Search optimization is hard—ranking algorithms consistently change and if your strategy doesn’t adapt quickly, you can disappear from the front page, never to be seen again. Finding the right balance of public information and keyword blending is no easy task, but we have mastered the art of SEO so you don’t have to, regardless of whether you need eBay SEO or Amazon SEO.
Using SEO effectively helps boost sales by providing easy access to your parts, ideally from the first few slots on the front page of eBay. Other, passive sales boosts may come from clear product descriptions and clear, high-quality photos of several different product angles. Consumers looking to purchase auto parts and accessories online prefer to have product spec sheets attached—either included in the overview or in the product description, usually in the form of an image.
Some examples of auto parts and expected documentation include:
- Tires with a spec sheet including maximum RPM, top speed, and load-bearing limits
- Transmissions with a spec sheet that covers: gear ratios, torque limitations, bolt pattern, bell housing shape diagram, and more.
Each of these five tips can be applied individually or as part of a larger strategy to ensure the best possible outcomes for each product. We offer optimization in all of these and countless other ways to keep your e-commerce sales goals on track.
Tip #1: Include Clear, Concise Product Descriptions
When customers and secondary suppliers seek out auto parts on eBay, they read the description carefully, skimming for SKUs, Product IDs, and Vehicle Compatibility markings. Include information about which vehicles a part is commonly used for in each of your product descriptions.
Beyond including vehicle compatibility information, we also recommend including part specifications. The following part specs help customers correctly identify auto parts on eBay, reducing return rates and increasing free cash flow.
Spec’ing out the specs
- Length, Width, Height
- Weight (Dry, Service, Shipping)
- Material Composition (if applicable)
- Point of Origin
- SKU and Model Number
- etc.
These specs give users a clear picture of what the part will look like, which part they need, and whether or not the part they are about to purchase is right for them. You wouldn’t want a light duty clutch for a high-powered racing Corvette, after all.
Tip #2: Use Keywords, But Use Them Sparingly
Keywords are an excellent way to optimize your eBay page. They tell search engines what your part is, and how they should direct users to find it. If your label a clutch with the ‘off-road’ keyword, however, it may be harder for customers to find it. Instead try using keywords like:
- Transmission
- Drivetrain
- Torque
With more targeted keywords, users have a much easier time locating your product—a few good keywords are worth much more than hundreds of terrible keywords. Too many keywords dilute your ‘product focus’ for the search engine, which is why users may have a harder time finding your parts.
Tip #3: Collect Reviews For Your Seller Account
Reviews are an integral part of social proof on peer-to-peer (P2P) selling sites, like eBay. Users do not want to buy from someone who has few or bad reviews, their risk is much higher than buying from a trusted source with 100 reviews or more. With over 170 million active buyers, eBay is a platform that businesses looking to sell auto parts online cannot afford to miss out on.
Social proof is one of the biggest motivators in buying for millennial and gen-z audiences, the up-and-coming car buyers, and generation with frequent part change-over. Due to years of poor practice on the part of dealerships, younger generations are more likely to buy parts from third-parties. The cost benefits are just too great—eBay Motors has made it a breeze to seek out parts from anyone in the world.
Tip #4: Link Back To Your Relevant Products Via Automotive Forums
Establishing authority is immensely important for not just Google, Yahoo, and Bing, but sites such as Amazon, eBay, and other e-commerce platforms have begun searching for how many times a product is linked. Not only can helping others in their native forum help build authority and reputation, but it can also drive organic (non-paid) sales.
Automotive forums are filled to the brim with hobbyists and car owners seeking to fix or improve their vehicle. Give them the information they need to make a smart decision up front and gently nudge them toward your store in the process. Our auto parts marketing strategy has helped businesses achieve a rate of return more than three times above the industry average.
Tip #5: Add Clear Photos From Multiple Angles For Each Part
What is the first thing you see when looking for items, people, or other things? It’s probably a photo, giving you a clear image of what you can expect. With automotive parts, photos are exceptionally important, customers need to be able to compare the part(s) you are selling to their own parts.
When users are looking for parts, they want to see each face of the part they are buying—if the transmission filter is the same size and shape, but it has two more holes than your filter, the buyer will not be happy. Showing multiple angles lets the customer see everything about the part—at least everything they can see from the inside/outside.
Another added benefit of multiple angles is, if customers leave negative reviews for the part and cite something clearly in view on a listed product photo, you will have a viable defense with future customers and system-specific customer protections. Customers failing to view all available information is not your fault as a seller, provided all of the information is there.
With a clearly defined eBay selling strategy, your eBay product listing optimization can lead you to the top of the eBay search engine and sell more auto parts and accessories—maybe leading into better business profitability and expansion. Contact us to learn more about OEM Interactive’s eBay marketing solutions to start selling more auto parts and accessories on eBay.
