5 Listing Title Mistakes That Are Killing Your Sales

Your product title is the first thing shoppers see in search results. It's also one of the most important factors in how marketplaces rank your listings. Yet most sellers make critical mistakes that cost them visibility and sales.

Here are the 5 most common title mistakes we see—and how to fix them.

1. Front-Loading Your Brand Name

The mistake: Starting your title with your shop or brand name.

Why it hurts: Marketplace search algorithms give more weight to words at the beginning of your title. If you start with "Sarah's Handmade Crafts -" you're wasting valuable real estate on words nobody is searching for.

The fix: Put your most important keywords first. Save your brand name for the end, or leave it out entirely.

❌ "Sarah's Crafts - Blue Ceramic Coffee Mug"

✅ "Handmade Ceramic Coffee Mug, Blue Glazed Pottery, Gift for Coffee Lovers"

2. Using Single-Word Keywords

The mistake: Stuffing your title with single, generic keywords like "mug, cup, ceramic, blue, pottery."

Why it hurts: Single keywords are extremely competitive. Millions of listings contain the word "mug." You'll never rank for it.

The fix: Use long-tail keyword phrases that match how people actually search. Think "ceramic coffee mug" not just "mug."

❌ "Mug Cup Ceramic Blue Handmade Pottery Coffee"

✅ "Blue Ceramic Coffee Mug, Handmade Pottery Cup, Unique Gift for Her"

3. Ignoring the Character Limit

The mistake: Writing titles that are either too short (missing keyword opportunities) or too long (getting cut off in search results).

Why it hurts: On Etsy, you get 140 characters. On Amazon, titles over 80 characters may get suppressed. Every marketplace has sweet spots.

The fix: Know your platform's limits and use them strategically:

Etsy: Use most of your 140 characters, but front-load the best keywords
Amazon: Keep it under 80 characters for most categories
eBay: 80 characters is the sweet spot

4. Repeating the Same Keywords

The mistake: Using the same keyword multiple times thinking it will help your ranking.

Why it hurts: Modern search algorithms don't reward repetition. You're wasting characters that could target additional search terms.

The fix: Use each keyword once, then use that space for variations and related terms.

❌ "Coffee Mug, Coffee Cup, Coffee Lover Gift, Coffee Ceramic Mug"

✅ "Ceramic Coffee Mug, Morning Tea Cup, Gift for Caffeine Lovers, Kitchen Drinkware"

5. Writing for Algorithms, Not Humans

The mistake: Creating keyword-stuffed titles that read like gibberish.

Why it hurts: Even if you rank well, shoppers won't click on listings that look spammy. Click-through rate affects your rankings too.

The fix: Write titles that flow naturally while still including important keywords. Read it out loud—if it sounds weird, rewrite it.

❌ "Mug Coffee Ceramic Blue Handmade Gift Kitchen Drinkware Cup Pottery"

✅ "Handmade Blue Ceramic Mug - Perfect Coffee Lover Gift - Artisan Kitchen Drinkware"

The Bottom Line

Your title needs to accomplish two things:

Tell the search algorithm what your product is
Convince shoppers to click

Get both right, and you'll see more views turning into more sales.

Want help optimizing your titles? ListBoost uses AI trained on top-performing listings to rewrite your titles for maximum visibility. Try it free—no credit card required.