Start with your current advert
Open ‘My adverts’ and first check the status of the advert. Depending on whether the advert is active, pending, rejected, deactivated or archived, different management functions may be available.
If ‘Edit’ is available, open the existing advert. Do not immediately create a second advert with almost identical content. If an advert has been rejected, you should first read the reason given and correct the relevant details specifically.
These instructions focus on the practical revision of an existing advert. ‘Why is it important to provide sufficient information in my advert?’ explains why sufficient information is fundamentally important.
Check the fixed basic details first
The type, category, situation and location cannot be changed after submission for review. You should therefore first check whether these four details still apply to the advert.
Check the following:
- Does the type describe the actual purpose, for example ‘Marketplace’, ‘Services’ or ‘Lost’?
- Does the category match the main item or service?
- Is the situation correct, for example ‘Sell’, ‘Wanted’, ‘Offer’ or ‘Found’?
- Is the specified collection, service, loss, find or event location correct?
An incorrect selection of basic details cannot be rectified by adding extra words to the title or description. If any of these details are incorrect, a new advert must be created with the correct basic information. Close the incorrect advert in accordance with its current status to ensure that no conflicting adverts remain active.
Further guidance can be found under ‘How do I choose the right category for my advert on suchen.expert?’ and ‘Fixed listing details’.
Tailor the title to the actual content
Write the title in such a way that users can get a general idea of the content before even opening the advert.
A good title includes:
- a specific description of the item, service or event,
- a key distinguishing feature,
- where applicable, the brand, model or type of service,
- only terms that actually relate to the advert.
Remove:
- general statements such as ‘Great offer’ or ‘Must see’,
- irrelevant brands and search terms,
- unnecessary repetitions,
- excessive capitalisation and special characters,
- email address, telephone number or postal address,
- unsubstantiated superlatives or guarantees.
The title must match the category, situation, images and description. A low price or highlighting does not compensate for an unclear title.
Rewrite the description to make it clear and well-structured
Use the available space for relevant facts and avoid repetition.
A practical order is:
- short introduction: What is being offered or sought?
- key features: model, version, scope or type of service,
- condition and known defects,
- items included and not included,
- price and any additional costs,
- availability, date or timeframe,
- collection, delivery or method of service provision,
- special conditions or restrictions.
Start with the information that is most important for making a decision. Use short paragraphs and clear terminology. If a piece of information is unknown or only an estimate, state this clearly.
Avoid contradictory statements. For example, an advert should not state ‘available immediately’ and ‘already reserved’ at the same time, or say ‘new’ in the title and ‘heavily used’ in the description.
Add any missing details appropriate to the advert type
Revise the text to suit the specific purpose of the advert.
For ‘Marketplace’ and ‘Give away’ adverts, the following details are often useful:
- manufacturer, model and version,
- condition and functionality,
- age or length of use, where relevant,
- known faults, repairs and signs of wear and tear,
- quantity and what is included,
- included accessories,
- collection or delivery,
- price or what is wanted in exchange,
- current availability.
For ‘Services’, you should include:
- the exact task or service offered,
- the scope of the service and expected outcome,
- service area or whether the service can be provided online,
- available dates,
- pricing basis,
- costs for materials, travel or additional expenses,
- services not included,
- necessary prerequisites,
- actual qualifications held, where relevant.
Instead of a general statement such as ‘I offer consultancy’, you should explain the topics on which advice is provided, the target audience for the service, how the consultancy is carried out and how the price is calculated.
For ‘Lost’, ‘Found’ and ‘Incidents’, the following are particularly important:
- the factually correct situation,
- date or realistic timeframe,
- the correct location,
- a clear description of the item or incident,
- externally recognisable features,
- distinguishing between your own observations and assumptions,
- one distinguishing feature withheld for private verification of a claim of possession.
For ‘Events’, you should check:
- the nature and purpose of the event,
- the date, start time and expected end time,
- target audience,
- access requirements,
- admission or participation conditions,
- accessibility, where known,
- whether registration is required,
- possible changes or cancellation terms.
Only use information that is actually accurate and whose publication is permitted.
Make prices and costs clear
Check whether the stated price corresponds to the current offer and the scope described.
Make it clear:
- whether it is a total price or a price per item,
- whether, in the case of a service, billing is per hour, per appointment or per job,
- which components are included in the price,
- which unavoidable additional costs will arise,
- whether postage, material or travel costs are added,
- the available budget for a wanted advert, where useful,
- what is wanted in return for a swap.
Do not use a misleading zero price if payment is actually required. An advert under ‘Give away’ must not contain a hidden purchase price. Business providers must themselves comply with their applicable statutory price and information obligations.
Further guidance can be found under ‘How do I enter the price for my offer correctly on suchen.expert?’
Improve your photos effectively
Check each existing image to ensure it accurately supports the advert. A few clear photos are more helpful than numerous almost identical or blurred shots.
For better photos:
- photograph the actual item from several useful angles,
- show any relevant defects and signs of wear,
- use good lighting and a plain background,
- ensure colours are as natural as possible and proportions are not distorted,
- show all items included in a set,
- for services, only use images that accurately represent the actual service provided,
- for events, only use images that you are authorised to publish.
Before uploading, remove or obscure:
- private addresses and shipping labels,
- ID, bank account and card details,
- full serial and IMEI numbers,
- QR codes, barcodes and ticket codes,
- registration plates and identifiable uninvolved people,
- precise location information in metadata.
Images do not replace a description of known defects. Further practical advice can be found in ‘How should I format my advert, and what sort of photos can I use?’
Check the location, date and availability
The location cannot be changed after submission for review. You should therefore check whether the existing advert is still being offered or sought in the correct location.
If the location is incorrect, a note such as ‘actually a different location’ in the description is not sufficient. In this case, create a new advert with the correct location and close the incorrect advert.
Update editable time and availability details:
- incident or event date,
- start and end times,
- collection or service period,
- current availability,
- reservation status, where this function is available,
- changes, postponements or cancellations.
Do not publish your exact home address in the title or description. Use the location and messaging functions provided.
Improve findability within the correct type
A search on a search page considers only adverts within the currently selected type. A service advert will therefore not appear in search results under ‘Marketplace’ merely by adding extra keywords if it was created under the wrong type.
If the type is correct, improve findability by:
- selecting an appropriate category,
- using a specific title,
- including common and relevant terms in the description,
- providing the correct make and model,
- specifying the correct location,
- writing a natural description without lists of words.
Do not use irrelevant brands, locations or terms. Hashtags and repeated keywords are no substitute for correct categorisation and do not guarantee a higher ranking.
Further guidance can be found under ‘How can I make sure my advert is easy to find in the search results? Can I use hashtags or keywords?’
Describe results and service promises realistically
If you advertise a specific result, explain clearly what service you actually provide and what steps are involved.
Make sure you:
- only list services that you can actually offer,
- describe the process or working method in a way that is easy to understand,
- mention any necessary cooperation required from the client,
- disclose any possible limitations and prerequisites,
- do not promise guaranteed results if success depends on external circumstances,
- only state qualifications and experience if they are actually held.
A clear description of the service builds trust. However, it should not give a false impression of guaranteed success that the provider cannot ensure.
Improve the same offer, do not replace it
Editing must not transform the existing advert into a different product or service.
The following are permitted, for example:
- describing the condition of the same item in greater detail,
- adjusting the price of the same offer,
- adding new photos of the same item,
- specifying the scope of the same service,
- updating the date for the same event.
A new advert is required if:
- a different item is to be offered,
- a new, separate service is added,
- the type, category, situation or location no longer matches the offer,
- a wanted advert is changed into an advert offering an item for sale,
- an individual item that has been sold is to be replaced with another item.
End the old advert and create a new advert with the correct classification. Do not artificially alter text or images to circumvent a rejection or rule. Further guidance can be found in ‘What should I do to avoid product or service substitutions in my advert?’
Remove contact details and confidential information
Under the General Terms of Use, email addresses, telephone numbers and postal addresses must not appear in an advert’s title or text. Use the platform functions provided for contact and location details.
Also remove:
- passwords, PINs and TANs,
- one-time and verification codes,
- complete activation and reset links,
- bank and card verification details,
- full ID numbers or other document numbers,
- unnecessary health, family or employment data,
- other people’s personal data without adequate authorisation,
- private messages or chat excerpts without a legal basis.
Even a field that is not publicly displayed but is searchable is not a secure place to store secrets.
Check changes before saving
Read the complete advert again from the perspective of someone who is unfamiliar with the item, service or event.
Check:
- Are the title and description clear?
- Do the text, images, price and items included match?
- Are known defects visible and described?
- Is the content up to date?
- Are any necessary costs or terms missing?
- Have all prohibited contact details been excluded?
- Have unnecessary personal data been removed?
- Is it still the same offer?
- Are the fixed basic details still appropriate?
- Are the spelling, numbers and dates correct?
Save or submit the change only once the entire advert is consistent. A detailed description guarantees neither approval nor any particular position or number of enquiries.
Monitor the status after editing
After saving, check the status under ‘My adverts’. Depending on the content and current status, a change may be reviewed. However, do not state categorically that every edit necessarily triggers another review or appears publicly immediately.
If the advert was rejected, read the specific reason and correct it directly. Do not create several slightly modified versions. Further information can be found under ‘How do I edit a rejected advert and resubmit it?’
If an active advert does not appear in search despite having the correct basic details, check the selected type page, category, location, search radius and any other active filters. ‘What can I do if I can't find my advert in the search results?’ will help you narrow down the cause further.
If a function or moderation decision remains unclear, contact the support team via the contact form. State the advert ID, the status displayed and your specific question, but do not include passwords, security codes or complete security links.
