Quick question . . . .

[best_vintage_photos]

Does the use of punctuation in listing titles, like commas for example, mess up key word searches?

[zzydny]

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@best_vintage_photos wrote:

Does the use of punctuation in listing titles, like commas for example, mess up key word searches?

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Other posters on this board have said that this is the case.

[best_vintage_photos]

"Other posters on this board have said that this is the case."

I wonder if it would be okay if one kept any punctuation out of the first four words?

[iart]

I'm not sure but why waste the space? Unless the punctuation would pull readers eyes in, why?

I'm sure others will disagree but we think the title is for key word searching. Who searches for a comma?

[jbbowers12012]

THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION!!  THANK YOU!!

[goodluckselling · Accepted solution]

It does not mess up the search unless the puncuation is between words that work together in a keyword phrase, but as already mentioned there is no reason to really use them in titles.  Search engines do not put any value on them and if they see repeated puncuations in the same title then it can have a negative effect. 

Keep in mind you are not just setting up your listing for the eBay search engine but also for external search engines like google, bing, yahoo, and dozens of other ones in use, and they generally do not like them, so another reason to not use them.

Good Luck Selling!

[castlemagicmemories]

I've read numerous times that it should be deleted as it can bog search down, and is not really needed.

[best_vintage_photos]

"

It does not mess up the search unless the puncuation is between words that work together in a keyword phrase, but as already mentioned there is no reason to really use them in titles.  Search engines do not put any value on them and if they see repeated puncuations in the same title then it can have a negative effect. 

Keep in mind you are not just setting up your listing for the eBay search engine but also for external search engines like google, bing, yahoo, and dozens of other ones in use, and they generally do not like them, so another reason to not use them.

Good Luck Selling!"

What you have said here does make total sense.

Thank you! Good luck to you as well!

[sockmonkeydave]

@best_vintage_photos

I don't know, but it has been talked about on the boards.

Best to not use them, most of the time you don't need them.

Now a dash in a part number seems to be cool.

But the @ #  %

They seem to cause the bots to go crazy...

[div_style]

Agree with previous posters.  And to add:  Your title does not need to be a sentence or be grammatical in any way.  It needs to make it clear to the looker what the item is and additionally include as many keywords (search words) as possible.  I doubt there is any eBayer who searches for "L@@K" or "WOW!" in an attempt to find an item to buy, so don't waste space with things like that.  And whatever the item is, put it's name first and all the adjectives that describe it after.

[best_vintage_photos]

"

I don't know, but it has been talked about on the boards.

Best to not use them, most of the time you don't need them.

Now a dash in a part number seems to be cool.

But the @ #  %

They seem to cause the bots to go crazy..."

But what if that was my goal all along?

To make the bots go crazy . . . . 😉

[muttlymob]

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@zzydny wrote:

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@best_vintage_photos wrote:

Does the use of punctuation in listing titles, like commas for example, mess up key word searches?

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Other posters on this board have said that this is the case.

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Has anyone been able to verify this, or has it just been repeated often enough that it is now accepted as true?

[muttlymob]

But what if that was my goal all along?

To make the bots go crazy . . . .

Batty bots.  LOL.

But seriously, just my opinion on some of your titles.  Get rid of the commas, periods, quote marks, & and @ symbols.  Most of your titles do not use all available characters so you have room to spell out those words.  The punctuation is unnecessary.

[solarshift7]

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@best_vintage_photos wrote:

"Other posters on this board have said that this is the case."

I wonder if it would be okay if one kept any punctuation out of the first four words?

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I'd avoid punctuation if at all possible-Cassini is fickle we hear.  After all buyers search using words and not punctuation.  I should probably double check mine!

[best_vintage_photos]

"I'd avoid punctuation if at all possible-Cassini is fickle we hear.  After all buyers search using words and not punctuation.  I should probably double check mine!"

Wow. Just imagine if that was my trouble all along since Cassini. I have been complaining about low item views, and perhaps my punctuation was hurting me all this time.

Well, every time i relist anything from now on, i will simply get rid of it all, and leave mostly nouns behind.