A great item won't sell if buyers can't find it. Most Depop sales start with a search, so the words in your listing matter almost as much as the photos. Here's how to choose and place keywords so the right buyers see your items.
How buyers search on Depop
Buyers type what they want, usually a mix of:
- Brand: "carhartt", "levi's"
- Item type: "jacket", "baggy jeans", "baby tee"
- Style or era: "vintage", "y2k", "90s", "grunge"
- Details: colour, size, fit, material
They then filter by size, price and condition. Your job is to use the words they type, in the places Depop's search reads.
Writing a searchable title or opening line
Depop now combines the title with the start of your description, so the first line carries the most weight. Lead with the words buyers search for, in plain language:
Vintage 90s Carhartt Detroit jacket, brown duck canvas, size L
That one line covers era, brand, model, colour, material and size. Avoid filler like "amazing", "rare!!!" or "must have", which nobody searches for.
Using the description
After the opening line, write a natural description: condition, measurements, fit and material. These details help buyers and add relevant search terms without forcing them. The Depop description template gives you a structure that covers the important keywords automatically.
Hashtags
Depop lets you add a limited number of hashtags. Use them for style and category terms that don't fit naturally in the text, such as #vintage, #streetwear, #y2k or #workwear. Pick the few most relevant to the item rather than the most popular overall.
Don't keyword stuff
Listing twenty brand names that have nothing to do with your item ("nike adidas supreme stussy...") might seem clever, but it's against Depop's rules, annoys buyers and can get listings hidden. It's one of the behaviours linked to reduced visibility. See Depop shadowban signs and fixes and how to not get banned on Depop.
Fill in every listing field
Category, size, brand, condition, colour and style fields feed Depop's filters. A buyer filtering for size M won't see your jacket if you didn't set the size. Complete every field even when it feels repetitive.
Freshness matters too
Search results favour recently active listings. Older items slowly drop down. Relisting or refreshing keeps them visible. See Depop relist vs refresh and how to reset the Depop algorithm.
Quick checklist
- Brand, item type, era/style, colour and size in the first line.
- Plain, specific words buyers actually type.
- A few relevant hashtags, not a wall of them.
- Every listing field filled in.
- No unrelated brand names.
Let AI handle the keywords
Writing search-friendly listings for every item takes time. DepopAutomation.com's AI listing tool reads the brand, item type, colour and style from your photos and writes keyword-rich titles and descriptions, with every field filled in. The bulk lister does it for a whole haul, and the relist feature keeps listings fresh in search.
Conclusion
Depop search runs on the words buyers type: brand, item type, style, colour and size. Put those in your first line, write a natural description, add a few relevant hashtags, fill every field and never stuff unrelated brands. Keep listings fresh and they'll keep showing up.