Free guide for Etsy sellers

Etsy listing title examples: 8 before and after rewrites for handmade items

Eight weak titles from eight handmade categories, each rewritten to say what the item is, what it is made of and who it is for. Every after-title is at most 140 characters and comes with a one-line reason.

How to read the examples

All eight shops, products, sizes and materials below are invented. They are illustrative examples written for this page, not listings from real sellers, and no result is claimed for any of them.

The character count beside each after-title includes spaces and punctuation. Every after-title is inside the 140-character title length that this site's Etsy title and tag limits guide uses. If your Etsy listing editor shows a different limit, the editor wins.

Drafted with AI assistance. Examples are fictional listings made for illustration.

Eight before and after titles

1. Soy candle

Illustrative example. Shop: Tallowmere Candle Co (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Cozy Evenings Candle

After (97 characters)

Cedar and Vanilla Soy Candle, Hand Poured 8 oz Amber Jar Candle, Woodsy Scented Housewarming Gift

Why: The before-title names a mood, not a product; the rewrite opens with the scent and wax and adds the size, the vessel and one gift occasion.

2. Sterling silver necklace

Illustrative example. Shop: Brindlewick Silver (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Luna Necklace

After (103 characters)

Crescent Moon Necklace, Sterling Silver Dainty Pendant on 18 Inch Chain, Celestial Jewelry Gift for Her

Why: A collection name like Luna is not something a shopper types; the rewrite says what the pendant is, what it is made of and how long the chain is.

3. Knitted baby blanket

Illustrative example. Shop: Mossgather Knits (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Baby Blanket - Handmade - Soft - Cream - Gift

After (89 characters)

Chunky Knit Baby Blanket, Cream Merino Wool Crib Blanket 30 x 36 Inches, Baby Shower Gift

Why: The dashes split the title into single words; the rewrite joins them into phrases and adds the knit style, the fiber and the measurements.

4. Leather wallet

Illustrative example. Shop: Oxbow and Thistle Leather (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Mens Wallet Leather Wallet Brown Wallet Slim Wallet Gift Wallet

After (104 characters)

Slim Leather Bifold Wallet for Men, Brown Full Grain Leather with 6 Card Slots, Anniversary Gift for Him

Why: The before-title repeats the word wallet five times; the rewrite says it once and spends the freed space on the wallet type, the leather and the card slots.

5. Macrame wall hanging

Illustrative example. Shop: Knotfallow Fibre (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Boho Decor for Your Living Room or Bedroom

After (103 characters)

Large Macrame Wall Hanging, Natural Cotton Woven Tapestry on Driftwood, 24 x 36 Inch Boho Bedroom Decor

Why: The item itself was missing from the title; the rewrite leads with it and moves the style and the room to the end.

6. Cold process soap

Illustrative example. Shop: Saltmarrow Soap (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

SOAP BAR!!! Best Natural Soap, Amazing Smell

After (84 characters)

Oatmeal and Honey Soap Bar, Cold Process Soap with Shea Butter, 4.5 oz Unscented Bar

Why: Capitals, exclamation marks and praise words describe nothing; the rewrite swaps them for the ingredients, the method and the weight, and makes no claim about what the soap does for skin.

7. Wooden cutting board

Illustrative example. Shop: Hearthgrain Woodshop (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Cutting Board

After (109 characters)

Walnut Cutting Board with Juice Groove, End Grain Wood Chopping Board 12 x 16 Inches, Wedding Gift for Couple

Why: Two words leave most of the title unused; the rewrite adds the wood, the construction, the size and one occasion, and still reads as one line.

8. Linocut print

Illustrative example. Shop: Pressfinch Prints (invented shop name; not a real seller).

Before

Original Art Print #14 from the Coastal Series

After (101 characters)

Heron Linocut Print, Original Block Print Coastal Bird Wall Art, 8 x 10 Inch Navy Ink on Cotton Paper

Why: A series number means something only to the maker; the rewrite names the subject, the technique, the size and the ink and paper.

The pattern behind the eight rewrites

  1. Open with the phrase a shopper would type: the item plus its most telling detail.
  2. Add facts next: material, size, color, technique. Use only facts that are true of your item.
  3. End with one recipient or occasion, not a list of them.
  4. Say each word once where you can. Repeating a keyword spends characters and adds nothing.
  5. Leave out capitals for emphasis, exclamation marks, praise words and internal names such as series numbers.
  6. Count the characters and stay at or under 140.

Rewrite your own titles

The Etsy & Shopify Listing SEO Bundle: Rewrite Kit + 2 Formula Packs holds 3 Markdown files: a fill-in-the-blank rewrite prompt with a 12-point QA checklist, 20 Etsy title formulas with 20 tag sets, and 30 Shopify meta title and meta description formulas. USD 15.

See the bundle on Gumroad.

What a rewrite cannot do

No title can promise a higher search position, more traffic or more sales. Those depend on Etsy's algorithm, photos, price, shop ratings and competition. A rewrite helps a title state the product clearly and fit the title field.

Back to the home page. Next guide: Etsy tags: fill all 13 slots with multi-word phrases.