AuctionBytes Blog
Covering auctions, collectibles and marketplace selling.

AuctionBytes Blog The AuctionBytes Blog has been giving a voice to online merchants since its launch in 2005. Named one of the world's top 30 blogs in 2008 by "Blogging Heroes." Weigh in with your thoughts on the joys and pitfalls of selling online.
Fri Apr 12 2024 10:30:18

Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

By: Ina Steiner

Sponsored Link

Etsy is testing a feature to optimize sellers' listing titles - automatically. While Etsy runs most tests (aka "experiments") without letting sellers or buyers know, in this case, Etsy invited sellers to join the beta test, according to Cindy Baldassi, who published the invitation to sellers - an excerpt follows:

"We're running an optional test to automatically optimize the listing titles shoppers see on your ads. We’ll make tweaks such as adding key search terms that are relevant to your listing or removing typos or redundant details. These tests will run from April through July."

Baldassi, an Etsy expert and consultant, wrote about the beta test on her Patreon page. She said that while she does not have the option to participate, some sellers who do have shared with her screenshots of the dashboard announcement and other details.

Etsy explained to sellers it invited that they would not be able to pick and choose which listings were included in the test, and it told sellers their titles would *not* be changed on the listing page (nor would they be changed in sellers' Listings Manager).
 
Etsy gave sellers some examples of how its automated SEO tool might tweak their titles in search results and in Offsite Ads: 

- We may add "gift for her" to the end of your title if relevant to the listing.

- We may remove promotional text or unnecessary adjectives to simplify the title and help it rank higher on offsite channels.

Check out Cindy Baldassi's post where she posted information and shared her thoughts, and leave your comments on her page, and in the comments below.



Comments (17) | Permalink

Readers Comments

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: LDWCallsOut This user has validated their user name.

Fri Apr 12 13:33:01 2024

Am laughing so hard!  After more than a decade, someone at Etsy STILL believes that adding "gift for her" as a keyword phrase to listing titles will be helpful to searching shoppers?  I remember commenting in the Etsy Forum before I was perma-muted in 2013 that adding "gift for her" and other nonsense phrases to millions of listings won't help any item get views.

Most of the listings active on Etsy could be a "gift for her" if that is something the giftee would like.  The question I have is why Etsy wants to position itself as the destination for buying gifts for strangers?  Like the 2023 Winter Holiday tv ad campaign about parents who have trouble buying gifts for their children, and children who can't think of what their parents would like.  Unlikely scenarios.  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: ThebigR This user has validated their user name.

Fri Apr 12 14:01:24 2024

They'll leave no stone upturned to try and generate income to bad the group as a whole doesn't have a clue...  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Stone Cutter This user has validated their user name.

Fri Apr 12 15:57:46 2024

*** NO…leave my Title alone! ***

The problem….Etsy only allows a maximum amount of characters for the Title. If Etsy decides to ADD text to the Title, the last bit of my data may be excluded.

Who is a Etsy to decide what should be in my title? I know my customers. I know what data they are looking for.

BTW - I’m not a gift item and never have been. I sell jewelry to women who purchase for themselves. If Etsy were to include “gift for her”, it would be nothing more then wasted data that could override my data.

LEAVE MY TITLE ALONE!!!

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Lisa This user has validated their user name.

Sat Apr 13 05:40:03 2024

this is only for sellers who opt in or are required to  be in the offsite ads. This is SEO tweaking  for  external search engines  only.

As a side note, a lot has evolved since 2013. "gift for her", when relevant, has become a highly searched phrase. It consistently ranks high in marmalead and erank. It also autopopulates extremely high in etsy organic. Depending on your shop category, it is a phrase that can be really helpful. It is 2nd in my stat search words right under 'decorative'. If that phrase is relevant, put it in your tags at the  very least.

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: LDWCallsOut This user has validated their user name.

Sat Apr 13 10:56:22 2024

''Decorative'' is almost as bad as ''gift for her''.  There is no way that using keywords and phrases like these will get any item listed on Etsy seen.  Unless, of course, something else in the item's SEO assures Etsy's algorithm that the item is on the current trendy merch list, mostly likely to be purchased by one of Etsy's target market.  

Imagine shopping at a bricks and mortar furniture or home decor store and asking an employee for help finding a ''decorative'' item.  Or visiting King of Prussia Mall or Mall of America and requesting help at the Customer Service desk in finding a ''gift for her''.  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: BlueDenim This user has validated their user name.

Sat Apr 13 15:18:12 2024

This year sales have been much slower for my shop; talking about 69% down compared to last year.

I would be willing to give it a try. Even though those offsite ads suck and the abandoned cart ones too. Each sale helps boost the shop score and placement in search. If I have to take a hit on profit now to gain some momentum and more sales, it is worth trying.

Plus, if I can see what terms they are using, I may learn something. Can always apply that to my own stand alone.  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Stone Cutter This user has validated their user name.

Sat Apr 13 16:14:24 2024

*** Descriptions vs. Title ***

Since Etsy decided to cram our descriptions to a right sided column, many Sellers, including myself, use the Title field to further describe our products as our ‘description’ is now hidden. And now, Etsy wants to implement what they find as useful and appropriate?

I worked in Software engineering for decades. Etsy can’t seem to get the “search” routine right. How can I trust Etsy to get my Title right?

And what happens when Etsy includes incorrect data that eventually comes back to bite the Seller? Think about it...Etsy says they will correct typos, however, what about abbreviations? Would Etsy know the difference? How will Etsy deal with that?

And @LDW is right! Adding “gift for her” is too generic when a zillion items can fit that criteria.

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Snapped This user has validated their user name.

Sun Apr 14 07:34:43 2024

Here’s a thought experiment.

Never mind Etsy’s proclivity for absurd glitches and general marketplace incompetence.  For this exercise , we can even give them benefit of doubt for a moment and assume everything’s ’working as designed’.

Three sellers each with similar items with similar attributes all list simultaneously.  Current search on a given keyword relevant input returnees them all, ranked seller A item #2, B as #3, and C as #4 for ‘whatever’ reason, all behind someone else’s better ranked item (say that one is basically being given away at happy the price; whatever.

Now, each opts to allow Etsy to muck with their titles to see if that ‘improves’ anything.  But because they ‘all’ are already essentially equivalent, all that mucking is treated ‘equally’ for each item.

Net result, no change.  Everybody’s ‘optimized’ in the same manner.  Ergo - no ‘real’ optimization. Even IF it ‘works’.

That “gift for her” is an empty box.  And Etsy thinks we all must have empty heads to reach for it.

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Lisa This user has validated their user name.

Sun Apr 14 08:40:50 2024

apparently. you don't understand the etsy algorithm and as it pertains to your item and relevancy. I was going to tell you guys how certain keyword phrases work with your items when relevant  and how to use stats & 3rd parties to see what keyword was used to find your item, But, I  think you guys would rather bitch and moan than  actually learn something. However, 'decorative'  is surprisingly  my  number one searched word, according  to my stats. Even though  it is searchable under the  root decor, It is reinforced when I use decorative in my tags, but decor in the category or title. I have about 55% conversion on items using this keyword  (fluctuates). Higher conversion listings get  higher SEO placement. Or sit around and  bitch about everything, you do you.

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Stone Cutter This user has validated their user name.

Sun Apr 14 12:44:05 2024

*** But let’s talk “Probability” ***

@ Lisa
Maybe you need help from Etsy…but I don’t. I also don’t need Etsy to find me buyers outside of Etsy to charge me extra in Off-Site Ad fees, as my sales are strong with only 7 pieces left in my jewelry shop.

If Etsy were to inject themselves into my “Title”, there could be a “greater probability” Etsy could slow down my sales.

Example: When I cut stone, I cut for pictorial images. I may have an image that looks like “under the harvest moon”, of which I put in my Title. My customers love the images I create and they want to see my image description in my Title field. What I put in my Title provides me with FAST SALES. I do not want Etsy to override my data.

Many shops, like mine, do not suffer from slow sales. I honestly believe that if Etsys growth begins to slide, Etsy will inject themselves into our listings and could cause suffering, for many.

And by the way Lisa, I never fill in my “Tags” because I don’t need to. You constantly FAIL to understand that everyone’s shop is different and each shop does not run the same.

What Etsy does can affect us all, differently.  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Stone Cutter This user has validated their user name.

Sun Apr 14 12:58:44 2024

@Lisa

“You say… Higher conversion listings get  higher SEO placement. Or sit around and  bitch about everything, you do you.”

But Lisa, I already have a high conversion rate as I typically sell new pieces in a matter of hours.

Like I said, not all of us need help from Etsy. There are many other jewelers, like myself, who have a strong repeat customer base for fast sales. I do not want Etsy in inject themselves into my Title.  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

This user has validated their user name. by: iheartjacksparrow

Sun Apr 14 16:20:10 2024

I would never use the word "decorative" in any listing title, as that not only takes up space but could apply to anything and everything. Same with "gift for her," which takes up even more space in the title. When I create a listing title, I put in everything relevant to the item and leave out all the fluff words. No one needs to read that a Disney Sleeping Beauty Maleficent figurine is a "gift for her."

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Lisa This user has validated their user name.

Sun Apr 14 23:26:14 2024

you are correct jacksparrow. sometimes keywords are fluff and irrelevant to your particular item, Sometimes the same keyword is totally relevant for a completely different item, People use the keyword 'decorative' for me in conjunction with other keywords to differentiate between utilitarian and upcycled. That may not  be relevant to you of course,  but when i started using it a few times as a keyword just to test  if it is truly searched llke 'decor', I was  surprised to see it as number one in my stats, but there it  was. now i  use it all the time. It  would be stupid  not to.  

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Flying Childers This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 15 10:13:41 2024

Reading something like this from Etsy reminds me of one of the 7 biggest Lies, namely, "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you."   Beware!

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: Whatever This user has validated their user name.

Mon Apr 15 12:59:26 2024

No - that is if I had any the answer would still be no

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

by: quirkyantiques This user has validated their user name.

Tue Apr 16 10:03:02 2024

Its all about gouging you for MORE and higher commission like mandatory offsite ads "We promote Etsy listings on Etsy, through Etsy Ads, and across the web on sites like Google and Facebook through Offsite Ads." Etsy search itself is almost an afterthought. 5,000,000 results for "gift for her" on google so exactly HOW will adding this to your title help? Hard pass for me not that I've been invited. Or maybe I was but I X out any of this nonsense in my dashboard on reflex. Nothing Etsy thinks is good for me is actually good for me.

Perminate Link for Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?   Would You Let Etsy Tweak Your Titles for SEO?

This user has validated their user name. by: Rexford

Wed Apr 17 06:21:45 2024

Reminds me of laundry detergent commercials spouting "New and Improved".

If all the sheep are using "Gift for Her" wouldn't you want to distinguish your listing from the sheep listings?



Login is required to post comments.
To sign in to leave a comment, fill in the form below. If you have not yet signed up for AB Verify, or if you'd like more information, go to the Registration Page
.

Login for AB Verify
Be sure and use your email address and password to log in.

 
Email:
Password:
 
 Forgot Your Password?
 Even though you are signed in with the AuctionBytes Blog, you will have to sign in to the EcommerceBytes blog. But you can sign in with your existing AB Verify info.