While it sounds highly technical and arcane, SEO is simply the action anybody with a web presence can take to ensure that Google (1) is aware of a particular web page, (2) correctly recognizes what the main theme or topic of that particular web page is, and (3) ranks that particular page highly for searches related to that particular topic.

Search Engine Optimization centers around three main areas of emphasis including keyword identification, on-page factors such as text and titles, and off-page factors such as inbound links from quality websites.

Although SEO is not normally associated with promoting specific eBay listings, the techniques and examples I describe here can be incredibly effective if implemented with both patience and persistence.

Keyword Research

The first step to getting found in Google is deciding what search terms your want to get found for. This involves a little research and, more than likely, some trial and error.

Your objective here is threefold. The first is to discern the specific keywords that are popular among computer users who use Google to search for information related to your product.

Next, you must decide which of those keywords or keyword phrases are most associated with searches made by consumers who are interested in buying your product.

Finally, it involves selecting the relevant keywords that strike the best balance between search popularity and manageable competition from other web pages contending for high rankings in the Google search results.

This keyword research is necessarily the first step in the process because it provides the basis for both your on-page and off-page optimization efforts.

One of my eBay listings on the 1st page of the Yahoo! search results

On-Page Search Engine Optimization Factors

As the name implies, on-page factors are concerned with getting things right on the page receiving the search engine traffic. When Google and the other major search engines attempt to decide what’s important about a particular web address, their algorithms take cues from several specific elements associated with that page.

These factors include the page title, description, headings, text, and the URL itself.  Therefore, it is important to consider and carefully include the keywords you researched earlier in all of these on-page elements.  I say carefully because, if over done, the page might trip Google’s SPAM filters and will be buried deep in the search result pages accordingly.

Off-Page Factors

Off page factors are the most significant aspect of any search engine optimization campaign. Specifically, inbound links from numerous different reputable and popular websites.

If you think about it for a minute, inbound links are a terrific measure of reputation. If numerous sites that Google considers credible link to your listing, the search engine will assume that your page is an authoritative resource for your keyword phrase.

The links’ anchor text – the click-able words – are important to help the search engine discern what all the fuss is about. So it’s important to include your keyword phrase in your anchor text when you are carrying out your link building efforts.

Ready to Learn More?

Does this sound like a lot of complicated and difficult work? If so, don’t panic. With the techniques and examples in my new eBook Beyond Best Match, it won’t be long until Google displays a link to your listing on the first page of the search results.

Get started…

http://www.BeyondBestMatch.com

Since its introduction as the default method of displaying the search results in January of 2008, Best Match has had a profound impact on eBay sellers. For the lucky few who either by blind luck, finesse or brute force have been able to achieve a position at the top of the search results, Best Match has been a tremendous boon to their business.

However, the vast majority of sellers have not had such a favorable experience with Best Match. While eBay is still an excellent platform for these sellers to conduct the actual sales transaction, they can no longer count on eBay to send them the volume of traffic that made up the bulk of sales they had previously. Consequently, many sellers are without alternatives and struggling to be successful.

That’s why I developed the techniques I share in Beyond Best Match that empower eBay sellers to bypass the hassle of Best Match and get their listing to appear in the Google search results. Getting your eBay listing included and ranked highly in Google has some significant benefits. Specifically improved buyer trust, increased traffic from customers, and (ironically) an advantage in eBay’s Best Match.

One of my eBay Listings on Page 1 of the Bing Search Results

The Benefits of Natural Search Results

*Trust* – The customers that find your listing in Google are more apt to trust you. There are several reasons for this. The first is the simple fact that they actively searched for what you are selling and found your listing – you didn’t find them. They didn’t click on an ad – which involves a healthy level of suspicion and skepticism – nor were they lured away from doing something else online by a random link to your listing. They went to Google with an itch that needed scratching and clicked through to your eBay listing because they thought you might be able to help. Additionally, warranted or not, many people assign you instant credibility because you were ranked highly in Google. After all, Google does have a reputation for providing relevant search results.

*Traffic* – If you carefully research and choose a relevant keyword phrase and are successful in your Search Engine Optimization efforts, the traffic from Google will be significant. After I adapted and successfully implemented Search Engine Optimization techniques for eBay, the number of customers visiting my listings increased over seven-fold compared to the traffic eBay was sending. Incredible considering the fact that I’m paying eBay for traffic while Google’s is free. It may seem obvious, but it bears mentioning that an increase in traffic directly correlates to an increase in sales.

*Best Match Advantage* – With the exception of the collectibles categories, eBay calculates something called a “listing performance score” for fixed-priced (Buy It Now or BIN) listings. The listing performance score is a ratio determined by the number of sales generated (for multiple quantity listings) divided by the number of times the listing has appeared in eBay’s search results (impressions). Scoring well for this particular metric positively influences that listing’s ranking in the search results under Best Match.

Recall the formula for the listing performance score: sales divided by impressions. To increase this score, a seller needs to either:

• Decrease the number of impressions while holding sales constant;
• Increase the number of sales while holding impressions constant;
• Or a combination of the above.

Appearing in Google’s search results doesn’t count as an impression. Therefore, any sales you make from customers that didn’t come from eBay’s search results improves your listing performance score significantly. Ironically, efforts you take to compensate for the lack of traffic from eBay’s Best Match can actually increase the amount of traffic you get from Best Match!

The Way Forward – Get Found in Google

Getting your eBay listing indexed and ranking highly in Google and the other search engines requires a basic understanding of the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and some labor on your part to implement them. These fundamentals include identifying and using the appropriate keywords. Additionally these SEO fundamentals require addressing the on-page factors such as the listing title, the headlines, and an appropriate description. Finally, the techniques require addressing off-page factors such as links from several credible external web sites.

Sound hard? I won’t deny that this technique requires an investment in effort and some commitment to be successful. However, if you are looking for a way to increase the traffic to your eBay listings and corresponding bump in your sales, I know of no better way.

In my next post, we’ll start by covering the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization.

Ready now to get your eBay listings in the Google search results?

Visit http://www.BeyondBestMatch.com to download your copy immediately and get started today!

Have you ever conducted a Google search and noticed a link to an eBay listing in the search results?

So after writing “Best Match Made Simple,” I set my sights on developing a system that would allow me to get my eBay listings in the Google search results.

Boy am I ever glad that I did! The bump in sales I received after getting my listings to appear on the first pages of the search engine results pages made me forget about ever worrying about Best Match again.

Over the next few days, I’m going to share some of the techniques I detail fully in my new eBook “Beyond Best Match.” http://www.BeyondBestMatch.com

Don’t Depend on eBay For Traffic Anymore

Going “Beyond Best Match” is about developing alternate sources of traffic to your eBay listings — specifically traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo! or Bing. Our goal here is to get a link to our eBay listings on the first page of the Google search results for a popular search term associated with the product and get a share of that search engine traffic. I’m not talking about paid placement on the search result pages (a program Google calls “AdSense”). I’m referring to your listing appearing in the “natural” search results.

For example, I sell Ubuntu Linux installation CDs on eBay (a popular alternative computer operating system). According to Google, the search term “Ubuntu Installation Disk” receives an average of 14,800 searches per month. Of these, over 4,400 come from the United States — my target market for eBay.com. Even a small portion of this search engine traffic clicking through to my eBay listing would be like striking gold in my backyard.

One of my eBay Listings on Page 1 of the Google Search Results

Who Will Benefit From This Technique?

Sellers who employ multiple quantity fixed-price listings will benefit the most from the techniques I reveal in “Beyond Best Match”. Good ‘Til Canceled (GTC) listings are better than 30-day listings because once you get your listing’s URL (Uniform Resource Locater — or more simply it’s web address) indexed in Google’s search results, you want it to stick there. Relisting a closed item means a new URL and starting the process of getting indexed and ranked by the search engines over again.

While you might successfully get the product you are selling on eBay indexed and included in Google’s search results before your auction-style or single quantity fixed-price listing ends, it probably won’t be worth the effort required. So if you’ve got a bunch of widgets to sell on eBay, it would certainly benefit your bottom line to get your listing included in the first couple results pages of the major search engines.

In my next post, I’ll share the benefits of getting your eBay listing in the search results (hint: the benefits extend beyond increased visitors to your listing).

Ready now to get your eBay listings in the Google search results? Visit http://www.BeyondBestMatch.com to download your copy immediately and get started today!

“What I want people to be able to do is select weights, package types and quantities.”

eBay calls this “creating a listing with variations” and it looks something like this:

eBay offers listing variations in the following categories:

• Baby
• Clothing, shoes and accessories
• Health and beauty
• Home and garden (some sub-categories excluded)
• Jewelry and watches
• Pet supplies
• Sporting goods

What is a Variation?

Instead of creating a number of separate listings for a product that has a choice of options, you can create a single multi-quantity fixed price listing that includes all the variations you offer. For example, a T-shirt might come in multiple colors and sizes. Buyers can select which variation they want to purchase from the single listing.

How To Create a Listing With Variations

To create a listing for beef jerky that offers variations in flavors I would first select the option (located near the top of the Sell Your Item form) to create variations:

Upon clicking the Create Variations button, I’m presented a page where I can tell eBay what kind of varieties I’d like to offer my customers.  After clicking the link labeled Enter Your Own Variation Detail, a pop-up appears where I can name the variation (flavor) and enter the first option (barbecue):

After clicking Save, I’m presented with the opportunity to enter the next flavor (teriyaki):

Create SKUs

I would click the + Flavor link to add more.  Clicking continue will provide the opportunity create additional variations.  After I’ve finished this process, eBay asks me to create a SKU for each variation:

Add Pictures

Next, I can enter the pictures that are applicable to the specific variations and shared pictures that apply to all:

Price and Quantities

Finally, I can enter the quantity of each variety I have in stock and available to sell and specify the price for each variation:

You’re Done!

Clicking Save brings me back to the Sell Your Item page where the Variations table now shows the fruits of my labor:

This is actually a pretty neat feature that eBay offers.  If your category and your inventory support variations, you might just give it a try.

Questions?

If you’ve got a question that you would like me to address on this blog, feel free to drop me a note.