How Long Does It Take for Etsy SEO to Work?

Etsy is a very competitive online selling platform. That's why there are sellers that have a hard time getting their listings to appear on Etsy search.

But there is a solution — search engine optimization or SEO for your Etsy store.

Yes, you can use SEO to get your Etsy listings some much-needed traffic. Etsy search engine optimization is the key to getting more sales. With proper keyword research, you'll rank for all relevant search queries.

However, Etsy sellers must manage their expectations. Just because they optimized their listings doesn't mean they'll start ranking — at least, not right away.

How long does it take for sellers to start seeing results? It depends.

And that's what this post is all about. In this article, you'll learn all the factors that affect how long it takes for Etsy SEO to work. 

Understanding all of them will guide you toward making the right decisions. And you'll be able to establish a timeline for yourself. You'll also know what you need to work on.

At the very least, it will give you some peace of mind knowing that just because you're not seeing results right away doesn't mean your optimization efforts aren't working.

With that said, let's jump right into it.

Realistic Expectations for Etsy SEO Results

You have to understand that online marketers spend months before seeing any effect on Google search. Etsy is a bit more forgiving in that sense. But still, it will take some time.

If your Etsy store doesn't have relevant keywords, you won't see progress. Even the long-tail keywords need to be right. 

Changing your listing quality score will probably take months. That's the reason why it's important to get things right the second you create a listing.

But if you already have an existing Etsy listing and simply want to improve your chances of ranking, then optimizing your pages post-launch is necessary. You'll just have to power through it.

What's important is that you don't make too many changes at a given time.

Some fear that their strategies aren't having any effect after weeks of waiting. So they make adjustments to see if that will work. But SEO strategies need time to work. You need to wait at least six weeks to see if anything changes.

In short:

Have a plan and stick to it.

Prioritize your Etsy shop page first. After you optimize it, that's when you move to individual listings.

Take your time when updating your most profitable Etsy listings. Use Google Keyword Planner to find words and phrases you can use to influence Etsy's search algorithm.

If you want to try other strategies, you do them to your less popular listings. That way, you can compare results when your SEO efforts start taking effect.

Factors That Impact How Long It Takes for Etsy SEO to Work

Here are some of the factors that affect how long Etsy strategies take effect.

Age of your shop

Older Etsy shops have an advantage in Etsy search results.

Why?

Because an Etsy seller that's been around for a long time will have more credibility. They're more trustworthy than a relatively new seller on the platform.

A shop like this one that's been around since 2017 might rank higher than a shop that just started this year.

The Etsy algorithm likes old, active shops. And it likes them even more when they constantly make Etsy SEO changes. It treats these indicators as a positive signal.

So if you're just a new store, it might take you longer to rank compared to shops that have been around longer.

Another reason why this matters is performance. An Etsy shop that's been operating for years will have more sales. They'll have more customer reviews and ratings as well. Etsy looks at these data to determine a shop's value.

The more value a shop has, the more likely it'll rank on Etsy search.

But if you manage to improve your shop engagement, you'll have a shot at outranking older Etsy listings.

You just have to provide excellent customer service to compete. You can also try adding new listings to show Etsy that you have no plans of slowing down. Answering customer questions can also help.

Doing these things can put you on a level playing field with well-established competitors.

Number of listings in your shop

Your chances of ranking faster will go up with more Etsy listings.

The reason for it is simple. The more listings you have, the more chances you have of appearing in search results. You can target different keywords, especially if you're looking to rank for an exact phrase.

When people use the Etsy search bar to look for products, they could end up using a long-tail keyword that your listing isn't optimized for. That's why you'll need several listings. You'll have more opportunities to fill in keyword gaps.

This shop has over 3,000 product listings.

But you can't just create new listings for the sake of having more.

Every new listing needs to be good. You need to optimize every single one so they can compete on the same level as high-ranking Etsy listings. If you can, use specific keywords so they all have a chance at ranking for different terms.

Having more shop listings have the added benefit of increasing your sales. That's one of the factors that the Etsy search algorithm takes into consideration.

The more traffic and sales you have, the faster your listings can rank on Etsy.

While having more listings can make it more difficult for you to manage your shop, it will make it more relevant. You'll get the attention you deserve from shoppers.

Competition in your niche

You'll have a harder time ranking for certain search terms if you're in a saturated niche.

If there are many Etsy sellers competing for the same keywords, you'll have trouble pushing your way through to the top. So you'll have to learn how to combat this potential roadblock.

Take this as an example. There are so many shops selling wedding invitations.

You can try by using a keyword phrase that's still related to your category but isn't as competitive. Using descriptive keywords can also help. Longtail keywords are your friends in this case.

Any Etsy SEO guide will tell you to regularly look at market trends and seasonal demand. You can get ahead of some competitors by updating some listings to reference upcoming holidays.

Shifting your SEO strategy to include more seasonal keywords can help with query matching. You can target exact phrases that have to do with special occasions.

This can get you to rank for the best keywords that other sellers aren't using.

Still not ranking fast enough?

Then make sure you highlight your unique selling points. Even if you have a ton of competition in your category, you might have that special sauce that makes you the better option.

And remember:

You don't have to stick to Etsy. You can get more sales by driving traffic through social media or third-party sites.

Quality of your listings

As alluded to earlier, you want your listings to be high-quality. That means you can't use blurry images. Your titles and descriptions should make it clear what you're trying to sell.

Buyers should have all the information they might need to make informed decisions.

Here are more Etsy SEO tips that can boost the quality of your product listings.

Make sure you use Etsy tags. You're allowed to have 13 at most. Google SEO also relies on tags to determine what a website is all about. Etsy tags work the same way. Use tags to include search terms that best describe your listing.

Encourage your customers to leave reviews if they're happy with their purchase. This high-ranking Etsy listing has 1,357 reviews as of this writing.

Having a lot of positive reviews indicates that customers are satisfied with your services. Etsy just might rank you higher for a specific keyword.

Efforts to improve your SEO

Just because you're making SEO improvements to your listings doesn't mean it's going to have any effect on your ranking.

The quality of your updates will play a huge role in determining whether your changes will help you rank or not. Search engines look at a lot of factors including which keywords you use.

If your keywords don't have a lot of search volume, then they won't do you any good.

And if you have too much repetition, your listings could come off as spammy. This will lead to Etsy doing the exact opposite of what you're trying to achieve.

So before you make SEO updates to your listing description, think about how it fares against the competition. If it's not as good, then there's a chance that it'll take you longer to rank that listing.

Also, you'll need tools for Etsy SEO for automating the process. They'll find the best keywords to optimize, the competitors to track, and your listing quality. These ensure that your SEO strategy produces your desired results.

Conclusion

Etsy SEO is important because it enables you to compete against established Etsy shops. But you must realize how long it might take to see its effects.

It could take you months before you start outranking other listings in your category.

So if you're not seeing results right away, don't get discouraged. Continue optimizing your Etsy store and listings. Your hard work will start paying off in a matter of weeks.

You'll rank higher than your competitors if you just continue doing what you're doing.