Etsy keyword research, clearing the confusion: copyright, keyword hats, pricing and a strong product

This whole document is from the Keyword Research Clear All Confusion class of Sir Zakria Afzal's Etsy course on YouTube, a separate course from the iSkills Etsy module.

Never work on copyright keywords

• Copyright keywords are keywords that someone owns. Do not work on them.
• Etsy sends a strike. On a new account, the account is removed directly. On an old account, the listing is removed 3 times, and then the account goes.
• Copyright keywords are often low competition. Work on that low competition and the account will be removed directly.
• Sometimes ChatGPT says a keyword is not copyright, it is a trademark. Trademarks are copyright too.¹

Three kinds of keyword

To work on a grey hat keyword, first make white hat listings. Once the account has run for a while, then move on to grey hat.¹

A listing gets orders but shows no search volume

That means the keyword shows no search volume, yet people are buying from it. One reason can be that the keyword is in another language, so its volume is not showing to you.¹

Is the keyword physical or digital?

Search it on EHunt and open a few of the top products. If they talk about shipping, it is simply physical. Looking at the products gives you the idea of whether it is physical or digital.¹

Setting the price

• Look at the existing listings and get an idea of the average.
• If someone has spoiled the market by selling at a very low price, try to leave that keyword.¹

Make something the buyer would choose

• If your design is like everyone else's, why would a buyer buy from you? Think the way the buyer thinks, and make something unique.
• Found the keyword but do not know how to make the product? Find someone who can make it. Do not waste money.
• Make what your competitors' products are missing. Analyse your competitors and read their reviews: improve on what the bad ones say, and make sure you use what the good ones say.¹

The strong Etsy product formula

Existing demand + missing value + better presentation = strong Etsy product

Demand means search volume: people are searching for it. Whatever gap the competitor has left in it, fill that gap, and present it in a better way.¹

Niche Deck, for organising keywords

• Niche Deck is a tool by Sir Zakria Afzal that helps you organise keywords. It is at nichedeck.com.²
• In it you can parse a sheet and manage keywords your own way.
• Once you upload a keyword, you cannot upload it again.¹

The direction to move in

Go from low competition to high volume.¹

Class infographic

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Footnotes

1. Keyword Research Clear All Confusion class of Sir Zakria Afzal's Etsy course on YouTube, notes taken by the record's owner. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

2. Correction from the record's owner, 2026-10-07: the tool is named Niche Deck, at https://nichedeck.com/. ↩