Tips on Optimizing Your Auction for Search Engines (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a powerful process that can help drive traffic to your online catalog from search-engine sites like Google and Yahoo.
There isn't a way to promise your auction will appear at the top of Google’s search results, however, there are some best practices that you can use to help improve your auction’s SEO.
1. Select Keywords
Finding the best possible words to describe your auction is a critical step in improving your catalog’s SEO. Think like a collector: what words would you search for when looking for your kind of items? This is also a helpful exercise for considering which categories your items should be placed under for LiveAuctioneers’ on-site search function.
2. Your Item Titles and Descriptions
Item Title and Descriptions are two important SEO elements.
Item Title
Your Item Title is used to create the page title on search engines. Search engines only show approx. 66 characters, so LiveAuctioneers has an automatic character limit to ensure your item title fits into Google’s page title. Your item title should not exceed 55 characters.
Clearly describe your item at the beginning of the Item Title. Use keywords you think a collector may search. This counts for the search engine on LiveAuctioneers, too!
Item Description
Your description is also important beyond the first 66 characters. Search engines look at a page's full content. Make sure to include the size, materials used, how it was made, and any unique features. The words used here help collectors find your items when they search on LiveAuctioneers too.
Avoid using hashtags.
3. About Us Page
This will tell search engines all about your business and the kinds of items you sell. Use welcoming language and keywords that you think collectors will search to find your items.
The first 160 characters of your About Us section are used to create the meta description on search engines.
You can edit your About Us page by going to Sellers Dashboard > Auctioneer Details > About Us. Use the View as appears now link to see how it will look on LiveAuctioneers.
4. Inbound Links
The number and quality of inbound links to a page is important for SEO. You want people to be writing about your auction, as well as linking to your LiveAuctioneers pages. This helps search engines know that people are interested in your content.
Consider linking to your LiveAuctioneers catalog from your business website and personal blogs, and when networking with other sites to encourage them to feature your auctions.
5. Social Media
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are great sites to show search engines that people are talking about auctions. Yahoo and Bing, particularly, use social media as a ranking signal; so if you have one of these channels running, use them to promote your sales!
You can find social media links to your catalog by going to Sellers Dashboard > Live Auction > Select Catalog Title and finding the Marketing tab.
All of the above advice applies to optimizing your sale for LiveAuctioneers search. We have included a few extra tips below.
6. Categories
When bidders use the search filters on LiveAuctioneers, they will find items based on the way you categorize them. Think of the style, period, origin, creator, materials and techniques used.
Refine your categorization for individual lots by going to Sellers Dashboard > Live Auction > Select Catalog Title > All Items and hit the Edit Categories button.
7. Photography
Clear, striking photographs help tell bidders about your unique items. Good images will invite clicks from bidders so they can take a closer look. We allow up to 10 images per lot and recommend using an image that is a maximum of 1100 pixels wide. Using an original image of this size allows shoppers to use the Zoom feature. Take a look at our Guide to Image Formats.