If you sell on Etsy, you get 13 tags per listing, and each tag can be up to 20 characters. Most sellers fill these in quickly and move on, but the way you use those slots affects who finds your listing.
Here are the mistakes I see most often, and how to avoid them.
1. Using single words instead of phrases
A tag like "mug" is very broad, and thousands of listings compete for it. A tag like "speckled stoneware mug" is closer to what a real buyer types, so it's a better use of a slot. Aim for 2-3 word phrases.
2. Repeating the same idea in several tags
"ceramic mug", "mug ceramic" and "ceramic cup" all describe the same thing. Spend those slots on different angles instead: the material, the style, the occasion, and who the gift is for.
3. Forgetting the gift angle
Many Etsy searches are gift searches, like "gift for coffee lover" or "housewarming gift". If your item makes a good gift, add one or two tags for it.
4. Leaving slots empty
Every empty tag is a search phrase you can't show up for. Use all 13.
5. Wasting characters
Tags are capped at 20 characters, so long phrases get cut off. Short, specific phrases work best.
Your title matters too
Etsy reads your title as well as your tags, so put your most important keyword near the start of the title and avoid stuffing it with commas.
Free tools that can help
I built two small free tools for this. I'm the maker, so take that into account:
- A Tag Generator that suggests 13 tags from your listing text: https://etsy-seo-tools-glhd.vercel.app/tag-generator/
- A Title Checker that scores your title and suggests a rewrite: https://etsy-seo-tools-glhd.vercel.app/title-checker/
Both are free with no signup, and they run in your browser, so your listing text isn't sent anywhere.
What's the hardest part of choosing tags for you? Let me know in the comments.
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