I always wanted to cover this topic because the majority of Etsy sellers are only aware of Etsy-specific SEO tools. However, various free general SEO tools also exist that you can use in your Etsy research.
When can you use these General SEO Tools for Etsy?
Before we begin, I would like to tell you that these tools do not provide Etsy-specific insights. Therefore, they can only be used to supplement your Etsy research, but they cannot replace Etsy-specific tools. Specifically, they can be used for the following:
- Niche ideas
- Long-tail keywords
- Trend direction
- Additional insights
Furthermore, while these tools can provide general SEO keyword data, they do not provide product research tools. Therefore, you should be using these tools along with Etsy-specific research tools or direct manual research on Etsy itself.
How can you use long-tail keywords for your Etsy shop?
Long-tail keywords are typically 3+ search phrases that indicate the specific needs of buyers. For instance, the search term “dusty blue wedding invitation” is a long-tail keyword. It clearly indicates the buying intent with the specific color. These keywords have lower competition than generic keywords such as “wedding invitation” and “blue wedding invitation.” They can serve two key purposes. First, you identify specific products to sell within your niche. Second, you can incorporate these keywords within the title, description, and tags (if they meet the character limit) to gain more search exposure, as you are using less competitive keywords. For instance, if you are already selling destination wedding invitations, a less competitive keyword, “travel-themed wedding invitation,” can get you more traffic.
I have compiled the following list of free general SEO tools that can provide useful insights for your Etsy research:
Core Research
Moz Keyword Explorer
The Moz Keyword Explorer tool is an advanced SEO tool that offers 10 free searches per month. The unique feature of this tool is the level of detail it provides for each keyword. It is a highly detailed SEO tool. One of the useful inputs that the tool offers is the search intent. You can look for keywords with transactional search intent to identify the ones people actually use when they are ready to buy. Therefore, you can identify keywords with commercial value for your Etsy research. Indeed, this is one of the best free general SEO tools to use for your Etsy research.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the tool provides detailed visual graphics showing keywords by search intent. Furthermore, it also provides various useful metrics for keyword ideas.
Ubersuggest Keyword Ideas Tool
Ubersuggest Keyword Ideas Tool offers a limited free research tool that offers 3 free daily searches. The tool offers both autocomplete suggestions based on Google searches and related keyword ideas.
This tool provides a good volume of keywords. As you can see in the screenshot below, the tool generated 250+ autocomplete suggestions and 350+ related keyword ideas.
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a completely free keyword research tool that provides keyword ideas based on Google searches. The unique feature of this tool is that you get multiple filters to refine the keyword suggestions.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the tool generated 700+ keyword ideas for the search term “stickers” and various filters to refine the search results.
WordStream by LocalIQ
WordStream offers a completely free keyword tool. This tool also offers a sufficient number of keywords for further research. As you can see in the screenshot below, the tool generated 300+ keyword ideas for the search term “real estate templates.”
Mangools
Mangools offers a limited free plan. You can use its KWFinder tool to find keyword ideas for further research. It also shows monthly search trends and top-ranking pages for a specific keyword.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the tool provides keyword ideas and the top-ranking pages on the right.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs offers a limited free keyword explorer that you can use to find top keyword ideas for four different platforms: Google, YouTube, Amazon, and Bing.
The unique aspect of this tool is that it can be quite useful for physical product research because its “phrase matches” typically indicate various niche ideas for physical products. For instance, in the screenshot below, you can see the “phrase match” keywords indicated various niches for the “nurse shirt,” such as “er nurse shirt,” “christmas nurse shirt,” and “pediatric nurse shirt.”
Answer the Public
Answer the Public offers a free version that allows 3 searches per day. It provides keyword ideas for various platforms, such as Google, Bing, Amazon, and social media channels.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the tool provided various organic searches for the keyword “nurse shirt.”
Idea Generation
Keyword Sheeter
Keyword Sheeter is a completely free keyword tool that generates an endless list of keyword ideas. Since you get a substantial volume of keywords to analyze, this tool can be used as a starting point for niche research. Furthermore, this tool can also provide useful long-tail keywords to improve organic traffic.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the tool is generating a list of related keywords, including long-tail keywords for the search phrase “instagram template for.”
Quick Insights
Google Trends
The Google Trends tool helps analyze the popularity of a specific keyword worldwide or at a specific country level for a specified time range. Furthermore, you can also compare multiple keywords to identify their relative popularity. Additionally, the tool offers related search phrases for these keywords along with regional analysis. Since it displays trends, it can be quite useful to analyze the seasonal demand of products.
In the screenshot below, you can see that two products are compared to identify which one of them is more popular.
Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a free SEO Chrome extension that displays a list of keyword ideas along with their monthly search volume when you perform a Google search. You can always keep this extension in your browser for quick insights.
In the screenshot below, you can see that the tool displayed a list of keyword ideas along with their monthly searches for the Google search “food stickers.”
Unique Insights
The Reddit Keyword Research Tool
The Reddit Keyword Research Tool is a free resource that offers keyword suggestions along with their monthly search volumes based on Reddit searches. Additionally, you can also view Reddit discussions for any keyword with the “Context” button. In essence, this tool can provide unique insights for your research.
In the screenshot below, you can see the tool provided various keyword ideas, such as “bridal shower gifts,” “silver and gold,” and “small backyard wedding” for the search term “wedding.”
