006 – Ebay Classified Ads In Search Results

In the previous post, I discussed the visibility your classified ad might have when a user browses the listings in a particular category. Your classified ad needs to be listed in the category where eBay users would expect to find such items and services. Also, if there are a large number of “standard” listings displayed ahead of your classified ad, eBay users may never browse far enough into the listings to find it!

The same problem exists when a large number of “standard” listings are returned in search results. It’s quite possible that an eBay user will not browse past the 2nd or 3rd page of the listings; so ideally, your classified ad will display on the 1st or 2nd page of the search results. Beyond that, your listing will not enjoy the visibility it deserves.

The title of your classified ad holds the keys to the kingdom! Search results, by default, are based on the keywords contained in the ad title. Titles can contain a maximum of 55 characters; so, don’t waste a single character! When I create a title; I list as many keywords as possible and then try to order them so they make the most sense. I also pay the small additional fee for a subtitle. The subtitle can be used to describe important features of your product and not take up space in the valuable real estate of your title.

If for example, I listed a classified ad advertising a digital postal scale. I would first write down a list of keywords that users might include in their search queries. Then, I would stuff these keywords into the 55 character title, and finally use the subtitle to highlight important features of the product:

Keywords:
    Digital Scale
    USB Postage Scale
    Postage Scale
    Shipping Scale
    Postal Scale
    Mailing Scale
 
Load these keywords into the title, and arrange
them in a sensible fashion:
 
USB Digital Postage Shipping Mailing Postal Scale
[49 characters]
 
If there is space to include the word “new”; then,
add it:
 
New USB Digital Postage Shipping Mailing Postal Scale
[53 characters]
 
Finally, if there is space; place the title between
double quotes:
 
“New USB Digital Postage Shipping Mailing Postal Scale”
[55 characters]
 
Use the subtitle for item specific information:
 
Gray DigiWeigh Precise .2oz 52 LB Scale with AC Adaptor
[55 Characters]

Before listing your new classified ad; perform a search with each of your keywords. Try to estimate the best- and worst-case positioning of your ad. The best position would be the first ad position within the classified ad group, and the worst position would be the last ad position within the classified ad group. Ideally, the best ad position would occupy the first or second page of the search results, and the worst ad position would occupy page two or page three of the search results.

One of the best sources of keywords is in the titles of competing ads. Pay attention to how other marketers construct their titles. There are also some research tools that might be of use in eBay Labs, such as the BayEstimator and eBaySaurus. I may cover these in future posts. You can also subscribe to TeraPeak to access about 2 years of historic eBay data.