Lately, everyone has an opinion about shipping…and that’s because free shipping has been all the buzz on Etsy since they released their Etsy SEO guide revealing that free and low-cost shipping are favored in search results. Some folks say it makes a difference, other folks beg to differ. But at the end of the day, Marmalead is about making sure you have the information you need to guide you through your Etsy journey. So…what’s this ship all about?? <— See what I did there?!
Today we’re going to take an in-depth look at ranking on Etsy. “Where do I rank?” Why am I not ranking on the first or second pages?” and “Why doesn’t Marmalead tell me where I rank or what page number I’m on anymore?” These are just a few of the questions we’ve been fielding recently, and we get it! Etsy rank is a frustrating topic for Marmalead users. So what’s going on?! Well…in order for Etsy to be a cutting-edge sales platform that doesn’t fall behind the times, they’ve got to Evolve…and evolve is just another word for change. We know, we know…no one likes change! But ultimately, if your shops aren’t making money…neither is Etsy! So remember this as you navigate Etsy’s most recent changes.
Etsy just released another of their much anticipated quarterly videos where they address the community and let us know how things are going and perhaps more importantly, where they’re going. This one is the Q4 Community Video released March 19th 2018.
Etsy has just released an article which details plans for the 2017 Etsy search updates. Last year they acquired Blackbird Technologies – a machine learning company. The purchase caused a bit of a stir in the Etsy community and spawned countless questions and even more conjecture. But now we finally have some details about Etsy’s plans. Here are 7 key takeaways from the announcement:
1. Etsy and its sellers are a team
Right off the bat, Etsy makes a point of reminding sellers that when they are successful, Etsy is successful. Etsy knows that search updates and algorithm updates can cause stress for sellers and they want to help minimize that by reminding sellers that Etsy’s success depends on seller success. Etsy says:
2. Watch for search bar updates
Etsy breaks their 2017 search focus areas into two groups: helping buyers find the right items and building better tools for sellers. The first way they plan to help shoppers is by “getting them started with the right search terms.” This is almost certainly a reference to their search bar suggestions which they’ve been providing shoppers for quite a while. As shoppers type in the search bar, Etsy provides suggestions from a pool of other recent search terms. In order to help shoppers get started, they will undoubtedly be providing more personalized search term suggestions right within the search bar to help each shopper begin with the best possible search term for them. Etsy says:
3. Changes to the search results page
The next thing Etsy plans to do for buyers is to help them “navigate their results in meaningful ways.” This could partially be referring to new filter options for shoppers which Etsy covers later in the article. But this likely includes other changes as well. There are vast possibilities but this could include things like quick product views on the search results page to pull key listing information further forward. This could also include features like “suggested listings” based on the search term and personalized browsing history. Etsy says:
4. More specific ways to describe listings
As part of their list of updates for sellers, Etsy announced that they will be providing new ways for sellers to “convey specific information” about listings. This will likely be tied to some of the upcoming search filter updates. This will allow sellers to fill in information which helps to differentiate their listings from others. Etsy says:
5. New search filters
Etsy announces new search filters in 2017. Currently, shoppers can filter by category, location, handmade/vintage, price, color, and ordering options. New ways to filter results could include things like seller rating, downloadable/handmade/vintage, size, and item quantity. Some sellers are even hoping for the ability to filter by items with coupon codes or those which are on sale. Etsy says:
6. Don’t freak out
Again, Etsy is sensitive to the apprehension that surrounds any updates to the flow that helps customers find products. They remind sellers that they’ll keep them up to date as changes are made and will be sure to provide actions that sellers can take to make sure their shops are in the best possible standing. Etsy says:
7. Did I mention Etsy and sellers are a team?
Just as they opened the article, Etsy closes it with a reminder how important their relationship with sellers is. The last thing they want to do is completely turn the system upside down that is working for so many sellers. Changes will be slow and careful and deliberate. Keep an eye out for updates, make the necessary changes to your shops and everything will be fine. Etsy says:
So what does this mean for the future of Etsy Search and Etsy SEO?
As Etsy begins to take advantage of the specialties of Blackbird Technologies, they’re looking to deliver a more personalized and intuitive search experience for shoppers. So what does this mean for SEO strategies? The core components that affect rank aren’t likely to change anytime soon. Etsy will still draw from listings’ tiles, tags, and recency. The majority of the changes are around HOW shoppers will get to those results pages and how they will navigate them. There will be other factors that Etsy introduces which will affect rank but the core algorithm is unlikely to drastically change. What does this mean for you as a seller? Sit tight and keep doing what you know works until Etsy announces changes. There is no need to jump the gun and start guessing how to update your listings for changes that may or may not happen.
What does this mean for Marmalead?
Marmalead’s algorithms measure engagement with search terms. Etsy is changing how they help shoppers find the right search term. So measuring which keywords they arrive at and which keywords enjoy the best engagement is still just as important as it used to be. In fact, with the crippling of Google’s Keyword Planner and Etsy’s planned changes to the search bar suggestions, Marmalead is becoming even more valuable to sellers as the best Etsy SEO solution available.
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