Marketing hints & tricks

Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips)

February 5, 2024 17 minutes
Etsy SEO - How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2022

Increasing your brand’s visibility on Etsy depends mostly on search engine optimization (SEO) and high-quality images. 

Good SEO means your products will appear more frequently, boosting your brand visibility and increasing sales. 

Learn how to improve Etsy SEO for 2024 with valuable insights and clear steps to increase your store reach and, consequently, profit.

What Is Etsy SEO?

Etsy SEO is a set of techniques and processes for improving your store and product rankings on the Etsy platform and external search engines.

Etsy is a closed marketplace with specific parameters controlling an internal ranking system.  

The platform also has an excellent PageRank on Google and search engines like Bing and Yahoo, which puts you in a position to intercept even more users from these search engines.

Note

Check out our blog for more tips and tricks and learn how to get more sales on Etsy.

Etsy SEO Ranking Factors

We’ll cover in detail several factors that influence your Etsy listing’s SEO rankings. 

We’ve also compiled a short snippet of them:

  • Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 1

    Relevancy. Query matching is Etsy’s top priority. How similar your Etsy listing’s tags, attributes, product descriptions, and titles are to people’s search queries, the higher your ranking will be.

  • Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 1

    Listing quality score. If your product matches a customer’s search intent, and they stay on your product page for an extended period, this boosts your listing quality score.
    However, if someone quickly clicks on and off your listing, it suggests your items match the terms but fail at search intent. This could mean they’re irrelevant to the Etsy shopper.

  • Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 1

    Recency. Etsy gives a search boost to every new listing, and its algorithm measures how customers interact with them. After a few days, the platform will rank the product accordingly. The same applies to new shops.

  • Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 1

    Shipping price. High shipping costs discourage purchases. Everyone loves free shipping, and Etsy reflects this by boosting listings that include it. Consider adding shipping costs to the price of your products to improve your ranking.

  • Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 1

    Personalized search. Etsy tailors its search engine results to consumer interests, so your products may rank higher for some customers than others.

  • Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 1

    Language. Always use your shop’s language in listings since Etsy automatically translates the title and labels into the prospective buyers’ language. If you’re fluent in multiple, Etsy recommends creating multilingual shops, as human translations are more accurate than automated ones.

15 Etsy SEO Tips to Get Your Shop Noticed

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Check these valuable SEO insights and the steps to make your Etsy shop ideas profitable.

Tip

Combine SEO with various Etsy marketing strategies and quality listings to get noticed quickly. Find out more on how to sell on Etsy.

1. Choose an Etsy Shop Name That Includes Keywords

Your shop’s name is crucial for Etsy SEO as it determines your store’s visibility. Ensure you’re familiar with the mandatory and recommended name parameters, and discover more SEO practices to help your shop stand out in search engines.

Mandatory requirements:

  • An Etsy shop name can have up to 20 characters.
  • Etsy doesn’t allow punctuation, symbols, unique characters, or words divided by spaces.
  • Shop names shouldn’t be trademarked by third parties. Google your name, and see if a domain is available on Namecheap before using it. 

Recommended characteristics:

  • Good shop names are informative and clearly indicate what products the shop sells.
  • The best names are memorable and reflect the brand’s tone – this helps to captivate your niche and keeps the brand in customers’ minds.

SEO recommendations:

  • Insert a primary keyword in your shop name if possible – only if you can do it naturally. 
  • Create an external site, like on Pattern or WordPress, and use the same shop name for your domain. Remember to trademark it.

Other tips for picking the perfect Etsy shop name:

  • Use a name generator like Namelix or Shopify’s Business Name Generator, or ask Chat GPT for suggestions.  
  • Test your shop name for some time and check your Etsy performance with Etsy analytics and Google Search Console before fully committing to it. 
  • Also, check within your social media channels to see if the name resonates with your audience. If so, trademark it and get a domain name. 

2. Research and Choose Your Keywords

Whether you compare Etsy vs eBay, Etsy vs Shopify, or any other platform and marketplace, keyword research is the foundation of SEO and will impact your visibility and sales.

Using relevant keywords in the right places determines if your products and store match search results. Incorporate them in tags, page titles, categories, and attributes to improve your Etsy SEO. 

To ensure a keyword or phrase corresponds with potential customers’ search terms, try these techniques and platforms for your research.

How to Find the Best Keywords for Your Etsy Shop

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  • First, consider the features that make your product unique and make a list of them. Use both single words and short phrases.
  • Put yourself in the shopper’s shoes. If you were to purchase an item similar to what your shop offers, how would you find them? Which terms would you type in the Etsy search bar to find the perfect match? Make a list of these terms.
  • Research competitors. Look for best-selling products similar to yours or related to your niche. Take note of descriptions and hashtags. Check reviews and find what customers love about these products and why they’re best-sellers. Also, find what could be improved. Write down your findings. 

Put these three lists together. Check if they overlap – give preference to the terms you found in competitors’ well-succeded shops that describe your own products well. 

Now that you have a list of keywords, it’s time to test them on various platforms.  

Where do you look for these keywords?

Etsy search, social media, and search engines will show if people are using these keywords and if pages and stores respond to the demand. But, it’s the keyword research tools that will narrow them down, helping you improve your Etsy SEO.

How to Search for Keywords on Etsy

Etsy’s search engine suggests keywords based on previous shoppers’ searches and current trends. 

These suggestions determine what people are interested in buying within the platform, making the Etsy search engine a powerful tool.

Follow these steps to do keyword research inside Etsy:

  1. Find the Etsy platform search engine on www.etsy.com.
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  1. In the search bar, type the main product of your Etsy store. For example, if you sell custom posters – write posters. When you finish typing the word, you’ll notice that the Etsy search engine offers a list of terms related to your search.
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  1. Add for, and you’ll see another variety of keywords.
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  1. Try adding with, and you’ll see even more options. 
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Where to Insert Keywords

These are the places where you must insert keywords to rank high – we’ll explain a few of them in detail later:

  • Product titles and descriptions.
  • Meta titles and descriptions and images alt text.
  • The domain name and blog posts (if you have an external site connected with Etsy via Pattern).
  • Feedback and reviews.

Observe and adapt: Check your Etsy analytics regularly to see which keywords and tags bring the most traffic and sales conversions. Alter anything that isn’t performing well. Try different keywords in product titles, descriptions, categories, and attributes.

3. Use Keywords in Product Titles and Descriptions

To improve your Etsy SEO, place the most relevant keywords at the beginning of the item title. 

This will quickly let potential buyers know what the product is, resulting in more clicks and sales.

Tip

Learn more about strategies to make money on Etsy on our blog.

However, that doesn’t mean piling up a lot of keywords in the title – they must be readable. The search system on Etsy recognizes unnaturally incorporated keywords and can negatively impact your listing’s ranking. 

Use phrases that shoppers would write in their search engines, trying to get as close as possible to an exact match.

Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 13

Important

Writing titles packed with labels, like – Women’s T-Shirts, Cool T-Shirts, Black T-Shirts – won’t help you to increase your ranking in Etsy’s search results. They’re confusing and not specific enough, resulting in low conversion rates.

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Aim for unique titles for each of your listings – that way, Etsy can distinguish your product from the competitor’s items. 

Product titles must be concise yet informative – titles that are too long won’t display in full on Etsy’s search, Google, or other platforms. Remember, the maximum length for a title is 140 characters.

Etsy also advertises products with offsite ads, so you should also consider Google SEO and how your product titles and descriptions appear in external search engines. We’ll cover more on this later.  

Check out this video to learn more about keyword identification:

Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 15

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4. Use All 13 Product Tags in Each Listing

Etsy allows up to 13 tags, each with up to 20 characters – use them all. The more keywords you list, the more often your products appear in Etsy search results. 

Target long-tail keywords and multi-word phrases rather than single words. These more complex keywords contain two or more search terms and are better at describing an attribute than simple keywords.

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Example: Using a single tag, like vintage mom mug, is better than two or three separate tags like vintage and mom mug – you’re using a long-tail keyword and saving on tags.

Do not repeat tags or copy categories or attributes. It’s best to list more keywords in different sections of your listings to increase the chances of your products matching queries.

Example: Instead of using two tags, like mom gift and mama gift, go for Mother’s Day gift and present for mom. Also, Etsy already has categories, like kitchen and dining, so you shouldn’t use these as a tag.

You don’t need to translate tags – Etsy does this automatically. If your store is multilingual, fill in all fields in the selected languages.

Tip

Providing listings in different languages helps cater to international customers and improves your Etsy SEO in other locations.

Using regional phrases is recommended, especially if your shop targets a specific location. This includes using the most appropriate terminologies for items depending on the location of your potential customers.

Example: Tags like football gift and soccer present have similar meanings but target different English-speaking regions. 

Don’t use plurals. Etsy matches queries and keywords through root words – plus, you’ll save on characters. Also, avoid using words with incorrect spelling, even if it’s a common way to refer to an item. 

Pro tip

If you’re struggling with tag ideas for your product listings, find inspiration by checking competitors’ tags for similar products.

Do this by clicking Explore related searches under the product pictures or at the bottom of the webpage.

Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 17

5. Select Specific Categories

Etsy has thorough categories and subcategories, including ones suitable for items from art and collectibles, woven baskets to chairs, and digital prints. 

You cannot add your own categories since they’re predetermined. Still, their structure is ever-evolving, and you’ll probably never need to add another category to the list. 

Etsy categories function like keywords and help the marketplace showcase and match products according to buyers’ searches and preferences.

Selecting the precise category for your listing creates more opportunities for your items to be exhibited in the results.

Tip

If your product doesn’t clearly match a category or subcategory, use a generic one, like accessories, and apply tags featuring its attributes.

Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2024 (with Expert Tips) 18

6. Add Relevant Attributes

Etsy provides an extensive list of predetermined attributes to add to listings, making it easier for customers to find the exact item. 

They also act as tags and keywords and help your products stand out in Etsy search engine results. 

Attributes describe what a product is – not how it’s used. They vary according to the category – for instance, t-shirt and hoodie categories have attributes that include colors or sizes, whereas totes include material and style. 

Relevant attributes for ranking include:

  • Size
  • Color
  • Product purpose
  • Material
  • Manufacturing information
  • Bulk or individual purchase
  • Optional customization
  • Unique features

7. Improve Etsy SEO With Competitive Shipping Costs

High shipping costs discourage buyers and prevent them from completing a purchase. 

Etsy has established shipping costs as a ranking factor and actively pushes stores – especially from the United States – to offer free shipping. 

This strategy materializes from features like the free shipping guarantee for US buyers. See how to offer free delivery in the Etsy Help Center.

8. Renew Your Listings Regularly

This will give your listings a mini boost in the rankings for a short time. 

Constantly renewing your listing isn’t a viable Etsy SEO strategy, but doing so during busy periods may help increase your brand visibility. Renew your listings during high-traffic hours. Use tools like Google Trends or social media polls to discover when your potential buyers are most likely to shop. Then, publish your listings accordingly.

Start your Etsy print on demand business today!

9. Use High-Quality Photos: Place the Best Images First

Each listing has room for ten photos and one video. Place the best photo first to gain positive Etsy SEO results since it’s the first one buyers will see. 

90% of Etsy shoppers say picture quality is important when purchasing a product. 

So, it’s no surprise that Etsy’s algorithm gives preference in the results to stores with high-quality banners and product pictures.

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Important

Use photos that clearly represent what you’re selling. This increases the likelihood of having more clicks, favorites, and sales.

As well as adding images, improve your listing quality by adding a video of up to 100MB.

Videos are more accurate than still images. Show your customers you care about honesty and transparency by adding a short, high-quality video showcasing the unpacking or the item’s features.

Also, look critically at other Etsy sellers with similar products to yours who utilize videos – observe what works well and what doesn’t and gain inspiration.

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Explore these quick tips to produce high-quality photos that reinforce your brand, increase its visibility on Etsy, and capture the attention of more customers:

  • Keep your brand identity on every picture, video, and product design, from color palettes to typography, illumination, tone, and mood.
  • Stay up-to-date with the latest color trends. 
  • Make the most of our ever-expanding Printify Product Creator (formerly known as Mockup Generator) to give your customers a clear image of what you’re selling.
  • Creating your own product mockups with Placeit or other alternatives can help your product stand out compared to other Etsy listings. 
  • Order product samples and take your own pictures.
  • Check out creative product photography ideas to boost your sales on our blog.

10. Complete the Etsy Shop About Section

Completing the About section of your store can help increase your customer and market experience score and improve your SEO for Etsy and your listings’ ranking in the search results. 

By sharing their story in the About section, Etsy shop owners can create a special connection with customers and build trust.

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11. Add Clear Policies to Your Store

Having Etsy shop policies is optional, but they impact your ranking. Etsy increases the customer and market experience score of shops with complete policies. 

In turn, this score affects the listings’ rankings on Etsy search engines.

Additionally, there are other benefits for defining your policies: 

  • Clear policies ensure sellers and buyers are on the same page regarding potential issues like returns, refunds, or cancellations. 
  • Shops with clear policies display credibility and professionalism while increasing customer trust.
  • Europe-based sellers or shops selling to customers in the EU must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires a privacy policy. However, countries worldwide also pose similar legal requirements.
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Good news

Etsy significantly improved its process of defining policies. Most steps are automated and only require checking some boxes. See our blog and learn how to make the best Etsy shop policies.

Try these additional strategies to improve your shop’s SEO and get a better placement in search results:

Guest blogging is an excellent way to get more exposure. Connect with bloggers and write a guest post on other sites – this will help you build a network, publicize products, and create links to your store, which is excellent for SEO. In addition to increasing your visibility, guest blogging helps you develop authority and be perceived as an expert in your field.

Create social media accounts to develop a loyal base and drive traffic to your Etsy shop. There are infinite possibilities – create a brand Instagram account, show people behind the scenes of your business on TikTok, or create interest and discussion groups on Facebook.

Tip

Remember that increasing traffic from external sources, such as social media channels, will help improve your Etsy shop’s SEO and boost the brand’s visibility on search engine results.

Pinterest is more than a social media platform – it’s an image search engine where people seek ideas for projects, crafts, DIYs, or purchases. Promote your products and link a new listing or even invest in a Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy. Similarly to your Etsy store, you need to optimize your account using Pinterest SEO. 

Add pins relating to your product and include the same primary keyword from your Etsy listings and tags section to get your content seen by Pinterest users. Viewers who enjoy your content are more likely to click on your pin and purchase your products.

13. Experiment and Adjust Your Strategy

Test new strategies regularly and review your statistics. As Etsy’s search algorithm changes, you must be familiar with its developments and how that affects your listings’ performance. 

You have two Etsy native tools for these purposes:

  • Etsy search analytics – available in the Marketing section of the Shop Manager, the tool gives insights into keywords, traffic, and conversions. Use it also to track these KPIs over a specific period.
  • The Etsy Stats, also known as Store Statistics, are placed in the Shop Manager main menu. The tool displays traffic sources, conversions, and ads performance. It lets you identify what’s working well in your store and what you should change.

14. Make Your Customers Come Back

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Not only is it good for your business and brand image, but the Etsy algorithm also loves stores with recurring customers.

Explore these ideas for creating a loyal customer base:

  • Answer customer messages promptly and professionally.
  • Use social media to build relationships by participating in groups, creating polls, and publishing regularly.  
  • Send discount coupons for future purchases and to attract potential buyers.
  • Email special offers to customers.
  • Add small presents like badges or custom stickers to orders.
  • Prepare personalized thank you cards.
  • Keep strict business ethics. That includes avoiding copyright infringement and not using photos deceptively to represent measures or results you do not really have.
  • Have clear policies.

Remember: Do not promise more than you sell, or you will be tied to negative feedback, which could tarnish your brand.

15. Use Announcements and Paid Advertising

You can add a shop announcement and alert buyers of store events, such as a sale, new products, a cross-promotion, or if you’re going in vacation mode. 

  1. Open the Shop Manager.
  2. Scroll down the left-hand menu and click on the pencil icon below Sales Channels, alongside your shop name.
  3. Scroll down below your listings to the Announcement section.
  4. Click on Add a shop announcement, below your shop banner, and just above your listings.
  5. Add or edit an announcement and hit Save.

Note

Etsy recommends keeping announcements short and sweet.

Be a part of the Promoted listings by using Etsy advertising to get a higher spot on Etsy search results. You can pay per click to improve a listing’s visibility, displaying the term ad to indicate that it is a paid campaign. This will cater to selected target demographics and search tags.

Aside from marketing on Etsy, try other strategies, like social media promotion and word-of-mouth advertising – those will help you create even more pathways to your shop.

Note

Advertise your store using Etsy offsite ads on Bing or Google search results. Learn about the program’s benefits in our blog.

FAQ

Social media promotions can significantly impact Etsy SEO by driving external traffic to your listings, which Etsy’s algorithm may favor. Sellers can use platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to showcase their products, engage with potential customers, and create content that links back to their Etsy shop.

New sellers can improve their Etsy SEO by optimizing their listings with relevant keywords, ensuring high-quality images are used, actively engaging with the Etsy community through forums, and responding promptly to customer inquiries. Offering competitive pricing and ensuring your products are unique can also help attract initial traffic and sales.

For tracking Etsy SEO performance, tools like eRank, Marmalead, and the Etsy Shop Stats feature are valuable. These tools provide insights into keyword rankings, shop visibility, and other essential metrics that can help sellers make informed decisions to optimize their SEO strategies over time.

How to Get Noticed on Etsy: Conclusion

We’ve covered how to get your Etsy shop noticed, and you’re now ready to utilize search engine optimization to the fullest. 

Implement our Etsy SEO tips, analyze the results, and make any necessary changes to lead your Etsy store on the right path to increased traffic, sales, and profit.

We hope you make good use of these Etsy SEO tips and tricks, build a strong foundation for your store, and get on the road to success. 

Do you have any other tips to share on how to increase Etsy traffic? Let us know in the comments!

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