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← All posts · Published 2026-07-07
Selling on both Etsy and Amazon Handmade? Here's how their SEO strategies differ and why you can't just copy-paste your listings.
If you're selling handmade items, you've probably wondered whether to go all-in on Etsy, test Amazon Handmade, or split your energy between both. The frustrating truth is that SEO works differently on each platform. What ranks beautifully on Etsy might completely flop on Amazon Handmade, and vice versa.
The reason is simple: these platforms use different algorithms, different customer search behaviors, and different ranking factors. Treating them the same way wastes your time and leaves money on the table.
Etsy's algorithm prioritizes what the company calls "Shop Quality," which factors in your overall account health alongside individual listing signals. This means:
Etsy also rewards "Offsite Ads" performance. If your listings convert well when Etsy promotes them on Google, Facebook, or Pinterest, Etsy bumps up your organic visibility. It's a virtuous cycle if you're getting sales.
The tagging system on Etsy is also crucial. You get 13 tags per listing, and Etsy uses these heavily for matching search queries to products. This is different from other platforms where tags are secondary.
Amazon Handmade operates more like Amazon's main marketplace, which means the algorithm cares about different things. Here's what actually moves the needle:
Amazon Handmade doesn't reward age or longevity the way Etsy does. A brand new listing with 10 sales in a week can outrank a 2-year-old listing with 8 sales in a month. Speed matters more here.
Here's where things get interesting. Etsy customers and Amazon Handmade customers search differently, even for the same product.
On Etsy, someone might search for "handmade leather journal" or "burnt orange leather journal custom name." They're specific but also browsing. They might spend 20 minutes scrolling, reading shop reviews, checking out the maker's story.
On Amazon Handmade, the search is more utilitarian. Customers often search "leather journal" or "personalized journal" because they're in an Amazon mindset where they expect results to be sorted by relevance and reviews. They're less likely to use long descriptive phrases.
This affects your tagging and keyword strategy. On Etsy, you might tag "leather journal personalized custom." On Amazon Handmade, you'd optimize your back-end keywords for "leather journal personalized," "custom journal leather," and "handmade journal personalization."
Etsy's algorithm pays attention to how customers interact with your photos. Click-through rates on thumbnails matter. High-quality lifestyle shots that make people curious enough to click get rewarded with better placement over time.
Amazon Handmade has stricter photo requirements and a different ranking logic. Your main image needs to follow Amazon's standards (solid background, product-focused, no lifestyle props). Amazon's algorithm cares less about aesthetic appeal and more about clarity and what you can pack into back-end keywords.
On Etsy, your 10 photos can tell a story. On Amazon Handmade, you're essentially showing the same item from different angles so customers can make a buying decision. This is a meaningful shift in strategy.
Etsy shows you when your item is priced higher than similar listings. It's a gentle nudge, not a ranking penalty. You can succeed with premium pricing if your reviews and shop reputation justify it.
Amazon Handmade's algorithm considers your price relative to competitors, and lower prices (all else being equal) tend to get more visibility. This doesn't mean you need to undercut everyone, but Amazon's algorithm is more price-sensitive than Etsy's.
On Etsy, policies, response time, and return rates feed into your Shop Quality score. A shop with a stellar reputation and quick responses gets ranking benefits.
Amazon Handmade is less forgiving with first-time sellers. Amazon prioritizes makers with proven track records and strong ratings. Starting on Amazon Handmade as a brand new seller is noticeably harder than launching a new Etsy shop.
Now for the practical question: should you list the same item on both platforms?
Short answer: yes, absolutely. But don't copy your listings directly.
Here's what you should do instead:
Let's say you make custom enamel pins. Here's how you'd approach each platform:
On Etsy: Your title could be "Custom Enamel Pin, Personalized Lapel Pin with Your Logo, Handmade Metal Badge, Soft or Hard Enamel Option." Your tags include "custom enamel pin," "personalized badge," "handmade pins," "logo pin custom," and "gifts for employees."
On Amazon Handmade: Your title is "Custom Enamel Pin (Personalized Lapel Pin with Your Logo)." Your back-end keywords focus on "custom enamel pins," "personalized lapel pins," "handmade enamel badges," "branded pins custom," and "employee gifts pins."
The core information is the same. The strategy differs.
If you're just starting: Etsy is easier. The barrier to entry is lower, customers expect handmade items there, and you don't need as many reviews to get initial visibility.
If you have existing sales and reviews: Amazon Handmade is worth testing. Your proof of quality (reviews) transfers more easily, and the audience is massive.
If you're scaling: operate on both. Different people shop on different platforms. Some people hunt for unique items on Etsy; others default to Amazon for trust and Prime shipping. You're leaving revenue on the table by picking just one.
Managing SEO across two platforms is tedious, especially when you're tracking keyword performance and rankings separately. I've used tools like HandmadeRank to monitor how my listings perform on Etsy without constant manual checking. It saves time and makes it easier to spot when a relisting or refresh might help your ranking.
For Amazon Handmade, you'll need different tools (or manual monitoring) since most handmade-specific rank trackers focus on Etsy.
Etsy and Amazon Handmade aren't interchangeable. They reward different behaviors, prioritize different signals, and serve different customer mindsets. The best strategy isn't to pick one or lazily copy your listings across both. It's to understand each platform's algorithm and optimize accordingly.
Test both. Invest more heavily in the one that converts better for your products. But don't leave either completely untouched just because they're "different." Different is the whole point, and that's actually your opportunity.