Getting on the first page of eBay is not an easy task.
You can’t just use eBay SEO strategies to get your listing there. eBay has a lot of other rules that need to be followed for you to have any chance at all.
Today, we are going to discuss these rules and strategies and help you rank on the first page of eBay quickly.
It will allow you to generate a ton of sales and build your way to financial freedom.
What Is eBay SEO?
eBay SEO is a process of optimizing your eBay listing for the search engine algorithm.
Yahoo, Bing and Google are all different search engines that people use to find information online. Each has its own way of ranking in order to show the most relevant eBay search results to the searchers.
eBay SEO is a process that has to be done in order for eBay’s search engine to have any idea of what your listing is, so it can rank you properly.
The whole ranking is done with the help of Cassini.
What Is Cassini?
Cassini is eBay’s search engine.
The most important thing you need to know about it, other than the fact that eBay has one at all, is that it doesn’t care what language your listing is written in.
It only looks for relevant keywords and content on the page.
This is important because it means that you can use any language and still rank well if you know what you’re doing.
What Are the Benefits of Ranking Well on eBay?
eBay search engine optimization is important. This is mainly because the higher you rank, the more eyes you’ll attract.
This also means more people are going to click on your listing and buy.
In addition, ranking well also increases the chance that eBay is going to be able to give users exactly what they want when they search for a product.
With that said, here are the biggest benefits of ranking well on eBay.
#1 More Exposure
The higher you rank, the more people you’ll attract.
More exposure leads to higher chances of eBay giving people what they want. This also means that eBay will have to show you first, which gives you a higher chance of getting the sale.
This is especially true because Cassini doesn’t automatically show every single listing that might match their query, just in case there are too many results.
Instead, it has a ranking system where if your page ranks high enough, then eBay will show it first or higher up on the page if your SEO is better.
#2 More Opportunities for Sales
Sales are the most important thing when it comes to eBay.
Fortunately, eBay SEO can help you with that a lot. This is because eBay will likely show you first if your listing ranks well, and it’s more than likely that a user will buy from you.
And the higher you rank, the more money you make.
#3 Outranking Competitors
Lastly, eBay SEO will also help you with outranking competitors.
This is because eBay’s search engine will only show listings that are relevant to the query. That said, eBay SEO can help you rank higher on keywords, even if your competitors have more in stock and lower pricing.
You can then win competitors’ customers over and make more money.
What Is the Difference Between Google SEO, Amazon SEO and eBay SEO?
Before we can jump to the eBay SEO strategies, let’s look at how it differs from other SEOs — like Google or Amazon.
So, what are the actual differences and things you should be aware of?
Google SEO
Google search engine optimization is heavily based on inbound links.
The more backlinks you have, the more authoritative you are — it’s one of the key ranking factors.
It also cares about page speed, content and URL structure, etc.
All of these things are important when you are running your own site. However, with a product listing, they play almost no role.
Amazon SEO
Amazon SEO is a lot different from Google SEO.
It focuses solely on people with transactional intent — the ones that want to buy a certain product (unlike Google focusing on all search intents).
It focuses mostly on things bound with transactional intent such as:
- Product title
- Your return policy
- The quality of photos
Perfecting all of them will increase your conversion rate, leading to more profit for both Amazon and the seller.
eBay SEO
eBay SEO is very similar to Amazon’s. It focuses on transactional intent, too, and that’s why there are a lot of commonalities.
Here are a few ranking factors of eBay listings.
- The speed you respond to queries
- The bidding starting price
- Delivery times, handling time, shipping policies and returns
They are a lot different from Google and focus mostly on the quality of your eBay listings — similarly to Amazon.
The Most Important Ranking Factors for Cassini and eBay SEO
eBay SEO has a lot of ranking factors.
But, not all of them are of the same importance. We suggest focusing on the ones that are the most important.
That way, you get the best results with minimal effort.
Here are a few of the most important ranking factors you should focus on:
- Listing title – The title is what makes people click on your page and carries the strongest importance in SEO.
- Listing description – SEO helps to persuade searchers to buy from you. It also helps eBay understand your products better.
- Keywords – They connect your listing to a searcher. If you use the right keyword phrases, you can attract potential customers and increase sales.
- Images – Images help people decide if it is what they want. They are also catchy and increase CTR.
- Positive selling history – eBay cares about its buyers, and that’s why the more authoritative and credible you are, the higher you’ll rank.
If you can perfect all five of them, you can expect great rankings and tons of sales going your way.
How to Find the Best Keywords for eBay SEO?
Keywords are critical for eBay SEO and can help you rank high.
To find the best keywords, I recommend googling “best eBay search terms” or just filling out Ebay’s keyword planner tool, which will give you a variety of suggestions for your listing.
This keyword research technique is very simple and will take you only a few minutes at max.
2 Different Kinds of eBay SEO
When it comes to eBay SEO, there are two different kinds:
- Product SEO
- Seller SEO
We will now take a closer look at both of them, so you can better understand how they work and why both of them matter.
What Is eBay Product SEO?
Product SEO consists of more traditional SEO practices.
It features all techniques like improving your title, perfect product description, and making sure that you have high-quality images.
What Is Seller SEO?
Seller SEO is a different story.
It primarily focuses on you as an eBay store and the way that you operate. It looks at things like trustworthiness, credibility, seller ratings and response times.
It’s important to work on both of them if you are looking to achieve the best rankings.
6 Tips and Tactics to Optimize eBay Product Listing for SEO
Now that you have a clear picture of how eBay SEO works, let’s look at some ways to optimize your listings. Following them will help you rank higher and increase your eBay sales.
Here are some of the best strategies for optimizing your eBay listings.
#1 Headline Optimization
The headline is the most important element when it comes to people clicking on your eBay listing. It’s the first thing they see, so you want to be persuasive and clear with your eBay title.
The best eBay titles are short, snappy and descriptive. You should also include important keywords in your title to make it more relevant.
Lastly, it’s also important to convey emotions and a message of scarcity.
You can achieve it with powerful words such as NEW, HIGH-QUALITY, FASHIONED, and so much more.
#2 Accurate Description
Having an accurate description is critical when it comes to eBay SEO.
You want it to be as detailed and precise as possible, while still being easy to read for your buyers.
You should mainly focus on these things:
- The high readability level
- Short and snappy paragraphs
- Real and useful information
On top of that, It should include keywords that will help your eBay listing get to the first page of eBay.
Basically, make it relevant, easily readable and to the point.
#3 Keyword Placement, Not Spamming
It’s very important to use eBay keywords in the title and your description, but it is not recommended to spam them.
When eBay sees what appears like a spammy eBay listing with irrelevant words scattered all over the place, it will penalize you.
You will get lower rankings and possibly sink to the bottom of eBay SERP.
So, stick with eBay’s keyword planner tool and use only relevant search terms in your listings. Also, when it comes to types of keywords, there are two qualities each of them should possess.
- Long-tail
- High-traffic
If nobody searches for your keyword, you probably won’t earn much. But, the opposite is also true… If millions are searching for your keyword, you will be beaten by competitors.
That’s why it’s also important to focus on long-tail keywords.
They tend to be less competitive and lead to more purchases because they are more specific.
Remember, keywords are very important, so use them wisely!
#4 Don’t Duplicate Listings
Duplicating listings is a very bad practice.
It’s spammy, and eBay does not like it and will definitely punish you for it. Also, it shows eBay that you are trying to take advantage of it — which is a no-go.
That’s why I recommend having only one listing per product.
That way, eBay will know that you are only selling one-of-a-kind products and not trying to take advantage of its customers by duplicating listings in an effort to rank higher.
Remember, eBay is looking for trustworthiness from sellers, so try your best to be honest and credible!
#5 Categories
eBay features a bunch of categories to help users find what they are looking for. But, the problem is that there are too many categories, and sometimes it’s hard to know which one to choose.
So, when choosing your eBay category, try to pick only those that have relevancy and high traffic volume.
Remember, relevance is everything when it comes to eBay SEO.
if you are selling shoes while running a listing in a “Watches” category, you will fall short and make lower sales.
So, choose your listing category wisely and make it relevant.
#6 Reviews and Feedback
Lastly, there are reviews and positive feedback — your credibility tickets.
The more reviews you get, the higher your listing will rank. However, the problem is that not all sellers have a lot of feedback, so what should they do?
The easiest way to get positive feedback is to ask your buyers for them directly.
Don’t be afraid to ask buyers for feedback. If they are satisfied, they will be more than likely to give you a nice 5-star rating.
And if they’re not, at least you’ll know what’s wrong and what to work on.
Summary
Knowing eBay’s search algorithm is a very important part of being successful on the platform.
It can help you rank higher, get more traffic, and boost your sales — which is a goal of every eBay seller. But, it may not be as straightforward as you might think…
There are a lot of things to think about, and it takes into account not only your product listings, but also your brand as a shop.
That’s why it’s crucial to stay credible, trustworthy and nice to your customers.
Today, you’ve discovered everything about eBay SEO and how to use it to rank on Page 1 of eBay. Follow the eBay SEO tips above, get your products on the first page, and skyrocket your sales.
You can also check our guide on making $300 a day — even if you’re new to business, so that you can make even more money!
