Etsy SEO: Understand the Etsy Search Algorithm

Have you ever considered what occurs behind the scenes when a consumer puts a few phrases into the search box and performs a search?

The consumer receives the results that best fit his or her search query. Even if there are millions of stores and items, the customer is more likely to purchase the one on the first page.

SEO is an abbreviation for “Search Engine Optimization.” As a result, merchants should optimize their product listings using Etsy SEO criteria. But how exactly?

This post will explain how to get to the top pages of Google as a seller in a manner that motivates customers to buy it as well. In other words, you’ll find SEO on Etsy.

What is the Etsy Algorithm?

The Etsy search algorithm is meant to connect shoppers with the things they’re searching for by making it simple for them to purchase. Etsy does this in two ways: Query Match and Shop Rank.

It is critical to understand how the Etsy search algorithm works before following SEO best practices. So, let’s get into the meat of the matter.

1. Query Compatibility

When a buyer enters a search query into the Etsy search field, the algorithm considers four key factors:

1. Categories
2. Attributes
3. Titles,
4. Tags applied by the seller to obtain matching keywords

So, in order to increase your sales by raising the visibility of your listings that match the query, we need discuss these four points.

 💡 Beneficial to Explore: Etsy Visits VS Views? How do They Maximize Your Sales? 

Categories

Categories function similarly to tags in Etsy SEO. Try to provide the most particular choice for the item you’re selling. Adding more detailed categories will increase your chances of matching with the searches.

You will compete with fewer merchants this way. Furthermore, when you add particular subcategories to your listings, your goods are included in all of the categories within which the subcategory is nested.

For example, if you are selling a glasses case and you go as follows: Sunglasses & Eyewear Accessories > Glasses Cases

Your listing is now tied to all of the categories. Because categories function similarly to tags, you should avoid using them repeatedly in your tags.

Your category is glasses case, and even if you don’t use a tag such as “glasses case,” Etsy will still match your item to searches for glasses cases.

Attributes

When it comes to SEO on Etsy, attributes play a significant part in enabling category-specific filters that link relevant listings to appropriate consumers. The features you may add to the item listing are determined by the category you choose for your products.

They might be specific or more generic characteristics. They might be a single hue or material, such as red or wood. They might be more particular, such as patterns on your goods.

“Attributes are basically free super tags,” Jenny Benevento, Senior Manager of Etsy’s Taxonomy team, says in the Etsy Handbook. Attributes function similarly to tags. Because you can only use 13 tags, you should use them as much as possible.

There’s no need to provide tags that are precise matches for characteristics you’ve already included. If you add the Boho attribute to your t-shirt listing, for example, you don’t need to include “Boho” as a separate tag. You may still use it in a multi-word descriptive description like “boho loose t-shirt.”

💡Pro Tip: Use always relevant options.

For example, suppose you’re selling a handcrafted mint-colored dish. However, the color “mint” is not a Color attribute available choice.

• Choose the hue that you believe is the closest to mint. You have the option of selecting “Green” for the Color property.
• If you discover that your distinctive color label is also a popular search word, you may add “mint plate” as a listing tag to your item.

Titles

Keywords in the title are simply one of the SEO aspects Etsy considers to assist you in matching with a shopper’s quest. To locate keywords that match a shopper’s search, Etsy search examines all of the information you submit, including your categories and qualities.

How should I title my Etsy listings?

The title should be brief, concise, and descriptive. So, make it simple for customers browsing a crowded search results page to notice what you’re offering.

• Choose keywords that best describe your product. When buyers browse, they notice your title first, particularly on mobile devices.
• In titles, punctuation and other symbols may be used to divide sentences. They will be ignored by Etsy search. Here are a few examples from prominent Etsy merchants.
• Consider your client and incorporate your most descriptive terms.

💡Pro Tip: Buyers tend to turn off the listing when they see long titles due to getting confused.

Examples of Etsy Shop Titles

Let’s look at a failed Etsy store title that shoppers dislike:

“Handmade leather watch strap men’s leather watch strap customised leather watch strap”

This title, on the other hand, includes significant keywords and covers the fundamentals, such as substance and receiver, and can be comprehended in an instant:

“Handmade leather men’s watch strap personalized”

Furthermore, it is advised that you examine Etsy store title samples of businesses with high sales. For this research, you may utilize Etsy Shop Analyzer by EtsyHunt.

Tags

Tags are important keywords in Etsy SEO that function in the background. You may use up to 13 tags per Etsy item, and they don’t have to be phrases that directly describe your goods.

10 Fantastic Etsy Tag Ideas

1. Use all 13 tags to maximize your chances of getting discovered.
2. Single-word tags are usually very competitive. Instead of “custom” and “book cover,” use multi-word tags like “custom book cover.” Remember that it may only be up to 20 characters long.
3. Etsy Stats will tell you what to do with tags and how to renew them. Begin refreshing with less often searched tags.
4. A regional term may be considered by the product. For instance, “Hair Tie” and “Hair Thing.” Consider minor distinctions such as “color” and “color”. Etsy makes it happen for you.
5. Buyers look for particular goods, such as “Metal Wall Decor,” rather than “Wall Decor.” As a result, employ long-tail keywords.
6. There is no need to repeat tags. Instead of “Soft Towel” and “Cotton Towel,” try combining tags like “Soft Cotton Towel.”
7. As previously stated, categories and attributes function as tags and do not share the same term.
8. Make no misspellings, even if Etsy attempts to rectify them in the search.
9. The titles and tags you provide should be in the language you choose when you set up your business. It is translated by Etsy.
10. The same rules apply whether the word is plural or single.

EtsyHunt – Etsy Tags Tools will help you increase your sales.

7 More SEO Best Practice Bonus Tips

• Use a few descriptive tags that are related to the category.
• Add tags that describe how it was produced or what makes it distinctive.
• Consider your consumers and consider “who it is for” before adding it to your tags. Gifts for the parents, gifts for the nephews…
• Adding occasion-based tags to your listings is one approach to attract buyers seeking for things that are suitable for an occasion but are not explicitly made for it. Christmas, anniversaries…
• Add tags to your items that define their size and form. Big t-shirt, small pen…
• If it may meet a buyer’s demand, describe it in your tags.
• Use tags that explain your items’ distinct style so that buyers who know what they’re searching for may locate them. Rug design cushion, rustic table…

2. Shop Position

“Once we’ve collected all of the listings that match a buyer’s query, we utilize the information we have about each listing and store to rank the listings so that individuals browsing Etsy see the goods they’re most likely to purchase higher up in the results.” Etsy Handbook explains it everything.

So, what are the ranking factors? Continue reading:

Relevancy

As your ad shows more often in the search results, it is deemed more relevant to the search.

Listing Quality Rating

Etsy considers the conversion rate while determining this component. Customers click on your listing and purchase it. This rate is greater since they spend more money every click. This implies your item is what customers are looking for, and Etsy will promote your listing.

Recency

Etsy wants to assign a quality score to each new listing you make. Etsy does this by allowing your listing to develop in order to watch how shoppers engage with it.

It is not advised to get this boost by renewing or establishing new Etsy listings. Etsy recommends concentrating your time and energy on enhancing your tags or attempting to enhance your conversion rate.

Score for Customer and Market Experience

It is an important issue while discussing how to rank better on Etsy. Etsy considers the customer’s shopping experience.

“Getting fantastic reviews, having detailed shop rules, and including a about section all help your search rating, however current lawsuits brought against your store and intellectual property infringement concerns might affect your search ranking.”

This advise is combined on the Etsy Star Seller Badge. As a result, you should strive to get this badge in order to give excellent customer service.

Location of the Shop

Many customers from the EU, Australia, and Canada said that they prefer to buy from suppliers headquartered in their own or adjacent countries.

Shipping Cost

One of the most crucial criteria for purchasers is the cost of shipping.

According to the findings, customers were 50% less inclined to purchase an item if they believed the delivery cost was even somewhat more than they were accustomed to.

Furthermore, the Etsy Free Shipping Guarantee for US provides you first priority for US searches. Email marketing, social media, and television advertisements are all included.

Due of the lack of shipping charges, digital download products are also covered in this priority. Even if you don’t provide free delivery, decreasing your shipping charges can increase your search rank.

Language and Translation

After you choose your store language, Etsy will translate it.

You may also contribute your own translations to your item listings if you speak various languages. Translations added by hand are of greater quality and sound more genuine, therefore they often surpass machine translations.

Buyers’ Shopping Patterns

“Our Context Specific Ranking system learns what shoppers are interested in and shows them the things they are most likely to buy,” Etsy explains.

It implies that if you search for your things on Etsy using the same search keywords as another customer, you won’t get the same results.

As a result, there is not a sensible approach to search your things on Etsy to understand where they appear. Instead, study it in Stats to gain suggestions on how to refresh Etsy listings based on customer patterns.

Please see How to Make a Good Etsy Listing for additional information.

Final Words

The ultimate objective of merchants on Etsy is to grow their sales. The most crucial technique to achieve this is to learn Etsy SEO and apply it to the product listings. In this post, you will discover how the Etsy search algorithm works, techniques, and valuable information to be seen by buyers.

However, keep in mind that SEO is an area that needs continual upgrades and is molded by your rivals. That’s why you should regularly review your item listing and refresh it as required.

FAQ

When the issue comes to SEO on Etsy, there will be several inquiries from Etsy Sellers. We can answer some of them here:

What is the Difference Between Etsy SEO and Amazon SEO?

Amazon SEO

Successful Amazon SEO boils down to understanding what Amazon’s algorithm needs from you as the seller, which ultimately comes down to keeping Amazon’s consumers happy. Your product page may be optimized in different ways, but they all boil down to two primary factors: relevancy and performance.

Etsy SEO

In brief, it is how Etsy’s website magically knows what things someone is looking for when they are searching and utilizing keywords (which are not simply “words” but are merely what you label the phrase/words someone enters in while they are searching).

In actuality, it isn’t magic — it’s simply just an issue of you having the correct keywords in your tags and titles. You have to have the precise search terms in your title and also match your tags.

Nice to Read: Etsy versus Amazon, Which Is Worth Joining?

How Can You Get Your Etsy Shop Noticed?

• Find the finest Etsy keywords.
• Optimize your listing’s vital components.
• Improve the content of your listing.
• Maintain a good customer and market experience score.
• Provide reasonable delivery rates.

How to Stand Out on Etsy

• Link your Etsy shop to your own website or blog to enhance traffic to your business.
• Pay for Etsy advertisements to get your listing in front of more people.
• Optimize the title of your items as well as the available tags.