I built a prototype Etsy SEO audit tool — testing whether anyone wants it as a one-time purchase

I built a working prototype called TagTuner: a local Etsy listing SEO audit tool. It is not on sale yet. This is a demand-validation post to see if an offline, single-file audit script has a place alongside existing subscription tools.

What it does

TagTuner takes a listing's title, 13 tags, description, category, and attributes, and calculates an SEO hygiene score from 0 to 100 based on 19 rule checks across 5 weighted dimensions:

• Tags: 30%
• Title: 25%
• Description: 20%
• Attributes: 15%
• Category: 10%

Each rule is evaluated as pass, warn, or fail, accompanied by a concrete fix suggestion.

The rules are derived strictly from Etsy's official public seller guidance (Help Center and Seller Handbook articles on listing titles, tags, and structure). Any check marked (heuristic) uses my own thresholds, clearly stated as such in the report. It does not invent or assume any unannounced Etsy ranking algorithm details.

Architecture and test results

TagTuner is written in pure Python standard library as a single file that runs locally. It requires no third-party dependencies, no login, no paid APIs, and no server. All processing stays on your machine, and your listing data is never uploaded anywhere.

I tested the prototype on 5 real public Etsy listings to verify reproducible scores:

• Ceramic tumbler: 85 (a duplicate-tag check correctly fired on a repeated tag)
• Stoneware coffee cup: 81 (a single-word-tag issue fired)
• Handmade clay mug: 77
• Pink novelty mug: 74
• Mandala mug: 56 (multiple fails across title, description, and attributes)

For these tests, title, description, category, and attributes were pulled from live public pages. Because Etsy does not publish real tags on listing pages, the tags were seller-perspective test data.

Honest limitations

Before considering this tool, there are three clear limitations:

1. Hygiene, not rank prediction: The checks are heuristic rules derived from Etsy's public seller guidance and have not been validated against real Etsy search rankings. The score measures listing hygiene and adherence to best practices, not traffic potential.
2. Tags require manual input: Etsy does not display listing tags on public pages; only the shop owner can view them in the seller dashboard. While URL-fetch mode can extract title, description, materials, and some attributes, tags must be pasted manually.
3. No anti-bot bypass: Direct URL fetching from datacenter IPs gets blocked by Etsy's anti-bot checks. The tool degrades gracefully to manual paste mode and does not attempt any bypass techniques.

Why not just use existing tools?

Existing services cover this space well. As of October 2026:

• eRank offers a free tier alongside paid tiers at $5.99, $9.99, and $29.99 per month.
• Marmalead starts at $19 per month with no free tier.

eRank's free tier is genuinely capable, offering 5 audits per day. If that covers your current needs, you should keep using it.

TagTuner's intended wedge is different: a focused rule audit distributed as a one-time purchase, running purely offline with no recurring monthly fee and no shop connection required.

The validation plan

TagTuner is not currently for sale. There is no payment processing, and there are no pre-orders.

Here is the validation threshold:

• Intended price: $19 one-time.
• Submitting your email to the waitlist carries no financial commitment or obligation.
• If 10 or more people register by 2026-10-30: The tool will launch on Gumroad for a $19 one-time fee, and every registrant will be notified.
• If fewer than 5 people register: The project will be shelved, and registrants will receive a brief cancellation email.

Waitlist link: https://alapha888.github.io/tagtuner-waitlist/