Quick answer
Etsy tags are short phrases you add to a listing so it can match what shoppers type into Etsy search. Each listing takes up to 13 tags per listing, each tag can be up to 20 characters, and Etsy says multi-word phrases are better than individual descriptive words. Tags work together with your title, category and attributes, so use the tags for phrases those fields do not already cover.
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. It is pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, and this page does not rank or score it. See where Nation fits.
What Etsy tags are and the rules for them
Etsy tags are the search phrases you attach to a listing. Etsy describes two phases of how search works: query matching and ranking: it first finds listings that match a query, then ranks them. Etsy says that when your tags, titles, listing descriptions, categories, and attributes match a shopper's query, your listing can appear in their results.
Each listing has room for up to 13 tags per listing. Each tag is limited to up to 20 characters, so longer phrases have to be shortened or split. Etsy's Seller Handbook asks sellers to use all 13 tags, with variety and no repeated phrases and to add variety rather than repeat the same phrase. The table sums up the rules from Etsy's own pages.
How tags, titles, categories and attributes work together
Etsy reads several fields of a listing at once. Its search guide says the system looks at the title, tags, attributes, descriptions, first photo, reviews, and more. Tags are one input among these, next to the title, the first photo and reviews.
The title is where shoppers read what the item is. A title can be up to 140 characters long. Etsy advises leading with the keywords that best describe what your item is, and notes that where a phrase is used in your title doesn’t affect a listing’s ranking. Put the clearest description of the item in the title, and use tags for the other ways people search for it.
The category also counts as a search phrase. Etsy says categories act like tags, so add the most specific subcategory, and that when you choose a specific subcategory, your items are included in all the categories that subcategory is nested within. A candle filed under a specific candle subcategory also appears in the broader categories above it.
Attributes are the filters you fill in, such as color, material, occasion and style. Etsy says each attribute you add acts like a tag, and asks sellers to add all the relevant options, even if they’re less precise. Because categories and attributes already act as tags, you don’t need to add tags that repeat the phrases that appear in your categories and attributes. That frees your tag slots for phrases the other fields cannot express.
How to write good Etsy tags for one listing
This is a working method for any item. It uses only the fields Etsy describes in its own guidance.
Fill in the category and attributes first
Choose the most specific subcategory and every attribute that fits. These already match searches, so you know which words your tags no longer need to cover.
Write the title
Describe what the item is in plain words, starting with the most important phrase. Keep it within up to 140 characters long and avoid long keyword lists, which Etsy says long lists of keywords in titles may confuse buyers or turn them off your listings.
List how a shopper would search
Write down phrases a buyer might type: the item type, the material, the style, who it is for, the occasion and the room or use. Think of synonyms and regional spellings too.
Turn phrases into tags
Keep each phrase within up to 20 characters, using spaces, letters and numbers, with ‘ and - allowed within words and phrases but not at the start of a tag. Prefer two- and three-word phrases over single words. Drop phrases that repeat your category or attributes. If a phrase is too long, split it into shorter phrases that share its words.
Fill every slot
Use all up to 13 tags per listing with different phrases. A tag set where every phrase starts with the same word wastes slots on near-duplicates.
Review after the listing has had time
Etsy notes a new listing can take up to 48 hours to appear in search. After that, review how the listing performs and replace tags that describe it less well with other shopper phrases.
Etsy tag examples: a soy candle
Example listing: a hand-poured soy candle in an amber glass jar, scented with lavender. Category: the most specific candle subcategory. Attributes filled in: scent, wax type, color and occasion where available. The tags below avoid repeating those attributes word for word and cover gift, mood and room searches instead.
- soy candle
- lavender candle
- amber jar candle
- hand poured candle
- candle gift for her
- relaxing candle
- bedroom candle
- self care gift
- housewarming gift
- aromatherapy candle
- natural wax candle
- spa candle gift
- small batch candle
Each phrase in this example set fits within up to 20 characters. The gift and room phrases follow Etsy's note that tags suit aspirational or buyer-minded search terms (for example, “gift for her”).
Etsy tag examples: a gold necklace
Example listing: a dainty gold-filled necklace with a birth flower charm. Category: the specific necklace subcategory. Attributes: material, metal color, occasion and recipient where offered. The tags spread across style, occasion and recipient phrases.
- birth flower jewelry
- dainty necklace
- gold filled necklace
- flower charm
- minimalist necklace
- layering necklace
- personalized gift
- birthday gift
- gift for mom
- bridesmaid gift
- everyday necklace
- floral jewelry
- gift for sister
Phrases such as "personalized gift" only belong on the listing if the item really is personalized. Etsy's Help Center says tags should use accurate and relevant words and phrases, and a tag that misdescribes the item brings visits from shoppers who will not buy.
Etsy tag examples: an art print
Example listing: a botanical watercolor print of eucalyptus leaves, sold as a physical print. Category: the specific prints subcategory. Attributes: subject, style, room and orientation where offered. The tags cover the subject, the style and the rooms the print could hang in.
- botanical print
- eucalyptus print
- watercolor print
- green wall art
- plant art print
- kitchen wall art
- bathroom wall decor
- minimalist art
- nature print
- botanical wall art
- living room art
- leaf illustration
- gallery wall print
If you sell the same artwork as a digital download, give that listing its own tags such as "printable wall art" so it matches shoppers looking for files rather than shipped prints.
Etsy tag examples: a graphic t-shirt
Example listing: a screen-printed t-shirt with a mountain graphic. Category: the specific t-shirt subcategory. Attributes: size, color, fabric, sleeve length and style where offered. Size and color are attributes, so the tags spend their slots on theme, fit and gift searches instead.
- mountain shirt
- hiking t-shirt
- outdoor graphic tee
- camping shirt
- nature lover gift
- adventure tee
- screen printed tee
- unisex graphic tee
- gift for hiker
- national park shirt
- mountain graphic
- travel t-shirt
- oversized tee
The tags in this example describe the theme and the wearer. A long search such as a full outfit description will not fit in one tag, so split it into shorter phrases, because adding multiple phrasal tags containing those terms can still help you match with those searches.
Etsy tag generators and AI tag tools
An Etsy tag generator is a tool that suggests tags from a product name or a keyword. Many are third-party sites, and some use AI. They can speed up the step where you list possible phrases, but they do not know your item. Check every suggestion against three tests: it fits within up to 20 characters, it describes the item honestly, and it does not repeat your category or attributes.
Etsy has its own research tool. Marketplace Insights shows the number of searches and listings on Etsy from the last 30 days, and sellers can run up to 15 keyword searches per week for free. Etsy also offers an optional AI-powered tool that suggests updated listing titles, for listings written in English, which works on titles rather than tags. For a comparison of keyword tools, see the Etsy SEO tools page linked below.
Common Etsy tag mistakes
Most weak tag sets share a few patterns. Each one wastes a slot that could match a different search.
- Leaving slots empty. Etsy asks sellers to use all 13 tags, with variety and no repeated phrases.
- Single words instead of phrases. Etsy says multi-word phrases are better than individual descriptive words.
- Repeating the category or attributes. Etsy says you don’t need to add tags that repeat the phrases that appear in your categories and attributes.
- Near-duplicate tags, such as several phrases that differ by one word.
- Tags that describe something the item is not, which bring clicks from shoppers who will not buy.
- Renewing listings to chase search position. Etsy recommends focusing your time and efforts on improving your tags or working to help increase your conversion rate instead.
Where Nation fits
Nation
Category: an AI store builder
Nation says one description of what you make builds the store, then agents handle orders, customers and delivery and run ads, content and social posts, with you approving the work. This page explains Etsy's own tag rules and does not compare Nation with Etsy.
Limits today
- Status: pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai.
- Pricing and fees: not announced yet.
- Shopper marketplace: no shopper marketplace has been announced.
- Track record: no independent reviews or public stores yet.
Nation publishes this page. The tag rules come from Etsy's own Seller Handbook and Help Center.
Describe what you makeQuestions about Etsy tags
How many tags can you use on Etsy?
Etsy lets you add up to 13 tags per listing to each listing, and each tag can be up to 20 characters. Etsy's Seller Handbook asks sellers to use all 13 tags, with variety and no repeated phrases. Your category and attributes also act like tags, so the tag slots are best spent on phrases those fields do not already cover.
What are good Etsy tags?
Good Etsy tags are short multi-word phrases that describe the item the way a shopper would search for it. They cover the item type, material, style, use, occasion and recipient. They stay within up to 20 characters, do not repeat the category or attributes, and only describe what the item really is.
Should Etsy tags be single words or phrases?
Etsy tags should usually be phrases. Etsy's Seller Handbook says multi-word phrases are better than individual descriptive words. A phrase such as a material plus an item type matches a more specific search than either word alone. Keep each phrase within up to 20 characters, which sometimes means choosing the shorter of two wordings.
Do Etsy tags need to repeat words from the title?
Etsy tags can share words with the title, since both are read by search. Etsy says you don’t need to add tags that repeat the phrases that appear in your categories and attributes, so the real saving is on category and attribute phrases. Use the title to state what the item is, and use tags for the other ways shoppers search for it.
Is an Etsy tag generator worth using?
An Etsy tag generator can help you list possible phrases quickly, but it does not know your item. Check each suggested tag: it must fit within up to 20 characters, describe the item honestly and add something your category and attributes do not cover. Etsy's Marketplace Insights tool shows the number of searches and listings on Etsy from the last 30 days.