Growing Your Craft Etsy SEO Guides

Best Keywords & Tags for t-shirt

Getting found on Etsy can feel like a challenge, but mastering Etsy Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is your best chance of getting traffic on Etsy. SEO is about using the right keywords to tell Etsy (and your target customers) exactly what you sell so you appear in the right Etsy search results.

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Let me walk you through everything you need to know in this SEO guide, including:

Understand your ideal target customer
Discover high-impact broad and long-tail keywords for your listings
Analyse what successful t-shirt sellers are doing right
Learn how to use keywords to optimise your titles, tags, and description
6 ways to find more keywords for your listings

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How to Optimise Listings

Ways to Find Keywords

Understanding Your Ideal Target Customer

Before you dive into keywords, you need to understand who your target customer, including their needs, desires, and the language they use. Because when you know what they are looking for, you can target them with the same keywords that they would use in Etsy search. Here’s a closer look at your typical customer in the t-shirt niche:

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The typical t-shirt buyer on Etsy is often looking for unique designs, personalised items, or apparel that expresses their individuality, interests, or supports a specific cause or event. They value creativity, quality, and often seek items not readily available in mainstream retail.

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What problems are they trying to solve or desires are they trying to fulfil when searching for `Tshirt` products?

One common desire is to find a distinctive and meaningful gift for friends or family, or a piece of apparel that perfectly captures their personal style or a specific passion.

This can lead them to search for terms like:
- personalised photo t-shirt gift
- unique graphic tee for band lover
- custom slogan t-shirt funny

Another motivation is the need for specific apparel for group events, holidays, or to make a statement, often seeking items that offer a sense of belonging or shared identity.

This can lead them to search for terms like:
- matching family holiday t-shirts
- custom hen party tops
- vintage style concert tour shirt

t-shirt is a pretty competitive niche with high demand and high competition, so it's important to use long-tail keywords to niche down and have a better chance of ranking on Etsy.

Top 10 Broad Keywords for t-shirt Sellers

Core keywords (also known as short-tail keywords) are the broad, popular terms that describe your main products. While they often have very high search volume and competition, they are the starting points for you to build your long-tail keywords for the next steps.

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Here are 10 popular broad keywords for the t-shirt market:

Tshirt

This is the most fundamental and broadest term for this apparel category. It captures a vast audience looking for any type of t-shirt, making it essential to understand but often too competitive to target alone without further nicheing.

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Graphic T-shirt

A highly popular category, "graphic t-shirt" refers to tees featuring printed designs, images, or typography. Sellers in this space focus on unique visuals, trending motifs, and artistic expression to attract buyers.

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Custom T-shirt

This keyword highlights the significant demand for personalised or made-to-order t-shirts. It caters to buyers wanting custom text, photos, or specific designs for individual use, gifts, or group events.

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Oversized T-shirt

Reflecting a popular fashion trend, "oversized t-shirt" targets buyers seeking a looser, more relaxed fit. This style is prevalent in streetwear, casual fashion, and loungewear, appealing to a desire for comfort and a modern silhouette.

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Funny T-shirt

This category appeals to customers looking for humour and novelty in their apparel. "Funny t-shirt" searches are often driven by a desire for conversation starters, gag gifts, or self-expression through witty slogans and amusing graphics.

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Vintage T-shirt

“Vintage t-shirt” targets buyers interested in retro styles, throwback designs, or genuine second-hand apparel from past eras. This includes original vintage pieces as well as new t-shirts with a deliberately distressed or retro-inspired aesthetic.

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Long Sleeve T-shirt

This term specifies a variation in t-shirt style, suitable for cooler weather or as a layering piece. It's a practical keyword that helps buyers find alternatives to the standard short-sleeved tee.

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Plain T-shirt

Representing a demand for basic, unadorned apparel, "plain t-shirt" is searched by those needing wardrobe staples, items for customisation, or a minimalist look. Quality of fabric and fit are often key selling points here.

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Mens T-shirt

This demographic-specific keyword narrows the search to t-shirts designed or marketed towards men. It encompasses all styles and types of t-shirts within that specific audience segment.

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Womens T-shirt

Similar to "mens t-shirt," this targets the female demographic. Searches often involve specific fits, necklines, and styles popular in womenswear, from fitted tees to more relaxed or fashion-forward cuts.

Top Long-Tail Keywords for t-shirt

While core keywords are important, long-tail keywords are how you can really get found on Etsy. These are longer, more specific phrases (usually 2-5 words) that buyers use when they have a clearer idea of what they want or are closer to making a purchase. They often have lower search volume than broad keywords but higher conversion rates because they target a more specific need.

How to Brainstorm Your Long-Tail Keywords

A systematic way to build long-tail keywords is by adding descriptive modifiers to your broad keywords. Here are the modifiers I recommend:

Style/Aesthetic Long-Tail Keywords

vintage 90s graphic rap tee
minimalist line art t-shirt
boho festival print oversized shirt
streetwear urban graphic t-shirt
retro gaming pixel art tee

Occasion/Use Long-Tail Keywords

custom hen party t-shirt bride tribe
funny birthday slogan tee for him
matching family Christmas t-shirts
charity run team event shirt
music festival band graphic top

Target Customer Long-Tail Keywords

personalised t-shirt for dog dad
best friend matching graphic tees
custom teacher appreciation shirt
funny new mum slogan t-shirt
gamer boyfriend gift tee

Materials & Finishes Long-Tail Keywords

File Type/Platform Long-Tail Keywords

organic cotton soft feel t-shirt
heavyweight premium cotton tee
bella canvas unisex jersey shirt
screen printed eco friendly ink tee
embroidered logo detail t-shirt

Technique/Production Method Long-Tail Keywords

direct to garment printed t-shirt
custom screenprint small batch tee
sublimation all over print shirt
hand drawn illustration t-shirt
vinyl cut custom text tee

Feature/Benefit Long-Tail Keywords

breathable lightweight summer t-shirt
pre-shrunk cotton easy care tee
ethically sourced sustainable t-shirt
custom photo upload personalised shirt
tear away label comfort t-shirt

Theme/Subject Matter Long-Tail Keywords

funny cat meme graphic t-shirt
retro car enthusiast tee
book lover literary quote shirt
mountain adventure travel t-shirt
positive affirmation slogan top

Size/Shape/Fit Long-Tail Keywords

oversized boyfriend fit t-shirt women
mens slim fit crew neck tee
unisex relaxed fit graphic shirt
womens v-neck fitted t-shirt
plus size custom design tee

Problem Solved Long-Tail Keywords

unique personalised gift t-shirt
last minute birthday present t-shirt
comfortable everyday wardrobe staple
statement piece conversation starter shirt
matching group event shirts

To speed up the process and get even more relevant long-tail keyword ideas, consider using SEO research tools like Alura which you can get a big similar keyword list with information like estimated search volume and demand. Their free plan is pretty generous and you can sign up for free here.

Analysing Best Selling Listing Titles

One of the best ways to improve your Etsy SEO strategy is to see what's working for other successful sellers. By analysing best selling listings, you can gain valuable insights into what effective keywords they use, and how they structure the titles, so that you can apply to your own listings as well.

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Let's look at the listing titles from two t-shirt bestsellers to see what we can learn from them:

Bestseller Listing Title Analysis 01:

Custom Comfort Colors® Retro Dog Shirt, Personalized Pet Tee, Custom Photo Vintage 90s Graphic, Bootleg Rap Dog Shirt, Custom Design Tshirt by UniqueTrendsDesign

This title effectively targets buyers seeking personalised pet-themed apparel by using strong keywords like "Custom," "Personalized Pet Tee," and "Custom Photo." It also appeals to specific trends such as "Retro Dog Shirt," "Vintage 90s Graphic," and "Bootleg Rap Dog Shirt," indicating a clear understanding of popular aesthetics. The inclusion of "Comfort Colors®" highlights a desirable garment brand known for quality, further attracting customers looking for specific, comfortable t-shirt blanks.

Bestseller Listing Title Analysis 02

Custom Teacher Name Shirt, In My Teacher Era Sweatshirt, Teacher Custom Name Sweatshirt, Teacher Era Shirt, First Grade Teacher Sweatshirt by PrettyTeesUS

This listing title excels by combining personalisation ("Custom Teacher Name") with a highly current trend ("In My Teacher Era"). It clearly identifies the target audience ("Teacher," "First Grade Teacher") and the product type variation ("Shirt," "Sweatshirt"), broadening its appeal. The repetition of "Teacher Custom Name" and "Teacher Era" reinforces these key search terms, enhancing visibility for buyers looking for specific teacher appreciation or themed apparel.

Click here to see more Etsy bestseller title inspirations

How to Use Keywords to Optimise Your Etsy Listings

Now that you have a list of descriptive long-tail keywords for your t-shirt, let's see how we can use them to optimise your Etsy listings.

How to Craft Highly Descriptive, Keyword-Rich Titles

Your listing title can make-or-break your Etsy SEO. Write your long-tail keywords to be highly descriptive. For example, compare these two:

Okay Title: Dog Photo T-Shirt

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Better Title: Personalised Dog Photo T-Shirt, Custom Pet Portrait Tee, Vintage Style Graphic Shirt Gift

Then put your strongest, most descriptive keyword in the front. Separate each long-tail keyword with symbols like commas or dashes so that the title is easy to read.

Use All 13 Tags with Specific, Long-Tail Keywords

Tags are another important place to tell the Etsy algorithm what your product is about. Use all 13 tags for your listings.

Focus on specific, long-tail keyword phrases
Tags have a 20-character limit
While it's ok for some broad keywords to appear in multiple tags, try to use a wide variety of descriptive terms across your 13 tags

Find Accurate Attributes & Categories

When you list a product on Etsy, you'll select a category and then be prompted to fill out attributes specific to that category (e.g., colour, material, size, occasion). These are just as important for SEO and helping buyers find your items through Etsy's filters.

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Be thorough and fill out as many relevant attributes as possible and be accurate for your product category.

Write Description for Shoppers & Etsy search algorithm

Etsy now uses keywords in your listing description for SEO. What I recommend to Etsy seller is to write compelling short paragraph (1-3 sentences) at the very beginning of your listing description that naturally include 3-5 relavant long-tail keywords for the product. Clearly communicate what the product is, its key features, and the benefits it offers the customer.

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Let's look at some listing description examples for t-shirt:

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Listing Description Example 01

Express your unique sense of humour with this hilarious graphic tee, perfect for casual outings or as a memorable conversation starter. Made from soft, breathable cotton, this funny slogan t-shirt offers all-day comfort and a classic fit, making it an ideal novelty gift for friends or family.

Listing Description Example 02

Rock your favourite band in style with this custom vintage-style band t-shirt, an essential for any music lover's wardrobe and a fantastic concert souvenir. Featuring a high-quality, durable print of your chosen design, this personalised concert tee is crafted for a comfortable, relaxed fit, perfect for gigs or everyday wear.

Listing Description Example 03

Discover ultimate comfort and effortless style with our premium oversized plain t-shirt, a versatile staple for any minimalist wardrobe. This heavy-weight cotton tee provides a relaxed, modern silhouette and soft feel, perfect for layering or wearing on its own for a chic, understated look.

6 Ways to Find More Keywords for t-shirt

Keyword research is an ongoing process. I recommend these 6 ways to find effective long-tail keywords for your listings:

Etsy Search Bar

Start typing your core keywords into Etsy's search bar and pay close attention to the auto-suggestions that appear (guide here). These are real searches from actual Etsy shoppers.

Competitor Research

Look at the titles of listings that rank on page 1 (especially those with "Bestseller" badges). Don't copy directly, but use their keyword choices as inspiration for terms you might have missed.

Your Own Shop Stats

Your shop stats show you the exact search terms shoppers used to find your listings. Pay special attention to those that you are not directly targeting, and consider targeting them in listing titles.

Alura

One of my favourite Etsy keyword research tools. Alura speeds up the process of giving you a list of related popular keywords, and analyse which ones are the best for you.

eRank

Another popular tool among Etsy sellers, eRank offers robust keyword tools, trend analysis, grading your current listings, and checking keyword strength.

Everbee

Another great keyword research tool. I especially love Everbee's Chrome extension that shows you the estimated search volume directly on Etsy.

Your t-shirt Etsy SEO Checklist

Phew, that's a lot of information. Let's do a little recap:

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Understand My Customer: Do I understand my target customer and their primary search motivations?
Core Keyword Research: Have I identified the top core keywords for the t-shirt niche?
Long-Tail Keywords: Have I brainstormed a diverse list of long-tail keywords using various modifiers?
Ongoing Etsy SEO: Am I using at least 2-3 methods (from Section 7) to regularly find new keyword opportunities for t-shirt?
Optimised Titles: Are my listing titles highly descriptive, front-loaded with strong keywords?
Maximised Tags: Am I using all 13 tags with specific, long-tail phrases?
Compelling Descriptions: Does the opening paragraph of my listing descriptions naturally include 3-5 important keywords and clearly state benefits/features?
Analyse & Improve: Am I reviewing my Etsy stats and competitor listings in the t-shirt niche regularly to improve my SEO strategy?

Get More Etsy SEO Resources Here:

GYC Etsy SEO Checklist

A handy checklist for you to print out and make progress.

GYC Etsy SEO Guide

Our free SEO guide walking through everything you need to know.

Full Etsy SEO Course

A step-by-step comprehensive course in GYC Etsy Academy 2.0

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