Marketplace listing optimization: photos, titles and copy that sell

On a marketplace your listing does three jobs at once. It is the shop window, the salesperson and the search ad. We regularly see two sellers with the same product at the same price where one takes most of the sales. Usually the difference is better photos, a clearer title and copy that answers the buyer's questions.

Here's the checklist we work through for Amazon, Etsy, eBay and similar platforms.

1. Find the words buyers actually type

Marketplace search runs on keywords, so do this before writing a single line:

• type your product into the search bar and write down what autocomplete suggests;
• open the top ten competitors and note the words they keep repeating in titles and bullets;
• read reviews and questions, because that's where buyers describe the product in their own words.

Sort what you find into the main phrase (what it is), attributes (size, material, color), use cases ("gift for…", "for small spaces…") and who it's for.

2. A title that works for search and for people

Put the main keyword first, then whatever matters most:

Brand + product type + key feature + size or quantity + use case

For example: "[Brand] Ceramic Pour-Over Coffee Set — Dripper, 600 ml Carafe and 2 Cups, Gift for Coffee Lovers"

Stick to each platform's length limits and style rules. Stuffing in keywords hurts clicks and can get you flagged.

3. Let the photos sell

Buyers decide mostly from pictures, and mostly on their phones.

• Main image: the product on a clean background, filling most of the frame. Amazon requires pure white for the main image.
• In use: the product in a real setting.
• Scale: next to a hand or something familiar, so size is obvious.
• Close-ups: texture, materials, stitching, ports, labels.
• An infographic with three or four benefits as short text.
• What's in the box.
• A video where the platform allows it. Even twenty seconds of the product in use helps.

Fill every image slot you have. An empty slot is selling space you're not using.

4. Bullets and description

Say what the feature does for the buyer, not just what it is.

• Flat: "Made of 304 stainless steel."
• Better: "Rust-free 304 stainless steel — goes in the dishwasher and lasts for years."

Cover what someone would ask in a real shop: size, compatibility, care, what's included, delivery time, warranty. Skim your competitors' bad reviews and answer those complaints head-on.

5. Don't skip the hidden fields

Most marketplaces have back-end fields for search terms, attributes and categories. Fill every relevant one. They help the algorithm show you for the right searches without cluttering the text people read.

6. Reviews and questions

Reviews sell. Ask for them only in the ways each platform allows (Amazon has its own built-in request, for instance). Answer questions fast, and reply calmly to negative reviews, since future buyers read your replies too.

7. Price and delivery

See where you sit next to competitors with similar ratings. Fast, free delivery often matters as much as price. Try small price changes and watch conversion, not only clicks.

8. Track it and keep tweaking

Keep an eye on impressions, click-through, conversion and sales for each listing.

• Few impressions means the keywords need work.
• Few clicks means the main photo and title need work.
• Clicks but no sales means looking at the photos, bullets, reviews and price.

Want us to do it?

At Apolline we build listings end to end: keyword research, product photos and infographics, titles and copy. For suitable sellers we also run product cards for a percentage of sales. Have a look at our services or send us a message.