Writing a Good Auction Title

Now that you found something to sell on Ebay it is time to learn how to write a good title for it (description next time)

The Title
When writing a good title it is important to be specific, remember, you are trying to have as many key words as possible that might be searched for. For example, I am currently selling the Super Nintendo cartridge Donkey Kong Country. However, when creating a title for this game I will not simply write "Donkey Kong Country," but I will make it more specific. It is the first of a series of 3 games, so it deserves a 1, but also, people often use roman numerals in searches so it also gets a "I." Also, it is important to indicate which system this game was made for, as there are many other Donkey Kong items floating around on ebay. In the end it became Donkey Kong Country I 1 (Super Nintendo).

When writing the title it is important to be as specific as possible, and attempt to guess what the potential bidder will search for. Sometimes this includes misspelling listings. For example, the brand Quiksilver is often misspelled, and if there is room in the title it would be appropriate to also include "Quicksilver."

One thing you should never do with titles, which I hope some day dies out, is to write something like "L@@K," This is obnoxious and a waste of keyword space. If you want someone to look at your item, add a picture to the side (we will get into this later). Also, when writing your title do not write keywords to similar but better and more popular things. Instead attempt to describe your product as best as possible with your limited amount of space.

Adding a Subtitle
Sometimes it is a good idea to add a subtitle to your item to draw more attention to it. It is especially worthwhile if the item will sell for a lot of money. Subtitles are especially effective if they set your almost identical auction apart from many others. Here you can draw interest in specials you offer, for example your Ipod comes with "3yr warranty and extras." Or the signed book you are selling has an inscription saying "I am so glad to hear about your sex change, Chuck Palahniuk." These are things that draw attention and will help you get more bids.

However, a subtitle is not necessary, and a waste of money if you know your item has perspective buyers and will only sell for $24.99. Subtitles are not worth the extra fee for lower priced items.