Free Etsy Tag Generator
Etsy gives every listing 13 tags of up to 20 characters each — 13 chances to match a buyer's search. Yet Etsy's own data has repeatedly shown that a large share of listings don't use all their tags, and many that do fill them with single words like "candle" that are far too competitive to rank for.
ListingLift's free tag generator fills all 13 slots with long-tail, multi-word tags that fit the 20-character limit — automatically.
The rules of great Etsy tags
- Use all 13. Always. An empty tag slot is a search you've chosen not to appear in. There is no downside to filling every slot.
- Multi-word beats single-word. "soy wax candle" (competing with thousands) will bring you more visibility than "candle" (competing with millions). Long-tail tags match the specific searches of buyers who are ready to buy.
- Stay under 20 characters. Etsy hard-limits each tag to 20 characters — "personalized bridesmaid gift" won't fit; "bridesmaid gift" will.
- Cover different angles. The strongest tag sets mix what it is ("amber jar candle"), what it's made of ("soy wax candle"), the style ("cottagecore decor"), who it's for ("gift for mum") and the occasion ("housewarming gift"). Thirteen variations of one phrase waste twelve slots.
- Don't waste slots on plurals or misspellings. Etsy handles plurals and near-matches for you.
Example: a full 13-tag set
Notice the mix: product, material, style, audience, occasion. That's five different kinds of buyer search covered by one listing.
Common tag mistakes to stop making
- Leaving slots empty because you "ran out of ideas" — the generator exists for exactly this.
- Repeating your title word-for-word across all 13 tags instead of covering new angles.
- Using categories as tags ("candles") when Etsy already knows your category from the listing setup.
- Keyword-stuffing one word into every tag — it doesn't multiply your ranking, it narrows it.
ListingLift turns a one-line description — or just a photo — into an SEO-optimized Etsy title, all 13 tags and a ready-to-paste description. Checked against every Etsy limit automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How many tags does Etsy allow?
13 tags per listing, each up to 20 characters. ListingLift always generates exactly 13 and enforces the character limit automatically.
Should Etsy tags be single words or phrases?
Phrases, mostly. Multi-word 'long-tail' tags match specific, high-intent searches with less competition. A good set is mostly 2–3 word phrases with at most a couple of single words.
Do I need different tags on every listing?
Similar products can share a core of tags, but tailor several slots to each listing's unique angle — color, scent, style, occasion — so your own listings aren't all competing for identical searches.
Is it bad to repeat title keywords in tags?
No — title and tags work together, and repeating your main phrase in both is good practice. Just don't spend all 13 slots repeating the title; use them to cover searches the title couldn't fit.