Most Etsy sellers know keywords matter. But what they don’t always realize is how much wasted space might be hiding in their titles and tags.

That’s where your keyword net comes in. And Marmalead gives you full visibility into it.

In this article, we’ll show you how to review your full keyword net using Marmalead, interpret the data, and adjust your listings to focus only on keywords that actually move the needle.

What Are Keyword Nets for Etsy SEO?

Your keyword net includes every keyword Etsy’s search system may associate with your listing—based on the tags and title you’ve applied.

Some keywords are ultra-targeted (what Marmalead calls a tight net) while others are more exploratory or broad (wide net).

Both keyword nets serve a purpose.

• Tight net keywords catch shoppers who already know what they want.
• Wide net keywords help you show up in adjacent or trending searches you might not have considered.

But here’s the catch: Etsy’s search algorithm doesn’t just care about keyword relevance. It prioritizes listings that perform well with actual buyer engagement.

That’s where Marmalead helps.

Use Marmalead to See Your Full Keyword Net

Using Marmalead, you can view your complete keyword net—not just the keywords you manually typed into tags.

Here’s what you’ll see for each keyword:

• Searches: how often people search for this term
• Engagement: how often they click on listings for this term
• Competition: how many other listings show up when someone searches it

This lets you quickly assess if a keyword is pulling its weight—or just taking up space.

Example: Keyword Net Breakdown for a Real Listing

We ran a real Marmalead keyword net report for a unisex Comfort Colors graphic tee inspired by country concerts and Western literature. The listing included dozens of keywords—some strong, many weak.

Let’s break down the results.

✅ Strong Performers (Keep These)

These keywords have solid search volume, high engagement, and either low or manageable competition:

These are high-engagement, mid-competition keywords that boost your visibility. They belong in your tight net—and are crucial for optimizing keyword nets for Etsy SEO.

Keep these in your title or top 5 tags.

⚠️ High Competition, Low Engagement (Consider Removing)

These look promising on the surface—but don’t actually deliver traffic. Either competition is too high or buyers aren’t clicking.

Cutting these weak performers helps clean up your keyword net and strengthens your Etsy SEO strategy. Etsy sees low interaction and starts suppressing your visibility.

Swap these out for lower competition terms with better engagement.

🕳️ Zero-Engagement Keywords (The Holes in Your Net)

These keywords get zero traction. Zero engagement, often zero competition. Sounds fine—until you realize Etsy doesn’t even show your listing for them anymore.

Examples:

• comfort wears
• western concert outfit
• buffalo tee shirt
• bookish graphics
• country colors
• grunge vintage top

You might think these help with exposure, but these holes in your keyword net for Etsy SEO are hurting your listing performance. Etsy’s algorithm watches how buyers respond. If you’re not getting clicks, you’re not getting promoted.

Cut these.

How to Improve Keyword Nets for Etsy SEO

If you spot issues in your keyword net, here’s how to clean things up:

#1. Prioritize high-engagement, mid-competition keywords.

Look for tight net phrases like ‘country concert shirt’ or ‘grunge graphic tee’ that hit all three metrics. These terms deserve prime placement in your title and first few tags.

#2. Use wide net keywords to test and expand.

Don’t stuff your tags with random keywords. Use Marmalead to test wide net terms that show signs of rising engagement—like ‘vintage western wear’ or ‘literary shirts’.

#3. Cut dead-weight keywords.

If a keyword shows zero engagement and Etsy isn’t surfacing your listing for it, it’s better to remove it entirely. Every tag slot matters.

Review Your Keyword Net Monthly

Without a tool like Marmalead, it’s easy to think a keyword sounds good because it’s descriptive. But Etsy doesn’t reward what sounds good—it rewards what performs.

By scanning your keyword net, Marmalead gives you hard data to answer:

• Which keywords bring traffic?
• Which ones hurt performance?
• What new keywords are worth testing?

And you don’t have to go digging. It’s all laid out for you, right in your listing view.

Over To You

Etsy search trends shift. New products launch. Shoppers search differently every season.

Make reviewing your keyword net part of your monthly routine. It’s one of the easiest ways to improve your Etsy SEO without rewriting your entire listing.

Want to see your own keyword net in action?

Log in to Marmalead and hit “Show my Keyword Net” on any listing.

Let the data do the talking—and let your listings do the selling. As always, happy selling!

 

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