Tips for Writing a Winning eBay Title

Of all the elements that make up a good eBay listing, the listing Title is perhaps the most important. Yet it is often overlooked or minimized by eBay sellers who don't realize the importance of it.

Why is the title important?
The listing title is the part of your listing that will be automatically included the default eBay search results. eBay users can choose to include other parts of your listing by selecting certain criteria under "Advanced Search" but most users simply use the default search. Therefore the words you choose for your title are of the utmost importance. If the right words are not used, buyers may have trouble finding your listing. (Note about eBay store listings: eBay store listing titles are not indexed for eBay searches except under certain circumstances).

Keywords
Because of the search sensitive nature of your eBay listing title, it is critical that your important keywords go there. Keywords might include model numbers, model names, style or size, brand names, or so on. Do a little keyword research before constructing your title to determine what words your shoppers will likely be using.

Limitations
The eBay title has a limitation of 55 characters, including spaces. You cannot use HTML code in the title nor can you use asterisks or quotation marks. 55 characters is not very much so you will want to make each character count. Don't waste space on unnecessary words.

Abbreviations and Acronyms
Certain abbreviations can help you save space in your eBay listing title. For example, NIB is a widely recognized acronym for "New In Box" and NR is a well known acronym meaning "No Reserve". You can find a glossary of established eBay abbreviations on the eBay Acronym page. Be careful when using an acronym that is too obscure; your buyers may not know what it means. When in doubt, spell it out!

Avoid Goofy Words
Avoid the use of things like L@@K and WOW. Remember that no one will be searching for words such as these and your title should focus on maximizing the use of important keywords. In addition, the use of these kinds of words may make you look unprofessional.

White Space
If your listing title does not occupy all 55 characters, try using some white space in it. If your listing title only uses 40 characters, for example, try putting some extra space between important words in your title. This will help buyers to see the words or word groups where they may be visually difficult to see when run together.

Misleading Words
Don't use words in your title that are deliberately misleading. For example, if you are selling crystal stemware, don't use "like Riedel" in your title. Unless you are actually selling Riedel crystal, you should not use that brand name. Using misleading words can be considered keyword spam and can result in your listing being removed.

Subtitles
eBay offers subtitles for an extra 50 cents per listing. Subtitles are displayed directly beneath the title in search results. However, text in subtitles is not indexed for eBay search results so it will not give you an extra place to squeeze in more keywords. It is typically used for showing product benefits such as 'Free Shipping' or 'Bonus CD Included'. It is also used for high end items to give more details about the product. If you use the subtitle feature, remember that it's 50 cents per listing and it's not indexed for eBay searches.

Spend some time thinking about what will go in your eBay listing title. You can get ideas by studying the titles of similar eBay listings that sold successfully. Paying attention to this often overlooked element of eBay listings can earn you more listing hits and more sales.