The Etsy algorithm has a bit of a reputation. Some sellers treat it like a moody ex, unpredictable, mysterious, and impossible to please. Others act like it’s some kind of wizard behind a curtain pulling levers at random.

In reality? It’s just a set of rules Etsy uses to decide which listings to show in search and in what order. And once you understand those rules, you can make them work for you instead of against you.

Step 1: The Algorithm’s Goal

Etsy’s one big aim is simple: show buyers products they’re most likely to purchase.

That means every time someone searches for something, Etsy looks for listings that match their search and are proven to sell well.

Think of it like a matchmaking service, it’s trying to pair buyers with their perfect product.

Step 2: How Etsy Chooses Who to Show

When someone types a search term, Etsy looks at:

1. Relevance — Do your titles, tags, and descriptions match the search term? (This is why having buyer-focused keywords matters, tools like eRank can help you find them.)

2. Listing Quality Score — Does your listing have a history of clicks, favourites, and sales?

3. Recency — Have you updated or recently created this listing?

4. Customer & Market Experience Score — Do you have good reviews, fast shipping, and complete shop policies?

5. Context Specific Ranking — Etsy personalises results for each buyer based on their browsing history.

Step 3: How to “Feed” the Algorithm

You can’t bribe it with biscuits, but you can give it what it wants:

• Keep your shop active, add new listings, update old ones, and respond to messages quickly.

• Use relevant keywords in your titles, tags, and first 155 characters of your description. (If you’re not sure where your keywords are falling short, my ETSY QUIZ LINK will tell you.)

• Improve your photos so people actually click your listings, my ETSY PHOT BLOG LINK blog will help.

• Get sales history by promoting your bestsellers regularly.

Step 4: Why Shops Drop in Search

If your shop suddenly disappears from page one, it’s not always because Etsy “hates” you. It could be:

• Seasonal changes (holiday items won’t rank in April).

• A drop in conversion rate (fewer clicks or sales).

• New competitors entering the market with stronger listing quality scores.

Step 5: The Long Game

The algorithm rewards consistent, proven sellers. You can get quick bumps in visibility with updates and new listings, but long-term ranking comes from a steady flow of sales and happy customers.

That’s why I teach a weekly visibility routine inside BLUEPRINT LINK PLEASE it’s about building momentum you can maintain.

Why This Works

Once you stop treating the algorithm like a mystery and start seeing it as a set of predictable levers, you can plan your actions to pull those levers on purpose. That means more views, more clicks, and more sales, without the guesswork.

Stop worrying about algorithm “hacks” and start focusing on what Etsy actually rewards. Take my ETSY QUIZ to see exactly where your shop could rank higher, then use my ETSY PROFIT BLUEPRINT to turn that knowledge into consistent sales.