Simply Shiny Life

SeoWebDesign from etsy started a thread about how to maximize the terms in your shop title for better Google search results. Good stuff.

“Most searches on the Internet begin with keywords or search terms. Many of these are used over and over again. For example, when someone is looking for handmade jewelry, all or part of the search term is usually “handmade jewelry.”

When you look at my shop, seowebdesign.etsy.com , you will see the following words just below my shop banner: “SEO Web Design Custom Web Designs Web Design Templates.” This describes what I am selling in my Etsy shop.

You can test this by searching on these words, “SEO Web Design Custom Web Designs Web Design Templates” in Google (or Yahoo or MSN). On Google, you will see this exact phrase with a link to my shop at the top of page 2 of the search results.

No one is likely to search on all of those words at the same time – the keywords I have many competing web sites using those same keywords and I have more optimizing to do to get to the top of the search results just for the keywords, “seo web design.”

If your shop has your shop name or something cute in the title, then you are missing on an opportunity to get visitors who are looking for what you are selling if you do not use keywords in your Etsy shop title that can be used on Google to search for what you are selling.

The title that you use is placed into the title of your Web page – something you cannot see unless you look at the progam code.

Search engines such as Google and Yahoo read the Web page title to see what your Web page is about and then add your Web page to all the Web sites that use to those same keywords.

This is also true of your section names in your Etsy shop. Click on any section in your own shop and look at how the title changes to whatever words you are using in your section names. This title that you see is also placed into the Web page title (that you do not see) and this is where the search engines like Google and Yahoo look to see what each section of your Etsy shop is about.

How do you know what to use in your shop titles or section names? Use a keyword research tool such as the really good free tool supplied by Google and find keywords that are relevant to the products you are selling. Google’s keyword research tool will tell you how much Internat traffic was looking for each keyword phrase in the past 30 days.

Googles Keyword Tool can be found here: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Find keyword phrases that are very relevant to your products or services. Do no use single words like “jewelry.” Words like this are so competitive on the Internet that your shop would disappear somewhere on page 500 for that word and no-one would ever find it on Google or Yahoo.

If you choose keywords that are very competitive, be prepared to use more SEO work to bring your shop or Web site up in the rankings.

Try these changes and test them with a search on Google in about 5 -7 days – you will find your shop somewhere on the search results. The less competition there is for your keywords, the higher up you will be on the search results.”

I’m a handmade soap junkie. So is my kiddo. We both love the ‘flavors’ and the great smell and the fact that all the fats and oils in those handmade bars make our skin feel terrific. It’s not inexpensive, but I’ve found that real, handmade soap is far, far superior to the stuff I can pick up at my grocery store. Why though?  I mean, why doesn’t the store stuff smell as good or make my skin feel as good? I knew the ingredients are different, but not exactly why I liked this stuff so much better.

I found this post from SwanMountainSoaps in the etsy forum that explained it perfectly. Thought I would share:

The “soaps” you see on supermarket shelves are not usually soap. Almost all of them are detergent bars. (Notice how they call themselves “beauty bars” or whatnot?) And like the stuff you put in your washing machine, they can strip the natural oils from your skin. That’s fine with the people in the next isle who want to sell you a lot of lotion and Vaseline, but it really isn’t so good for your skin.

True handmade soaps retain the glycerine that is a natural byproduct of the soapmaking process. Glycerine is a humectant – it draws moisture to your skin. And soapmakers usually formulate their soaps so that a wee bit of the skin-loving oils they use will remain on your skin.

Handmade soap is more expensive. It is. But, really, you get what you pay for. I buy a LOT, and have several fave sellers that keep my supplied. One of the things I do is slice the bars into 3 or 4 pieces. The kiddo gets his own soap in his own fave ‘flavors’.  Slicing these ultra thick bars into several pieces helps them to last longer during the nightly kiddo bath extravaganzas.

Two recent favorite scents are:

Blueberry Muffin (YUM.. this smells JUST as good as the real thing)

Handmade blueberry muffin soap

Michelle, from Pegasus Soaps made the roll soap, below, in grape and cherry flavors for the kiddo. They smell JUST like popsicles. Can I tell you how much he LOVES them? !! 

handmade roll up soap

And what kind of handmade soap and bath products do you use?

So, the seller didn’t accept our offer. They did counter, but for more than we wanted to pay for that property. I feel for these owners.. they purchased at the high end of the market, and the market has definitely changed. I’m sure they owe more than the home is worth now and don’t want to approach their bank with a less than owes offer.

We’ll keep looking. And we have our list of requirements pretty well internalized now.

Wish us luck.

After some cajoling, Artfire has finally enabled site search in Google Analytics for its sellers. You can find more info in this thread on the Artfire Forums: http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=forums&op=view_topic&tid=855

I posted about this topic earlier when it was enabled by Etsy. You can find the post here:

http://shinyadornments.com/simplyshiny/2009/02/using-google-analytics-to-track-my-etsy-traffic-enable-site-search/

Sellers should know where the traffic is generated for their shops. Utilizing Google Analytics to track both internal as well as external traffic metrics makes good business sense. If you’d like to enable site search for your Artfire Studio, you can find the detailed instructions in MY ARTFIRE: MY STUDIO: MY STATS. Scroll to the middle of the page and look for the Google Analytics section on your page.  Visit the forum link above if you get stuck.

I’ve posted several articles in the last few months about how to make the most of your etsy and artfire shops, and how to simplify selling handmade items online with tools, etc.

Here is a quick list of useful blog posts in case you missed any of them:

1. Optimizing your Etsy and Artfire item description for GOOGLE base

2. International postal shipping tips for your handmade items

3. How to price your handmade creations: Tools available online

4. What are Google Alerts and why do I need them?

5. Using Google Analytics to track my etsy traffic: ENABLE Site Search!

6. More tagging tips for your etsy and artfire handmade items

7. Marketing : 5 basic steps to successful selling

8. Etsy sellers: Want to know what treasuries you’re in? And gift guides?

9. Etsy and Artfire item titles: Are yours configured the best way for Google?

Ok, so maybe Johnny Depp is channeling Madonna in his latest flick, but he does that, right? I mean, he absconded with Keith Richard’s look in the Pirate’s movies, didn’t he? By the way, I am NOT the only one who thinks JD’s Mad Hatter is a TOTAL recreation of Madonna, right down to the gap.  Don’t believe me? Search Google for yourself.

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q=johnny+depp+madonna&aq=f&aqi=g1&oq=

No matter, I am counting the days until the new Alice in Wonderland movie hits the local theaters. Have you see a clip? If not, here you go.

I am SO going. Johnny Depp. Tim Burton. I am THERE dude.

We made an offer for a house this afternoon. The paperwork has been filed and earnest money check has been sent. Now it’s time to wait to see if the sellers agree with our terms.

It’s been a REALLY long time since our last home buying experience. I don’t remember being so indecisive and nervous the last time around.  Maybe it is because we aren’t as young and naive as we were before. Maybe it’s because we both know how much work it is going to be to actually move 15 years worth of crap from point A to point B if the offer is accepted.  Maybe it is because when this house is paid for we’ll both be close to social security age. Appalling and depressing on some level I guess. Or, looking at it another way, we’ll be social security age regardless. This way we’ll just have a house that’s paid for, right?

This particular house meets all of the requirements of my earlier list:

1. 3 car garage.
2. Laundry on the main floor.
3. A workspace area for me in the basement. It’s unfinished but HUGE. YAY
4. A man cave.  No wet bar, but a real honest to goodness man cave. Condusive to sports television.  and beer. and testosterone.
5. A larger bedroom for the short Smith.

Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Shiny Spotlight Thursday

This week I thought it would be fun to see what was returned when I used the search term ‘silly’ in etsy’s search.

Clicking on each image will link you to the seller of each item, if you decide you simply must purchase it.

Enjoy!

Lavender Plush Shark Hat from Obey My Brain

One Eyed Alien Bank by Kaufman Pottery Plus  (author’s note: this is an AWESOME shop!!)

Crazy Love Card from upup

Sock Monkey Wedding Cake Topper from Spirit Mama

Silly blue bird called Aldo by Smiling Blue Dog

Amor Dillo Armadillo Sculpture by Just JB

Happy Shopping everyone!

Look for the Shiny Spotlight every Thursday.

Mary Mary recently posted this list in the etsy forums.  It’s potentially good info about how to get your treasury on the front page.  Although, the whole FP process is still a bit nebulous,  at a miniumum, the tips below may help to curate a more gorgeous collection.

Hi there,

Treasuries appear on the homepage several times a day, currently you will see roughly 16-20 Treasuries featured in a given day. As long as your list is active, it has a chance of being featured (usually closer to the day it is set to expire give or take).

Not all Treasuries are featured on the homepage, but we do try to mix things up. Some tips to keep in mind if you are making a Treasury with the goal in mind of it being featured on the homepage are:

* Use all 16 item slots, including all 4 alternates spaces.
* Make sure all 16 slots are from different sellers.
* Try not to use an item from one of your own shop/s.
* Include a variety of represented categories throughout your collection.
* Include a variety of price points throughout your collection.
* Use items with clear, crisp, and most importantly, inspiring photos.
* Try not to use the same sellers or friends frequently when you make new collections. We are trying to use more community made Treasury lists moving forward and will be looking for lists with broader variety. For example, using items or sellers that have been featured on the homepage recently isn’t a best practice for having your list featured on the homepage.

To get an idea of the types of lists that have been featured on the homepage before, browse through craft cult’s vault feature: http://craftcult.com/vault.php This is a great gauge for the types of lists and photography we look for when choosing lists for the homepage, but again, not a guide for the exact items to choose. Get creative, show us all something new, inspiring, and different!

Best of luck and keep up the great work making Treasuries,
Mary

New green and lavender etsy treasury, featuring the Starving Artist Team members.

If you click on the image, it will take you directly to the treasury list on etsy, until it expires.