Etsy SEO: How To Get Most Out Of It?

If you run an ecommerce business using the Etsy platform, you must be prepared to face stiff competition.

The reason is a whopping 6.3 million active sellers on Etsy as per the Etsy quarterly reports of Q2, 2023.

Planning a successful strategy to ensure online visibility on the Etsy marketplace can take time and effort.

The only possible way to stand out from innumerable similar offerings on Etsy is to implement Etsy SEO optimization.

This article shall discuss Etsy search engine optimization and valuable SEO Etsy tips to ensure maximum visibility of your store and products.

What Is Etsy SEO?

Etsy SEO is the optimization process for your Etsy store and products to achieve higher rankings on Etsy, Google, and other search engine results pages.

Implementing Etsy search engine optimization helps your store get more views and boost sales without shedding much money for ads.

Etsy SEO optimization helps you align your approach with users’ search intent and the ranking algorithm of search engines.

How To Implement Etsy SEO Optimization?

In this section, we will provide you with valuable Etsy SEO tips to enhance your store’s visibility and drive more traffic.

Let’s dive in.

Find And Target Right Keywords

Like any search engine optimization strategy for websites, Etsy SEO also works on three basic principles: Targeting the right keywords, offering valuable content, and building trust in your brand to achieve a higher ranking.

Finding and including relevant keywords in your shop name, listing titles, tags, product names, and descriptions is essential for ETSY SEO. That helps you to drive more traffic through search engines and the Etsy marketplace.

You can find relevant keywords for ETSY SEO in the following two ways,

Manually

Simply type your product’s name or category in the Etsy search engine box and check the autocomplete options.

You can do the same using the Google search engine as well.

Using The Right Tool

If you want to put much less effort into making your keyword research for Etsy SEO more accurate, you need to choose a reliable free keyword research tool like RankWatch.

The tool will suggest a list of organic and long-tail keywords related to your seed keyword in the blink of an eye.

The tool also provides search volume, cost-per-click, and keyword difficulty (competition) for each keyword.

Select An SEO-Friendly Shop Name

When searchers look for your brand or products, your shop name appears as the page title on search results pages.

Hence, your shop name becomes your first impression to the searchers.

You must select a shop name that closely matches the products you are selling. That makes it relevant and accessible for searchers to find your shop on Etsy and other search engines.

Suppose your shop sells handloom clothes; your potential customers may search using the term ‘handlooms.’

Including that term in your shop name will enhance your Etsy SEO and make it easier for searchers to find your brand in Etsy.

How To Update Shop Names On Etsy?

You need not worry if you have designed your Etsy shop name without considering the above factors, as Etsy allows you to change your shop name.

You need to follow the below mentioned steps,

1. Go to Etsy ‘Shop Manager’.
2. Scroll down and click on ‘Settings’.
3. Next, you need to click on ‘Info & Appearance’.
4. It will take you to a page that offers a ‘Shop Name’ tab.
5. Clicking on the same will allow you to change your Etsy shop name. 
6. You must click the ‘Save’ button after entering the ‘New Shop Name’.

Etsy allows you to alter your shop name five times. In case you need to change it further to achieve a better Etsy SEO, you must get your name change approved by Etsy.  

Insert Target Keywords In Etsy Listing Details

Optimizing your Etsy listing plays an essential role in Etsy SEO.

You must optimize each part of your Etsy listing for search queries by targeting the right keywords while keeping them meaningful for the searchers.

Listing Tags

Etsy allows you to add a total 13 number of listing tags.

It will be wiser to split your long-tail keywords into two separate tags, as Etsy allows only 20 characters per listing tag.

Make your listing tags specific and avoid using repetitive tags. Spying on your competitors’ listing tags may give you some unique ideas to further improve your Etsy SEO. 

Listing Titles

Etsy listing titles offer you more space than tags.

The maximum permissible limit of 140 characters offers enough space to include your specific keywords.

Etsy SEO optimization demands a match between your listing titles and tags to ensure the algorithm offers your product list to the right audience.

Listing Descriptions

It was announced by Etsy in 2022 that the keywords and phrases included in your listing descriptions will be an Etsy SEO ranking factor.

Etsy has also offered the following valuable tips on how to make your listing descriptions more effective for Etsy SEO optimization.

1. You must include the relevant keywords in the initial part (within the first few sentences) of your listing description.
2. Do not copy and use your title verbatim.
3. Do not stuff your listing description with keywords. Instead, craft casual sentences that include your top keywords and sound human. 
4. Remember to include essential information that describes your product to searchers.

Listing Attributes

Searchers often put specific search queries on Etsy when they know exactly what they are looking for.

Hence, using the Etsy listing attributes, you must add maximum details of your products or services.

You can add those details by choosing the material options under the ‘Sustainability’ category. 

If your shop offers products that target a specific niche, you can add that detail using the listing attributes as well.

For example, suppose your products target a specific occasion. You can add details by using the ‘Occasion’ attribute.

Leverage Social Media

It is hard to find users who shop online but do not access social media nowadays.

Hence, leveraging your social media accounts as a seller plays a significant role in Etsy search engine optimization.

If your Etsy shop uses an X (Formerly Twitter) handle, chances are high that it may appear in Google SERP features and draw searchers’ attention, as shown in the above example.

Get Featured By Providing Shop’s Information

The Etsy algorithm continuously crawls Etsy stores and tries to feature the right stores that offer the most relevant products against a search query,

1. Blog
2. Social Media Channels
3. Community Space
4. Seller Handbook
5. Success Podcast

Etsy also offers a ‘seller story submission form’ to pitch your idea and provide your shop’s information to boost the chances of your Etsy shop getting featured.

However, your shop must offer high-quality products and engaging SEO-friendly product descriptions to get featured in the Etsy listing. 

Getting your shop featured in the Etsy marketplace opens the opportunity for internal linking to you. 

You can boost the Etsy SEO of your other product pages (especially the new ones) by interlinking with the featured page. 

One more essential step in Etsy SEO optimization is to write top-notch content for your shop’s ‘About Us’ section.

It helps you describe the ‘Why’ behind your services or products to potential buyers. 

That, in turn, influences their buying decisions to purchase your products or services over others’ offerings.

A detailed description (text and video content) of your shop and products in the ‘About’ section lets you emotionally engage with your visitors.

It also offers you the opportunity to include your top keywords in the description for better Etsy SEO.

How To Fill Out Missing Information In Etsy?

Etsy algorithm is cautious about the trustworthiness of the Etsy merchandise stores while listing them.

Hence, you must ensure you fill out all essential information about your shop.

You need to follow a few steps to check whether you have provided all the necessary information.

1. Go to Etsy ‘Shop Manager’.
2. Scroll down and click on ‘Settings’.
3. Next, you must check the information provided in the ‘Info & Appearance’, ‘About your shop’, and ‘Policy settings’ tabs.

You must ensure that clear and correct information has been provided in the above three sections. 

Tips: Filling out the details of the physical location of your shop boosts your store’s trustworthiness in many folds.

Build A Solid Backlink Profile

It is well known that backlinks play an important role in improving your site’s SERP rankings, and the Etsy search engine is no exception.

Like any other search engine, Etsy also considers backlinks from other authoritative sites as a sign of reliability.

Moreover, high-quality backlinks help your store draw relevant traffic from other genuine sources.

If your Etsy shop can build a solid backlink profile, your products can appear on Google and draw more traffic and attention.

Following are a few tips to gain backlinks for your Etsy shop,

1. You must partner with other active sellers on Etsy, selling similar products leveraging Facebook and other platforms.
2. You can gain backlinks leveraging the HARO (Help A Reporter Out) platform by offering quotes to reporters.
3. You can build your own website and link it to your Etsy shop.

After implementing your link-building strategy, you must evaluate the efforts you have put in to acquire backlinks.

It would be best to opt for a free online backlink checker tool like RankWatch for this purpose.

You only need to enter your shop domain in the ‘New Project’ box at the top of the tool page and hit enter.

The tool provides the total number of referring backlinks, active links, and deleted links.

You must start working to regain the deleted links to enhance your Etsy SEO optimization.

The tool also shows the number of links (Do Follow) feeding link juices to your website by showing the total number of Do Follow and No Follow links.

How To Add A Link To Your Etsy shop?

You can directly add a backlink to the navigation bar of your Etsy shop by editing the site header.

However, you can also add a backlink to other places of your Etsy shop from your website. The homepage makes the most sense, though.

In that case, you must follow the below steps,

1. Go to ‘Elements’ on the pop-up menu and click on the same.
2. Scroll down further and switch on the ‘Social Links’ toggle. It allows you to click the ‘Edit Social Links’ option.
3. Next, you must add your shop’s URL and save it by pressing the enter/return on your keyboard.
4. If you hover over the ‘DONE’ button, you will find the ‘Save’ option. Clicking on the same will allow you to save the changes you made.

Earn Positive Customer Reviews

Earning positive shop reviews helps by making your shop appear trustworthy on search engines and to potential customers.

You can only become a star seller on Etsy by earning lots of positive reviews from previous customers.

Having a great product is the first step towards becoming a star seller on Etsy. 

Etsy platform also offers you with a few places where you can ask for positive reviews by adding a note to help you earn more positive reviews,

Following are the places where you can add a note on Etsy,

1. The order confirmation page.
2. The post-purchase order confirmation email.
3. The follow-up message to customers’ Etsy inbox.
4. The automatic follow-up notification of Etsy.

If you wish to add a short note on the order confirmation page and email, follow the instructions below.

1. Click on the ‘Shop Manager’ icon on your Etsy account page.
2. Next, you need to click on the ‘Setting’ button under the navigation menu.
3. Click on the ‘Info & Appearance’ option under ‘Settings’.
4. You can type your personalized confirmation message by clicking on the ‘Message to Buyers’ option.
5. You must save the confirmation message once you finish writing.

If you want to send a follow-up message after the customer has received your product, you need to follow the below instructions,

1. Click on the ‘Shop Manager’ icon on your Etsy account page.
2. Next, you need to click on the ‘Orders & Shipping’ option under the ‘Shop Manager’ drop-down menu to send a follow-up message to the customer.

Add Google Analytics To Measure Traffic

Etsy offers a stats page where you can find basic stats of your shop, like the total number of visits, total number of items sold, and revenue.

If you want more in-depth information about your shop’s stats, you must integrate your Google Analytics account into your Etsy shop.

How To Integrate Google Analytics To Etsy?

You must follow the below steps to integrate your Google Analytics account into your Etsy shop.

1. Click on the ‘Shop Manager’ icon on your Etsy account page.
2. Next, you need to click on the ‘Setting’ button under the navigation menu.
3. Click on the ‘Options’ appearing under ‘Settings’.
4. Click and open the ‘Web Analytics’ tab and fill up the required information.
5. Next, you need to enter your ‘Web Property ID’ , which you can find by clicking the ‘Admin’ button of your Google Analytics account.
6. You can find the ‘Tracking Info’ under ‘Property’.
7. If you click on the ‘Tracking code’ under tracking info, you will get your ‘Web Property ID’ mentioned as ‘Tracking ID’.
8. You need to enter that ID by returning to the ‘Web Analytics’ tab and clicking the ‘Save’ button to complete the integration process.

Final Thoughts

Ecommerce is becoming increasingly challenging, and the Etsy marketplace is no exception. 

Millions of Etsy sellers offering similar products make it harder to make your Etsy shop stand out in the crowd.

The only way to achieve that is to offer high-quality products and implement Etsy SEO optimization for your shop.

You need to follow each step discussed in this article for Etsy SEO optimization to boost your sales and earn more revenue.