Finding the right keywords is the difference between your Etsy listing appearing on page one or being buried on page twenty. While popular keywords have massive search volume, they also have massive competition. Low-competition keywords — terms with decent search volume but fewer competing listings — are where smart sellers find their edge.
Etsy's search engine works differently from Google. When a buyer types "gold necklace," Etsy returns results based on:
The key insight is that relevance is binary for each keyword — either your listing matches or it does not. But competition determines how many other listings also match. Finding keywords where you can be relevant with less competition gives you a ranking advantage.
A low-competition keyword on Etsy typically has:
The sweet spot is a keyword with 1,000-5,000 competing listings and clear buyer intent. These terms are specific enough to have manageable competition but broad enough to generate meaningful traffic.
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases. They have lower search volume individually but also much lower competition.
How to find them:
1. Etsy search autocomplete: Start typing your base keyword and note what Etsy suggests. These suggestions are based on actual buyer searches.
2. Add modifiers: Take your base keyword and add specifics:
- Material: "gold necklace" → "14k gold filled necklace"
- Occasion: "gift for mom" → "personalized birthday gift for mom"
- Style: "earrings" → "minimalist geometric earrings"
- Use case: "candle" → "meditation candle for yoga room"
3. Combine attributes: The more specific you get, the less competition you face. "Handmade sterling silver stacking ring size 7" has far less competition than "silver ring."
Every niche has its own vocabulary. Buyers in your niche use specific terms that general sellers miss.
Examples:
These niche terms attract serious buyers who know exactly what they want — and they face less competition because casual sellers do not use them.
Instead of describing what your product IS, describe what problem it SOLVES:
Problem-based keywords often have lower competition because most sellers optimize for product descriptors, not buyer problems.
Seasonal keywords have predictable competition cycles:
Get your seasonal listings up early when competition is low. By the time peak season arrives, your listings will have accumulated views, favorites, and sales that boost their ranking.
Study successful competitors in your niche:
1. Look at their tags (visible in listing source code or through tools)
2. Note which keywords they rank for
3. Identify keywords they are NOT targeting
4. Look for gaps between what buyers search and what sellers offer
If you notice buyers searching for "personalized pet memorial gift" but few sellers using that exact phrase, you have found a low-competition opportunity.
Once you find low-competition keywords, place them strategically:
Low-competition keywords work through volume. One low-competition keyword might bring 5-10 views per day. But if you optimize 50 listings with different low-competition keywords, that is 250-500 daily views from search alone.
Over time, as these listings accumulate sales and reviews, they build ranking authority that helps them compete for broader, higher-volume keywords too.
Finding keywords is only half the battle. You also need to write listings that naturally incorporate those keywords while remaining compelling to buyers. Tools like Listara can help by generating platform-optimized listings that weave your target keywords into titles, descriptions, and tags following Etsy's best practices.
Ready to find your low-competition keyword goldmine? Try Listara free and generate keyword-optimized Etsy listings that rank where the competition is thin.