Etsy SEO: 10 tips to optimize your Etsy store in 2023

Get 10 SEO Tips to optimize your Etsy shop.

With millions of active Etsy sellers all over the world, you need to stand out from the competition.

One of the most effective ways to get noticed on the massively popular ecommerce platform? Improving your Etsy SEO.

If you’re new to Etsy and to online businesses in general, it’s understandable if you don’t know the first thing about these three crucial letters in  the online marketing world. But no need to worry!

In this blog, you’ll learn all about how to harness the power of SEO or search engine optimization. We’ll answer all your questions regarding this topic, including “What is Etsy SEO?” and “how to improve Etsy SEO”.

Plus, we’ll provide you with SEO Etsy tips that you can easily apply to your shop, regardless of what level you’re at.

 

On this article:

What is Etsy SEO? Understanding the basics of Etsy SEO
Etsy Ranking Factors
Conduct keyword research for your Etsy shop
How to optimize an Etsy shop? 10 Etsy SEO tips
How to rank high on Etsy search: 5 most common mistakes to avoid
Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is Etsy SEO? Understanding the basics of Etsy SEO

 

Optimizing for Etsy SEO is one of the most crucial skills any Etsy seller should have. But before you can practice a skill, you need to understand first the basics of what it’s all all about. So what exactly is Etsy SEO?

Etsy SEO refers to the practice of optimizing your Etsy shop and product listings to improve their visibility and ranking in both Etsy’s search function and external search engines like Google.

 

Query-matching

 

At the first phase of Etsy search, a customer enters a keyword or keyword phrase on Etsy’s search field. Receiving this search, the system then scans the titles, tags, listing descriptions, categories, and attributes you have on your listing to find keywords that match the query.

 

Etsy Ranking Factors

 

In this second phase of Etsy search, the system then gathers all the listings that match the buyer’s keyword search then ranks them according to a list of criteria:

 

• Relevance

This is how exactly your listings match with the query keywords.

 

• Listing quality score

The score is based on how well your listings convert.

 

• Recency

Recently uploaded or recently re-uploaded items get a boost on search results.

 

• High customer and market score

Having positive customer reviews as well as a complete shop policy and About page contribute to a high market score.

 

• Shipping price

Listings with zero or lower shipping prices get a boost in search results. Stores shipping to the US for listings $35 USD are given priority on search. Likewise, digital downloads get high scores on this category as they have zero shipping fees.

 

• Language and translations

Etsy recommends using tags and keywords in your shop language.

If you speak multiple languages, translate your words yourself to rank higher.

 

• Customers’ habits

Etsy uses Context Specific Ranking (CSR) technology which helps the platform customize search results depending on the actual user and their browsing and buying habits.

This means every buyer will have different search results using the same keywords.

 

TIP: When optimizing your shop for Etsy SEO, it’s important to know that having a paid Etsy subscription and getting the Star Seller badge do not contribute in any way to how search results are ranked.

Having a paid subscription on Etsy gives you an advantage over a free account only in the advanced tools that you can use as a seller.

The Star Seller badge, on other hand, distinguishes you from other competitors who may appear with you on search results, increasing your listing’s chance of being clicked.

 

Conduct keyword research for your Etsy shop

 

Equipped now with a basic understanding of how Etsy search or Etsy SEO works, you’re probably now wondering what keywords are and how you can discover yours.

Keywords are basically what your potential buyer types into the search field when they go browsing or shopping on Etsy.

They are the contents of what is known as a search query.

How do you find the keywords your potential customers use when searching for products in your category? 

The most basic step to start your keyword research is to come up with “seed keywords”. These are words or phrases that are directly related to your product.

For example, your specific product line is “custom wedding stationery”.

The seed keywords for this would then be:

• Wedding invites
• Save the date cards
• Bridal craft
• Weddings

 

You can now use these keywords to expand your research. Your research can start with simply typing these seed keywords into Etsy search and seeing what Etsy suggests.

These suggested phrases are collected from the actual search queries made by Etsy customers on the site.

 

 

Another keyword research tactic you can use is to look at related search results, which you can find at the bottom of a product listing page, under “explore related searches”.

 

How to optimize an Etsy shop? 10 Etsy SEO tips

 

Now that you’ve done your basic keyword research, it’s time to use them to improve your Etsy SEO.

Here are our top 10 SEO Etsy tips that you can integrate into your shop right away:

 

1. Optimize your shop title

 

Including your category’s primary keyword in your shop title is a fantastic way to get optimized.

If you look at top-selling Etsy shops, you will notice that most of them incorporate their categories or niche into their shop names

Examples are: WeddingByEli, DooWopVintageStudio, PaperiePrintables.

If you need help brainstorming a catchy, relevant, and keyword-optimized shop name or title, use our Etsy store name generator.

RedBerryGuestBooks’ primary products are wedding guest books, which is reflected on their store name.

 

 

2. Maximize your profile bio and shop announcement section

 

Other parts of your store that you can optimize are your shop profile bio and shop announcement section.

These sections lend themselves to more words, allowing you to insert your primary keyword more naturally.

A complete shop bio can also contribute greatly to your customer and market high score.

Get help drafting a good shop bio with our Etsy shop bio generator.

 

 

 

AugustaJoyStationery utilizes her shop announcement section to describe her products in brief and encourage buyers to sign up for her newsletter and follow her on her socials.

 

3. Optimize your listing title

 

Aside from making sure your listing title describes exactly what your product is, it should also contain your keywords with 70 to 140 characters. To generate the perfect title, think of what your target audience is typing in the search engine and incorporate that into the title.

If you need help creating titles for your listings, get ideas from our Etsy listing title generator which can generate 5 title ideas from your product keywords.

 

4. Optimize your listing description

 

The most effective way to optimize your listing is to include your primary keyword into the first 100 characters of your text.

Don’t forget to include long-tail keywords (that is, phrases that your buyers type into the search engine).

Make keyword insertion as seamless and natural so you don’t get flagged.

 

 

This product listing by CaitlynMinimalist is brief but has many high-value keywords for buyers searching for minimalist necklace, birthstone or gemstone necklace. They’ve even targeted occasions and holidays all within the first 40 characters of the description. 

Not confident with your writing skills?

Let our Etsy product description generator assist you in this department. Just input your product details and the generator will draft a product description for you in seconds. You can then easily make SEO tweaks if needed.

 

5. Know the most relevant tags for your listings

 

Etsy allows buyers a maximum of 13 tags per listing, so it’s important to use them wisely. Tags can help with your ranking, so having unique tags is essential.

One good tip is to use synonyms to your keywords so you don’t end up repeating them.

Be descriptive, add the materials used, and insert use cases (examples: gift for weddings, shirts for bridesmaids).

Referencing holidays (Christmas mugs, Mother’s Day cards) and aesthetics (minimalist, abstract, retro) are also good tag ideas.

 

 

6. Utilize listing attributes and categories well

 

Attributes and categories, in addition to tags, help you target even more keywords.

The attributes you can add to your listing will depend on what type of product you have. For example, if you’re selling a dress, you may update its size, color, style, and material attributes.

Don’t just fill in every attribute available if it doesn’t have anything to do with your product. Adding irrelevant attributes can result in poor customer experience, which can lower your ranking, especially if you get clicks but never convert.

Categories and subcategories are additional tag-like keywords you can use per listing as well.

Don’t be afraid to get ultra-specific with them as the more specific you are, the more likely you are to match with a query.

As with attributes and tags, don’t repeat yourself and never add irrelevant categories.

 

 

 

 

7. Renew listings strategically

 

New listings are often given a temporary prioritization on Etsy search so that Etsy can learn how buyers will interact with them. So if you renew your listing, it can benefit from the same perk.

However, don’t just re-list willy-nilly. Observe the movement of your particular listing – when is it in high demand, and when do your buyers typically buy them?

Time your renewal so you can get the maximum benefit. After all, you do get charged for renewing listings.

 

8. Avoid having similar product titles

 

Having similar product titles inadvertently makes your listings compete with one another. In the SEO realm, this is called keyword cannibalization. 

One way to avoid this is to put your similar products in the same listing. For example, if you sell a blue summer dress and a yellow summer dress, you can just put them in one listing, and list the colors as options.

 

9. Leverage external links for Etsy SEO

 

Guest blogging and social media posts and shares are not just great marketing tactics to draw followers to your store.

By adding links to your store in these external platforms, you can add more to your Etsy SEO value. 

 

10. Turn buyers into recurring customers

 

Earning a customer’s brand loyalty is an obvious milestone that every store wants. In addition to being good for business, repeat buyers can actually serve an SEO purpose for Etsy shops. 

Etsy loves repeat customers, using it as a basis for a good customer experience. In the website’s mission to give customers a good experience every time, they will give priority ranking to stores that guarantee this. 

On a related note, having positive customer reviews on your listings adds to your customer and market score.

However, not every buyer leaves a review, whether or not their experience was positive. So be sure to encourage them to do so. Add a perk like a coupon discount or a freebie.

 

How to rank high on Etsy search: 5 most common mistakes to avoid

 

Aside from learning how to research keywords and maximize your Etsy features to rank on Etsy search, you can improve your chances of SEO success by avoiding these common newbie mistakes:

 

1. Not updating your shop policy and profile bio

Your shop policy and profile bio are there to help your customers learn more about you and your shop.

Aside from these values, updating both sections help you score better on Etsy’s customer and market score, which are crucial for Etsy search rankings. Not updating them could result in lower engagement and even lower rankings.

 

2. Not having high-quality product photos

On Etsy search (and other online shopping sites), putting your best foot forward requires a high-quality photo. It is your potential buyer’s first experience with your store, so it has to be excellent.

Think of it as similar to a window display. Would a badly executed or low-quality window display draw you in?

 

3. Overstuffing your store with keywords

Keywords add a lot of value to your Etsy SEO, but too many can get you flagged by the system.

If the system, for some reason, doesn’t flag you for overstuffing keywords, they can still drive customers away. 

One way to avoid overstuffing keywords is to write with the customer in mind. Talk to the customer the way you would in person – professional, conversational, and friendly.

If your product is in a certain niche or category, the keywords will naturally come up in conversation, but it won’t be the only word in the conversation.

 

4. Not knowing how to use tags properly

Using the same words over and over again for your tags won’t help you much in terms of matching with queries. For this, it’s best to use synonyms to your keywords.

Another waste of a good tag is using single-word tags. It’s best to utilize phrases that buyers are likely to type in search. Another great resource for this is by looking at the related searches at the bottom of your product listing.

 

5. Not thinking like a buyer

Inserting random and irrelevant keywords in your product title, including a single product photo, not providing enough information or turning your product description into a novel – if you’ve been committing these mistakes, you’re probably not thinking like a buyer.

Think of your own habits as a buyer – all of us are prone to just scanning items, especially when they involve big chunks of text and leaving listings that don’t have other photo references.

Even if you rank high on Etsy search, these bad habits can turn off your customer and lead them elsewhere.

Enroll this beginner-friendly class which will walk you through 16 mistakes you might currently be making in your shop!

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. How do I get traffic on Etsy without ads?

 

You can get traffic on Etsy without ads through the following:

• Boosting your Etsy SEO by optimizing your listings, using your tags, categories and attributes properly
• Promoting on your social media platforms
• Collaborating with content creators
• Having your own blog or YouTube channel where you can establish your expertise in your niche
• If shipping to the US, offering a free shipping guarantee for orders $35 USD and up
• Offering lower shipping costs
• Completing or updating your shop bio and policy

 

2. Do reviews help SEO on Etsy?

 

Yes, reviews help SEO on Etsy.

To help with its ranking, Etsy search uses actual customers’ positive experience on a given listing.

The positive reviews are some of the most important factors considered in the customer and market score. 

 

3. What is a good visibility score on Etsy?

 

A good visibility score on Etsy depends on how you score against your competitors. The higher, the better, of  course.

You can find your listings’ visibility scores when you sign up for eRank, an Etsy SEO tool.

This unique feature allows you to see information on how your listing is being viewed compared to your competitors. You can use this information in tandem with the information on Etsy Stats, particularly where your buyers are coming from. This allows you to know which of your SEO tactics are working and which are not.

Making changes to your Etsy SEO, however, will not drastically change your visibility score. You will only be able to see an improvement in your score over time.

 

4. How long does SEO take to work on Etsy?

 

SEO may take at least 1 to 2 months to work on Etsy.

This is enough time for Etsy search to rank your listing based on query match and these other ranking criteria:

• Relevance
• Listing quality score
• Recency 
• High customer and market score
• Shipping price
• Language and translations
• Customers’ habits

 

5. How do I know if my Etsy SEO is working?

 

To know if your Etsy SEO is working, review your Etsy Stats on a monthly basis.

First, look at your bestsellers. Review the keywords, tags, and other SEO items you used on them.

Then see where your buyers found your listing: are they finding you organically on Etsy, or do most of your customers buy through Etsy ads?

Now that you see which of your tactics are working here, leave them be. Then adapt your best practices here to your least successful items.

 

6. How do I maximize my SEO on Etsy?

 

To maximize your SEO on Etsy, follow the following tips:

• Optimize your shop title with your primary keyword
• Maximize your profile bio and shop announcement section
• Optimize your listing description
• Know the most relevant tags for your listings
• Utilize listing attributes and categories well
• Renew listings strategically
• Leverage external links for Etsy SEO
• Turn buyers into recurring customers
• Use paid ads
• Adjust your strategy

 

Boost Your Online Business with the Ultimate Guide to Etsy

 

Take the guesswork out of your Etsy shop operations with the Ultimate Guide to Etsy, your go-to  page with all the essential guides and tips to running your shop like a pro.

Find ways to boost your Etsy SEO and attract more buyers. Read our articles on how to choose an Etsy Store name and how to write an Etsy description that ranks for useful tips and reminders.

Discover Etsy’s perennial top sellers and learn what to sell on Etsy with our quick guide.

Learn other ways to market your Etsy shop with our guide on how make money on Etsy.

 

Get discovered on Etsy and convert more

 

Having great products to sell is only half the Etsy battle. You have to know how to market them well so that buyers can actually find your offerings.

Prioritize Etsy SEO by doing proper market and competitor research, following our top tips, investing in SEO tools, and taking the time to test your strategy.

Be aware, though, that what works for others may not work for you. So it’s important to give your listings time to see what’s effective and what’s not.

Don’t be disheartened if your strategies don’t work the first time.

Just do the best you can, keep learning, and keep improving until you find what’s best for you and your store.