Best practices for Store tags

Tags are crucial for helping your products get discovered by new customers. Effective tagging can significantly increase your visibility, sales, and overall success. Here are best practices to maximize your tagging potential.

What Are Tags and Why Do They Matter?

Tags are simple keywords or short phrases you attach to your product listings. Think of them as searchable labels that describe your design's content, theme, style, or vibe. For example, if you've got a vibrant sticker of a coffee-loving cat, tags like "cat," "coffee," "cute”, and "animal” help it pop up when customers search for those terms.

Why bother? Tagging directly impacts your store's success:

Improved Discoverability: Sticker Mule's search algorithm uses tags to match products to customer queries. Better tags mean more views.
Higher Sales: Relevant tags attract buyers who are genuinely interested, leading to better conversion rates.
SEO Boost: Tags can influence how your listings appear in external searches, driving traffic from Google or social media.
Competitive Edge: With thousands of creators on Sticker Mule, smart tagging helps your designs stand out in relevant categories.

Aim for 5-10 tags per product to maximize reach. Remember, tags work best when combined with a strong title (i.e. "Cute Cat Coffee Sticker") and a descriptive bio for your store.

How Do I Choose the Best Tags?

Start by putting yourself in your customer's shoes: What words would they type into the search bar to find a design like yours? Break it down into categories:

Content: What's literally in the design? (i.e. "cat," "coffee mug," "heart eyes")
Theme: What's the overall idea or mood? (i.e. "humor," "pet lover," "morning routine")
Style: How is it drawn or presented? (i.e. "cartoon," "minimalist," "vintage")
Colors and Details: Highlight standout elements (i.e. "black and white," "neon pink," "glossy finish" for stickers)

Pro Tip: Look at top searches on Sticker Mule. This list will tell you the top search terms people are already using.

Best Practices for Tagging on Sticker Mule

To make your tags work harder, follow these guidelines:

Be Specific and Honest: Tags should accurately reflect your design to avoid disappointing buyers. For a sticker of a hiking boot, use "hiking boot," "outdoor adventure," and "trail gear"—not "running shoe" if it's not.
Use a Mix of Broad and Niche Tags: Balance popular terms (i.e. "nature") with specific ones (i.e. "mountain trail") to cast a wide net without getting lost in the crowd.
Leverage Synonyms: Expand your reach with variations. A starry night sticker could include "starry sky," "night sky," "celestial," and "galaxy."
Keep It Concise: Stick to single words or short phrases. Avoid full sentences—Sticker Mule's system favors clean, punchy tags.
Build a Tag Library: If you create themed series (i.e. animal stickers), keep a list of go-to tags for consistency. This saves time and ensures you hit 5-10 every time.

Dos and Don'ts of Tagging

Here's a quick list to keep you on track:

Dos

Do use 5-10 tags per design to cover all angles.
Do focus on customer search intent—i.e. "funny sticker" for humorous designs.
Do include style and medium tags like "vector art" or "watercolor" for artistic appeal.
Do update tags based on sales data.

Don'ts

Don't use misleading or irrelevant tags (i.e. tagging a dog sticker with "cat" to game the system—it'll hurt your rankings).
Don't add spammy buzzwords like "best seller," "trending," "cheap," or "hot item"—these can flag your listing and reduce visibility.
Don't include product types if they're already in the category (i.e. no need for "sticker" on every sticker listing).
Don't overstuff with generic terms like "art," "design," or "cool"—they're too vague and dilute your results.