Selling template on Etsy - Full Keyword, Tag & SEO Guide

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 template niche:

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Etsy template buyers are often individuals, small business owners, students, or event planners seeking to save time, achieve a professional look, or simplify a complex task without needing advanced design skills. They value convenience, affordability, and customisability, looking for well-designed, easy-to-use digital files that can be quickly adapted to their specific needs.

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

One primary motivation is to create professional-looking documents or designs efficiently. They might need a resume that stands out, an organised planner, an eye-catching invitation, or branded social media graphics but lack the time or expertise to create them from scratch.

This can lead them to search for terms like:
- modern resume template google docs
- editable wedding invitation template canva
- instagram post template for small business

Another common need is organisation and planning. Buyers look for templates like digital planners, budget spreadsheets, or project trackers to help them manage their lives, businesses, or specific events more effectively.

This can lead them to search for terms like:
- digital daily planner goodnotes
- google sheets budget template
- printable project management tracker

Top 10 Broad Keywords for template 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 template market:

Resume Template

A highly sought-after category, these templates help job seekers create professional and modern CVs. Compatibility with software like Word, Google Docs, or Pages is a key selling point.

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Invitation Template

Covering a wide range of events (weddings, birthdays, baby showers), these templates allow users to easily customise and print or digitally send invitations. Editable features are crucial.

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Planner Template

Digital and printable planners for daily, weekly, monthly, or specific goal tracking are immensely popular. Compatibility with apps like GoodNotes or Notability is important for digital versions.

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Social Media Template

Businesses and individuals use these to create consistent and engaging content for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Canva compatibility is very common here.

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Website Template

These cater to users of platforms like Squarespace, Wix, Showit, or even HTML/CSS for creating professional websites without extensive coding knowledge.

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Canva Template

Canva's popularity has made templates editable within this platform highly desirable for various uses, from social media graphics to presentations and marketing materials.

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Business Card Template

Offering editable designs for professionals to create their own business cards, these templates often focus on specific industries or styles.

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Digital Download

This broad term encompasses all instantly accessible template products. Clear instructions on how to download and use the files are essential.

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Editable Template

This highlights a key feature buyers look for – the ability to easily customise text, colours, and sometimes layouts to fit their specific needs.

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Google Sheets Template

Templates for budgeting, tracking, project management, and more, designed for use in Google Sheets, appeal to users looking for free and collaborative spreadsheet solutions.

Top Long-Tail Keywords for template

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

minimalist clean resume template
boho floral wedding invitation canva template
modern presentation google slides template
vintage scrapbook junk journal template
dark mode aesthetic notion dashboard template

Occasion/Use Long-Tail Keywords

baby shower thank you card editable template
hen party itinerary template printable
small business invoice template google docs
teacher lesson plan weekly template
christmas party games printable template bundle

Target Customer Long-Tail Keywords

resume template for fresh graduates
social media template for real estate agents
digital planner template for busy mums
life coach ebook template
wedding budget tracker template for couples

Materials & Finishes Long-Tail Keywords

File Type/Platform Long-Tail Keywords

editable canva instagram story template
goodnotes digital student planner
microsoft word resume template
project management template for Excel
squarespace photography website template kit

Technique/Production Method Long-Tail Keywords

photoshop psd product mockup template
instant download printable pdf template
drag and drop canva instagram post template
hyperlinked digital notebook goodnotes template
excel budget spreadsheet with automatic calculations

Feature/Benefit Long-Tail Keywords

time saving social media content calendar
ats friendly professional resume template
editable wedding invitation suite template
printable home party decoration template set
multi page ebook canva template

Theme/Subject Matter Long-Tail Keywords

tropical summer party invitation template
construction theme birthday printable template
wellness and self care digital journal template
e-commerce business planner notion template
halloween spooky instagram post template

Size/Shape/Fit Long-Tail Keywords

A4 printable weekly schedule template
square instagram carousel template canva
US letter size recipe card template
mobile responsive email signature template
one page website landing page template

Problem Solved Long-Tail Keywords

job application tracking spreadsheet template
client onboarding welcome packet template
debt reduction google sheets template
meal prep and grocery list planner template
brand identity guidelines canva template

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 similar keyword list even on the free plan. 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 template bestsellers to see what we can learn from them:

Bestseller Listing Title Analysis 01:

Google Docs Resume Template, Professional Resume Template for Word, Pages, Google Docs + Business Card, Minimalist Resume, Instant Download by TheStandOutResume

This title excels by listing multiple compatible software ("Google Docs," "Word," "Pages"), broadening its appeal to a wide range of users. Keywords like "Professional Resume Template" and "Minimalist Resume" clearly define the style and purpose, attracting job seekers looking for a modern and clean design. The inclusion of "+ Business Card" adds value, and "Instant Download" highlights the convenience, making it highly effective for those needing a quick, polished solution.

Bestseller Listing Title Analysis 02

Editable Construction Invitation, Construction Birthday Invitations, Dump Truck Party Invite, Printable template Digital Instant download C1 by iQuickly

This title effectively targets parents planning children's parties with a specific theme, using "Construction Invitation," "Construction Birthday Invitations," and "Dump Truck Party Invite." Highlighting "Editable," "Printable template," "Digital," and "Instant download" addresses key buyer needs for customisation, convenience, and immediate access. The "C1" might be an internal code but otherwise, the title is very clear about the product's theme and format.

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 template, 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: Wedding Invite Template

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Better Title: Elegant Floral Wedding Invitation Template, Editable Canva Suite, Printable RSVP Card

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 template:

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Listing Description Example 01

Create a stunning, professional resume in minutes with our Modern ATS-Friendly Resume Template, compatible with Google Docs and Microsoft Word. This easy-to-edit CV template includes a matching cover letter and reference sheet, designed to help your job application stand out to recruiters and secure that interview.

Listing Description Example 02

Plan your dream wedding effortlessly with our comprehensive Digital Wedding Planner Template, designed for GoodNotes and Notability users. This hyperlinked interactive planner includes budget trackers, guest list management, and vendor contact sheets, making it the ultimate editable tool for organised brides-to-be.

Listing Description Example 03

Boost your small business engagement using our stylish Social Media Marketing Template Bundle, fully editable in Canva. This pack includes Instagram post templates, story graphics, and Pinterest pin designs, helping you create a cohesive and eye-catching brand presence online with minimal effort.

6 Ways to Find More Keywords for template

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 template 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 template 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 template?
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 template niche regularly to improve my SEO strategy?