Etsy tags examples: full 13 tag sets and how to find your own

Tags are the part of an Etsy listing most sellers rush. You've written the title, the photos are up, and there are 13 empty boxes left. So they fill up with single words, repeats of the title and whatever came to mind first.

This guide fixes that with full examples. Every set below uses all 13 tags, each 20 characters or fewer, for jewelry, candles, clothing, wall art, home decor, stickers and digital downloads. After the examples, you'll find Etsy's own tag rules, free ways to find tags for your own products and how eRank and the other paid tools compare.

Good tags get a listing found, and good photos get it clicked. If you'd like help with both, YelloShelf suggests tags from your product photo and can also make listing images sized for Etsy.

Etsy tag rules: how many tags and the character limit

These come from Etsy's help page on tags and its Seller Handbook guide, Keywords 101.

• 13 tags per listing. Etsy's advice is to use all 13, because each one is another chance to match a shopper's search.
• 20 characters per tag. Spaces count.
• Letters, numbers and spaces only. You can use an apostrophe or a hyphen inside a word, but a tag can't start with one.
• Use multi-word phrases. Etsy's example: "custom bracelet" is stronger than "custom" and "bracelet" as two tags, and it frees up a slot.
• Don't repeat your category or attributes. Etsy treats them a lot like tags. If your item is in the Statement Ring category, you don't need a "statement ring" tag.
• Don't add misspellings or plurals. Etsy advises against misspelled tags, and it matches root words, so "diary" also matches "diaries".
• Stick to one language. Etsy advises against adding tags in more than one language.
• Do add synonyms and regional words. Etsy can't cover every regional phrase. Its example is flip flops, which some shoppers search for as "thong sandals".

What tags to use on Etsy: the 13 tag formula

Etsy says tags work best where no attribute fits, and for buyer-minded phrases like "gift for her". A simple way to fill all 13 is to split them across five angles:

The numbers are a guide, not a rule. A printable has no material, so those slots go to format words instead. Etsy also suggests longer, more specific phrases over broad ones, such as "canvas tote bag", because buyers who know what they want search that way.

This is also the mix YelloShelf aims for when it suggests 13 tags from your product photo, using what's already selling.

Etsy tags examples by product

Each example below is a made-up product, so copy the pattern, not the words. Every tag is 20 characters or fewer.

Etsy tags for jewelry: brass hoop earrings

Hammered brass hoops, 30 mm, lightweight.

brass hoop earrings, hammered hoops, gold hoop earrings, large hoop earrings, lightweight hoops, everyday earrings, boho earrings, minimalist earrings, statement hoops, handmade jewelry, gift for her, bridesmaid gift, birthday gift friend

Three tags say what it is in different ways, a few cover style, and the last three are gift searches. "lightweight hoops" answers the question a buyer has about big earrings.

Etsy tags for candles: fig and black tea soy candle

Soy wax, 8 oz travel tin.

fig candle, black tea candle, soy candle, tin candle, travel candle, fruity candle, cozy fall candle, hand poured candle, vegan candle, bookish candle, housewarming gift, teacher gift, self care gift

The two scents get their own tags, because buyers search by scent. "bookish candle" and "teacher gift" reach buyers who are shopping for a person, not a fragrance.

Etsy tags for clothing: embroidered mushroom sweatshirt

Unisex crewneck with a small embroidered mushroom.

embroidered crewneck, mushroom sweatshirt, oversized sweatshirt, unisex crewneck, cottagecore sweater, botanical shirt, cozy pullover, fall sweatshirt, mushroom gift, forager gift, nature lover gift, plant lover gift, gift for sister

Size and colour usually belong in your variations and attributes, so the tags can go on theme, style and who the buyer is shopping for.

Etsy tags for wall art: botanical fern print

Vintage style fern illustration, printed at 8x10.

fern print, botanical wall art, vintage botanical, plant illustration, green wall art, nature art print, gallery wall print, bathroom wall decor, bedroom wall art, cottage decor, 8x10 art print, housewarming present, plant lover gift

Wall art buyers often search by room, so two tags name one. "8x10 art print" catches buyers who already have a frame.

Etsy tags for home decor: linen table runner

Stonewashed linen, oatmeal colour, 72 inches long.

linen table runner, table runner, stonewashed linen, natural linen decor, oatmeal linen, farmhouse table, neutral table decor, dining table decor, rustic tablescape, wedding table runner, thanksgiving table, 72 inch runner, hostess gift

"table runner" on its own is broad, so most tags narrow it by material, style, event or size.

Etsy tags for stickers: waterproof frog sticker

Die cut vinyl sticker, 3 inches.

frog sticker, vinyl sticker, waterproof sticker, die cut sticker, cute frog decal, kawaii sticker, cottagecore frog, laptop sticker, water bottle sticker, journal sticker, frog lover gift, stocking stuffer, small gift for kids

Sticker buyers search by where the sticker goes, so three tags name a surface.

Rather not build 13 tags for every listing? YelloShelf suggests them from your product photo, based on what already sells on Etsy. See how it works.

Best Etsy tags for digital downloads

Digital items have no material, so the format does that job. Buyers search for "printable pdf" and "instant download", and they look for paper sizes and what the file works with.

Printables: kids chore chart

Editable PDF chore chart, A4 and US Letter.

chore chart, kids chore chart, reward chart, responsibility chart, routine chart kids, toddler chart, editable chart, family planner, homeschool printable, printable pdf, instant download, a4 printable, us letter printable

Planners: undated digital planner

Hyperlinked PDF planner for tablets.

digital planner, undated planner, ipad planner, tablet planner, pdf planner, hyperlinked planner, minimalist planner, daily planner pdf, weekly planner, planner template, productivity planner, student planner, self care planner

Patterns: crochet frog pattern

Beginner amigurumi pattern, PDF with photo steps.

crochet pattern, crochet frog pattern, amigurumi pattern, frog crochet, crochet toy pattern, cute crochet animal, easy amigurumi, beginner crochet, pdf pattern, photo tutorial, stuffed animal diy, cottagecore crochet, crochet gift idea

If you sell printables, a mockup or preview image is enough for YelloShelf to suggest a full set of tags.

How to find tags for Etsy for free

The examples above show the shape of a good set. To find the exact phrases for your own product, use these free sources, in this order.

1. The Etsy search bar

The suggestions that drop down as you type come from what shoppers search. Type your main phrase and note each suggestion. Then add a letter after the phrase ("leather crossbody b", "leather crossbody c") and try different first words, like "small", "personalized" or a colour. The search bar shows what people type, but not how many people.

2. Marketplace Insights

Marketplace Insights is Etsy's own keyword tool, in Shop Manager under Stats, on a computer or a mobile browser. Search a phrase and it shows how many times shoppers searched it in the last 30 days, how many listings showed up, related terms and trends.

Shops get 15 keyword searches a week for free, and each result stays available for 7 days. Etsy Plus subscribers get unlimited searches. Spend your searches on each product's main phrase, and use the related terms for the variations. Etsy also notes that some phrases it shows might not be allowed on Etsy, so the usual seller rules still apply.

3. Your shop Stats

In Shop Manager, go to Stats, then How shoppers found you, and choose Etsy search to see the search terms buyers used to find your listings (Etsy help: Stats). Phrases that already bring you visits belong in your tags. Surprises are new ideas.

4. Etsy Ads search terms

If you already run Etsy Ads, each advertised listing shows the search terms buyers used to find your ad over the last 30 days (Etsy help: Etsy Ads). Etsy notes this may not show for listings with little ad traffic. We wouldn't start ads just for research.

5. What's already ranking

Search your main phrases and open the top results. Look at their titles, attributes and the words they lead with. If most top crossbody bags mention "adjustable strap", buyers probably care.

A worked example: from research to 13 tags

A made-up product to show the process. Any phrases here are illustrative, not real Etsy data.

The product is a small, handmade, tan leather crossbody bag with an adjustable strap and initials stamped on request. After the search bar, a few Marketplace Insights searches and the shop's Stats, these phrases made the list:

• From the search bar: "leather crossbody bag", "small crossbody bag", "leather phone bag", "personalized purse"
• From Marketplace Insights related terms: "tan leather purse", "minimalist crossbody", "gift for her leather"
• From Stats: "monogram leather bag", "handmade leather bag"

Material and colour are also set as attributes, so tags like "leather" or "tan" on their own would be wasted. A few tags overlap with the title on purpose, because those are the main phrases. The rest cover searches the title doesn't.

For the title itself, our Etsy title examples show the format Etsy now asks for.

Do you need eRank? Free and paid tools compared

Many sellers start with eRank's free plan and run out of lookups halfway through a listing. Before you pay for any tool, try the free sources above for a few weeks. If you still want more, here's how the main tools compare, using each company's own pricing page, checked on October 27, 2026. Prices change, so check before you buy.

A few notes from those pages:

• eRank also offers 5 listing audits and one AI Listing Helper use a day on the free plan, with no card needed. Paid plans run from $5.99 to $29.99 a month.
• Marmalead offers quarterly ($53), yearly ($190) and lifetime plans. It also shows pricing ranges for a phrase.
• EverBee says it has no free trial of paid plans. Growth works out to $24.99 a month on yearly billing and adds a Tag Analyzer.
• Alura's higher plans add Pinterest marketing, A/B tests and email marketing.
• Sale Samurai is $199.90 a year on yearly billing.

A word on the numbers. Every third-party tool estimates search volume and sales from its own data, so two tools can show different numbers for the same phrase. Use them to compare phrases with each other, not as exact counts. Marketplace Insights is the only one here with numbers straight from Etsy.

How to choose. Name the one job you need done, such as more lookups, sales estimates or listing audits. Try that tool's free plan on your real listings, and pay for one tool, not three. They overlap a lot.

YelloShelf isn't a keyword research tool, so it doesn't replace any of these. It's for the step after: turning what you know about a product into a title, a description and 13 tags.

Common Etsy tag mistakes

• Single words. "candle" or "silver" matches almost anything. Use phrases.
• Near repeats. Etsy's example: "octopus art print" and "animal wall decor" reach more buyers than "octopus art" and "octopus print".
• Copying the title. A little overlap is fine. Thirteen copies of it is wasted space.
• Repeating your category or attributes. Those already work like tags.
• Empty slots. Every unused tag is a search you can't show up in.
• Tags in two languages. Etsy advises against it.

YelloShelf keeps every tag it suggests to 20 characters or fewer and avoids repeating the same phrase, but it's still worth a quick read against this list.

Keep your tags up to date

Search habits change with the seasons. Etsy's search checklist suggests looking at your Stats regularly, refreshing titles and tags at the start of a new season or before a major celebration, and scanning your listings for repeated phrases.

When a season changes, you can run a best seller's photo through YelloShelf again and compare the fresh set of tags with what you have.

If you also sell on Amazon, buyers there search differently. Our guide to finding Amazon keywords covers the free methods.

Quick checklist

• Use all 13 tags, each up to 20 characters.
• Use multi-word phrases, not single words.
• Avoid near repeats and copies of your title.
• Don't repeat your category or attributes.
• Stick to one language.
• Refresh tags at the start of a new season, and check your Stats.

Write all 13 tags from one photo with YelloShelf

Upload a product photo, and YelloShelf looks at what's already selling on Etsy, then gives you 13 tags, a title, a description and a suggested price. You check everything and paste it in yourself, since it doesn't publish to your shop. From the same photos, it can also make social posts with captions and hashtags for Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook and X.

No subscription or free trial. Pay as you go credit packs from $10, with a 7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase.