Last Updated on January 2, 2021 by Stiletto Socialite

Depop’s platform works like a shoppable Instagram, and just like Instagram, Depop utilizes tags/hashtags to help users find what they are looking for. Below are some tips to help you obtain the best keywords/tags, and hashtags for your Depop listing, because the better you can apply the right hashtags the better a customer can find your item to increase your sells.

Do you need hashtags, tags, in order for your item to be searchable in Depop?

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Depop does not require you to have hashtags or tags in the post. If you have an item listed with the right keywords your item still can be found in a search. To illustrate, you can put in your listing description:

“striped skirt” without putting any other tags and hashtags and your item will come up in search as illustrated these pictures.

What is the best way to use hashtags/tags for Depop?

Hashtags or tags help the customer find the item they are looking for, this is especially the case if those terms are not listed anywhere else in the description area. When you go to the search function of the app, a buyer will put in what they feel are the best terms to find what they want.  So its important for you to step into the mind of the customer and try to imagine how they would search for an item. What terms would they use to describe the item? Think about what adjectives would they use to describe the item.  If they are looking for jeans what kind of jeans? Vintage? Boyfriend? Baggy? Vintage Boyfriend?

Using hashtags vs. tags vs. keywords with Depop

Keywords or tags are interchangeable terms that are basically the same thing. Hashtags are keywords or tags with the # symbol in front of them.

Keywords/tags might appear in a listing like this:

Vintage streetwear t-shirt band tee rap

Whereas, hashtags would appear in a listings as such:

#vintage #streetwear #t-shirt #band #tee #rap

With Depop there appears to be no difference if you use hashtags vs. tags. vs. keywords as it only matters what is in the description box. As seen with the striped skirt example above and throughout thousands of listings what matters most is what is in the description box to help put your item into the search. If you ever want to test this, all you need to do is put the terms in your description and then give it a minute or two and then search for your item and see if it pops up in the feed.

The day after I published this article, I received a notice that Depop wants me to use a maximum of 5 hashtags when I went to edit my listing I had this pop up appear. As such, Depop wants to limit the number of hashtags. However, you can still use keywords and tags for your items to appear in relevant searches as in the striped skirt sample above I am still showing with “striped skirt” search without adding any more hashtags. I do notice that whenever I don’t use hashtags it seems to take a little longer for my items to show in the feed for the relevant keywords, but it is a nominal amount of time, so just be a little more patient when you are using keywords vs. hashtags.

Google Auto Suggestion

Google auto suggest can be a good place to look for good tags to use for Depop as it gives search suggestions that you could use as possible keywords or hashtags for your post.

Also, seeing what related terms come up when you search an item can help you see what could be in a customer’s mind when they are searching.

If you want to take it a next step you can consider downloading the Google chrome extension for the Keyword Planner for further related search terms and also to see the approximate search volume for those terms.

Use a Style Guide for hashtags and description ideas

Consider using a style guide to help you figure out which are good descriptions to use. Google search terms like: Fashion Infographics, Women’s shirt style guide, Women’s dress style guide, etc to find a plethora of style guides. Pinterest has a huge volume of style guides available as well.

Use Pinterest to find good reselling keywords and hashtags

Pinterest is a top site for people searching and looking for styling ideas. If you go into Pinterest and search for an item like “t shirt” it gives you top searches that may give you ideas and when you search for “t shirt” you will see underneath the search bar other suggestions in this case “vintage, with sayings, upcycle, country, band, pattern” depending on your item these could be possible search terms you can use.

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How do you know which Depop keywords or hashtags to use?

Once you have you Depop search terms check the Depop tag/hashtag velocity and how it’s used by going into the app and searching for the term.  I like to search for a single term or phrase of what tags I am trying to be filtered for.

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So for example using the example of t shirt you get back “2858058” items that are listed for sale

If you add in “band t shirt” the results filter down to “37103” items that are listed for sale

If you search vintage t shirt “14498” items are found

When trying to decide on which tags/hashtags to use for Depop I like to have keywords with a varying degree of search results, a mix of low, mid-grade, and high results. Using the t shirt example, when someone is searching for a t shirt and I use the terms, “t shirt, band, and vintage” I know I will show up in all of those searches.  I wouldn’t want to just be in the t shirt search that has “2858058” competitors I want someone to see my item without getting finger fatigue from all that scrolling. Remember Depop works like Instagram so absent any filtering for price, etc then the item at the top of the feed is most likely to be seen, its easier to get at the top of a feed on “14, 498 items vs. 2858058” More specifically, a lower volume keyword is sort of like a niche keyword, pulling from the Pinterest search we found a phrase “with sayings” that term in Depop shows up “3005” times. Somebody looking for something that specific it might be relief to not have to scroll through as many items.  Some buyers might not bother posting into this area because it has less postings. However, with Depop the amount of results you find is indication that the term is a successful hashtag especially is a lot of people are using it, however its not necessarily the most successful one for your item. Another reason it is important to use a mix of low-high tags is that:

You typically have three types of customers:

1. One that will dig for what they want
2. One that doesn’t really know what they want and might be just looking
3. One that wants something a little more specific

A customer that doesn’t really know what they want and are just looking, having a general tag like street wear, which is a tag that has a lot of searches 200k+, might be okay for that customer because they can dig through the feed on a treasure hunt for thrifted gold. A mid range tag is good for a customer that are still okay with digging but maybe looking for something more specific. Although there is still lot of items in the feed to scroll through they are okay because they are willing to take on the search and many of the items on Depop are so unique you don’t know what to even call the item.  Having those niche tags with smaller amount of items in the feed will help you with the customer that is looking for something more specific. By having the tag that maybe smaller but its hyper specific can help to the customer to more easily find your item that fits the criteria they are looking for. Don’t forget about words that have different spellings and make sure to list all possible versions such as: tee shirt, t-shirt, etc.

Do you want to sell on Depop but don’t have the time?

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Use a Tag Generator for Depop hashtag ideas

When I first started out I used tag generator websites to get some idea suggestion, since then I have started to use my own templates which I save on my phone and copy and paste to my descriptions.  This is especially helpful is you are selling the same types of items, you can build your supreme tag list that you don’t have to keep recreating from scratch.

No Spamming Hashtags on Depop

No Spam hashtags: as a matter of fact this will disqualify you for being on the Explore Page. Spam hashtags are keywords that people use in their posting that have nothing to do with the item, but people use the tag in hopes that their item can be viewed in the search.

An example is you see people put popular brands/terms like Supreme, Bape and they put: not Bape, not Supreme, etc.

This make sense but it would not make sense for someone selling red thigh high boots to put “not bape, or bape” or “band tee” although its not to say someone into Band tee or Bape wouldn’t be into to the thigh high boots, as a matter of fact a cute band t shirt or hoodie with thigh high boots is pretty much Ariana Grande signature style.  However, Depop doesn’t want the feed clogged up with things that is not what the customer is searching for.  They want the user experience to be good for the customer so that they can find what they are looking for and of course a few things that are not but to not get frustrated with tons of results that have nothing to do with their search.  We have all experienced the frustrations of a tireless online search and you cant find what you are looking for after pages and pages of views. That’s the problem with spam tags it can be frustrating to the customers search.

Start with the skills you have

Don’t leave your reseller skills at the door if you are already selling on other platforms like Poshmark, Ebay, etc take those skills learned as to how you describe items there and apply them here to get the right Depop descriptions and hashtags.