In order to sell more items, buyers need to find your items. In order for buyers to find your items you need to create a great listing.
The listings that are returned at the top of the search results are the ones are the most relevant match to the buyer’s search. The information below will explain how our search works and what you can do to improve your listings.
When a user searches for something on GunBroker the search engine will return the most relevant items to the user at the top of the list. Relevant items are determined by the search engine algorithm and the algorithm is updated regularly to adjust what is the most relevant. As the seller, you control the determining factors in your search placement by how you construct your listing.
What factors will make my listing the most relevant?The following parts of the listing are among the components used by the search algorithm to determine the most relevant listings. All these items are not weighted equally but all play an important part in determining relevance.
- Category
- Title
- Subtitle
- Characteristics
- Description
Category
Make sure your item is listed in the proper category. There are many categories from which to select when you list your item. Browse categories or use the Find category feature, which suggests categories containing items with keywords similar to what you enter. For helpful information on category selection, see Selecting the Correct Category. Items that are not in the appropriate category will be treated as less relevant.
Title and Subtitle
To make the title and subtitle relevant include the manufacturer, model name, model number, caliber or gauge and important characteristics that match the item exactly. Words at the beginning of the title are considered more important than words at the end. State specifically and fully what the item is. Stating what the item is “Like” or “Not” will reduce the relevance of the listing. Avoid abbreviations unless they are extremely common such as a manufacturer name (S&W, FN, etc.).
Characteristics
If you have characteristic information such as UPC, manufacturer part number or SKU be sure to add it to the listing. If the category you are listing in has additional characteristics fill them out accurately. Inaccurate or conflicting characteristics will be less relevant.
Description
The description of your listing should state the most important details first. The search terms that buyers are using should be listed first. This includes terms such as manufacturer, model name, model number, caliber/gauge and characteristics that match the item exactly. These are generally considered more important than color, finish or other descriptive terms that may be included. History, condition of the item, specific features and accessories included should come after the above information.
Do not distract from the item you are selling with terms that do not describe the actual item for sale. Things like “similar to” another brand or “also comes in red” when your item is blue will reduce its relevance score. This also confuses the buyer as well as the search engine. Extraneous words dilute the relevancy of the important terms. In the above example, mentioning blue and red together does not clearly describe what color the item is to the search engine.
Including information about your business or your selling policies also reduces the relevance of the words that describe your actual item. “A family business in Dakota, Ohio since 1925 here to serve you in any way possible” is nice but does not describe the item and will make your item harder to find and return lower in the results. Save things like payment terms and shipping policies for the Additional Terms of Sale.
What other things can you do to make a great listing?Consider using HTML
HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is used to create web pages. Using HTML in listings makes them appear cleaner and clearer on the page and improves the way your description looks. You may want to review HTML Templates for Listings to help you get started.
Use optional services
Optional services enhance the listing's placement on the site and draw attention to it. For example: Showcase listings appear randomly on the GunBroker Home Page; featured listings are given additional exposure in search results; highlighted titles, bold-face titles, colored titles and thumbnail images make the listing stand out. For a full list of optional services, see Optional Services.
Add pictures
Adding pictures to listings improves sales. Buyers want to see as many pictures as you can show.
For more details on “Dos and Don’ts” of listing, please review our Listing Policies.