Etsy SEO: how to rank your listings in Etsy search

Step 1: get matched

• Title: describe the item clearly in the words a shopper would type. Etsy titles can be up to 140 characters. Etsy says word order doesn't affect ranking, but putting the key words first helps shoppers.
• Tags: use all 13 tags, each up to 20 characters, with multi-word phrases shoppers use ("gold name necklace" rather than "gold", "name", "necklace"). Tag order doesn't matter.
• Categories and attributes: choose the most specific category and fill in every attribute (colour, material, occasion). Etsy says they act like extra tags, and attributes also power search filters.
• Description: Etsy now uses descriptions for matching too, so describe the item in natural language.
• Don't repeat the same words across title and tags beyond what's natural; use tags for other ways people describe the item.

Step 2: rank well

Etsy's handbook names its ranking signals: relevancy to the search, listing engagement (clicks, views, favourites and purchases), recency, and shop and customer service signals such as average review rating, message response rate and case rate. Results are also personalized for each buyer, and free or low shipping may help. Etsy says Etsy Plus and Etsy Ads don't affect organic ranking.

1. Use clear, bright photos; the first photo drives clicks from search.
2. Price competitively and keep shipping costs reasonable.
3. Complete your About section and shop policies.
4. Earn good reviews with accurate descriptions and quick dispatch.
5. Add new listings over time; Etsy says renewing old ones gives only a short, temporary boost.

eRank, Marmalead and other Etsy SEO tools

Third-party tools such as eRank and Marmalead estimate how often terms are searched on Etsy and how many listings compete for them. Their numbers are estimates, not Etsy data, but they're useful for choosing tags.