How I Find Etsy Keywords That Sell: A 4-Step eRank Routine for Beginners

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you sign up for a paid eRank plan through it, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I use in my own Etsy shop.

If you sell on Etsy and you're guessing at your titles and tags, you're leaving traffic on the table. Etsy is a search engine. Buyers type words, and Etsy shows the listings that match those words best. The fix is simple: find out what buyers actually type, then use those words.

Here's the exact 4-step routine I use for my own shop with eRank, the Etsy keyword tool I rely on.

Step 1: Start with one product, not your whole shop

Pick a single listing you want more views on. Write down the 3 to 5 words you think a buyer would search to find it. That's your starting list. Don't overthink it. The tool will correct you.

Step 2: Look up real search demand

Open the eRank Keyword Tool and enter your first phrase. You'll see how often it's searched on Etsy, how many competing listings use it, and related phrases buyers type. Look for the sweet spot: phrases with steady searches and fewer competing listings. Those are long-tail keywords, and they're where small shops win.

Step 3: Rewrite your title and 13 tags

Put your strongest phrase at the front of your title, in plain words a buyer would use. Then fill all 13 tags with different phrases from your list. Don't repeat the same word in every tag, and use the full 20 characters where you can. Every empty tag slot is a search you can't show up for.

Step 4: Check your rank, then repeat

Give Etsy a week or two, then use eRank's Rank Checker to see where your listing shows up for each tag. Keep what's working, swap out what isn't, and move to the next listing. One listing a day adds up fast.

The takeaway

You don't need to be an SEO expert. You need to stop guessing. Find the words buyers use, put them in your title and tags, and check your results. eRank has a free plan, so you can try this routine today without spending anything.

Try eRank free here and run Step 2 on one listing before the day is over.