10 Etsy SEO Tips for Success in 2024

Last updated: 01/03/2024 Written by: Ruby Layram

Etsy is a very competitive platform to sell through, with over 7 million active sellers world wide. One way that you can beat the competition and stand out from other sellers is to use Etsy SEO best practices to improve your rankings in search.

But, how can you improve Etsy SEO?

Our team conducted research into the best Etsy SEO practices to find what works in 2024. We used our own experience and also read through several interesting studies that have been carried out by SEO pros. We also took a look at some of the top Etsy sellers to see what SEO strategies they are using to achieve success.

Here, we take a look at 10 ways to improve SEO on Etsy and increase your rankings in 2024.

infographic etsy seo tips

What Is Etsy SEO?

Etsy SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a powerful tool that can significantly impact the visibility and success of your Etsy shop. Essentially, it's the process of optimizing your shop and product listings to ensure they show up prominently when potential buyers search for products on Etsy.

SEO is achieved by curating your Etsy listings in a way that they appeal to the Etsy algorithm. This involves making sure that each listing meets customer search intent and provides relevant results to search queries.

How Does Etsy SEO Work?

Etsy SEO works by making sure that listings appear under the most relevant search queries. This helps to create a good experience for shoppers and increases the likelihood of making a sale for sellers.

There are two components to Etsy SEO: The Etsy algorithm and the Etsy shop owners.

The algorithm collects data based on buyer behavior, conversions, clicks, and views. It then uses this data to determine what works well and what doesn’t. A factor could be considered important by the algorithm if it leads to higher conversion rates. On the other hand, some factors may be flagged as unhelpful if they lead to low conversions, a high bounce rate, or customer dissatisfaction.

Etsy SEO Ranking Factors

The best way to understand how Etsy SEO works is to take a look at the factors that influence SEO on Etsy. The platform recently published a list of ranking factors that are scanned by the algorithm to determine the relevance of product listings.

Also read: How to brand your Etsy store and improve sales in 2024

  • Relevance: Refers to how well your listings meet the searcher’s queries. Etsy will order results based on how well titles, descriptions, tags, categories, and attributes match the search term.

  • Listing quality score: The Etsy algorithm gathers data about your listings to determine whether or not they are high quality. It looks at conversion rates, clicks, views, and purchases to understand which listings convert the best. The algorithm assumes that high conversions mean high relevance.

  • Recency: Every time that a listing is published, it receives a boost in search results because Etsy wants to gather data about it. This is the same for recently updated listings. Therefore, recent listings tend to get temporary boosts in traffic.

  • Customer and market experience score: If a listing has a high bounce rate, this signals to Etsy that it offers a bad experience to customers. Etsy will push these listings lower to make sure that shoppers get the best experience possible.

  • Postage price: Shoppers tend to look for listings that come with free or low postage. Therefore, the algorithm pushes these listings high in the search reliefs.

  • Translations and language: Your listings will show up for searchers who have the same language settings as you do. You can increase your reach by translating your descriptions, titles, and tags into multiple languages and putting these in the listing.

  • Shoppers' habits: As well as collecting data about listings, the Etsy algorithm collects data about each user. The platform that tailors search results to meet their needs. Etsy uses context-specific ranking technology to determine what appeals to each customer. The search results are different for every user.

etsy seo guide

How To Improve Etsy SEO - Top 10 Tips

We used the above criteria to guide our own Etsy SEO strategy to see if we could boost rankings. We also spent time researching the strategies of successful Etsy sellers to find out what works.

In the following section, we reveal 10 ways that you could improve your Etsy SEO and possibly rank higher in search results.

1. Keep your titles short and clear

When it comes to optimizing your Etsy listings for search engines, keeping your titles short and clear is essential for effective search engine optimization (SEO). Short titles are more user-friendly and easy to understand.

Short and clear titles are visually appealing and easier for potential customers to read and comprehend at a glance. In our fast-paced digital world, users appreciate simplicity, and concise titles help them quickly grasp the essence of your product without feeling overwhelmed by information overload.

Etsy search engines prioritize clear and concise titles, as they accurately represent the content of your listings. When your titles include relevant keywords and phrases, they become more discoverable in search results, increasing the likelihood of your products being found by interested shoppers.

While keeping titles short, it's crucial to maintain a balance by including descriptive keywords that reflect the nature of your products. This multifaceted approach ensures that your titles are not only brief and comprehensible but also optimized for search engines, attracting the right audience to your Etsy shop.

Top tip: Etsy titles should be between 20-40 characters.

2. Use all 13 tags in each listing

Tags serve as vital markers that enable the Etsy algorithm to match listings with relevant search queries. By using all 13 tags effectively, sellers can significantly enhance their products' visibility and chances of being discovered by potential buyers.

The Etsy algorithm continuously evaluates the relevance and accuracy of tags in product listings to ensure that it delivers the most fitting results to users. This means that utilizing all 13 tags with relevance increases the likelihood of the algorithm recognizing a listing as highly relevant to a broader set of search queries.

3. Avoid keyword repetition across listings

Th Etsy algorithm scans for keyword cannibalization. This is essentially when listings overlap each other by using the same keywords, descriptions, or images. In this case, Etsy will choose just one listing to show and the others may not appear in the search.

For this reason, you should avoid using the same keywords, titles, and tags for your listings. Instead, use different words that have the same meaning to signal to Etsy that each listing is different.

4. Optimize your descriptions

When crafting product descriptions, it's essential to incorporate relevant keywords and phrases that potential customers may use to search for products like yours. You shoud also make each description as descriptive as possible to provide buyers with everything that they need to know.

Here are some key things to include in each product description:

  • Keywords

  • Product Specifications

  • Usage and Benefits

  • Care Instructions

  • Postage details

5. Build backlinks to your listings

Backlinks are not a ranking factor that Etsy specifies on the website. However, during our research, we found that linking to your products can increase traffic and improve the authority of your listings.

This is because, while they are not a ranking factor for Etsy, backlinks are a ranking factor for the Google search algorithm. Therefore, building backlinks to your products could help them to appear in Google search.

The easiest ways to build backlinks are to link to your products from social media pages, blog posts, and forums.

Also read: How to promote your side huslte

6. Update your listings regularly

Updating your Etsy listings regularly is essential for increasing traffic to your shop. Etsy gives a traffic boost to new listings to gather data on their performance. By updating your listings, you essentially make them appear as new in Etsy's eyes, triggering the platform to give them a visibility boost.

Furthermore, regularly updated listings demonstrate to potential customers that your shop is active and relevant, which can instill confidence and encourage repeat visits. Therefore, by consistently refreshing and updating your Etsy listings, you can capitalize on Etsy's algorithms to drive more traffic to your shop and improve your overall sales performance.

Top tip: A lot of successful sellers update their listings every day.

7. Offer free shipping and competitive pricing

Etsy customers are often drawn to listings with free shipping due to the perceived value and cost savings. The shipping price also directly impacts a product's ranking within Etsy's algorithm.

By providing free shipping, sellers can improve the chances of their products appearing higher in search results, ultimately leading to increased visibility and potential sales.

This approach not only enhances the overall customer experience but also aligns with Etsy's prioritization of affordable and customer-centric shipping options.

8. Include high-quality images

By using high-quality images in your listings, you improve the customer experience. This is taken into account by the algorithm and could play a role in how well your listings show up in search results.

If you use low-quality or confusing images, buyers are likely to quickly bounce off of your listing and look elsewhere. This is a bad sign in the algorithm’s eyes. Images are also a key component of attracting clicks, which are analyzed by the platform to determine whether your listing is attractive.

9. Ask customers to leave positive feedback

Positive feedback is a good way to build a sense of trust with potential customers. Encouraging customers to leave positive feedback is crucial for Etsy sellers as it not only boosts their credibility but also improves their visibility on the platform.

Positive feedback not only builds trust and confidence among potential buyers but also helps sellers gain a favorable reputation.

Moreover, Etsy considers the frequency and rating of feedback when determining which listings to display to customers. By consistently receiving positive feedback, sellers increase their chances of having their products showcased to a wider audience, ultimately leading to more sales and business growth.

10. Use an Etsy SEO tool to improve your rankings

Using an Etsy SEO tool has numerous benefits for sellers looking to improve their shop's visibility and reach a wider audience.

These tools leverage data to generate accurate keyword suggestions, analyze competition, and provide insights into trends within the platform. By utilizing an Etsy SEO tool, sellers can save a significant amount of time that would otherwise be spent on manual research and trial-and-error optimization.

This enables sellers to focus more on creating and curating their products while ensuring that their listings are properly optimized for maximum visibility and sales potential.

Conclusion

Etsy SEO is a good way to improve your ranking in Etsy search results. In 2024, the most successful sellers regularly update their SEO strategy according to best practices to make sure that their listings send relevant signals to the Etsy algorithm.

Luckily, optimizing your SEO isn’t rocket science. In this guide, we have taken a look at 10 simple ways that sellers can improve their Etsy SEO in 2024.

The information provided in this guide is based on our research and personal experiences. However, the success of your own Etsy store could come down to a range of factors that we have not covered.

Although Etsy SEO is one way of improving your chances of appearing in search, sellers also need to focus on selling high-quality items, offering good customer service, and much more.

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FAQs

  • You can optimize SEO on Etsy by using relevant keywords, descriptive titles, tags, offering low postage fees, and providing a good experience for your customers. The algorithm takes numerous factors into account to find listings that provide the best experience to their customers.

  • eRank and Etsy Hunt are two free Etsy SEO tools that provide valuable keyword information that can be used to optimize listings.

  • To crack the Etsy algorithm you must make sure that your listings are relevant to search intent and provide a good customer experience. The exact parameters of the algorithm change regularly to make room for new data and platform improvements. However, the goal is always to provide a good customer experience.

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About The Author

Ruby is the founder of The Rich Girl Guide and has been writing content around personal finance, side hustles and wellbeing for over 3 years. You can find some of Ruby’s published articles on The Motley Fool UK, Tradingplatforms.com and Buyshares.co.uk.