Marketing on Etsy can feel like an ongoing battle with the search algorithm. Much of how it works is proprietary and secret, but there are several tried and true strategies that work. Let’s get into it!
Optimizing Your Etsy Listing with SEO
Etsy’s search algorithm acts as a matchmaker, connecting buyers with their ideal products. To make this connection, you need to optimize your listings with effective SEO strategies. Here’s how:
- Relevancy: Use popular search terms in your tags, titles, and descriptions.
- Recency: New listings get a temporary boost in search results.
- Shop Performance: A good sales history and excellent customer service help improve visibility.
- Shipping Price: Free or low-cost shipping is favored.
Let’s break down these 4 strategies:
1. Relevancy
Keywords
Keywords are the language of Etsy search. Here’s how to find and use the right ones:
- Use Etsy’s Search Bar: Start typing and observe what auto-completes. These suggestions are based on popular searches.
- Analyze Competitors: Study successful shops in your niche. What terms do they use?
- Utilize Keyword Tools: Consider using eRank, Marmalead, or Sale Samurai for in-depth keyword analysis.
- Long-Tail Keywords: Focus on specific, multi-word phrases. For example, “vintage blue floral teacup” is better than just “teacup”.
- Implement Naturally: Integrate keywords throughout your listing, but maintain readability. Remember, you’re writing for humans first, search engines second.
Effective Etsy Listing Titles
Your title is your first impression. Here’s how to make it impactful:
- Place the most relevant terms at the beginning.
- Clearly state what you’re selling.
- Aim for under 140 characters to ensure full visibility of mobile devices.
Example: Instead of “Beautiful Necklace”, try “Handmade Turquoise Boho Necklace – Sterling Silver Chain – Bohemian Jewelry Gift”
Tips for Descriptions
Think of your Etsy listing as a well-organized store. Just as you’d want shoppers to easily find what they’re looking for in a physical store, you want your online customers to quickly grasp key information about your product. Here’s how to structure your listing for maximum readability:
- Start with a hook: Open with an interesting sentence that grabs attention.
- Example: “Transform your living room into a cozy oasis with this handcrafted macrame wall hanging.”
- Use Short Paragraphs: Break up text into digestible chunks. Aim for 2-3 sentences per paragraph.
- Format your text: List features, dimensions, or care instructions in an easy-to-scan format.
- Create Logical Sections: Group related information together.
- Examples: Product Description, Materials Used, Dimensions, Care Instructions, Shipping Information.
- Utilize line breaks: Add space between sections for better visual separation. Use a series of dashes (—-) or asterisks (****) to create visual dividers.
- Create a consistent style: Develop a template for your listings. This not only saves time but also creates a cohesive look across your shop.
- Front-load important details: Put crucial information (like size options or customization details) near the top of your description.
Research Your Competition’s Keywords
- Search for Similar Items: Observe what comes up for keywords related to your products.
- Analyze Top Listings: Examine their titles, tags, and descriptions.
- Identify Gaps: Look for ways to differentiate your listings.
- Use Etsy’s “Explore Related Searches“ tool (located at the bottom of a listing’s page): This feature can provide ideas for additional keywords.
2. Recency
A common trick that typically sees some success is creating and renewing listings. Etsy said themselves:
“When a new listing is created, it gets a small, temporary boost in search results so that Etsy search can learn more about how buyers interact with it to determine the listing’s quality score. Renewed listings get a similar, though smaller, boost. This temporary boost can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on how often people are searching for a particular item.”
https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/how-etsy-search-works/375461474487
This is a simple way to get a small boost, with the only downside being the $0.20 per listing cost to renew.
3. Shop Performance
“Getting great reviews, having complete shop policies, and adding an About section positively impact your search ranking, while recent intellectual property infringement issues can hurt your search ranking.”
https://help.erank.com/blog/etsy-seo-these-factors-help-your-etsy-search-ranking/
The biggest factor here is reviews. If you’re just starting out, make sure your product is good, your photos are good, and your responsive to customer messages and the positive reviews will come.
4. Shipping Price
A few years ago Etsy made the decision to give search boosts to listings with free shipping. This basically meant if you wanted to stay competitive, you had to comply. Here’s a great strategy or accomplishing this:
Run multiple listings or the same product: one with free shipping and one without.
Once you know what you’re going to price your product at, and how much shipping will be, create two listings. One listing will have shipping priced separately. For the other listing, add your shipping cost to the list price.
Now you don’t need to worry about your price being too high (the listing with shipping rolled into the price) or too low (if you were to offer free shipping without including it in the price). Your buyers will now have a choice. Sure, to them it may look like free shipping, but if they find both listings, just be honest: tell them the cheaper one has shipping priced separately, so the final price is the same either way.
Having multiple listings like this will also allow you to see which one performs better, which will tell you if your customers value “free” shipping or not.
Applying these 4 strategies should put you in a good spot as a new shop on Etsy. Or if you have an existing shop, don’t underestimate the significance of recency. Renew some listings and see if you get a boost!