my top 6 tips to get more reviews on Etsy

We all love seeing those 5-star reviews come in from our shoppers. Sometimes though, they can seem far and few between – especially in the early days when you really want them to help boost your credibility in the online marketplace. 

When I asked on Instagram, over 70% of you answered that you don’t have any after-practices in place and that you’re just hoping they will come back and leave you a review. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that!

How to get more reviews on Etsy 👇

6. Provide high-quality products 

This goes without saying but don’t sell something you wouldn’t be happy with yourself. In such a competitive marketplace, there is no room for mediocre effort. When you have great products and care about your customer’s experience, they sense that and will often want to leave a review because they found a really great product that made them happy. Don’t sell things just to sell them. Your products should be a reflection of what your customers actually want and need. Focusing on what your customers like will help you have more sales and more sales over time equals more reviews.

5. Great customer service – questions and messages 

You start working for that review as soon as a question comes in beforehand, or once an order is made. Quick responses on Etsy go a long way. Set the tone for your shop and answer promptly, be friendly and provide any information you think is relevant to the situation. Etsy has a stigma that sellers never answer questions or take forever to reply. You should have the Etsy app and always be aware as soon as you get a message. I speak from experience on how many messages and even reviews I have had over the years of people thanking me for my quick response time. It matters to shoppers and sets the buyer-seller relationship/first impressions. Most customers will shop without any interaction so you should have a thank you message going out to anyone who makes a purchase. This can be automated on the back end of your shop dashboard, or depending on the volume of sales/time you have (what is realistically possible) a manual personalized message can be sent after purchase. 

4. Turn a negative into a positive – Happy customer guarantee 

We have all had a hard to deal with customers or less-than-perfect reviews. If you haven’t yet, you will, it’s inevitable. But these can be great opportunities to get good reviews and gain helpful feedback. There are usually 2 scenarios. A customer reaches out directly and is mad/unpleasant or they head right over and leave you a bad review without even reaching out(that’s the worst). The first reaction to either is usually to be really upset and mad at the customer because you know you put a lot of hard work into your products and some things are out of your control. (You might also know that no, the customer isn’t always right). However, you have to set your emotions aside and take a breather before you respond. We sell on Etsy to serve the people and this is a perfect opportunity to change a bad experience into a good one. Do not leave angry customers on read or leave bad reviews unanswered. Take it as a challenge to change their attitude. I haven’t had that many less than 5-star reviews personally but I’ve had a few. I always do what I can to make it right. I’ve changed 1-3 star reviews into a 5 based on customer service and communication, even returning shoppers. Letting the customer know that their experience is your top priority goes a long way. Figure out what they are upset about, work out a solution together, and once you do, add to your conversation that you are happy you were able to solve the issue for them and that you value them as a customer and let them know you would love to see a positive review left from them. Remember you are running a business and sometimes you will have to resend an item and take a loss out of pocket but for as often as it actually happens, put it in the budget and prepare for mishaps. When you start looking at customer negativity as a positive challenge, you become so skilled in the customer service aspect of your business and the good reviews that come from these situations are so rewarding.

3. Use auto messages on Etsy 

As I mentioned you can send personalized messages if you want to send manual responses to your shoppers, however, most of us do opt for the auto message. If you are not using this feature, finish reading then go turn it on. Etsy Dashboard > Settings > Info + appearance > scroll down. There is a digital and physical section to include your thank you note. Use this section to thank your shoppers, share any important info you want to get across like an email list they can join, certain offers, socials they can find you on etc. Include in here a quick reminder to please come back share a review as you love to know they were happy and it helps your shop and other shoppers – or whatever you want to say. You can also include a note that if for any reason they are less than 5 star satisfied to please reach out before leaving a review as you are on top of your inbox and here to help. Their experience is your top priority. (Some shoppers actually leave reviews to get your attention assuming you won’t answer a message, this has happened to me more than once?!) Not everyone will read this or remember it, but if there is a built-in prompt available, use it! Example to use below!

2. Use packaging inserts as reminders 

Most small businesses send out some kind of banding/packaging insert in their orders. This is a great place to include a reminder to come back and leave a review. If you don’t have much branding or fancy inserts right now, it’s okay. Even a simple reminder to leave a review works here. This simple gesture can remind your customer to hop back on their Etsy and they will either get the pop-up to do a review, or go back to their purchase tab and find their order with you. With physical orders, most shoppers won’t leave a review until they have the product so this is the best way to remind them that you would love to hear from them! I sell generic but super cute thermal label designs you can get and print for review reminders either with a thermal printer or just on sticker paper with print then cut in design space. These are great inside or out of your packaging. 👇 You can shop mine here.

1. Talk to your customers – go ahead, send them a message

This is number one on the list because most people simply overlook the basics – Bring some human interaction into your transactions. You can steal my wording below! This goes for both digital and physical shops. For digital, I would say pick a day of the week and dedicate a little time to quickly go through your completed orders. Check if they have been downloaded then send them a quick follow up including a thank you and a prompt for a review. A quick copy-and-paste message with a simple personalization works great here. I used to do this when I first launched my shop and you either get a review, sometimes a nice message, or no response. It’s worth a shot. Digital items are bought and downloaded so quickly without any other interaction that reviews are easily overlooked so reaching out is a great reminder. With physical items, we hope once the customer receives their product it would remind them to go leave a review, but not all shoppers think that way especially if they don’t run a business themselves. The sticker/packaging reminders go a long way here but if you want to reach out to try and increase your reviews, you absolutely should. You can make this a routine habit on a certain day of the week or just keep track of your delivery notifications then reach out in a day or two. Always allow time for the buyer to receive and get to opening their package first. I left an example below of a simple follow-up. Go ahead and copy and paste this and edit it for your orders or use it as a guide.

STEAL MY WORDING IF YOU NEED IT

FOLLOW UP DIRECTLY

Hey [NAME],

Thanks so much for your order! I hope you’re loving your [PRODUCT NAME]. If you have any questions, I’m always here to help.

If you’re happy with your order, I would love if you could leave me a review by going to www.etsy.com/your/purchases

Every review really helps my business on the Etsy platform.

Again, thank you so much for your purchase.

Have a great day,

[YOUR NAME]

AUTO MSG IN ETSY SETTINGS

Thank you so much for supporting my small shop! 

[if you have coupon codes or a website, mailing list, anything you want them to know you can add it here]

⭐️Please come back and share a positive review, I would love to know you were happy!
⚠️I’m sure you will be completely satisfied, but PLEASE reach out if you are feeling anything less than a 5-star satisfied. I’m here to help, your experience is my top priority!

Have a good day,

[your name]
[your socials]

What’s most important to remember you can have amazing products, great customer service, and do all the other little things and despite your best efforts, you’ll notice many customers still won’t leave a review. That’s just how it is, and that’s okay. I know how important reviews feel especially in the beginning and how much of an impact Etsy makes us think they have on our shops. Some people really stress about the number of reviews they have vs. sales so I just wanted to remind you to focus on creating products your customers love. Focus on keeping up with demand and putting your best work forward. Reviews will come naturally over time. The more sales you have the more happy customers you have and that on its own will get your reviews growing over time. The majority of the time, people don’t comment unless they are unhappy about something so don’t stress over those numbers, they will go up as you grow!

Etsy Reviews – What Not To Do

Don’t send more than one follow-up, it’s spammy.

Never argue with a customer regarding their review. Reach out, try to understand the reason behind the review and come to an agreement. You won’t be able to please everyone so know when to walk away from the conversation and let it go.

Offer free product or discounts in exchange for reviews. We’ve seen it being done, but just don’t. That’s a bribe and such a bad look for your business! 

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Etsy Vacation mode explained

If you are thinking of taking a little break, Here is what you should consider before putting your Etsy shop on Vacation Mode.

Hey friend! We all need a little break sometimes, right? Especially around the holidays or when the sun is hot and we want to be out living our best lives. BUT.. have you considered what could happen after you get back from putting your Etsy shop on vacation mode? Let me give you a quick little breakdown to help you make the best choice for you and your Etsy business. 

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if qualifying purchases are made, at no extra cost to you.

What happens when you put your Etsy shop on Vacation Mode?

Your products will no longer appear in Etsy search.

While your shop is on vacation mode, you won’t be showing up in Etsy auto-suggestion. The only way someone can find you is if they search your shop by name. Safe to say, no new shoppers will be coming across your shop while you’re away. Many shoppers also favourite listings while they are browsing, then come back later when they are ready to shop. So not only are they not buying from you now, but you could also be losing out on future sales too.

Etsy isn’t collecting data on how customers are searching and interacting with your listings. 

If your listings are no longer coming up in search, Etsy algorithms won’t be collecting info on your listings. (which is basically how the entire platform works!) All the hard work you’ve put in towards ranking on Etsy will quickly be slipping away. Etsy vacation mode will affect your ranking without a doubt. If you aren’t showing up and ranking in search during this time, other shops will be taking your place. No algorithm spot saving here. If you want to know more about ranking on Etsy, check out my post Etsy SEO for beginners where I break down all the factors that go into ranking on Etsy!

Many shops struggle to re-grain their momentum 

Since the algorithms won’t be holding your spot waiting for you to be back, It could take 4 days, 4 weeks or 4 months to regain your traction & placement on Etsy. Nothing is certain. Some people have said the longer you are away the longer this can take. If you’re only gone for a few days you could get lucky and bounce right back. But you also could not. Other shops have reported that a few weeks to over 30 days can be like starting from ground zero. I’m sure you remember when you first launched.. nobody likes crickets! 

Etsy might not come right out and say that putting your shop on vacation mode will negatively impact your shop, but there are definitely a few things to consider before you hit vacation mode ON. 

The truth is that we all eventually need a break. Your Etsy shop should never get in the way if you have more pressing matters, whatever they are for you.

If you really just hadn’t given much thought to the outcome, and you are a little worried about losing sales on Etsy and your placement on the platform, consider doing this instead.

alternatives to going on vacation mode on etsy

Extend your processing & shipment times

This is the best option to avoid vacation mode. This way your customers won’t be expecting something to be shipped out while you are away. 

Mark some listings as Inactive

If you have certain items that take longer to process, consider removing those items for the time being. This way it isn’t your entire shop that won’t be seen. Your presence will still exist on the platform. 

Message your customers

If you have extended your processing times, it would be a good idea to follow up (if you are able) to confirm your extended time. This is also good to do if you have repeat customers that might be used to faster turnaround times.

Update your shop announcement section

Note you are away/have extended processing times in your shop.  Put this up as soon as you know you will be away. You can also add a note to be sent automaically after purchase including this information. Not everyone will read your shop sections or listing details so it’s best to take action everywhere you can. 

Share on Socials & Emails

If you are on Instagram, Facebook, etc., you can post about your shop’s processing times if it makes sense for your following there.  If you have an email list for your Etsy shop you could also send a brief email for potential shoppers to keep them in the loop.

If it’s only a few days, consider turning on an Etsy auto-reply.

This works better for digital sellers, I do this often if I will be away even for one day because I do not want my response rate to drop. However, it may be good to auto-reply that you are away, for how long, and when you’ll be back regardless of what you sell because there are shoppers who do reach out prior to shopping and this will take care of those situations.

If you were going to go on Etsy vacation mode just to regroup and lounge around the house for a few days (which we all need sometimes), then I would definitely consider trying to use some of the above methods while also spending some time each day to message your customers. 

Recent posts

Sometimes we won’t be able to keep in contact with our shoppers and do need to be away from our Etsy shops. and that's okay.

here’s a quick list of a few things to do when you get back to help you get things moving again.

Renew some listings. Give them that momentary boost that Etsy gives a little extra love to.

Add new listings. Again, get that boost in the Etsy algorithms. This will also send shoppers a notification who have your shop in their favourites, reminding them you are back and to come check out what’s new. 

Try new tags. Duplicate some listings that aren’t doing so well, and try adding some new tags and titles to them. (Remember to never just go in and change tags, always make a duplicate!) 

Run a sale. This isn’t always the best solution if you sell physical products because you don’t want to sell yourself short. The sale isn’t worth it if you are working for free, so use your best judgement. If you have repeat customers, an email list, or a loyal following on a social platform, you could offer a coupon code just to those people. It doesn’t have to be for everyone that lands on your shop. 

Remember it isn’t the end of the world. If you had to take a break from Etsy, you had to take a break. Things will pick up again!

Need some help with your etsy seo?

You can grab my Etsy SEO cheat sheets from the free library that are perfect for beginners, or anyone that needs a little help with setting their Etsy shop up for success.

Have been feeling tied down to your Etsy shop? Selling digital designs or other digital products should definitely be something you consider starting in the new year! It makes situations like this a lot more flexible. Having a digital business can allow you to deactivate the physical products (you might still want to sell), while still having income rolling in without the worry of being away and catching up😉 If you want to learn more about running a digital business, join me here!

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Have you played around in Canva yet?

I use Canva Pro for just about everything in my small business. 

From social media posts, Etsy shop banners and graphics, blog posts and more.

Want to give the pro version it a try?

Start your free 30 day trial here! 

Etsy Keywords Explained – Get ultimate SEO exposure

Etsy Keywords Explained. Let me help you get the ultimate SEO exposure by understanding the basics of selling on Etsy. If you don’t take the time to understand Etsy keywords, you’ll never really be seen. You will either be talking to nobody by using keywords that people are not searching for or be using keywords that everyone is using and it will be nearly impossible to rank for them.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if qualifying purchases are made, at no extra cost to you.

How important are keywords?

When I first started out, I knew that when it came to keywords it wasn’t going to be a part of the process that I could just skip over, work on the other areas, and hope to come out somewhere In the middle.

A lot of sellers who are new to Etsy hear “keywords” and think of it as a generalized word that describes what they are selling. Something like “Gold Ring”. Repeat it a few times and wait for the buyers to show up. (Girl, they’re still waiting).

Grab a drink, a notepad, or better yet join the club below and grab your own free Etsy keyword checklist, and let's dive right in.

There are actually a few different types of keywords to focus on

Broad keywords, focus keywords, descriptive keywords, long tail focus keywords, additional supporting keywords, and super targeted keywords.

Let’s talk about the main types of keywords, which to use, and which to avoid

Broad keywords – Broad keywords are one or two words, super generic, and very competitive. They get a lot of engagement but not so many sales. Think of “Mug” or even “coffee mug”. That could be anything right? Think of all the unanswered questions about this item. What colour is it? Is it for a mom or a dad? Is it a travel mug? Does it have a funny saying on it? You get it. Very broad and not targeting anyone specifically.

Focus keywords – Focus keywords start to paint the picture of what you’re offering. “Clear coffee mug”. Now everyone who’s looking for a black coffee mug isn’t going to land on your listing, leave right away, and mess up your conversion rates. You start targeting down the right shoppers when you are being more specific in your listings. We are still targeting a coffee mug, only we just eliminated a whole lot of guesswork as to what kind.

Descriptive keywords – I wanted to add this in because they are important to think of when brainstorming. Some examples could be “dainty”, “tiny”, or “personalized”. These words generally don’t make much sense as their own keywords, but they help describe your item and you’re going to want to pair them with your focus keywords.

now for The secret sauce to getting found on Etsy

Long-tail focus keyword – Usually 3-4 combined keywords. Needs to be descriptive. “Personalized clear coffee mug”. These are the kind of keywords that are going to pair you with actual buyers. If someone types in “coffee mug” in the search, they might not even know what they are looking for yet. Even if they did land on your shop with a term like that, it’s a total gamble for you both. BUT if someone types in “personalized clear coffee mug”, and you have optimized your listing for SEO correctly (see that post here if you missed it), then you have a VERY good chance you are getting that sale.

This will ultimately help your conversion rates go up and as long as you are following all the other best practices, there’s a good chance Etsy will start boosting this listing in front of others searching for this or something very similar.

Additional supporting keywords – Once you figure out your focus and long tail focus keywords, those will be the main ones for your listing. However, you still need to sprinkle some other words in there to reach more shoppers. Plus you get 13 tags and you need to be using them all. This could be a “personalized coffee mug” maybe this particular buyer doesn’t know they are looking for clear specifically. “Glass coffee mug”, “Clear Mug”, “16 oz mug”.

Additional keywords that still represent what you are selling very closely, but give you a chance to reach more search results. They can be more broad, so you don’t want to start your listing title with them but they are still a great addition to your tags and if they are a match to your item.

Super targeted keywords – Very specific. Could be low search volume and low competition, but a high click-through rate. Not every niche is going to focus on these but if you find a gap in the market or know you have a very specific product that people are looking for, then this is going to generate great sales. These words are not necessarily long tail, but they are not so competitive. Keyword tools really come in handy for this kind of research.

Think like a buyer when it comes to using Etsy keywords

You might have a collection of fun and beautiful names you call your products and launches over on the gram, but it’s no use on Etsy. If you fill your title and listing description with something like “flower child denim” because you made a super cute jean jacket that you covered with floral, nobody is going to be typing that in search.

You will want to stick to something more like “Embroidered Denim Jacket” or “Kids Denim Jacket”. You have to always be thinking of SEO and what the customer will be typing in on their end and how you can get Etsy to put you in front of them.

The best practice for Etsy keywords

Make a list of 10 to 20 possible keywords that you think best describe your product and are words someone would use when looking for that item. Then research them. It seems like a lot of thinking and searching, and it can be. It will get easier as you make more listings and sometimes you might just have to change your main long-tail focus keyword, but many of the other focus keywords might still apply. (You don’t want to make all your listings the same though because it’s all about expanding your reach)

Still feeling a little lost?

Don’t worry. There are lots of resources to help you do research and find keywords that will be right for you. The best part of doing research is that a lot of times you come across good keywords that you might have never come up with on your own!

Etsy Keyword research tools & resources

ETSY SEARCH BAR – I wouldn’t call this a “research tool” because It isn’t going to give you any data for keywords. However, sometimes it might be a good starting point if your new to Etsy or have a new product you are adding to your shop. You can start typing what you think your product is called and trending/recent searches will populate. After typing a few different things you might come to the conclusion that there is a more accurate name for what you are selling. Then you could take that information as a starting point to begin your own keyword research.

KEYWORDS EVERYWHERE – you can get a chrome or Firefox add on making this super easy to use. It will tell you things like search volume, competition, and trend data. A lot of people who use this will still use something like Erank or Marmalead too.

FACEBOOK GROUPS Many Etsy sellers belong to Facebook groups (or maybe another social group you are a part of) You can simply post a picture and ask the other members to let you know what they would search if they were looking for this item. It helps to get an idea outside your own head sometimes.

MARMALEAD – Many of serious Etsy sellers use this tool. They have a free trial period you can play around with before you purchase a plan which can be helpful if you just want to sit down and get a few good ideas going. Lots of very valuable data, trends, comparisons, and more. This is the kind of tool that is going to show you lot’s of other relevant keywords when you search, which helps with coming up with those additional words for tags. Beginner-friendly and lots of online support to help if you need it.

ERANK – Very similar to Marmalead. Different versions of both free and paid accounts. I’d start (I did start), with one of these right off the bat. I cannot imagine trying to guess my keywords without it. You will see the monthly search volume on the keyword, click-through rate, competition, all that good stuff. Erank and Marmalead will both have seasonal trending sections, areas to save keyword lists and much more.

Where to put all these amazing Etsy keywords now that you have them? Simply put, everywhere.

Listing Title – This is one of, if not the most important focus areas of your carefully selected keywords.

Description – Etsy may not query match with this area but it matters for SEO with outside sources like google for the first 160 characters.

Tags – Almost as important as your title. Make sure you use all 13!

Shop Title – The 55 characters become your shop preview on Google.

Shop Sections – This is a lot of extra “opportunity space” to sprinkle keywords that relate to your business all over in the section write-ups.

If you’re still here I’m seriously so excited that you want to learn how to actually make money on Etsy. If I can do it so can you.

Remember you can have good keywords all over your shop but don’t forget when it comes to overall SEO and ranking on the Etsy platform, there is more to it than just having the best long-tail focus keywords.

These kinds of posts are always so much longer than I plan, but I really want to help you understand Etsy keywords so you can implement them in your own shop. They will truly make or break your shop when it comes to generating consistent sales. I really hope this breakdown can help you make sense of keywords. It’s time to actually get excited about driving traffic you your new or existing shop!

Good luck!

ETSY SEO FOR BEGINNERS - BREAKING DOWN HOW TO RANK ON ETSY

Hey Creative, you must be ready to get serious with your Etsy SEO. I’m glad you’re here because I’m about to break down Etsy SEO for beginners in a way that’s easy to understand so you can start ranking on Etsy. It’s time to increase your traffic, start ranking on Etsy and start hearing that lovely little Etsy “Cha-ching”.

This is a long one, but it’s jam-packed with what you need to know!

If you are serious about your shop, you need a good understanding of Etsy SEO, trust me when I say it makes ALL the difference in your sales game!

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if qualifying purchases are made, at no extra cost to you.

Here are my proven Etsy SEO tips and tricks that will help you get noticed on Etsy and increase your shop sales!

Etsy SEO for beginners, where do I start?

What does Etsy SEO mean and why is it so important?

SEO – Search Engine Optimization – Simply put, it is the optimizing of your shop, listings, website etc. that makes you rank higher in search engine results. When done right, this process can greatly improve the visibility of your shop listings coming up in search engine results.

Etsy SEO Is how the Etsy platform knows what shoppers are looking for when they are searching keywords and sentences in the search bar.

As the seller, it’s a way of writing about your product so that it will get the attention from the search engine and ideally put you in front of your soon-to-be buyer. (That’s where Etsy SEO for beginners is really going to help you shine!)

When done right, proper Etsy SEO will help your shop pop up on the first few pages of the Etsy platform. Proper SEO will go beyond the Etsy platform and also cause your shop to generate in search results on sites like Google.

You can dive deep into learning all about Etsy SEO, really deep. But honestly, as a beginner, it just doesn’t have to be that complicated. Yes, SEO plays a major role in online business, but you don’t want to get stuck in an SEO research spiral, overwhelm yourself, and avoid it altogether.

I WAS just LIKE YOU

I wanted to make money on Etsy, actual money. I didn’t have a former marketing or SEO background, and I wondered if it was even possible. Was I just too late to the game? (Spoiler alert, I wasn’t too late and that’s why I’m able to share what really works with you now!)

WHAT PROPER ETSY SEO DID FOR MY SHOP 

  • Drove lot’s of traffic right from within Etsy
  • Shows my listings (multiple) on the first pages of Etsy search for my focus keywords
  • Appear in google search
  • Made sales within a week of opening my shop
  • Make multiple sales a day (consistently)
  • Made 1000 sales in just over 4 months
  • Made over 5000 sales in my first year
  • Multiple best sellers
  • Steadily increased views, visits, and sales
  • Generating over $3000 in a 30 day period at the one year open mark
ETSY STATS RANKING FOR SEO

WHY “WINGING IT” WON’T HELP YOU RANK ON ETSY

With a better understanding that you need to use SEO so that Etsy can put your listings in front of the people who are looking for what you offer.. let’s quickly go over why it’s important that you don’t just “wing it” when it comes to choosing keywords.

There are over 80 million buyers on Etsy.

In the first quarter of 2021, there were over 4.6 million sellers on Etsy. That’s a big number. I’m not trying to scare you. It’s just to let you know that ya, there are a lot of people selling on Etsy so you need to take things seriously if you want to be seen. Writing a listing description and filling out your tags and title without doing any research, is going to leave you with the sounds of crickets, and not happy little cha-chings.

The good news is, there are a lot of people on the platform that treat their shop as a hobby and lots of sellers don’t take the time to figure out the importance of Etsy SEO. You’re already ahead of many just for taking the time to read this and show initiative.

I’ve put as much time into being found on Etsy as working on my products themselves. But because of that, I know it’s possible to be a new shop and get found. That’s why I can speak to the importance of Etsy SEO for beginners.

how do I start ranking on Etsy?

The whole purpose of the Etsy platform is to match buyers with the right sellers to make it a good customer experience so they return to Etsy time and time again. Like any business, right? Etsy SEO isn’t designed to be a big tricky secret. They want happy shoppers which takes educated sellers and they are pretty good at sharing how their algorithms and SEO works in addition to lots of other helpful information that they shares with us.

PART ONE IS QUERY MATCHING

Shoppers search and Etsy pairs. Query matching is based on specific factors in your listing that then boost your ranking towards a shoppers search query. SEO doing its job.

PART TWO IS RANKING

This is where everything you have added to your listing comes together in hopes to make your listing one that Etsy suggests to the buyer. Behind the scenes, Etsy gathers all the listings that match the shopper’s query, views the information they have about each listing and shop and then ranks them for the best fit. Which lets them be able to show the shopper the listings they think they are most likely to purchase.

WHAT ARE ETSY RANKING FACTORS?

Relevancy – Comes from your tags, titles, categories, and attributes matching up throughout your listing and to the shopper’s query. If your keywords are an exact match, then chances are you will rank higher and have the potential to show up in the search results. This is why you need to do your research to see what shoppers are actually searching, not just assume they have the same thoughts as you.

New Listings – Every time you publish a new listing, it gets a small temporary boost in the Etsy search results to help the platform gather its data. To see how buyers are interacting, and develop the listings quality score. This boost can be a few hours to a few days. It’s not really something that helps us have a good idea of how the listing is performing in such a short period of time.

Listing Quality Score – Etsy wants to show a buyer something that they think is right for them so they buy it and Etsy gets the overall sale. Etsy is a massive database that is constantly taking clues from how other shoppers interact with your listings. They know how many people are landing on your listing and how many are making a purchase. This is your conversion rate. These actions will determine if they think buyers are actually interested in your listing. If they are interested, this info will boost that listings place in the search results and the overall quality score. This is why you don’t want to use irrelevant or really broad keywords because it can do you more harm than good to your listing.

Shipping Costs $ – It’s all about FREE shipping. This was introduced in the last few years but any physical seller can do it. Shoppers love the term FREE and Etsy is going to boost those listings with free shipping and put them ahead of those without. If your item is $30.00 and $15 to ship, change your price to $45 and offer free shipping.

Customer Experience – Etsy is a buyers market. They want the customer to have a great experience and they reward the shops that take the time to align with this experience. Getting good reviews is a HUGE deal on Etsy. Positive reviews are also going to help get you another boost in the ranking. It is also crucial to fill out your shop policies, your FAQ section, and the about me section. The more pride you take in your shop is not only just helpful for the customers but also to show Etsy you’re trying to make your shop a good experience. Which can also have a positive impact on your ranking. You want to respond to customer inquiries in 24-48 hours. The sooner the better.

TIP: Make sure you have the sell on Etsy app on your phone and your notifications turned on. If they send a message to multiple shops, chances are they aren’t going to wait around to get all the answers before making their decision.

This Etsy SEO for beginners outline was written to give you a clear picture of how it all comes together. You see how SEO plays such a big role, so let’s talk about implementing it.


WHERE TO FOCUS

Titles – Most important place to add Long-tail keywords, focus keywords, additional keywords

Attributes – Colour, Occasion, Holiday, etc.

Categories – Kind of like tags, help optimize for SEO

Tags – Research, Use all 13, Crucial for SEO and should pair with your title

Shop Sections – Don’t do  T I T L E S  L I K E  T H I S your wasting SEO space, be strategic

Description – *Updated May 17, 2022* In the past, Etsy has mentioned that the product description section does not factor into ranking in search results. If this seems to ring a bell, this USED to be true. It has always been a good idea to use your focus keywords in your descriptions regardless though because it is something search engines like Google pay attention to.. so you might already be in luck. As of May 2022, Etsy has now confirmed they will be scanning listing descriptions as a part of the ranking process. I strongly suggest making sure that the first 155 characters of your description contain the most important keywords that you are trying to rank for. Then, sprinkle some additional tags throughout the remainder of your write up. Form good sentences here because this is a major opportunity to sell the shopper on your listing and turn them into your customer. You don’t want to keyword stuff and sound like a robot or have them wondering additional questions. 

Are you still with me? Great! I’m so excited that you want to learn more and get serious about your business.

KEYWORDS are the foundation of your entire shop and being found by shoppers that are going to convert into sales. Make sure to read Etsy Keywords Explained for ultimate exposure so you can optimize your entire Etsy shop and start getting excited about driving more traffic.

JOIN THE CLUB & GRAB THESE DETAILED CHECKLISTS FROM THE FREE RESOURCE LIBARY

*Always MAKE A COPY of your listings before you start changing anything. Some listings might be working and you don’t want to destroy that. Focus on ones that haven’t had any traction at all, or just make a copy, edit it, then monitor the changes in traffic.

I hope this got you thinking of some areas you could work on within your shop, or that maybe you’ve neglected altogether. If you learnt anything new I’d love to know down below.

Good luck!