If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for others or even yourself, where is the first place you look? One of the first places that come to mind might be Etsy - this is "a global online marketplace, where people come together to make, sell, buy, and collect unique items." Digital planners and similar items can sell like hotcakes on Etsy, but to become a best-selling shop that has sales rolling in every day, there's some work you need to do!

One of the best ways to optimize your shop for better results is through Etsy SEO. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a method of improving your visibility on the platform and on other search engines. It's definitely not the easiest concept to grasp and apply to your business. Building up your Etsy SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. To make it a bit easier, we've put together a guide that will help you use the search algorithm to build your business.

Using Etsy in 2022

Etsy is one of the largest growing platforms to find unique and handmade items. Statistics show that there were over 80 million active users in 2020, along with over 4 million active shops (source). We can only expect these numbers to keep on growing! This is exactly why you should be selling your digital planners and similar items on Etsy, even if you have your own website. There's an entire strategy you can apply to your shop so that you can capitalize on all the people that come and go from Etsy each day.

What makes a good Etsy shop and listing?

A good Etsy listing has multiple components that include product titles, descriptions, relevant keywords, and more. Let's break it down step by step:

Products that Fill a Gap

Your attitude is contagious - people can tell if you're passionate about the product you're offering just from your product description! When your products fill a gap in the market, they're more likely to rank in unique search results instead of generalized ones with hundreds of thousands of search results. When you can clearly identify what makes your products unique, you'll be able to focus your SEO research on keywords that help your products stand out.

The Perfect Keywords

It's time to do some research! Start thinking like a customer - what would they search if they were looking for a product like the ones you sell? How specific do they need to be? Are they mentioning things like colors, material, compatibility, and so on?

There are two different kinds of keywords that you'll want to focus on: short and long-tail keywords.

Short-tail keywords are typically a single word that can be used to pull up search results within your niche.
Long-tail keywords are typically more like phrases that are very specific. A short-tail keyword would be "planner" while a long-tail keyword would be "digital planner for moms". Oftentimes, you'll see better results from long-tail keywords because they narrow down the search results drastically.

We'll talk more about how to perform keyword research (which is the backbone of Etsy SEO) in just a minute, but first, let's talk about what you should include in your shop features.

A Strategic Shop Title

Every opportunity you have to customize your Etsy shop is also a chance to improve your SEO. One of the first things potential customers see when they come across your business on Etsy is your shop name and title. These aren't the same things, but instead, a title is like a descriptor about your shop that sets the standard for the rest of your customer's interactions with your virtual storefront. This should also be something searchable so that when people look for products within a certain niche and filter by shops, yours will pop up right where you want it.

Inform people of what you sell and who you sell it to so that the first impression you give to potential customers after they hit enter in the search bar forms a personal connection and increases the chances of them purchasing your product!

Strategically set up your Etsy shop with the help of our Etsy Seller Planner, an easy digital planner that helps you manage your listings, create cohesive shop branding, and a marketing plan to help you grow your business! You can learn more and purchase this planner here.

Diversifying Your Shop Sections

Every section you create in your shop has its own landing page and page title, which means it's another opportunity to get your shop noticed through SEO! Make sure you have a page title that includes SEO keywords while still accurately describing the products your shop visitors can find within that section. These should divide your shop into categories. For example, my Etsy shop has sections for business planners, 2022 collection, stickers, bundles, undated planners, and more.

Utilize Tag Opportunities

A further way to tell the Etsy robots exactly what you're selling in your shop and who it's meant for is through tags. Tags are a single word or a short phrase that describes your products. Etsy will automatically pair your tags with consumers’ search criteria to help you get found. This is a great opportunity to use short-tail keywords! If Etsy gives you a chance to niche down with your product, take it! When you're listing a new product, you have the optional choice of using up to thirteen tags. Take full advantage of the tools Etsy has given you to extend the reach of your online business.

SEO Keyword Tools for Etsy in 2022

We already know that SEO can be complicated, but thankfully, there are tools out there that make it so much easier to find the perfect keywords to attract potential customers! We have two tools up our sleeves for you to use...

Marmalead

Marmalead is our favorite SEO tool because it's specifically made for Etsy shop owners to increase their sales with keywords that will help you show up at the top of Etsy search results. There are over 110,000 users who trust Marmalead to get their products in front of potential buyers with ease. While it is a monthly subscription, they also have a free blog filled with helpful resources for those who don't have a large business budget. Marmalead can help you with…

Fixing any issues that could get in the way of your SEO
Ways to rank your various shop listings
Show popular keywords and what competitors are doing

Ubersuggest

Our second keyword tool is Ubersuggest, which is typically used for regular search engine optimization outside of Etsy, but it can still be useful! There is a limited free plan and also paid options if you're interested. Ubersuggest will give you related keywords, tell you the chance you have of ranking for certain words, and how competitive each keyword is. This is a great tool, and definitely one you should bookmark if you plan on scaling your digital planning business beyond Etsy in the future!

Etsy Rank

Designed for Etsy sellers, Etsy Rank is a tool you can use to find keywords and what’s trending on Etsy right now so you can increase your visibility. The best part of Etsy Rank is that it comes with a free plan! You can utilize their keyword research tools, get an audit of your current listings, and get a custom sales map to help you use Etsy to your advantage. Start using Etsy Rank by clicking here!

Keywords can be difficult to understand and master, but they can be super helpful for your Etsy business! We dive deep into the topic of keywords and provide 1:1 support for your shop in our signature hybrid program, Digital Planner Academy. You can learn more about the program and the areas of business we can help you with here!

Etsy Guide for 2022

Etsy can be a powerful platform for small business owners. You can learn even more about leveraging Etsy to build a successful business in our Etsy shop guide, which is a step-by-step guide + tool kit to start an Etsy shop selling Digital Products. This guide has six sections that take you from the research phase before launching your shop to learning to maintain your listings and keep making sales! You can purchase and read about it here!