Yesterday, Etsy rolled out a new default search option...Relevancy. As opposed to recency where your items were found first in search based on when they were listed or relisted, relevancy focuses more on how close your title and tags are to what is actually being searched for.
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I for one love this change. I always used relevancy as my search option before and found what I was looking for more easily. I'm glad to see it as the default search now!
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So what does this change mean for Etsy sellers? It means rethinking how you title and tag your items. My best piece of advice...Forget The Cutesy Titles.
In an article on the Etsy Blog, it states "As titles are the most direct way for sellers to explain what they have to offer, we have given them more weight in our search results...Additionally, we look at words at the beginning of your title first."
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Use this listing as an example:
Family Scrapbook Photo Album Chipboard Mini Album in Purple and BrownI put the most important words at the beginning of the title and put other words toward the end. When someone searches for a "family scrapbook" or "family photo album" I'll be toward the top of search.
If I would have used Pretty Purple and Brown Mini Album - Family Theme, my item won't be found near as quickly for the same search terms because my most important words are at the end of the title. I see so many sellers "naming" their pieces and this will now hurt them in relevancy search. Keep your names, but put them at the very end of your title.
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When it comes to your tags, think like a buyer! Exact search terms will now have more weight than search terms with only a few matching terms.
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Take this listing for example:
Custom Personalized Wine Bottle Stopper Engraved Optic CrystalIf someone searches for "Wine Bottle Stopper" this listing will come up toward the top in search. If I just had Wine Stopper in my title or tags, it wouldn't be found as quickly.
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One good way to see if your tags are working is to check your Shop Stats on Etsy. From there you can tweak your tags to match what people are searching for in your shop.
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Changes can be confusing, but I hope this post helped clear up a few of the big points of relevancy search :) Did you find this helpful...leave me a comment and let me know :)
Well I missed this change but it sounds like a good one! With jewelry there's so many out there that I don't know how it's going to affect me but I guess I'll be going through and changing my titles anyway. I need more hours in the day!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. I haven't explored this yet, but I will.
ReplyDeletehmm It is all sad that we need to focus on SEO and search options ... and titles and description just can not be the way we want.. everything just need to fit to smth.
ReplyDeletebut better to be found and let people know about our stunning Items instead of be poetic and unnoticed :)
I also like this change! I searched for my items and most of them came up relevant :)
ReplyDeleteI will check my stats more often as well as look at the key search words (I only discovered this tool now!)
Yes, indeed a good change. Thanks so much for explaining it so clearly, so much appreciated:)
ReplyDeleteDidn't know, that I didn't know! Off to check things out. Thanks x0
ReplyDeleteI have to check my titles too. I think I use adjectives to describe my journals. {:-D
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I made an effort to change my titles a while back when I read that they were in the process of changing things. It does make sense to keep the cutesy names for the end of the title but I bet there will be grumbles from sellers!
ReplyDeleteGreat tip! I do not sell on Etsy but in other places and have always had to use straight forward, boring titles. It makes a difference to search engines for sure. ~Val
ReplyDeleteYes, this post was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteI had heard about the change but hadn't looked into it.
One thing I definately will not be sorry about will be the demise of the cutesy titles...
I'd heard about the change, but didn't know what it involved. Good to know that my "boring" titles will be rewarded now!
ReplyDeleteGood Reminder clearly explained. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is helpful advice! I overhauled my titles last summer when I re-shoot most items, and I do follow this format. But I know that many don't and furthermore, don't understand the difference. It's even more important than ever with this new change!
ReplyDeleteI actually like this idea. I think it makes the most sense and I think it will bring more people more sales.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this had been changed since I read it on your blog. Thanks for the great info!
ReplyDeleteI read the etsy policy updates, but was confused on the best way to make changes. This is BY FAR the most informative blog/article I found. Thank you.
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