Why clutter up your wardrobe with clothes you never put on? Turn them into cash or something you’ll love to wear. That’s the philosophy making Vinted and Depop such popular websites and apps right now.
Recycled fashion is a trend that’s increasingly popular. Vinted has grown massively over the last few years, currently boasting 75 million worldwide users. Rival Depop also has over 21 million registered global users and welcomes 430,000 new listed items every week.
But such huge growth doesn’t come without challenge. There are millions of items on each site, so selling your stuff isn’t as simple as putting it online and waiting for the cash to roll in. The skirt, shirt, or shoes you’re offering have a lot of competition and could easily go unnoticed. So, how do you get your second-hand items seen and sold? In this article, we’ll explore some simple SEO techniques for maximising product visibility and your chances of selling.
The power is in SEO
To get your gear moving on Vinted or Depop, you need to turn yourself into a smarter-than-average seller. That means understanding how people navigate their way through all that choice. Ultimately, the way anyone finds the items they want comes down to three simple words: search engine optimisation.
Each site has its own “mini-Google” powered by an algorithm. It learns from shoppers as they browse, using their previous searches to guide buyers towards the fashion they want. Next time they visit the app, the clever algorithm gives users recommendations of items they might like.
The power of SEO on Vinted or Depop cannot be ignored. Not convinced? Here’s what eBay has to say on the subject:
“Search engine optimization (SEO)… describes actions aimed at improving a site or page in order to rank highly in the search results. Smart listings optimization can help you get more views from potential buyers… Keywords, or semantic core, is one of the main SEO tools. These are words and phrases that the system uses to determine which search queries a page matches. To understand how to build a semantic core, imagine yourself in the shoes of the buyer. Imagine what you would write in the search bar if you wanted to find your product.”
Lewis Allen, Senior SEO Executive at TrunkBBI, expands on this further, stating: “SEO describes the process of improving a site’s scope of reach by means of adherence to the search engines that we use every day. One of the main SEO tools is keyword optimisation. Keywords are brilliant way to describe to the smart listings what exactly is being sold. The more you add the more specific the item becomes.”
Lewis also explained why detail in listings is essential for making sure products reach their intended audience.
He says: “Search queries are described through words and phrases to display listing matches. To understand how to format a listing like an SEO expert, it comes down to the greater the amount of detail, the better chance the product has. This also goes for search engines. For example, if you were to search for Nike shoes, this leaves the listing very generic to search engines and customers. However, if you begin to add the details of the shoe size (UK 10), the specific brand (Nike Jordan) and details of the product (colours and names) you’re looking for, the more likely you are to find the listing/sell.”
Now you know why a little SEO know-how can make all the difference. At TrunkBBI, we’re a search-savvy digital marketing agency. So, here’s our guide to the SEO techniques that can turn you into a super-seller on Vinted and Depop.
9 SEO tips to turbocharge your Vinted and Depop sales
- Use effective keywords when describing what you’re selling
Put yourself into the mind of someone who’s in the market for your item. Jot down the words and phrases they would use, including brand name, product category, colour, size, condition, distinctive details and price.
Need help? Try searching for a similar item to read the descriptions that show up first. Now you have the keywords to get your item found by potential buyers. But don’t just list keywords randomly. Put them together into a descriptive and engaging blurb. That’s what it takes to get ahead when there are thousands of others selling similar stuff.
- Use trend keywords
Fashion influences words as well as clothes, and trend keywords help you tap into what’s a hot topic. They’re the current buzzwords being searched for frequently by clothes buyers. Examples right now include “Y2K” and “Grunge”, but fashion being fashion, the words may have changed by the time you’re reading this.
If you’re not feeling hip to today’s trendy terms, reading the latest fashion blogs is a great way to catch up. One small warning, however—using trend keywords that are too niche may make your items sound expensive. It might also narrow your audience too much, which can make items more difficult to sell.
- Write detailed listing descriptions
Weaving keywords into a detailed and accurate description of your product can help turn browsers into buyers. Assume other people have settled for describing their item as “green trousers”. That’s when your much more detailed description, including the embroidery on the back pocket, will set your listing apart.
Detailed listings should also include any flaws or defects. Honesty won’t put people off a bargain, but it can prevent rejection once they’ve got the purchase in their hands.
- Use clear and effective product images
Good, clear photography is also important (see below) but even the best image might not do it justice on a tiny smartphone screen, so you need to get creative.
Great product images will make your listing stand out and get your description read by more of the right people. Effective tactics include “modelling” the item for the photography and showing it from all the best angles with close-ups of key features. The result will be a higher click-through rate (CTR)—a vital ranking factor for sites such as Vinted.
- Accessibility: include ALT text for every image
Alternative text is a short phrase describing the image. This is needed in case the image fails to appear or loads slowly. Without it, the potential buyer will be looking at a blank space where the picture should be.
Choose your text carefully and use keywords when possible. That way, your placeholder text will also help with SEO. Search engines are programmed to favour accessibility. Fresh, concise language, high-quality images, and text broken up with sub-headings are all treated as accessibility features by search engines.
- Price competitively
People on Vinted and Depop love a low price. They’re here for a bargain, so competitive pricing is core to a successful SEO strategy. Great images and descriptions matter too, but a price with the “wow” factor can be the clincher. Remember, even £1 or £2 is money you didn’t have while that blouse was being neglected at the back of a wardrobe.
- Choose the right category
Buyers aren’t going to find that pink vest top you’re selling if you accidentally list it as a T-shirt. Take care with putting each item in the right category and you’re vastly increasing your sales potential, especially if this is supported with the right keywords. If you’re stumped for anything interesting to say, a catch-all term such as “vintage” can be very handy.
- Include every detail
Don’t miss anything from your description that could potentially sell the item. That little appliqué logo at the back of a shoe may seem insignificant, but it’s going to be the “buy” trigger for someone out there. Customers click on listings featuring the details they’re hunting for.
- Rethink non-selling items
If something isn’t attracting enough interest, don’t give up. Regroup instead. Listings are free on Vinted, so you’ve got nothing to lose by refreshing the listing with a more SEO-oriented caption, a different photographic angle, or a reduced price.
Interested in how the latest SEO expertise can help your business, as well as turn you into a super-seller on Vinted, Depop, and eBay? Contact the TrunkBBI team at any time.
