Getting started selling on Etsy?

If you're just getting your Etsy shop up & running, you might have heard about SEO (search engine optimization). Maybe you know that Etsy SEO is an important part of marketing your handmade products. But do you understand how to actually DO IT and make your Etsy shop stand out in search, both within Etsy’s internal search engine as well as on Google, Yahoo and Bing?

In this video and in the post below, I'll share some tips for Etsy SEO for beginners:

You can use these SEO tips to help your potential customers easily find your Etsy shop and get more traffic to the products you sell.

Here are six areas of your Etsy shop you should update to improve your SEO rankings:

1. Your product titles

2. Your product descriptions

3. Your tags

4. Your shop sections

5. Your shop title

6. Your shop announcement

I’ll go into more detail about all of these shortly, but first, a few key things to remember:

Think in terms of long tail keywords.

If you’re just beginning to learn about SEO, you might hear “keywords” and think of a single word, like wedding.

But when you head to Google or another search engine to look for something, you are probably using a string of words in order to help you find a very specific thing, like wedding gift ideas for geeks or beach wedding dresses.

These strings of words, usually 3-4 words put together, are known as long tail keywords or keyword phrases. When you start optimizing your Etsy shop for search engines, think in terms of these long tail keywords rather than single words that are not very specific.

The more you can tweak your Etsy shop to accurately describe what it is you are selling by using the same keyword phrases that your customers are naturally using to search for those things, the more likely it is that they will find you and buy your products.

Use keyword phrases your customer would use.

Think like a BUYER - how would they be searching for your product?

The phrases a potential customer would use to search for your product might be very different than the first thing that pops to mind when you think about your own products.

As makers, artists and business owners, we have an inside view of our products. We need to learn how to see our products from the outside view and describe them the way another person would.

Back to the wedding dress example: I once worked with a client that sold wedding dresses. They called themselves a bridal boutique and they called the products they sold bridal gowns. But when most people start shopping for their products, they'd be searching for wedding dresses, not bridal gowns.

Don't use jargon or specific terms that only artists or makers would understand. Use words that your average customer would use to look for what you make and sell.

When in doubt, ask a friend or family member how they would search for the types of products you are selling.

Adjectives are your friend.

In order to come up with useful and relevant long tail keywords, remember that adjectives are your friend.

If you’re searching online for the perfect pair of shoes to wear to a friend’s wedding, do you head to Google and type in shoes? Not if you want to actually find what you’re looking for, you don’t. You’d probably use adjectives and other descriptive words in your search. You might type in something like cute high heels with bows or comfortable dress shoes for women.

When you create product listings on Etsy, think in terms of adjectives and the ways that people might naturally search for what you have for sale, and be sure to include plenty of descriptive words about your products.

Don’t just describe the item itself — use adjectives to describe what the product could be used for or reasons why people would buy the item (as a wedding gift, for example).

Okay, now that you’ve got those tips in mind, let’s talk about the specific areas of your Etsy shop you should focus on to improve your Etsy SEO rankings:

1. Your product titles

Your product titles are one of the most valuable pieces of SEO real estate in your Etsy shop.

The maximum limit for product titles is 140 characters, but search engines like Google will only show less than half of that, so put the most important keywords first. You’ll want to include a mix of the most relevant and popular long tail keywords related to your products.

Remember: think like your customer. Focus on using the words and phrases THEY would put into a search engine to find your products.

2. Your tags

Any experienced Etsy seller knows that tags play an important role in getting your shop discovered by potential customers. Be sure to utilize all 13 tags, and whenever possible, use long tail keywords as your tags.

Tags have a maximum length of 20 characters, including spaces, so you may not be able to include your longest long tail keywords as tags, but try to use tags that form a descriptive 2-3 word phrase rather than adding single words as tags:

Look at some of your best-selling competitors to see what tags they use. Don't copy them directly, but do some research for inspiration to find ideas for what tags you could be potentially missing.

3. Your product descriptions

While your product titles and tags are the 2 most important elements when it comes to getting seen by Etsy’s own internal search engine, there are plenty of other spots that will help you get found in search, both on Etsy and by Google.

Your product descriptions offer plenty of room to write about your products in great detail, so be sure to do just that! Your product descriptions should include relevant long tail keywords, but they should also answer any potential questions your customers may have about your products.

Think in terms of benefits as well as features… how does your product help a customer, and how will wearing or using your product make them feel?

It is also important to note that Google and other search engines will often pull from the first line or two of your product description when showing your product in search results. Be sure to include your most important long tail keyword in the first sentence of your product description.

4. Your shop sections

Did you know that the names of your shop sections are also searchable, and should be optimized for SEO?

If your shop specializes in personalized wedding gifts, you might break up your shop sections by recipient. For example: Gifts for Bridesmaids, Gifts for the Bride and Gifts for Groomsmen. Include descriptive phrases and adjectives when naming your shop sections.

5. Your shop title

Much like your product titles, your shop title is also very important for search.

You can use your shop title to help describe the kinds of products you sell. This will help with Google search, as this is the title that Google and other search engines use when your shop appears in their search results. Be sure to include important long tail keywords that are relevant to your entire shop in your shop’s title.

6. Your shop Description

Finally, your shop description should also include important keywords that describe your shop as a whole.

Your shop description helps build trust with potential buyers AND with search engines. It appears near the top of your Etsy shop, under your shop name. Google often pulls from this section when your shop appears in Google search results, so make it count

You can include relevant long tail keywords here, but you can also use your shop description to share the story or inspiration behind your brand.

Want to get more traffic to your website and make more online sales?

Do you sell your handmade work online? Want to sell more? Search engine optimization, aka SEO, is the process of tweaking your online shop to help your potential customers find you more easily in search engines.

My class, DIY SEO for E-Commerce, offers an introduction to e-commerce search engine optimization specifically designed for artists, makers and online shops: