If your Etsy listings aren’t performing like they used to, it’s not your imagination. Etsy’s algorithm is changing in 2025. Here’s what you should do about it!
Etsy has been slowly shifting from a traditional search-based marketplace to a fully personalized, AI-powered shopping experience. That means everything from your titles and photos to how buyers interact with your listings plays an important role in where you show up.
During a Etsy investor call, CEO Josh Silverman confirmed what many top sellers already suspected: Etsy’s mobile app is now the main stage, and the algorithm is being trained on behavioral data—not just keywords.
We’re talking clicks, favorites, add-to-carts, and even how long shoppers look at your product.
So, if you’re still relying on the same old Etsy SEO tactics (or haven’t updated your shop strategy since last year) you’re already behind.
But the good news? Sellers who adapt are seeing major wins. And tools like Marma AI are making it easier to stay ahead—by helping you understand what Etsy’s algorithm is really looking for and how your listings stack up.
Here’s what’s actually changing with Etsy search in 2025—and what you should be doing right now to keep your listings relevant, clickable, and high-converting.
Etsy Search Is Evolving: Here’s What’s New
Etsy isn’t just showing search results anymore, it’s building curated shopping feeds for every individual buyer.
In 2025, Etsy’s algorithm is focused on personalization. During their Q1 2025 investor call, Etsy reported that 44.5% of all sales now happen in the Etsy app—the highest mobile percentage ever recorded on the platform. That stat alone explains why Etsy’s engineering team has spent the last year refining the in-app experience.
Their goal? To make the Etsy app feel like your own personal boutique—not a search engine. That means buyers are seeing more “For You” content powered by machine learning. Think Pinterest-style feeds full of products they didn’t even know they wanted—but suddenly feel compelled to buy.
This shift is powered by data. Etsy is using AI to track how shoppers behave in the app (what they click on, favorite, save, or even linger on) and it’s using that info to surface listings that fit their unique preferences. In other words, Etsy’s algorithm is learning what each buyer likes and matching them with listings that convert.
If your shop isn’t optimized for this kind of behavior-driven discovery, you’re going to miss out.
Your Listing Photos Matter More Than Ever
With Etsy’s current algorithm, product photos are everything.
When shoppers browse the Etsy app, they’re not reading your descriptions. They’re scrolling fast—and stopping only for images that catch their eye. If your listing photo doesn’t immediately show what you sell and why it matters, it’s getting skipped.
According to Etsy SEO insiders and top sellers, the majority of buyers make their decision within 2–3 seconds of seeing your product. That means your thumbnail image has to do the job your entire listing used to do.
Here’s what’s working now:
- Lifestyle mockups over plain white backgrounds: Show the product in context—styled in a beautiful space or worn by a real person. Think about how Pinterest images are designed to inspire. Your goal is to create that same effect.
- Feature highlights in the photo carousel: Add key product info directly in your images. Size options, download details, shipping perks, even customer reviews—if it’s important, show it in the images. Most buyers don’t scroll down to your description.
- High contrast, scroll-stopping visuals: Your images need to look sharp and readable at small sizes, especially on mobile. If it blends into the background, it’s getting ignored.
Want proof this works? Sellers upgrading their mockups to focus on lifestyle imagery and callouts have reported higher prices and better conversion rates—with no extra ad spend.
Bottom line: If your listing doesn’t sell the product visually, it won’t sell at all.
Related: Here’s how I build a high-converting photo studio in my guest bedroom.
Your Titles Need to Be Mobile-First
The first 3 to 5 words of your listing title carry more weight than ever.
Why? Because that’s all most mobile shoppers will ever see.
On Etsy’s app, and even on desktop in grid view, titles get truncated after about 70 characters. That gives you a split second to explain exactly what the product is. If it’s not immediately clear, the shopper scrolls past. If your titles don’t cut it, we’ve even seen Etsy using AI to change listing titles that are better optimized for mobile (even if they’re inaccurate)!
Clever titles, vague phrases, or keyword stuffing won’t cut it in 2025. Etsy’s algorithm is prioritizing clarity and relevance over creativity.
Here’s what to focus on:
- Front-load the title with your primary keywords: If you’re selling a minimalist gold bar necklace, start with “Gold Bar Necklace” not “Delicate Minimalist Jewelry for Her.” Lead with the product, not the vibe.
- Use plain language: Buyers aren’t searching for poetic metaphors. They’re typing in what they want to buy. Your title should match the way real people search.
- Avoid filler and fluff: You don’t need to use all 140 characters. You just need to get the point across in the first 5 words. Anything after that is a bonus.
Etsy’s algorithm uses your title to help identify what your product is—but just as importantly, shoppers use it to decide whether to click. If they can’t figure it out in a glance, they won’t give it a second look.
Etsy’s Algorithm Now Follows the Shopper
Etsy isn’t just matching keywords anymore, it’s tracking behavior.
Every click, favorite, add-to-cart, and purchase is feeding Etsy’s machine learning algorithm. This plays a direct role in your Etsy listing quality score and determines which listings show up in search and recommended feeds.
Here’s how it works:
- Shoppers browse curated product feeds (especially in the app)
- Etsy tracks what they click, favorite, and engage with
- That behavior helps Etsy build a profile of what that shopper likes
- Future search results and product suggestions are shaped around that behavior
This shift means your listing performance directly affects your visibility. If your photos don’t get clicks, your listing may drop in search. If your product gets favorited or bought, Etsy shows it to more buyers like the one who engaged.
That’s why conversion rate is more important than ever.
It’s no longer about stuffing the right keywords in your title and hoping for the best. Etsy’s algorithm is looking for proof that buyers actually want what you’re selling. If a listing consistently earns clicks and sales, it rises. If it gets ignored, it sinks.
What to do:
- Make your listings easy to understand at a glance
- Use compelling photos that align with your target customer’s taste
- Offer clear, enticing value (e.g., fast shipping, customization, digital instant download)
- Track which listings get engagement—and optimize the ones that don’t
This is Etsy’s new game: real buyer behavior drives real visibility.
Smart Sellers Are Thinking Beyond the Listing
You’re not just selling a product anymore. You’re selling the feeling that product creates.
In 2025, top Etsy sellers aren’t just optimizing for search—they’re building a brand experience. That starts with your visuals, your messaging, and how you make a shopper feel when they land on your listing.
Buyers today are more sophisticated. They’re not looking for the cheapest option—they’re looking for something that matches their lifestyle, their values, or the aesthetic they’ve been saving to Pinterest boards for years.
That’s why aspirational mockups are working better than ever. For example:
- Selling a $20 printable? Don’t show it on a plain wall. Show it styled in a $2,000 home office setup with natural light and cozy textures.
- Offering a handmade necklace? Model it with an outfit that screams “I’ve got my life together.”
- Selling a digital planner? Showcase it on an iPad surrounded by fresh coffee, houseplants, and clean desk vibes.
When buyers see your product, they should immediately think: I want that in my life.
This shift is why some sellers are doubling their prices—and still getting more sales. Because they’re not just competing on price or SEO anymore. They’re selling aspiration, emotion, and belonging.
What this means for you:
- Stop thinking like a seller. Start thinking like a brand strategist.
- Use visuals that trigger emotional responses and lifestyle association.
- Align your listings with the buyer’s ideal version of themselves.
- Invest in mockups that look like they belong in a magazine—not a spreadsheet.
Email Lists Are the New Secret Weapon
The Etsy sellers winning in 2025 aren’t just selling products, they’re building relationships.
And they’re doing it with email.
If you’re relying entirely on Etsy to drive repeat business, you’re at risk. Etsy owns the platform. They control the algorithm. They can change how buyers find your products anytime. But your email list? That’s yours.
Top sellers are using Etsy as the entry point, not the end game. Here’s how:
- If you sell digital products, include a bonus freebie in your download folder.
- Link that freebie to a simple opt-in page where buyers enter their email to access it.
- Once they opt in, you now have a direct line to follow up, share new releases, or offer promotions.
And here’s the kicker: this works because they already bought from you. They trust you. You’re not cold-emailing strangers—you’re reconnecting with happy customers.
Sellers using this strategy are increasing their lifetime customer value and generating more repeat sales—without paying for ads.
Even if you don’t sell digital products, you can still offer perks like:
- First access to new products
- Behind-the-scenes content or process videos
- Discount codes or loyalty rewards for subscribers
This isn’t some “gotcha email marketing.” It’s about staying top of mind.
What to do next:
- Start collecting emails—even just one a day adds up.
- Create a simple freebie or bonus that adds value to your product.
- Use an email tool that integrates with Etsy or offers easy automation (like MailerLite, ConvertKit, or Flodesk).
- Focus on delivering value through your emails, not just sales pitches.
Because when Etsy shifts again (and it will), you’ll be ready—with a customer base you can reach anytime.
You Don’t Need to Work Harder. Just Smarter.
The Etsy algorithm isn’t out to get you. But it is rewarding sellers who keep up with how the platform actually works now.
If that sounds overwhelming—don’t panic. You don’t need to spend hours guessing what’s wrong with your listings. You just need to make a few smart changes and use the right tools to guide you.
This isn’t about chasing trends or spending more on ads. It’s about creating listings that work with Etsy’s system, not against it.
Here’s how to work smarter:
- Use mobile-friendly, high-converting photos: Make sure your images look great on a phone, stop the scroll, and communicate value instantly.
- Lead with clarity in your titles: The first few words should say exactly what the product is—no fluff, no mystery.
- Highlight key info in your images: If it’s important (like size, instant download, personalization, or reviews), put it in your photo carousel.
- Track what’s working—and what’s not: Use data to make decisions. Don’t keep relisting the same underperforming products and expect different results.
- Use Marma AI to get insights faster: Marma scans your listings and shows you where you’re falling short—title too vague? Tags not matching real shopper searches? Low click-through rates? She’ll tell you.
Because here’s the truth: Etsy isn’t just a handmade marketplace anymore. It’s a curated, algorithm-driven platform that rewards performance, not guesswork.
And tools like Marma AI make it easier to see the code behind what actually works.
👉 Ready to adapt? Let Marmalead show you what Etsy’s algorithm is really looking for—so you can spend less time wondering and more time growing.
Over to You
Etsy is always changing—and the sellers who succeed in 2025 are the ones willing to change with it.
Yes, the algorithm is more complex. Yes, buyers are more selective. But that also means there’s more opportunity than ever to stand out if you’re creating listings that actually connect with what buyers want (and how Etsy works).
The days of vague titles and basic product photos are over. Now it’s about scroll-stopping images, mobile-first optimization, and using real data to guide your strategy.
So ask yourself:
- Are your listings built for how buyers actually shop today?
Are you making decisions based on Etsy search data—or just hoping something sticks? - Are you building a brand buyers remember—or just another listing in a crowded feed?
If you’re ready to take your shop seriously, Marma AI is here to help. She’s trained specifically on Etsy’s search algorithm, built into Marmalead, and ready to show you exactly how to improve your listings—step by step.
Let’s stop guessing. Let’s get to work.
👉 Start using Marma AI now and optimize your listings for the Etsy of 2025.
And as always, happy selling!
