You have made something good. Now it needs to sit on a screen next to hundreds of other options and convince a stranger to stop, read and choose it. That is the job of your listing. Not to be clever, but to be clear.
Most people do not read listings word by word. They skim. They look at the photo, glance at the title, scan a few bullets and decide whether to read on. Good listings are built for skimmers first and careful readers second.
Start with your buyer, not your product
Before you write a word, think about who is looking. What are they searching for? What do they worry about? What would make them confident enough to buy? A buyer searching for a wedding gift has different questions from one buying for themselves.
Write down the three questions buyers ask you most often. If you are not sure, think about the messages you get or what people pick up and ask about at markets. Your listing should answer those questions before anyone has to ask.
The title: clear beats clever
Your title has two jobs: help the right people find you and tell them instantly what this is. Lead with what it is, then add the details that matter most to buyers, such as material, size, style or who it is for.
- Weak: "The Juniper"
- Better: "Handmade Ceramic Planter, Small, Speckled Glaze with Drainage Hole"
Check the character limit for where you sell. Marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon have limits, and Instagram cuts captions off after a short preview. Put the most important words first so they show even when the title is shortened.
Bullets: the five things that matter most
Bullets are where skimmers decide. Pick the five facts that answer your buyers' biggest questions. Start each with the benefit, then back it with the detail.
- Built to last: hand-thrown stoneware, fired at high temperature
- Happy roots: drainage hole and matching saucer included
- Fits most windowsills: 4 inches wide, 4 inches tall
- Each one is unique: glaze patterns vary slightly
- Gift-ready: arrives wrapped in recyclable packaging
The description: tell a little, answer a lot
Your description is for people who are interested and want to know more. Open with one or two sentences that help them picture the product in their life. Then answer the practical questions: size, materials, care, delivery, returns, customisation.
A sentence or two about how you make it can help, especially for handmade work. Keep it short and specific. "Each planter is thrown on the wheel in my home studio and glazed by hand" says more than a paragraph about passion.
A simple structure
- Opening: who it is for and the feeling or result it gives
- How it is made: one or two specific sentences
- The practical details: size, materials, care
- Delivery and returns: what to expect
- A gentle nudge: gifting options, matching items or how to order a custom piece
Aim for roughly 120 to 180 words for most products. That is enough to answer questions without overwhelming.
Tags and keywords: think like a searcher
Tags help search tools understand what your listing is about. Use the words real buyers type, not the words you use in your studio. A buyer types "small plant pot" more often than "stoneware vessel".
- Mix broad terms with specific ones
- Include who it is for or the occasion, like "housewarming gift"
- Add style words buyers use, like "minimalist" or "boho"
- Avoid repeating the same word in every tag
Writing for services
If you sell a service, the same principles apply, with one shift: people cannot hold what they are buying, so you need to help them picture the result and the process. Describe the outcome, the steps, how long it takes and what you need from them. Be specific about what is and is not included.
Check before you publish
- Does the title say what it is in the first few words?
- Do the bullets answer the top buyer questions?
- Is every detail accurate, from size to delivery time?
- Have you read it out loud?
- Would a stranger understand it without your explanation?
Then publish, watch what happens and adjust. Your listing is never finished. Every question a buyer asks is a hint about what to add next.