At a glance
Tag Completeness (13 tags max) is the share of your active listings that use all 13 of the tag slots Etsy gives each listing. Tags are one of the core ways Etsy matches a listing to a buyer search, and every unused slot is a missed chance to be found for a relevant phrase. An Etsy seller cares because filling all 13 tags with distinct, buyer-relevant terms widens the range of searches a listing can appear in, working hand in hand with the title and attributes. Good looks like a high percentage, with most listings using the full tag set. Bad looks like a low percentage, where listings sit with half-empty tag fields and are invisible for searches they could easily win.
| What it counts | The percentage of active listings that fill all 13 available Etsy tag slots. |
| Sample type | Backend API data from Etsy, refreshed on the standard data refresh. |
| Why it matters | Tags are a core Etsy search match signal; every unused slot is a search a listing cannot be found for. |
| Reading the value | A percentage. Higher is better. A high figure means most listings use the full 13-tag set. |
| Currency | Percent. |
| Time window | RT |
| Alert trigger | <80% |
| Sentiment key | ets_tag_completeness |
| Roles | owner, marketing |
Calculation
Vortex IQ checks how many tags each active listing uses against the maximum of 13, counts the listings that fill all 13 slots, and expresses that as a percentage of the active catalogue. A listing only contributes to the completed share when every slot is used, so a listing with 12 of 13 tags does not count as complete. The alert fires when the percentage falls below 80%, signalling that a meaningful slice of the catalogue is leaving search reach on the table.Worked example
Illustrative numbers. On 14 Jun 26 a soap shop sees tag completeness at 68%, below the 80% trigger, so the alert fires. Reviewing the catalogue, the marketing owner finds many older listings carry only six or seven tags, often repeating near-identical phrases that waste slots. They go through the under-tagged listings and add distinct, buyer-relevant terms covering scent, ingredient, occasion, and gift use, filling all 13 slots without duplicating the title word for word. Within a couple of weeks completeness climbs past 80% and the affected listings start appearing for a wider set of searches. They use Vortex Mind to trace which newly tagged listings gained search impressions and Ask Viq to ask, in plain English, which under-tagged listings earn the most so those are filled first.Sibling cards merchants should reference together
| Card | Why merchants reach for it |
|---|---|
ets_seo_title_health | Tags and titles are paired search signals; fix both together. |
ets_required_attribute_completeness | Attributes round out the search trio alongside tags and titles. |
ets_listing_quality_score | Tag completeness feeds the overall listing-quality picture. |
ets_stale_listings | Adding tags is a real edit that also clears the stale flag. |
ets_views_favourites_conversion | Shows whether fuller tag sets are bringing more views and sales. |
Reconciling against Etsy Shop Manager
Where to look in Etsy Shop Manager: Open Shop Manager > Listings and edit a listing to see its tag field and how many of the 13 slots are filled. Use Shop Manager > Stats to see the search terms listings are found for, which helps you choose tags that match real buyer language rather than guesses. Why the Vortex IQ value may legitimately differ:| Reason | Direction | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| All-or-nothing completion. A listing with 12 of 13 tags is not counted as complete. | Variable | Fill the final slot on near-complete listings to move the percentage. |
| Edit recency lag. Tags added in Shop Manager update the card on the next refresh. | Marginal | Re-check the percentage after the next data refresh. |
| Active scope. Only active listings are measured, so drafts and inactive items do not affect the figure. | Marginal | Reactivate and tag if you want an item to count. |