On 17 May 2022, Etsy made another change to the search algorithm.
They now scan keywords and phrases in your product description. That is in additional to titles, tags, categories and attributes. The other parts are still critical to your success on search optimisation.
That means your product description now plays a part in your Etsy SEO strategy.
Etsy is getting increasingly competitive. With the number of sellers skyrocketing (from 4.4 million in 2020 to 7.5 million in 2021), Etsy has the find ways to further differentiate sellers in the search results.
To do that, they need more extra information to rank all the listings that match a search query. And product description is a great place for them to get more information about a product.
To know more about how the Etsy algorithm works, read this updated Etsy SEO guide.
Ultimately, Etsy’s aim is to match the right product to the right customers. This is the best way to increase the overall sales of Etsy, which benefits Etsy financially.
Many of the previous changes of Etsy algorithm is about matching the search results to what the shoppers actually wants, including the change to show more personalised results. (See shopper’s habits in the Etsy Seller Handbook guide)
This change is likely to further separate sellers who are keeping up with the changes to the ones that aren’t.
Let’s see what you can do to adapt to this algorithm change.
Etsy specifically stated that you shouldn’t just copy and paste your title to the beginning of your product description. You also shouldn’t just blindly include all the tags in your product description.
In other words, Etsy doesn’t want ‘keyword stuffing’.
Keyword stuffing means loading the product description with many keywords to manipulate the Etsy search results.
This is bad for shoppers and Etsy as a platform because it negatively affects the shopping experience. Keyword stuffing often means the text will be unnatural and hard to understand. Etsy will likely combat keyword stuffing with some language processing AI.
So what’s the best way to deal with this Etsy algorithm change?
My recommendation is to write a short paragraph in the beginning of your product description that:
Remember to always write for the customers. Write natural and easy-to-understand sentences.
Ultimately, the best way to improve your search ranking and sales is to boost your conversion rate. The main purpose of your product description is to convince a shopper to buy the product. If you include product benefits and all other relevant information in the description, the relevant keywords should appear naturally.
If you find changing all the listing description too difficult, I would suggest updating your best selling products first, and update the rest later.
If you are following our Ultimate SEO Course in the Etsy Academy, then you should already be doing that and no change would be required for you.
