Looking for an Etsy SEO tutorial to help get your handmade products in front of more customers? Then you’re in the right place. Because using the right Etsy keywords is the easiest way to bring more traffic to your shop — but where should you start?
Using the right Etsy keywords is the first step in implementing an effective Etsy SEO strategy for your business. But SEO isn’t always the most straightforward idea for a beginner Etsy seller to wrap their head around.
That’s why in this Etsy SEO tutorial, we’re walking you through the absolute basics of Etsy search and how to use keywords for your listings.
Let’s get started.
A quick Etsy SEO tutorial: Starting with the basics
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. On Etsy, SEO is optimizing your listings to make your products appear higher in relevant search results. But to optimize your listing for search, you first need to tell Etsy what your listing is all about.
You can tell Etsy all about your listing by:
- Using relevant keywords in your Etsy tags
- Selecting appropriate product attributes
- Picking the right product category
- Using keywords in your listing title
- Using keywords in the first couple sentences of your listing description
With shopper search intent in mind, you can prioritize these main areas of your Etsy listing to make your product appear higher in search results.
Here’s an example of how Etsy SEO works
If you’re still unsure what we’re talking about, let’s try an experiment to show you an example of how SEO works.
Go to Etsy and type in search “round farmhouse coffee table.”
What listings show up in search results? There’s a good chance you’ll see rustic coffee tables that fit into the farmhouse aesthetic. But you may also see rectangular coffee tables, mid-century modern coffee tables, and more.
So, how does Etsy know which listings to show for the search query “round farmhouse coffee table?”
Mainly through your Etsy keywords. Which makes them fundamental for an effective SEO strategy.
Remember though: Keywords aren’t the only factors that determine your placement in Etsy search. Etsy also looks at a number of things like shopper search and engagement history, as well as your Etsy listing quality score.
What is an Etsy keyword?
An Etsy keyword is the search phrase you just typed into Etsy: “round farmhouse coffee table.”
But in this case, additional keywords could also be:
- Coffee table
- Farmhouse table
- Round coffee table
- Farmhouse
- Round table
- Rustic coffee table
Hopefully, this is starting to make sense.
Etsy keywords are what shoppers type into Etsy search.
They’re the terms people use to look for something on Etsy. Sometimes they’re looking to buy, so they’ll click through listings and engage with your product page.
And other times, they could just be window shopping. In that case, they may just browse through listings without engaging any of them.
An effective keyword usually isn’t just one or two words. Instead, an effective keyword strategy often uses a long thread of words called long tail keywords.
That’s because general keywords don’t typically bring as much traffic. For instance, “coffee table” has to compete with various shapes, styles, and designs. While “round farmhouse coffee table” only has to compete with similar products that meet the same criteria.
Pro tip: If you found a long tail keyword that doesn’t fit as one tag, separate it and put them side by side. Something like “round farmhouse” + “coffee table.”
So how do you find the best Etsy keywords for your products?
Etsy SEO tutorial: Finding effective keywords
At its core, looking for effective Etsy keywords starts with just describing your product.
If you sell dog collars, then “dog collar” is a great keyword to start with. And sometimes, it’s just that easy.
But now, you’ll need 12 more keywords to ensure all your tag slots are filled. And that’s where an Etsy keyword tool like Marmalead comes in handy.
Let’s start with the same keyword you just came up with, “dog collar.” Then, you’ll use this “seed keyword” to find more relevant keywords for your products.
Take your seed keyword over to Marmalead, and you’ll gain access to thousands of Etsy keywords and relevant data that can help you determine the best keywords for your remaining tag slots.
Using Marmalead, we found strong keywords like:
- Rope dog leash
- Rope dog collar
- Floral dog collar
- Leather dog collar
- Dog accessories
- Dog lover gift
- Funny dog collar
- Flower dog collar
But we also found new product ideas like:
- Dog lead
- Leash holder
- Service dog vest
How to use Marmalead to find effective Etsy keywords
When it comes to using Marmalead to find effective Etsy keywords for your listings, it’s important to remember the analytics you gain access to when using our keyword search tool.
Marmalead helps Etsy shoppers:
- Brainstorm effective keywords: Our powerful brainstorming tools help you find the keywords real shoppers are using to find listings like yours.
- Analyze relevant data: Discover the details behind keywords to learn real search volume, real keyword engagement, days to ship, market-based pricing, and much more.
- Apply keywords that bring results: Once you have winning keywords, it’s time to apply them to your listings. Letter grades, SEO, and Sales Factors ensure your listings are built for success.
Keeping track of your Etsy keywords
Now you know how to brainstorm keywords, the following process is to repeat this for all your products.
You can keep track of your products in an excel spreadsheet or some other visualization tool to easily view all your keywords and the listings they’re associated with.
Or you can just sync your Etsy shop with Marmalead, and we’ll keep track of all your keywords for you.
Even better, we’ll keep the keyword analytics up-to-date for all your Etsy tags. So all you need to do is pop into Marmalead periodically to see how well your keywords are expected to perform for you over the next 30 days.
This gives you an accessible overview of what keywords are used in your product listings, and you can easily refer back to them anytime.
Etsy SEO tutorial: How to use your new Etsy keywords
Once you have your list of Etsy keywords, it’s time to put them to use.
You’ll need to use them on your product listing to improve your chances of ranking for your specific keywords.
Again, these are the three places you need to use your keywords:
- Listing Title
- All 13 Tags
- & Listing Descriptions
How to use Etsy keywords in my listing title
When it comes to your Etsy title, use your most relevant keyword first. An ideal keyword for the beginning of your listing title is often highly relevant to your product. Use Marmalead to look for keywords with minimal competition but high search and engagement.
For example, “Natural rope dog leash for small & large breeds: Dog collar gift for dog lovers & dog accessories.”
In this example, your main keyword is “rope dog leash.” But by using other keywords like “small breeds,” “dog collar,” and “gift for dog lovers,” you’ll give more signals to Etsy as to what your product listing is all about.
If you need more help with your Etsy titles, our friend Kara Buntin gives a great walkthrough here:
How to find keywords for all 13 Etsy tags
Marmalead is an excellent Etsy SEO tool that makes finding relevant Etsy keywords easy and efficient. As mentioned in this article, start with a seed keyword in Marmalead and can gain access to an endless number of keyword suggestions you never would’ve thought of.
If you’re still struggling to find keywords for your Etsy listings, answer these questions to help you brainstorm:
- In its simplest form, what is your product?
- Who is your product for?
- When do people use your product?
- Why do they use your product?
- What makes your product unique?
- What’s it made out of?
- Is it typically bought and given as a gift? Who for?
- What time of year is your product popular?
Remember: Your titles and tags shouldn’t be exact replicas. By varying the keywords used in both of these areas on your listing, you’re giving Etsy’s algorithm a larger net to distribute your listing in search.
How to use Etsy keywords in your listing description
When using keywords in your listing description, start by placing some of your main keywords within the first few sentences. This should occur naturally and be written like a human writes.
Don’t simply create a string of jumbled-together keywords.
Not much is known precisely how Etsy factors in the keywords used in your listing descriptions, but this area of your listing should be treated like any other section you can optimize for SEO.
Sprinkle in some great keywords throughout your listing description, and you’ll help paint a better picture of your listing for Etsy’s algorithm.
Quick tips for effective Etsy SEO
As mentioned earlier, Etsy SEO is more than just the keywords used in your listing title, tags, and description. So here are some parting suggestions to make sure your Etsy listing is set up with optimal search effectiveness in mind:
- Use all 13 tags; we mean it
- Use the most specific listing category possible
- Offer free shipping if possible
- Use all relevant attributes
- Make sure your listing is easy to understand
- Use your BEST listing photo first
Over to you
This Etsy SEO tutorial isn’t a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know. But it is a stepping stone in the right direction to get you familiar with Etsy SEO best practices and how to properly use Etsy keywords.
Once you’ve got the basics of finding your keywords sorted, most of the hard work with Etsy SEO is done.
That just shows how important the first step, finding keywords, really is.
Spend time using an Etsy keyword tool like Marmalead to find relevant keywords best suited to your product and business. Ultimately, your Etsy listing will be better off for it, giving you an advantage over many competitors!
