Before you start optimizing your listings, you need to understand what products shoppers are looking for, and what words they use to search for those products.

These are the words that shoppers type into the search bar when they're browsing Etsy. These keywords are important to you because they help you understand what shoppers want. The more specific the search term is, the better. If you can match their keyword(s) with words in your listing's title and tags, your listing is more likely to appear in their Etsy search results.

Broad keywords: these are short phrases, typically one to three words in length. Examples include "ring" or "gift for mom." While they are used the most by shoppers, broad keywords have a low conversion rate. This means that they are unlikely to lead directly to your making a sale.

Long-tail keywords: these are longer, more descriptive multi-word phrases. They include specific characteristics: style, size, color, pattern, event, special occasion, recipient, and so on. Shoppers who search using keywords like these already have a good idea of what they want to buy. This means that long-tail keywords have a higher conversion rate.

You can read more about long-tail keywords here: "What Are Long Tail Keywords?"

The best place to start is eRank's Monthly Trends report. This report shows you what the most popular keywords are on Etsy in dozens of categories. You can also browse the past 15 months of search data. This is especially useful if you want to gauge the seasonality of a keyword -- if, say, it's most popular during the weeks leading up to a specific holiday.

As you discover keywords of interest in the Monthly Trends report, you can click on any of them to view detailed search data and find related keywords.

As you review them, look for hints signaling that the shopper is narrowing down what they want to purchase. Along with learning what people want to buy, try to find out who they are shopping for or if they have a special occasion in mind.

A broad keyword like “gift” or “t-shirt” tells you that the person is in the earliest stage of shopping. They haven't yet formed a clear picture of what they want to buy. As you find broad keywords relevant to what you sell, make a note of them.

Once you have a collection of broad keywords, start looking for related long-tail keywords. As explained above, long-tail keywords are more specific; they help you figure out what the shopper is actually looking for. Look for keyword phrases that answer the following questions:

One of eRank's most popular features is Keyword Lists. This tool allows you to add keywords to lists while you do other tasks. To do this, just click the star beside any keyword you see while using our tools. That will add it to whichever keyword list you specify.

Then, when you want to do more keyword research, your list is right there, ready to go. Even better, their stats have been continually updated. Keyword Lists also has handy features like "Listing Builder." Use this to figure out your tags and title right there, where all the latest data is. Once you're finished, just copy and paste them into your Etsy listing.

Once you have gathered enough keywords, you are ready to move on to the next step: competitor research.