any tag to open the Keyword Tool and perform a detailed analysis of the top 100 listings found in Etsy search results for that particular keyword. Do you see any tags that might work for your items? If so, do those tags have high search volumes and low competition levels?
DON’T Copy and Paste Tags Into Your Listing Descriptions
You’ve found some relevant popular keywords with appropriate competition levels for your listings and added as many as possible to their tags. Include every keyword from your listing title in your tags. However, most likely, not all tags will appear in your listing title.
But should you copy and paste your keyword tags directly into your listing descriptions as well? Well, no, not in the way that you’re thinking. You may occasionally encounter an Etsy listing with tags that the seller pasted into the description. Perhaps in a cluster at the top. This is called “keyword stuffing.”
eRank does not recommend this practice because it looks unprofessional. And, more importantly, it doesn’t help shoppers understand what you’re selling. Instead, try working in some of the keywords you found in a way that looks “natural.” That is, incorporate them in complete sentences that accurately describe the item.
Want to continue to develop your items’ SEO? Use eRank’s Listing Audit tool to perform a comprehensive audit of any listing and see how well it complies with the guidelines in Etsy’s The Ultimate Guide to Etsy Search and Google Search Essentials. This feature provides a thorough analysis of a listing’s title, stats, attributes, tags, description, and more. The audit divides its results into sections, making it easy for you to assess each component of the listing and learn the basics of SEO.
Find High-Performing Keywords for Your Listings
Turn powerful, long‑tail keyword tags into your shop’s secret sauce. Every time you tag a listing with a high‑performing phrase, you teach Etsy exactly who should see your products, boosting your chances of landing in more search results. Keep this checklist at your side as you research new tags, update old ones, and watch your visibility—and sales—climb!
Still have tag-related questions? Check out Your Etsy Tag Questions Answered for more information.
