How to write an Etsy listing with AI - a step-by-step keyword and copy workflow

Quick answer: Research keywords in eRank first, then feed the data to Claude to write the title, description, and tags. The workflow takes about 20 minutes per listing the first time you do it, and under 10 once the pattern is set.

Most Etsy SEO advice focuses on what to do - use long-tail keywords, fill all 13 tags, put the main keyword in the first few words of your title. This guide focuses on how to actually do it with AI tools, step by step.

What you need before you start

• An eRank account (free tier works for this workflow)
• Access to Claude (free tier is sufficient)
• The product you want to list, with at least a rough description of what it is

Step 1: Find your seed keywords in eRank

Start in eRank's Keyword Explorer, not with a blank prompt to Claude. AI writing tools are good at working with keyword data; they are not good at inventing keywords that buyers actually use.

What to do:

1. Open eRank → Keyword Explorer
2. Type the most obvious phrase for your product (e.g. "watercolour birthday card", "personalised cutting board", "digital planner pdf")
3. Look at the results table. You want keywords with:
   • Search volume above 100/month (ignore anything below)
   • Competition in the "medium" or "low" range
   • An upward or stable trend line (avoid keywords in visible decline)
4. Note 8-12 keywords that meet those criteria. Copy them into a text file.

What to ignore for now: the "long tail" column, the click rate data, and anything with search volume under 50. You can optimise further once the listing is live.

Step 2: Check what is actually ranking

Before you write anything, look at the top 5-10 listings for your main keyword. In eRank, click through to the Listing Audit feature or just open Etsy in another tab and search.

What you are looking for:

• How are the top sellers phrasing their titles? Exactly which words, in which order?
• What tags appear on multiple top listings? (eRank's competitor analysis shows this)
• What price point and photo style seems to be performing?

This takes 5 minutes and prevents you from writing a listing that is out of step with what buyers are expecting to see.

Step 3: Write the listing with Claude

Now open Claude and give it the keyword data you have collected.

A prompt that works:

I am writing an Etsy listing for [describe your product in one sentence].

Here are keywords that buyers use when searching for this type of product on Etsy:
[paste your 8-12 keywords, one per line]

Please write:
1. An Etsy listing title (max 140 characters, front-load the most important keyword, no keyword stuffing - should read naturally)
2. A listing description (300-500 words, opens with the product's main benefit, includes the keywords naturally, ends with a brief note about delivery and format)
3. 13 Etsy tags (each one a short phrase buyers would actually search, no single generic words, use commas to separate)

My target buyer is: [describe your buyer - e.g. "someone buying a birthday gift for a friend, probably last-minute, comfortable shopping digital downloads"]
My product details: [add any specifics - material, size, digital vs physical, personalisation options]

Claude will return a full draft. It will not be perfect - review the title carefully to make sure the main keyword appears early and the full title reads like a human wrote it.

Step 4: Edit the title (this part matters)

The most common mistake is accepting Claude's first title draft. Etsy's algorithm uses the first 40 characters of your title more heavily than the rest. Check:

• Is your primary keyword (the one with the most search volume) in the first 5-6 words?
• Does the title make sense to a human reading it, not just a search algorithm?
• Are you under 140 characters? (eRank's listing audit will flag if not)

If the title reads like a list of keywords with commas between them, rewrite it. Etsy demotes listings that look keyword-stuffed.

Step 5: Check tags against your keyword list

Etsy gives you 13 tags. Each tag can be up to 20 characters. The goal is to cover the keyword variations buyers might use, not to repeat your title keywords.

Compare Claude's tag suggestions against your eRank keyword list:

• Did Claude include the medium-volume keywords you found, or did it invent generic phrases?
• Are there keyword variations in your eRank list that Claude missed?
• Can you swap any of Claude's weaker tags for better ones from your research?

Revise until the 13 tags reflect your actual research, not what the AI guessed.

Step 6: Paste into Etsy and run the eRank audit

After saving your draft listing in Etsy, go back to eRank → Listing Audit and paste your listing URL.

eRank will score your title, tags, description, and images and flag specific gaps. Common issues it finds:

• Missing tags (under 13 used)
• Title too short or too long
• Keywords in tags not matching title keywords
• Description too short

Fix the flagged items. The audit usually takes under 5 minutes.

How long this takes

• First time: about 20-25 minutes total
• Once you have done it 3-4 times: under 10 minutes per listing

The keyword research step is non-negotiable - it is the part AI cannot do for you. Everything after that is faster with AI than without.

If you sell on Shopify or Gumroad

This workflow does not transfer directly. Etsy's algorithm is unique, and eRank only covers Etsy. For Shopify SEO, keyword research tools like Semrush or even Google Search Console work better. For Gumroad, organic search traffic is lower-volume and Pinterest traffic often converts better - a different optimisation problem altogether.