Growing Your Craft Etsy SEO Guides

Best Keywords & Tags for tote bags

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.

‍

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 tote bags 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

Jump to Section:

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 tote bags niche:

‍

The typical customer for Tote Bags is a practical yet style-conscious individual, often a student, professional, or bride-to-be, who values sustainability and utility. They are looking for a versatile carry-all for daily errands, a reusable alternative to plastic, or a personalized vessel for gifting.

‍

What problems are they trying to solve or desires are they trying to fulfill when searching for tote bags?

‍

They need a durable, eco-friendly solution for carrying heavy items like books, groceries, or laptops without sacrificing their personal aesthetic or comfort.

This can lead them to search for terms like: heavy duty canvas book bag with zipper

‍

They are seeking a customizable, budget-friendly, and functional gift container for a group event, such as a bridal party or a team retreat.

This can lead them to search for terms like: personalized bridesmaid jute tote bag bulk

tote bags 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 tote bags 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.

‍

Here are 10 popular broad keywords for the tote bags market:

Tote Bags

The high-volume root keyword for the niche. While highly competitive, it serves as the foundation for long-tail phrases describing material, size, or purpose.

‍

Canvas Bag

This describes the most common material expected by buyers. It signals durability and a casual aesthetic, often associated with painting or screen printing bases.

‍

Personalized Tote

A massive driver of sales in this niche. Buyers using this term have high intent to purchase, looking for names, monograms, or custom text options.

‍

Bridesmaid Gift

Tote bags are a top contender in the wedding market. This keyword targets brides looking for functional "gift packaging" that doubles as the gift itself.

‍

Reusable Bag

This targets the eco-conscious demographic. These buyers are looking to replace single-use plastic and value sustainability and washability.

‍

Shoulder Bag

Describes the functionality and fit. This keyword is often used by shoppers looking for a comfortable strap drop length for daily wear.

‍

Beach Bag

A seasonal but high-traffic keyword. It implies specific materials (like jute or mesh) and larger sizes to accommodate towels and sunscreen.

‍

Corduroy Tote

A trending aesthetic keyword (seen in your top listings). It appeals to buyers looking for texture, softness, and a specific "cozy" or "vintage" vibe.

‍

Teacher Gift

Totes are a quintessential gift for educators. This keyword works best during end-of-year or holiday seasons and often implies a need for durability.

‍

Market Bag

This term appeals to the "cottagecore" or foodie demographic. It suggests a specific lifestyle use—visiting farmers' markets—and often implies a net or mesh style.

Top Long-Tail Keywords for tote bags

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

aesthetic cottagecore mushroom tote
minimalist line art canvas bag
vintage style corduroy shoulder bag
boho macrame market shopper
retro smiley face checkered tote

Occasion/Use Long-Tail Keywords

bachelorette party hangover kit bag
reusable grocery shopping bag washable
college student laptop book bag
teacher appreciation week gift idea
library bag for kids

Target Customer Long-Tail Keywords

custom gift for maid of honor
nursing student clinical bag
mom life diaper bag tote
flower girl proposal gift bag
book lover librarian gift

Materials & Finishes Long-Tail Keywords

File Type/Platform Long-Tail Keywords

heavy duty organic cotton canvas
vegan leather oversized tote
natural burlap jute beach bag
soft corduroy tote with zipper
water resistant nylon travel bag

Technique/Production Method Long-Tail Keywords

custom embroidered name tote
screen printed graphic canvas bag
hand painted denim tote bag
sublimation blank polyester tote
crochet granny square bag

Feature/Benefit Long-Tail Keywords

tote bag with inner pocket and zipper
wide strap comfortable shoulder bag
foldable compact shopping bag
machine washable cotton tote
tote bag with laptop compartment

Theme/Subject Matter Long-Tail Keywords

celestial sun and moon tote
wildflower botanical garden bag
funny cat lady canvas tote
inspirational quote christian gift
zodiac sign constellation bag

Size/Shape/Fit Long-Tail Keywords

extra large oversized weekend tote
small mini lunch tote bag
gusseted bottom canvas shopper
tall vertical book bag
slouchy hobo style tote

Problem Solved Long-Tail Keywords

plastic free zero waste swap
sturdy bag for heavy text books
secure zipper top for travel
hands free crossbody tote conversion
organizer insert for large bags

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.

‍

Let's look at the listing titles from two tote bags bestsellers to see what we can learn from them:

Bestseller Listing Title Analysis 01:

Custom Corduroy Tote, Embroidered Corduroy Bag, Holiday Gift, Birthday Gift, Eid Gift, Bridesmaid Gift, Custom Gift Bag, Valentine’s Gift by TimoPersonalizedArt

This title dominates by combining a trending material ("Corduroy") with the high-value customization market ("Custom," "Embroidered"). It then aggressively targets specific gifting occasions ("Holiday," "Birthday," "Eid," "Valentine's"), ensuring the listing appears relevant year-round for anyone searching for a gift, regardless of the specific holiday.

Bestseller Listing Title Analysis 02

Personalized Tote Gift bag,Bridesmaid Bags,Beach Bag Gift,Bridesmaid gifts,Bachelorette Party Favor,Jute Bag,Bridal Party Gift,thank you bag by LuDesignGifts

This title focuses heavily on the wedding industry, a massive sector for tote bags. By repeating variations like "Bridesmaid Bags," "Bachelorette Party Favor," and "Bridal Party Gift," it ensures visibility for brides planning their events. It also highlights the material ("Jute Bag") and the utility ("Beach Bag"), suggesting a specific use case (destination weddings or summer parties).

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 tote bags, 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: Canvas Tote Bag

‍

Better Title: Heavy Duty Canvas Tote Bag with Zipper, Aesthetic Flower Market Shopper, Reusable Grocery Bag, Eco Friendly Teacher Gift, Inner Pocket

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.

‍

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.

‍

Let's look at some listing description examples for tote bags:

‍

Listing Description Example 01

Upgrade your daily carry with this personalized corduroy tote bag, combining vintage vibes with modern utility. Soft yet durable, this bag features custom embroidery of your name or initial, making it a thoughtful gift for bridesmaids, students, or yourself. With a spacious interior and comfortable straps, it’s perfect for carrying laptops, books, or daily essentials in style.

Listing Description Example 02

Make your bachelorette party unforgettable with these custom jute beach bags. The natural rustic texture paired with elegant personalized script makes these the perfect welcome gift for your bridal party. Durable enough for a day at the shore yet chic enough for brunch, these reusable totes will be cherished by your bridesmaids long after the wedding.

Listing Description Example 03

Say goodbye to single-use plastics with our aesthetic canvas market tote. Featuring a stunning botanical wildflower print, this heavy-duty bag is designed with a gusseted bottom to hold all your groceries or library books with ease. Machine washable and made from 100% organic cotton, it's the perfect eco-friendly accessory for the conscious shopper.

6 Ways to Find More Keywords for tote bags

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 tote bags Etsy SEO Checklist

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

‍

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 tote bags 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 tote bags?
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 tote bags 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

GYC helps you grow your craft to business

Growing Your Craft

Home GYC Etsy Academy GYC Etsy Seller Blog Recommended Tools & Resources Branding Templates

Connect

Instagram Pinterest Growing Your Craft Etsy Shop

Growing Your Craft is supported by Etsy sellers. When you purchase/subscribe through affiliate links in this guide, I'll earn some coffee money at no extra cost to you. Blog illustrations by Freepik Stories.