The three limits
- Title: up to 140 characters, spaces and punctuation included.
- Tags: 13 tags per listing.
- Tag length: up to 20 characters per tag, spaces included.
These are the limits this guide uses for Etsy: title 140 characters, 13 tags, 20 characters per tag. If your Etsy listing editor shows a different limit, the editor wins.
Drafted with AI assistance. Examples are fictional listings made for illustration.
What the limits mean in practice
The 140 characters are a ceiling, not a target. A title that reads like a list of keywords is hard to scan, so the examples below stop between 78 and 90 characters. Put the most descriptive phrase first: the opening words should say what the item is.
The 20-character tag limit counts spaces. "personalized mug" is 16 characters and fits. "personalized coffee mug" is 23 and does not, so it has to become two tags, such as "personalized mug" and "custom coffee mug".
Every example tag on this page uses only letters, numbers and spaces. Use all 13 slots, and spend them on the synonyms, recipients, occasions and styles the title had no room for, not on repeating the title phrase 13 times.
How to use a formula
- Replace every [BRACKET] with a fact about your own product.
- Drop any bracket that does not apply. Do not invent a fact to fill it.
- Read the title out loud and cut words until it can be read in one breath.
- Start from the 13 example tags and swap any tag that does not describe your item.
Three fill-in title formulas
1. Handmade material and glaze (mugs)
Formula
Handmade [MATERIAL] Mug, [GLAZE OR COLOR] [SIZE] [USE] Cup, [MAKING METHOD]
Filled example (83 characters)
Handmade Stoneware Mug, Speckled White Glaze 12 oz Coffee Cup, Wheel Thrown Pottery
Tags (13)
2. Scent, wax and vessel (candles)
Formula
[SCENT] Scented Candle, [WAX] [VESSEL] Candle [SIZE], [MOOD] [ROOM] Decor
Filled example (78 characters)
Lavender Scented Candle, Soy Wax Amber Jar Candle 8 oz, Relaxing Bedroom Decor
Tags (13)
3. Subject and art style (prints)
Formula
[SUBJECT] Print, [ART STYLE] [SUBJECT DETAIL] Wall Art, [FORMAT] in [NUMBER] Sizes
Filled example (90 characters)
Botanical Print, Vintage Fern Illustration Wall Art, Printable Digital Download in 5 Sizes
Tags (13)
Check before publishing
- Every bracket is replaced with a true fact about the item.
- The title is 140 characters or fewer and reads naturally.
- There are exactly 13 tags, each 20 characters or fewer.
- No brand, character or trademarked name is used without a license.
- No claim in the title or tags, such as organic, non-toxic or solid gold, goes beyond what the description can back up.
More formulas
The three formulas on this page come from the Etsy Title & Tag Formula Pack, which holds 20 title formulas and 20 tag sets for mugs, planners, candles, jewelry and prints. The pack is one of the 3 Markdown files in the Etsy & Shopify Listing SEO Bundle: Rewrite Kit + 2 Formula Packs, USD 15.
What a formula cannot do
No formula can promise a higher search position, more traffic or more sales. Those depend on Etsy's algorithm, photos, price, shop ratings and competition. A formula helps a seller write a title and tag set that state the product clearly, use its keywords and fit Etsy's fields.
Back to the home page. Next guide: Etsy tags: fill all 13 slots with multi-word phrases.