How to Do Keyword Research for Etsy (Free and Paid Methods)

Why keyword research is the highest-ROI activity on Etsy

I spent one afternoon redoing the tags on my first 15 listings using proper keyword research. Views went up 40% within two weeks. Same products, same photos, same prices. Just better keywords in my tags and titles.

That afternoon of keyword research has generated hundreds of extra dollars in revenue every month since. Nothing else I've done in my Etsy business had that kind of return for the time invested.

Method 1: Etsy autocomplete (free, 5 minutes)

Open Etsy. Start typing your product idea into the search bar. Etsy suggests completions based on what buyers actually search.

Type "budget planner" and you'll see: - budget planner printable - budget planner for couples - budget planner pdf - budget planner binder - budget planner digital - budget planner spreadsheet

Each suggestion is a real search term with real volume. These are your starting keywords. Write them all down.

Now try variations. Type "expense tracker" and get a different set of suggestions. Type "financial planner" for another. Each root term produces 5-10 keyword phrases.

This is the fastest, most reliable free keyword research method for Etsy.

Method 2: Study top-performing competitors (free, 15 minutes)

Search Etsy for your main keyword. Look at the top 5-10 results (these are the listings Etsy's algorithm considers most relevant and successful).

For each listing: - Note the title keywords (what phrases do they use?) - Scroll to the bottom and check the tags (visible on the listing page) - Note which keywords appear across multiple top listings (these are proven winners)

If 4 out of 5 top results use the tag "budget tracker pdf," that's a strong signal. Use it.

Don't copy their exact tags (that targets the same searches and puts you in direct competition). Instead, find the keywords they share AND add variations they're missing.

Method 3: eRank free tier (free, limited daily searches)

eRank shows search volume estimates, competition counts, and click rates for Etsy keywords. The free tier limits daily searches but covers 2-3 listings per day.

What to look for in eRank: - High search volume + low competition: The sweet spot. Many buyers searching, few listings competing. - Click rate: How often people click results for this search. High click rate means buyers have purchase intent. Low click rate means they're browsing without buying. - Long-tail phrases: "budget planner for freelancers" has less competition than "budget planner." Target the long-tail.

We compared [eRank vs Marmalead](/blog/erank-vs-marmalead-etsy-seo-tools) if you want to see whether the paid version is worth it.

Method 4: Our tag analyzer (free)

Our [tag analyzer](/tools/tag-analyzer) shows tag performance data across Etsy, Gumroad, and Shopify. Search any keyword to see product counts, average prices, and related tags. Useful for competitive research and discovering tags you might not have considered.

Method 5: Google autocomplete and related searches (free)

Google isn't Etsy, but many Etsy buyers start their search on Google. Type "budget planner printable" into Google and look at: - Autocomplete suggestions (same as Etsy method, but from Google's data) - "People also ask" section (questions buyers have, each one is a potential content angle) - "Related searches" at the bottom of results

These Google insights can surface keywords that Etsy's autocomplete misses.

How to use your keyword research

Once you have 30-40 keyword phrases from the methods above:

Title: Pick your top 3-4 phrases. Put the most important one first. Separate with commas. Fill all 140 characters. See our [title writing guide](/blog/how-to-write-etsy-titles-that-rank).Tags: Pick 13 multi-word phrases that DON'T duplicate words already in your title. Tags and title work together. No overlap means maximum coverage.Description: Naturally include keywords in the first few sentences of your description. Etsy may use description text for search matching (this is debated, but it doesn't hurt).

The monthly keyword check

Keywords aren't set-and-forget. Search trends change. I audit my tags every month:

1. Open Etsy Stats. Which listings lost views this month? 2. For declining listings, search their main keyword on Etsy. Are competitors using tags you're not? 3. Check Etsy autocomplete for new suggestions you might have missed. 4. Update 3-5 tags on any listing that's declining.

This monthly maintenance takes about an hour. The cumulative impact is significant over time.

For the full Etsy SEO strategy (beyond just keywords), read our [tags, titles, and keywords guide](/blog/etsy-seo-tags-titles-keywords). For the complete listing process, see [how to sell digital downloads on Etsy](/blog/how-to-sell-digital-downloads-on-etsy).