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$ cat prompt.txt — Etsy

Etsy Keyword Research — Find Low-Competition Buyer Keywords

A structured Etsy keyword research process that surfaces high-intent, low-competition phrases to build listings around.

20–40 min beginner Claude Sonnet, GPT-5#etsy#keyword-research#seo
intro.md

Most Etsy sellers target keywords that are far too competitive ('wedding invitation' has 2M listings) and never rank. The winning strategy is high-intent, low-competition long-tail phrases. This prompt runs a structured keyword research process to surface the phrases you can actually rank #1 for — the foundation of every listing.

$ cat prompt.txt | pbcopy

The prompt — copy & paste

prompt.txt
You are an Etsy SEO specialist. Run structured keyword research for my product and surface the phrases I can realistically RANK for.

INPUTS:
- Product type: {{product_type}}
- Niche / specifics: {{niche}}
- My current listings (if any): {{current_listings}}

EXECUTE:

STAGE 1 — SEED EXPANSION
From my product + niche, generate 30 candidate search phrases buyers use. Organize into:
- HEAD (1-2 words, high volume, high competition — mostly to avoid)
- MID-TAIL (2-3 words, the workhorse)
- LONG-TAIL (3-5 words, "X for Y occasion" — where you actually rank as a new shop)

STAGE 2 — INTENT + COMPETITION SCORING
For each of the best ~15 phrases, estimate:
- BUYER INTENT (browsing vs ready-to-buy — "personalized X gift" = high intent)
- COMPETITION (rough Etsy result count: under 1k = low, 1k-10k = mid, 10k+ = high)
- SEASONALITY (evergreen vs seasonal spike)
Present as a sorted table, best opportunities (high intent + low competition) at top.

STAGE 3 — TARGET KEYWORDS
Pick the 5 best "rank-able" phrases (high intent, low/mid competition) to build listings around. For each, explain why it's winnable.

STAGE 4 — LONG-TAIL GOLDMINE
List 10 specific long-tail "X for Y" phrases (occasion + recipient + style) that are low-competition gold — these are how new shops get their first sales before they have ranking authority.

STAGE 5 — LISTING MAP
Recommend how to map keywords to listings: which phrase is the PRIMARY for each listing (you can't rank one listing for everything — focus each listing on one main phrase + supporting tags).

STAGE 6 — VALIDATION INSTRUCTIONS
Tell me exactly how to verify these in Etsy: the search-bar autocomplete method, checking result counts, and reading the top sellers' tags.

Be specific to {{product_type}} + {{niche}}. Avoid generic head terms I'll never rank for.

$ variables_to_fill_in

{{product_type}}{{niche}}{{current_listings}}

$ man playbook

Step-by-step playbook

How to actually use this prompt for the best results.

  1. 01

    Run the research, then validate in Etsy's search bar

    The prompt's competition estimates are a starting point. Type each target phrase into Etsy — autocomplete shows what's actually searched, and the result count shows real competition. Trust the live data over the estimate.

  2. 02

    Build each listing around ONE primary keyword

    You can't rank a single listing for everything. Use the listing map (Stage 5) to assign each listing one primary phrase + supporting tags. Focus beats spread.

  3. 03

    Mine the long-tail goldmine for new-shop sales

    As a new shop with no ranking authority, the long-tail 'X for Y occasion' phrases (Stage 4) are how you get your first sales. Low competition means you can rank #1 quickly, which builds the velocity signal that unlocks bigger terms.

  4. 04

    Feed targets into the listing-writer prompt

    Hand the 5 target keywords to the 'Etsy Listing SEO Optimizer' prompt to turn each into a full title + 13 tags + description. Research → listing is the complete workflow.

$ man tips

Pro tips for better output

  • ›Etsy autocomplete is your free keyword tool — start typing a phrase and the suggestions are real, ranked-by-volume searches.
  • ›A phrase with 800 results and high buyer intent beats one with 200k results — you can actually rank #1 in the small pool, and ranking #1 in a small pool drives more sales than page-5 in a huge one.
  • ›Read your top competitors' listings — their titles and visible tags reveal the keywords already converting in your niche.

$ echo $YIELD

What you'll get

output.md

30 expanded seed phrases bucketed by length, a scored opportunity table, 5 rank-able target keywords, 10 long-tail goldmine phrases, a keyword-to-listing map, and Etsy validation instructions.

$ man faq

FAQ

Why target low-competition keywords instead of popular ones?

As a new shop you have no ranking authority, so you can't compete for high-volume head terms (page 5 = zero sales). Low-competition long-tail phrases let you rank #1 fast, get sales, and build the velocity signal Etsy needs before you can climb to bigger terms.

What's the best free Etsy keyword tool?

Etsy's own search-bar autocomplete is the most reliable free signal — it shows real buyer searches ranked by popularity. Combine it with checking result counts (competition) and reading top-seller tags. This prompt structures that process; paid tools like eRank/Marmalead add data but aren't required to start.

$ ls /prompts/etsy

Related prompts

Etsy Listing SEO Optimizer — Title + 13 Tags + Description That Ranks

Full Etsy listing built around real Etsy autocomplete data: ranked title, all-13 tags, conversion description.

open

$ cd /prompts — explore all 48 free AI prompts on ClaudeSkill