Writing an Ad Title That Gets Clicks
Your title is a search query in disguise. Buyers type what they are looking for, and the closer your title matches their phrasing, the more often you appear — and the more likely they are to click when you do. This guide covers what to include, what to leave out, and gives you templates for the most common categories.
What this covers
Key takeaways
- Lead with brand and model. Buyers scan the first few words and nothing else.
- Include the details people filter on — size, capacity, year, condition.
- Every character spent on “bargain” or “must go” is a character not spent on specifics.
- Nobody searches for adjectives. They search for model numbers.
- A weak title is the most common reason a good item gets no views.
How buyers actually search
Watch how anyone looks for a second-hand item and a pattern emerges. They start broad, then get specific fast.
Someone wanting a phone does not search “phone” for long. Within two searches they are typing “iPhone 13 Pro 256GB unlocked”, because they know what they want and they want to filter out everything else. If your title says “iPhone for sale, good condition”, you have already dropped out of that search.
The same applies to browsing. In a grid of thumbnails, the title is the only text a buyer reads before deciding whether to click. It has perhaps two seconds to answer: is this the thing I want, and is it worth opening?
The title formula
Almost every strong classified title follows the same order:
Not every item needs all five. But this order matters, because buyers scan left to right and stop as soon as they know whether it is relevant.
Worked through:
- Brand: Trek
- Model: Marlin 7
- Specification: medium frame, 29in wheels
- Condition or age: 2022, lightly used
- Detail: hydraulic disc brakes
Result: Trek Marlin 7 mountain bike 2022, medium frame, hydraulic brakes
Templates by category
| Category | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | Year + Make + Model + Engine + Mileage + Owners | 2016 Toyota Corolla 1.6 petrol, 78,000 km, one owner |
| Phones | Make + Model + Storage + Colour + Network + Battery | iPhone 13 Pro 256GB Graphite, unlocked, battery 91% |
| Laptops | Make + Model + CPU + RAM + Storage + Year | Dell XPS 13 9310, i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 2021 |
| Furniture | Material + Type + Size + Colour + Age | Solid oak dining table, seats 6, 180 × 90 cm, 3 years old |
| Property rental | Bedrooms + Type + Area + Feature + Availability | 2-bed flat, city centre, balcony, available October |
| Jobs | Role + Level + Location + Type | Warehouse supervisor, full-time, Birmingham, immediate start |
| Services | Trade + Area + Qualification or Detail | Qualified electrician, Manchester and surrounding areas |
| Bicycles | Brand + Model + Type + Frame size + Detail | Specialized Rockhopper hardtail, large frame, new tyres |
| Appliances | Brand + Model + Type + Capacity + Age | Bosch Serie 6 washing machine, 9kg, 2 years old |
| Tools | Brand + Type + Power + Included | Makita 18V combi drill with 2 batteries and case |
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What to include
The test for anything in your title: would a buyer type this, or filter by it? If yes, include it. If no, it is decoration.
- Brand and model — the single most searched element
- Size, capacity or dimensions — the most common filter after price
- Year or age — critical for vehicles, electronics and anything with model cycles
- Colour — matters for furniture, clothing, phones and cars
- Condition signals — “unused”, “boxed”, “one owner”
- Notable inclusions — “with case”, “two batteries”, “full service history”
- Compatibility — “fits VW Golf Mk7” for parts and accessories
What to leave out
| Leave out | Why |
|---|---|
| “Bargain”, “cheap”, “must go” | Nobody searches these. They read as pressure. |
| ALL CAPITALS | Reads as spam and is harder to scan |
| Rows of exclamation marks | Signals a low-quality listing |
| “For sale” | Everything on the site is for sale |
| “Quick sale”, “first to see will buy” | Suggests a problem with the item |
| Your own name or shop name | Buyers search for products, not sellers |
| Emoji | Distracting and often stripped in search results |
| The price | It has its own field and appears automatically |
Cramming unrelated terms in — “sofa couch settee chair furniture lounge” — reads as spam to buyers and is a common reason for rejection at moderation. Write for the person, not the algorithm.
How long should a title be?
Long enough to be specific, short enough to read at a glance. Around 50–70 characters works well — roughly eight to twelve words.
Illustrative pattern showing how more specific titles tend to attract more clicks. Actual results vary by category and competition.
Front-load the important words. On narrow screens titles are often truncated, so “Trek Marlin 7 mountain bike…” survives the cut where “Excellent condition mountain bike, Trek…” does not.
Before and after
| Before | After | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa for sale | 3-seater grey fabric sofa, 2 years old, smoke-free home | Size, colour, material, age, condition signal |
| LAPTOP CHEAP!!! | Dell XPS 13, i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 2021 | Brand, model, full specification, year |
| Car, good runner | 2016 Toyota Corolla 1.6 petrol, 78,000 km, one owner | Year, make, model, engine, mileage, ownership |
| Baby stuff bundle | Bugaboo Fox 3 pram with carrycot and rain cover | Brand, model, what is included |
| Flat to let | 2-bed flat, city centre, balcony, available October | Size, area, feature, availability |
| Drill | Makita 18V combi drill with 2 batteries and case | Brand, voltage, type, inclusions |
Testing and rewriting
Your listing shows a view count. That number tells you whether the title is working, independently of whether the item is selling.
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Very few views | Title too vague, or wrong category | Rewrite with brand, model and specification |
| Views but no messages | Title fine; price or photographs are not | Leave the title, fix those instead |
| Wrong kind of enquiries | Title ambiguous | Add the detail that disambiguates |
Type what you think a buyer would type, and see whether your listing appears. If it does not, you have found your problem in about thirty seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put the price in the title?
No. Price has its own field and displays automatically. Using title space for it wastes characters that could carry searchable detail.
Does capitalising words help?
No. It reads as spam, makes the title harder to scan, and has no effect on how listings are found.
Should I mention the condition?
Briefly, if it is a selling point — “unused”, “boxed”, “one owner”. Detailed condition belongs in the description.
What if my item has no brand?
Lead with what it is and its most distinctive attributes: material, size, style, age. “Solid pine bookcase, 180cm, five shelves” works perfectly well.
Can I change the title after publishing?
Yes, from My Ads in your account panel. Edits are re-reviewed before going live.
Should I repeat the category in the title?
Only where it aids clarity. “Mountain bike” is useful because it distinguishes from road bikes; “Vehicles” is not.
The short version
Write the title a buyer would type. Brand first, then model, then the specifications people filter on. Cut every adjective that is not doing work. Then search for your own item and check you can find it.
Write it and list it
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You can also browse listings across 238 countries before you settle on a price.
