HELP THE TAG POLICE ARE HOUNDING ME!

[Former_Member]

I need tag ideas. When I first started my shop I tagged my items by looking to see what other people did. I guess I tagged against the rules, and I have to change all 140 itema in 3 days or else.....
The problem is that tagging doesnt come natural to me, and I need help, or ideas.
I would love everyones input. Like how would you tag this item?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63971997/pink-white-baby-headband-crochet-ribbon

[GrowingUpWild]

Which tag on that item are they asking you to remove?

[Former_Member]

I don't see anything wrong with your tags. Maybe if you just switch them around a bit and try putting one or two different words into it you'll be alright. Try changing baby to infant, things like that.

[heartsabustin]

You're using the same tags over and over again - you need to diversify them for better search within Etsy. So....

Children, accessories, headband, baby pink, flower, white, pageant, fabric, ribbon, mum, fabric, knit, spring, easter

If you use one tag - headband - if someone searches for a "pink flower headband" your item will come up in search, because all those tags are in your item once. You're using too many of the same tags over and over.

[Former_Member]

I have run-on tagging. It's against the rules.

[GrowingUpWild]

I am not sure what run-on tagging is exactly, but I did notice a few things you can tweek (though you have FAR more sales than me so what you are doing seems to be working!) I see that you have baby, headband, and baby headband. You don't need baby headband because it will be redundant to search engines. They will find it from the first two. One tag idea would be the size (I've seen lots of people use something like 0 3 6 9 12 months) Tagging is a challenge I have yet to master! I look forward to seeing the advice that other more experienced sellers give you! Good luck! You have beautiful pictures and items!

[LuLuLancaster]

Is it because some of your tags are for what the item can be used for instead of what it is?
Like
"For Bridal Party" "For Flower Girl"
BTW you have a beautiful shop :D

[Former_Member]

I think that you can take the word "accessory" out of "toddler accessory". Accessory should come up if someone searches accessories.

[Former_Member]

and I think that "pink ribbon" may be against the rules. Try separating them and use one to replace "baby headband" since it is not needed. Also change hairband for babies to just hairband.

[Former_Member]

Is it because some of your tags are for what the item can be used for instead of what it is?
Like
"For Bridal Party" "For Flower Girl"
BTW you have a beautiful shop :D

Thanks for the advice, and for the compliment!

[Former_Member]

and I think that "pink ribbon" may be against the rules. Try separating them and use one to replace "baby headband" since it is not needed. Also change hairband for babies to just hairband.

If I do just hairband, will it pull up if someone searches hairband for babies? Why not use babies?

[Former_Member]

This has been an added stress that I don't need right now, I'm so behind on everything........aaaaaaaaaagggggghhhhh

[Former_Member]

I noticed some seller tagging more than one word per tag line. This is not good for many reasons. If you tag more than one word the person searching for your item will only be able to find it if they type in the same word. For example: black and white you will only be picked up if the person searching types in black and white. You would be better off putting black in one tag line and white in the other. You will end up in more searches. Also, it is against the tagging rules to tag more than one word per tag line.

[Former_Member]

Admin told me headband for girl was okay.

[Former_Member]

Well, here's the issue. You aren't supposed to tag items with what they COULD be because that just makes search a jumbled cluster fuck. If I did that in my shop, I could tag my fabric everything from a purse to a bedspread. And by doing that I don't reach a target audience because people looking for a purse aren't studying my fabric.

Tag stuffing is a huge pet peeve of mine and I would like to think that people who do it aren't aware of what they are doing. If I were you, I would take out all the tags that don't belong such as 'for pageant' as that doesn't really describe the item. Just because you use a preposition doesn't make it okay.

There are a lot of issues with your tags, so maybe refresh yourself on the do's and don'ts of tagging. NO offense is meant by this post, but it is an honest post. Lots of people mix up honesty with offensiveness.

[Former_Member]

When checking analytics search terms, girls headband is used all the time.

[Former_Member]

you can get in trouble for tagging? ... i have the same problem so i started looking up other people as well

[Former_Member]

3. Who is it for?

Tip: You may pick as many correct ones as you want. Eg. women, men, baby, children, boy, girl, adult, pets, dog, cat.

This came from the help guidelines.

[Former_Member]

OliverWave says

you can get in trouble for tagging? ... i have the same problem so i started looking up other people as well

If I don't fix them in 3 days, they threatened to shut me down.

[Former_Member]

"crochet" for sure, "pink, ribbon, bow, baby, children/ kids, delicate, white (and all the colors you are using in the bow)" I also like to leave space for my shop name and "gift" or "present", "birthday" and so on to all occasions related to the items such as holidays.... I'm not great at tagging either but I think this will help a bit.