Etsy SEO: 13 Key Factors for Sellers

If you’re an Etsy seller, you understand the immense potential this platform offers to showcase your handmade or vintage items. 

However, in the vast and diverse Etsy marketplace, standing out can be a challenge. 

That’s where Etsy SEO (Search Engine Optimization) comes into play.

Etsy SEO is all about optimizing your shop and product listings to ensure they appear at the top of search results when potential buyers search for that perfect find. 

This can differentiate between your product’s decline or rise to best-seller status. 

To help you make the most of Etsy SEO, we’ve compiled 13 best optimization tips for sellers. These strategies, when applied thoughtfully, can launch your Etsy shop to new heights of visibility, attract more customers, and drive sales. 

So, let’s delve into these essential tips and unlock the full potential of your Etsy shop.

Here’s a sneak peek into the article

1. What Is Etsy SEO?
2. How Does Etsy SEO Work?
3. 13 Best SEO Tips for Etsy Sellers
4. Conclusion

What Is Etsy SEO?

Etsy is a popular online marketplace similar to Amazon, where independent artisans, crafters, and small businesses sell unique and handmade items. Etsy connects people looking for unique goods, thus making it a competitive platform with thousands of sellers going live daily. 

Therefore, if you need to stand out in this crowded marketplace and attract buyers, it’s essential to optimize your listings for Etsy SEO. 

This will make your product more discoverable to potential customers and boost sales. 

You can find the best SEO tips in the further section below. But before that, understand how Etsy’s search process works. 

How Does Etsy SEO Work?

Understanding how Etsy SEO works is crucial for sellers to make their products visible to potential customers. The Etsy search process has two phases:

1. Query Matching
2. Ranking Factors

Here’s a thorough explanation of both the search processes.

Query Matching

Query Matching is a fundamental aspect of Etsy SEO. It works when a customer enters a search query; Etsy’s algorithm tries to find the most relevant listing with the search term they used. Etsy’s search engine analyzes the title, descriptions, categories, and tags of a product’s listing to find relevant keywords that match the search query.  The more closely your listing’s keyword matches the customer’s search, the higher the chance for your listing to appear on the search results.

Ranking Factors

The rank of your product depends on various other factors on Etsy. This rank determines the order in which your products should appear in the search results. The more ranking factors you have on your listings, the higher it’s likely to rank. Here are the ranking factors that Etsy gives importance to

Relevancy

Relevancy depends on how closely your product matches the customer’s search query. It is all about how relevant customers find your product and listings. As always, exact-match keywords rank higher in the search results.

To improve your relevancy, ensure that your titles, tags, and descriptions are correct and descriptive, and use keywords that accurately reflect your product. 

Recency

Etsy considers new or recently updated listings because it wants to promote active listings and give buyers a chance to discover new products. By raising new and recently updated listings in the search results, Etsy is able to give buyers a more up-to-date view of the marketplace and help them find the products they are looking for.

The indicated listings can rank higher on Etsy SERP as the algorithm takes it as an active listing. Also, Etsy raises these listings in the search results for a limited time to understand how buyers interact with them. 

Regularly adding new products or refreshing existing ones can positively affect your rankings. 

Shipping Price

The shipping price plays a significant role in influencing Etsy’s SEO ranking. Etsy prioritizes sellers that have competitive pricing or offer free shipping and fast shipping, over others.

Personalized Search

Etsy’s search algorithm takes into account each user’s behavior and preferences. It aims to personalize search results to display products more likely to match an individual’s interests and past interactions on the platform. This means that search results can vary from one user to another, even for the same search query. 

Language and Translation

The language you choose when creating your Etsy store should be the one you use when listing your product. For sellers who want to promote their listing in multiple languages, Etsy allows you to do that. By providing listings in different languages, you can improve your Etsy SEO in multiple geographics. 

Shop location

The seller’s location is considered in the EU, Australia, and Canada. These local items can somewhat rank higher on Etsy’s search result pages. 

Customer’s habits

Etsy’s search results are customized for every shopper. Etsy pays attention to what customers are interested in and presents them with the items they are most likely to purchase.

Context-Specific Ranking

Customer Shopping Behavior, or CSR, is a factor on Etsy that helps show relevant listings to buyers based on their preferences. This means that sellers can view CSR as a part of Etsy SEO, as it plays a role in making listings more likely to be purchased.

13 Best SEO Tips for Etsy Sellers

Ready to improve your chances of being found on Etsy and Google? 

Implementing a robust seo checker can elevate your Etsy shop’s visibility further. By meticulously analyzing and optimizing your listings for search engine compatibility, you enhance your potential to attract a wider audience and drive additional sales, ensuring your products shine in the competitive marketplace.

Here are the 13 best Etsy SEO tips that will help you improve your store’s ranking.

These tips will help you to optimize your listings the right way, which in turn will bring more potential customers to your shop and increase sales. 

Use Relevant Keywords in Your Product Listings

When listing your product on Etsy, add the relevant keywords you want to rank for. This is an effective Etsy SEO trick that will catch the eye of potential customers. 

There are three key places where you should add the main keywords: the title, description, and tags. 

A good title product should be short, clear, and accurately represent what your product is. For example, if you are selling in the men’s athletic footwear category, you can add the keyword “Men’s Basketball Shoes” to the title. 

This can make your product more visible to a customer who searches for Men’s basketball shoes. Also, include relevant sub-keywords to make your item more appealing to potential customers.

In addition, you need to create a description of your product. It should be 160 characters that are engaging, truthful, and provide a complete picture of what you are selling. But make sure that in the first 40 characters, you only focus on the most important keywords for your product. You can use long-tail keywords, improving the chances of making sales. 

Finally, use Etsy tags to boost your product visibility. Adding specific and general search terms in your tags is a good idea. This will give your listings a better chance of being found.  

Avoid Repeating Keywords in Your Listings

It is a best practice to not repeat the same keywords in your listings. 

But why?

Regarding Etsy SEO, it’s not a good idea to use the same main keyword for every item you sell because of “de-clumping.” 

De-clumping is a method used by Etsy that ensures various shops appear in the search results. It involves listing similar products separately instead of grouping them into one listing. This can help your products to rank higher in search results and be seen by more buyers.

When you group similar products into one listing, you compete against yourself in search results. Etsy only shows one listing per product variation in search results. For example, if you have two listings for the same t-shirt in different sizes, only one of those listings will show up in search results for that t-shirt.

If you de-clump your products and list them separately, each product will have its chance to rank in search results. This can increase your chances of being seen by buyers and making more sales

Boost Your Listing With Advertising

Advertising on Etsy can play a vital role in improving the reach and sales velocity of your product listings, ultimately contributing to better organic ranking and increased sales. 

This phenomenon can be compared to an “advertising flywheel,” where the process compounds upon itself for mutual benefit. 

Here’s how it works:

Increased Visibility:

When you run ads for your Etsy product listings, they appear more prominently in search results and may even show up on the front page. This heightened visibility exposes your products to a larger audience, increasing the likelihood of attracting potential customers.

Boost in Sales Velocity:

With greater visibility, more potential customers visit your listings. If your products are appealing and competitively priced, these visitors are more likely to make a purchase. This increase in sales velocity – the rate at which your products sell – is a crucial metric in Etsy’s search algorithm. Etsy rewards products that sell well and regularly.

Improved Organic Ranking:

As your sales velocity improves, Etsy recognizes that your products are popular and in demand. Consequently, it tends to rank your listings higher in organic search results. This means that even when your ads are not running, your products are more likely to appear prominently in search, drawing organic traffic without additional advertising expenses.

Growth and Visibility:

With each turn of the advertising flywheel, your Etsy shop’s visibility and sales grow. More sales improve your organic ranking, leading to even more exposure to potential customers. This continuous cycle can significantly impact the long-term success of your shop.

Thus, advertising is a strategic approach to grow your Etsy business and expand its reach. 

Get Backlinks for Your Etsy Shop

Acquiring backlinks for your Etsy shop is an intelligent move regarding your Etsy SEO strategy. These backlinks can boost your shop’s rankings, visibility, and the number of potential customers who discover your shop through search results.

It is a good idea to lift your Etsy shop by adding backlinks, but there are other ideas, too:

• Ensure that the websites linking to your shop are related to your product offerings and maintain a solid reputation. This not only enhances your shop’s visibility in search results but also elevates your standing in the eyes of both Google and Etsy’s search engines.
• Reach out to other websites and bloggers to feature your product. You can offer a free product to them in exchange for reviews from the influencers.
• Try cross-promotion by connecting with other Etsy shop owners. In this way, you can promote each other’s products.
• Consider starting an affiliate program for your shop. Affiliate program is more cost-effective than traditional advertising, which can boost your sales on Etsy. Through this program, you can team up with influencers in your industry who can promote your products to their followers through email, blog posts, and social media. 

By advertising in the above-given ways, you can boost your product listings. 

Renew Your Listings Regularly

When is the best time to renew your existing listings? 

It’s when you see positive activity in your listings, like more views, clicks, and purchases. This is a great strategy in Etsy SEO.

Renewing your listings helps improve the quality score of your product, which can boost your rank in Etsy’s search results. By renewing your listings regularly, you get an opportunity to update your product image and your keywords (long-tail and short keywords) and even adjust the price if needed. 

To make the most of this strategy, renew your older listings during high-traffic periods, like holidays or when your Etsy store is busier. 

Specify The Product Categories

Another way to optimize your Etsy SEO is through categories. Product categories are a way you can segregate your product into specific segments. The more specific you are about your product, the greater your visibility will be in the Etsy search results.

For example, you have an Etsy shop where you sell handmade clothing items. “Clothing” is a top-level category on Etsy, but it’s quite broad. By placing your hand-painted T-shirt in the “Hand-Painted T-shirts” subcategory, you make it more specific and easier for potential customers looking for precisely that kind of product to discover it. 

While the broader “Clothing” category might have many listings and fierce competition, the deeper you go into subcategories, the better your product’s chances of standing out in search results. This approach enhances the visibility of your unique T-shirt and can increase its chances of getting noticed by potential customers interested in this niche clothing item.

Utilize High-Quality Images

Place the best photo in your listing first, getting you the best Etsy SEO results. Showing clear photos of your product can increase your clicks and sales.

Apart from this, you can add engaging product videos to your product listing. It can help customers to understand the product accurately. 

Tips for high-quality images

• Accepted image file types for your Etsy shop: .jpg, .gif, or .png.
• Etsy does not support animated .gif files or transparent .png files.
• Be cautious of images with transparency, as they may appear black on Etsy.
• The recommended size for listing images is 2000px for the shortest side, with a resolution of 72PPI.
• Images larger than 1MB in file size may have trouble uploading.
• For icons and profile photos, aim for an image size of 500 x 500px. These guidelines will help ensure your images display correctly on Etsy.

Improve Your Customer’s Buying Experience

Etsy considers customer satisfaction and positive reviews as a positive sign when determining your market score, which in turn determines your shop’s placement on the search result page. 

It will negatively impact your Etsy SEO if the customer complains about your product or disputes over intellectual property, 

So keep these tips to earn positive reviews like

• Give quick responses to inquiries and questions from customers
• Address negative comments in a friendly and respective manner 
• Deliver top-notch, high-quality products
• Make sure you accurately represent your listing with images and descriptions.

Also, provide good customer service to help the customer with their problem. 

Use Social Media 

While it may not be a direct factor, social media can be your weapon to boost Etsy SEO and your online business.

Social media can drive more visitors to your shop and increase sales.

Here’s how you can make it work for you:

• Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have the potential to capture the attention of a vast audience. This strategic move can work wonders for your Etsy SEO.
• Regularly share your product listings on social media with captivating images. By using this technique, you can significantly increase your chances of gaining visibility and attracting organic traffic to your main store.
• User-generated content, such as customer reviews and when customers tag or mention your products. This type of content proves that your customers are satisfied with your offerings. 

Maximize All 13 Tags in Your Listing

Tags are an area you might think is optional but is crucial for optimizing your listings for search. 

Using all 13 tags is a smart move. When brainstorming tags, consider synonyms that potential customers might use to search for your item. For instance, if you’re selling jeans, consider adding “pants” as a tag.

Here’s where it gets interesting – consider how a shopper’s location can impact their search. 

If you’re selling flip-flops, adding the term “thong sandals” could help you reach shoppers in other countries. Don’t forget the power of long-tail keywords in your tags.

Now, when it comes to tagging, keep these key points in mind:

• Use the same tag only once. For example, if you sell baby headbands, skip using both “baby quilt” and “infant quilt.” Instead, mix it up with tags like “baby quilt” and “toddler blanket” to expand your reach.
• If a tag is already covered in your attributes, there’s no need to duplicate it. You’ve already specified that you’re selling red and gold vintage earrings, so you don’t have to reiterate it in your tags.
• Tags should avoid plurals or misspellings. Etsy keeps an eye out for root words and assists users with frequent spelling errors. So, be accurate.
• It’s best to stick to your chosen language when creating your store. Etsy can assist with translations, so there’s no need to add tags in multiple languages.

By mastering these Etsy SEO tag tips, you’re well on your way to boosting your shop’s visibility and attracting more potential buyers.

Add Clear Policies to Your Store

Before customers purchase, ensure they can access your shop’s policy details. This not only fosters trust by providing clear rules on refunds, returns, shipping, payment, and privacy but can also enhance your ranking in Etsy’s search results.

Etsy simplifies the process by offering a store policy template. By utilizing this template, you not only ensure that you cover all the essential information for selling on Etsy but also give your shop an extra boost in Etsy’s search engine results. It’s a win-win for both you and your customers.

Diversify Your Product Range

Expanding your product offerings can significantly enhance your discoverability among Etsy shoppers. Rather than narrowing down by selling just one or two items, consider broadening your shop’s inventory.

For instance, if your shop specializes in shirts and linen bags, you’ll naturally attract shoppers interested in those items. However, by including keychains, vases, hoodies, and more, you’ll draw in a broader range of customers and open up opportunities for cross-selling.

For Etsy sellers looking to expand their product range seamlessly, this approach is a valuable solution. It allows you to diversify your shop without the hassles of managing inventory or dealing with bulk orders.

Recommended read: Five Methods to Sell on Amazon Without Inventory.

Continuously Refine Your Approach

Etsy advises sellers to engage in regular experimentation and strategy assessment. With Etsy’s search algorithm evolving, staying well-informed about its changes is crucial.

Keeping a close eye on which products and keywords are bringing the most traffic to your store is essential. You can then optimize lower-performance listings and introduce additional products to enhance your shop’s overall appeal.

Conclusion

Etsy SEO plays a vital role in the success of your Etsy shop. By optimizing these tips, you can significantly improve your shop’s visibility, attract more potential buyers, and ultimately boost your sales. 

Remember that Etsy SEO is an ongoing process, and it requires regular monitoring and adjustment. Stay attuned to changes in Etsy’s search algorithm, experiment with new strategies, and consistently assess your shop’s performance. 

By doing so, you can keep your Etsy shop at the forefront of search results and create a thriving online business. So, embrace these tips, put them into action, and watch your Etsy shop reach new heights of success. 

Happy selling!

Additional read:

Amazon Advertising Audit Checklist

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