If you’ve opened up an Etsy shop or you’re in the planning phase of starting one, chances are you’re wondering how to get found on Etsy. Let’s face it, Etsy is a huge market place and it can feel overwhelming to figure out how potential customers are going to find the items in your shop when there are thousands of other items out there in the Etsy marketplace.
This article will walk you through the basics of how customers can ultimately find you through Etsy search results through the process of search engine optimization.
While Etsy search engine optimization (Etsy SEO for short) may sound kind of complicated, this article will break it down in an understandable way so you can take action and get your listings ready to be found in Etsy search!
What Does SEO Mean On Etsy?
Etsy SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization” which is a process in which Etsy sellers can improve the visibility of their listings to get more traffic and views to items in their shop.
Etsy uses their search engine to search and sort listings that are most relevant to what the user is searching for. Your job as a seller is to give Etsy the most accurate and detailed information about your product so that your listings will hopefully show up in search when your item fits the search query!
How Do I Master Etsy SEO?
In order to master Etsy SEO, you’ll want to have a good understanding of how Etsy’s search algorithm works. So what exactly goes on behind the scenes after someone types something into the Etsy search bar?
How The Etsy Algorithm Works
First, let’s go over some of the basics of how the Etsy search works. There are two things that happen when a buyer is searching on Etsy.
Query Matching
First, there is query matching. A user will type in something they are looking for in the search bar (aka a query like “gold minimalist earrings”) and the search engine will look through the listings on Etsy to try and best match items that are related to that search.
Queries are matched based off of keywords that are in several different places in your Etsy store and in your listings, including in the:
- Title
- Tags
- Attributes
- Category
- Description
There can be an exact match, meaning the search term and your title and tags are the same. And then there is a partial match where only part of your title, tags, attributes, categories, and your description match the search term.
Search Ranking
Second, there is the ranking phase. This is where listings are sorted using a variety of factors including:
- How new the listing is
- How relevant the listing is – an exact phrase match will rank higher
- Listing Quality Score, which is based on the listing’s conversion rate
- Customer and Market Experience Score, which is based off of shop policies, having great reviews, etc.
- The shipping price – free domestic shipping is prioritized
- Shopper’s habits – each search is personalized to the shopper’s history, so search results will look slightly different for everyone!
You may be wondering: well, what if I put up a brand new listing? Do I have a bad listing quality score? Etsy has stated that new listings get a neutral quality score and a small temporary boost in search.
All of these are explained in depth in this Etsy seller handbook article if you’d like to learn even more about them.
How To Find The Best Keywords For Your Etsy Shop
Choosing the right keywords is essential for being found on Etsy. Since there is a lot of competition on Etsy (and everywhere on the internet), there are some keywords that will be way more competitive.
These can include broad, one-word keywords such as “ring” or generic keywords such as “art print”. (There are over 8 MILLION results for “art print”). While these are fine words to include in your listing, you won’t want to use these keywords as your main keyword.
This is where you’ll need to get pretty strategic with your keywords so you can break through your competition.
Long Tail Keywords
A long tail keyword is a keyword made up of more than one word that is much more descriptive and specific. They are called long tail keywords because when you display a graph with broad keywords and more specific keywords, the more specific keywords form a long tail at the end of the graph!
These keywords may have less search volume, but they will also have less competition since they are more specific and niched down.
Here’s an example: “baby shower gift for woodland themed nursery”
This long tail keyword is way more narrowed down and precise compared to just using the keyword “nursery” or “baby shower gift” only.
If a shopper types in a more specific keyword, they are more likely to actually purchase something because they have a more particular idea in mind for a product they want. This means you have more chances to rank in search AND you have a greater chance of making a sale!
Low Competition, High Volume Keywords
Keywords that have a high volume, meaning they are searched for often, but have low competition, meaning there aren’t as many search results are the some of the best ones to use for your main keyword.
These are hard to come by, but when you find them it’s very exciting!
How To Find Keywords For Etsy
There are a few different ways you can find these keywords.
Etsy Search Bar
The first way is to search on Etsy and take a look at the number of results for the keyword. You’ll also want to take a look at the shops to see what items are selling to make sure there is actual demand for the product / keyword.
Another great way to use the search bar is to start to type in a search phrase. Etsy will suggest additional search phrases that are related to what you typed in. Generally, these are keyword suggestions that are popular in search so this can be a great way to spark some ideas for new keywords!
Etsy SEO Tools
Then there are SEO tools you can use. These provide a bit more information than the Etsy search bar can give you such as the estimated click through rate, the estimated amount of times every month the term is searched for, etc. If you’re serious about getting traffic to your Etsy shop, using one of the tools listed below is a great idea! All of them have free and paid options and are relatively affordable.
How To Optimize A Listing
Now that you have an overview of how Etsy’s search works as well as some ways to find keywords, here are some of the most important factors for creating a well optimized listing that will have a greater chance of ranking in search for relevant keywords.
Choose The Most Specific Category
You’ll want to make sure you choose the most accurate and specific category when you create a listing for an item. The Etsy Seller Handbook states that “Categories act like tags. Be sure to add the most specific option available for the item you’re listing.”
Attributes
Attributes contain additional details about your item. They can vary depending on which category you choose, but they are also treated like tags when you select them. Make sure to select as many attributes as you can and be as accurate as possible when you are selecting attributes that describe the item.
Title
The product title is another important area that you should fill out strategically. Your listing title should contain keywords that you carefully select.
Etsy titles can be a max of 140 characters but the titles are truncated in search results. Ideally, you should place the most important keywords towards the front of the title and some of the “nice to haves” towards the end.
In addition to the keywords you have chosen to include, the title can also contain information about who the item is for and if it is customizable.
Try not to repeat words too many times in your title. Make sure your primary keyword is an exact match and then for the rest of the title you may not have exact match phrases for every single keyword.
Description
Include some of your most important keywords in the first few sentences of your product descriptions but try not to “keyword stuff”. Keyword stuffing is when a description is full of keywords and not written in a natural way. You want to write the description for humans and not just for search engines!
Ultimately, the description should be helpful for potential Etsy customers and answer all of their questions, but it should also contain some of your most important keywords so that Etsy’s search algorithm can match your listing to the search term that was used.
Tags
Each Etsy listing is allowed 13 tags. These tags should match the keywords you are using and it’s also an opportunity to add a few more that you may not have had room to include in your title.
You’ll want to use all 13 tags, which will give you more chances to be found in search.
Try to avoid using one word tags. You should include multiple words and keyword phrases when you can because it increases your chances of matching a query. (the chances of you ranking for the keyword “dog” is rather slim. But if you add a tag for “dog bandana” your chances are greater!)
Tips For Optimizing Etsy Listings
- Fill out all 13 tags for each listing
- Pick a focus keyword for each listing and include it in your title, tags, and description
- Add any relevant attributes to each listing
- If possible, offer free shipping
Tips For Optimizing Your Entire Etsy Shop
- Use keywords in your shop sections
- Strive to receive positive customer reviews
- Use keywords in your shop title
- Make sure your shop’s policies are filled out.
How Long Does It Take For Etsy SEO To Work?
There seem to be mixed answers in regards to how quickly a listing starts getting ranked in search. From personal experience, I would say that you should start to see some traffic within a week or so.
This video has an interesting case study and perspective on how long it takes.
Try not to change your listing around too soon after you’ve made it! As a rule of thumb, you should wait at least 2-4 weeks before changing your listing around.
Keep an eye on your stats to see how many views a listing is getting. If you find after a few weeks that the listing isn’t getting much traffic from Etsy search, you can do some more research and change the keywords around to try to improve it.
How Long Does It Take To Get Views On Etsy?
While it may take a little bit for you to start getting traffic from search, the algorithm also shows shoppers similar items from other sellers’ shops. You may be surprised to see in your stats that you start getting traffic from “Etsy app & other Etsy pages” first before you start seeing any traffic from Etsy search. Etsy shows shoppers similar items from different sellers in the “You may also like” section.
Another way to get some additional views is through social media, so don’t forget to share your creations there!
How Do I Find My Etsy Ranking?
It used to be that you could see when your listing was on the first page of search, but the search algorithm has gotten more sophisticated and it is unfortunately not that simple anymore.
Etsy states in the seller handbook that their search algorithm uses “Context Specific Ranking technology”, which means that every user’s search results will appear slightly different. As stated above, part of the ranking process when a user searches on Etsy is based on their purchases and search history.
This means that your product could potentially rank in different places for each search, and there is no way to see exactly where your product listings are ranking. Look at your listing stats instead to find out what search queries are bringing the most traffic to your products, and see which listings are performing the best.
Does The Star Seller Affect Rankings?
In 2022, Etsy came out with a new program called Star Seller. Sellers that meet the criteria of this program earn badges that appear on their profile. Etsy has stated that this currently does not affect the way listings are ranked.
While it doesn’t affect your placement in search, having these badges on your profile may help you stand out in search as a more trustworthy seller!
What About Etsy Ads?
Another way to get more traffic to your listings is through Etsy Ads. However, I don’t recommend jumping to using Etsy Ads for a brand new Etsy listing. This is because it may still take awhile for Etsy to figure out what keywords to rank you for and you don’t know how well the product will convert.
This may end up with you losing more money than earning.
If you want to try Etsy Ads, I recommend running them with some of your best selling items first!
A final thing to keep in mind is that the algorithm still looks at all of the areas mentioned in this article to figure out what your product is and what search terms it should be matched for. So it’s still super important to have your listings well optimized even if you’re running Etsy Ads!
Conclusion
SEO is a continual process. You will want to occasionally study your stats and continue doing keyword research. There may be trends that arise or specific keywords you find that you aren’t already using.
There can be a lot of trial and error involved when it comes to SEO. You’ll want to identify what is working for particular listings and identify listings that are underperforming.
By researching and also keeping an eye on your Etsy shop’s stats, you can ensure that you are using the best keywords.
I would also highly recommend that you read through the Etsy seller handbook, particularly the SEO portion. They have several detailed articles that will go over best practices!
