Listen to this post: SEO for Marketplace Sellers (Etsy, Amazon, and More): Get Found, Get Clicked, Get Sold in 2026
Your product is brilliant. The photos are sharp, the packaging is lovely, and the price is fair.
Yet it’s sitting on page 12 while shoppers buy a worse version on page 1. Not because your item is bad, but because the marketplace doesn’t understand it well enough, or buyers don’t choose it once they see it.
That’s SEO for marketplace sellers in plain terms: first, help the platform understand what you’re selling, then help shoppers feel confident enough to buy it. In January 2026, that still comes down to the same two forces, relevance and performance (clicks, favourites, add-to-basket, sales, reviews, returns).
How marketplace SEO works (and why it’s not the same as Google)
Google’s job is to answer questions. Etsy’s, Amazon’s, and eBay’s job is to complete a purchase. That difference changes everything.
On a marketplace, search results work like a shop window. The platform tests what to put in the front row. If shoppers stop, click, and buy, that listing earns a better spot. If shoppers scroll past, bounce, or return it later, the platform learns the listing isn’t the best choice for that search.
Most marketplaces combine two big ideas:
- Keyword relevance: does your listing match what the buyer typed?
- Buyer behaviour: when people see it, do they act like they want it?
This is why marketplace SEO often feels “faster” than Google SEO. A small change to a photo, price, or shipping can shift conversion, and conversion can shift ranking.
If you want the platform’s own explanation of how it matches searches to listings, Etsy’s guidance is worth reading once, then returning to when you get stuck: The Ultimate Guide to Etsy Search.
Two signals that move you up: relevance and buyer behaviour
Relevance is the platform asking, “Is this actually what they mean?” It looks at the words in your title and other fields, plus categories and attributes (size, colour, material, and so on).
Buyer behaviour is the platform asking, “When people see this, do they want it?” It watches clicks, add-to-basket, favourites, purchases, review patterns, and for some platforms, returns and cancellation rates.
A simple example:
Two sellers both use the phrase “sterling silver hoop earrings”. One has a clear main photo, a readable title, and a price that fits the market. It gets more clicks and more sales. Over time, that listing often rises because it proves it satisfies shoppers.
Marketplace SEO isn’t magic. It’s a feedback loop.
Etsy vs Amazon SEO in plain English: what each platform rewards
Etsy and Amazon both want relevance and sales, but they “listen” to different parts of your listing.
Etsy tends to reward:
- Strong match between search term and your tags, categories, and attributes
- Clean titles that still describe the item clearly
- Photos that earn clicks, plus competitive shipping and a good buyer experience
Etsy SEO guidance changes over time, but many solid basics remain stable. If you want a current, practical refresher, this round-up is useful: Etsy SEO: How to Get Noticed on Etsy in 2026.
Amazon tends to reward:
- A keyword-aligned title, strong bullets, and clean backend terms
- High conversion, steady sales, and a good customer experience (returns, reviews, availability)
- Stock stability, pricing consistency, and fulfilment performance
Amazon SEO also has an extra layer now, shopping behaviour is shaped by on-platform recommendation features and AI-driven experiences. For a seller-focused view of what’s been changing into 2026, see: The Future of Amazon SEO in 2025–2026: How AI Overviews Are Changing Shopping.
Keyword research for Etsy and Amazon: find the words buyers actually type
Keyword research on marketplaces is less about fancy tools and more about listening.
Think of buyers like people walking into a shop. They don’t describe a product the way a maker does. They describe a need, a recipient, a style, a size, or a problem.
A repeatable method that works on Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and most marketplaces:
- Start with one “seed” phrase (what it is).
- Expand into longer phrases (who it’s for, what it’s made of, what it fits, why it’s useful).
- Check real listings and real reviews for language patterns.
- Choose one main phrase per listing, then 3 to 10 support phrases.
Avoid chasing broad keywords that don’t match intent. Ranking for “gift” sounds
