Sorry that it took me so long to get this part 3 out but as many of you already know I have been very busy. I know I was planning to use some seller's stores in this part but I decided not to at this time as critiquing another store wouldn't be right when I need to do so much work to my own store.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this Search Engine Optimization post is information I have gathered through reading information that is readily available on the internet and on eBay. Many will say I'm full of it and I will have to agree. Use this information at your own discretion and enjoy reading.
This topic is continued from
SEO Secrets and Tips Part 1
and
SEO Secrets and Tips Part 2
Search Engine Optimization SEO Part 3:
In part 2 I made mention of meta tags but failed to fully explain meta tags. Meta tags are controls that webmasters and site owners use to tell search engines what they want the search engines to do. The Meta Keyword and Meta Description tags have been widely used by webmasters to tell search engines what information their page is about. As you have probably already figured out, meta keywords and keywords are relative terms and this is why I failed to talk further about Meta tags in part 2. In the eBay system we need to concentrate on our keywords because we only have the ability to alter our meta keyword tags which will help you and your products in many search engines.
For more information on META TAGS:
Back to Basics: META Tags
How To Use HTML Meta Tags
Search engine optimization is not only about keywords, title tags, and alt tags. It is about getting your links out on the web. Quite simply, the more the search engines find your links on the internet the more weight they will apply to store, site, and your products in the results.
There are many ways to accomplish this. The best way seems to be to associate your products with an article about your product. A 300-600 word article is usually sufficient in accomplishing this. Where do you put your articles, you ask? EVERYWHERE you can! Put your articles in blogs such as the eBay blogs. Write a guide about your products and put it in the eBay guides section. Be sure to use item specific keywords and provide a link into your store category for that item. I would suggest that you only write one article or guide per item type. Example: Ball Caps Write a guide about how to properly size ball caps or about the quality or maybe even the history of them. (Something that is on my long to-do list.) MySpace and Facebook blogs are another great place to leave your articles as long as you are courteous about it. Many have been spending time using the comments section of MySpace which does create traffic and is beneficial in that way. But, if you are looking for a stronger and more consistent flow of traffic you need to use the blogs to move your products into the top page or two of the search engine results.
Another useful SEO secret is that many of your competitors writing quality articles and submitting them to free article submission sites. If you do a Google search for free article submission you will find an endless number of sites that provide this service for free. One major caution! When signing up for any of these services make sure you use any alternative email account that you might have access to. Gmail, yahoo, or msn email accounts will serve well in preventing the spam that you will receive from several of these free services. Yes! I am speaking from experience.
Whenever possible always use some type of signature with a link that sends potential customers directly to your products or store.
A new item that I have just learned about is the usage of keywords in the naming of your image files. This is suppose to provide additional keyword descriptives to your products, store, or web site. I was not aware of this until Steve with Steves Coins and Supplies provided me with a link to eBay's Seller Outreach. Thank you, Steve, for providing this important Search Engine Optimization information.
After spending much time reviewing the stores of the many who have been participating and enjoying my writings about Search Engine Optimization and SEO Secrets and Tips, I have been very impressed at how many of you have spent time applying my rants. Don't get frustrated when the results don't happen over night. Just keep working at it and get those KEYWORD LINKS out there and THEY WILL COME! ;-)
Happy Selling!
Mr. tjwindart
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
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Edited by tjwindart at 04/23/2008 8:52 PM PDT
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Edited by bunnies28 at 12/23/2008 11:21 AM PST
Thank you Trent. So glad to have met you and Jodi. Thank you both again for all that you have done, and are doing to help your fellow friends and co-sellers. Giving back really works, and it's the best way to be. I'm glad you guys believe that. I know that all of us here are grateful. Yes, I cannot give Kev enough accolades. Kevin is professional, talented, caring and a perfectionist too. He took us on as a project, and I just do not know how he could have done any better for us. And, as a special bonus, he is a pleasure to work with too! He's too humble to speak for himself. It's been a challenge and a lot of hard work for my Sister and myself, with eBay's recent and ongoing changes, but fortunately we have already been doing a lot of what has to be done to be successful, so, so far we're still alive, and continue to try to meet the challenges. Our eBay rep has also been a blessing to us. My dear friend Irmma is the salt of the Earth, a widow with two teenagers. She's 49 and we've just found out that she has advancing cancer. Thank you both for your well wishes and we are just praying for the best.
Fondly,
Susan
p.s. So many people buy old, used braids, and spend a lot of money on them, so I was working on a guide as to why this is not a good idea. You had suggested just one guide, so I am thinking that maybe I should scratch this guide and do another combining the history and types of braids. Thanks again for that suggestion!
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FREE SHIPPING SALE - No Price Increase!
We pay the shipping on all items! YOU SAVE $$!
We pay the shipping on all items! YOU SAVE $$!
Why not do them both?! I think it shows your buyers that you are a knowledgable seller...just my 2 cents.
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You don't stop laughing because you grow old; You grow old because you stop laughing!
Click here to check out my Ebay Store
Click here to check out my Ebay Store
Susan,
evey is correct. If I suggested to only write one guide, it was a typo or brain glitch. You can write as many as you want about most anything you want. Just make sure that the ones that you write about your store have a keyword rich link to your eBay store in them.
Thanks for everything else. ;-)
Now, that was my half price special for just one cent.B-)
Mr. tjwindart
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
lol Trent!
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You don't stop laughing because you grow old; You grow old because you stop laughing!
Click here to check out my Ebay Store
Click here to check out my Ebay Store
Thanks Brenda and Trent, I'll keep that one on the burner and get the other one cranking too, as I look forward to future additions to this thread, and wish you all the best in your eBay Stores and other Enterprises. You too Brenda!
Thanks for the encouragement.
Susan:)
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FREE SHIPPING SALE - No Price Increase!
We pay the shipping on all items! YOU SAVE $$!
We pay the shipping on all items! YOU SAVE $$!
I have copied this over from the "eBay Research Survey" topic.
There are two quotes. The first is mine and the second is D's
My Quote:
"School is only beginning. My intentions are to spark various discussions and debates between all of the great minds in here on the best practices and the best ways to go about doing things. I know some are holding back for some reason, but we just need to send your puddy tat and msleo's Lions after them to get them to dive in and share."
D's Quote:
"Ok guys...I think I know what Trent is trying to say here. LOL
I THINK he is saying that he is a "hands on instructor" and not one of those "stuffy nosed professors" that hands out an assignment and if you float you float and if you sink you sink. I think Trent is asking us to become more open and involved with what he is showing us.
I THINK Trent is saying that he needs to be a part of our learning experience because he knows that we are all at different levels and stages of our knowledge base. And, that there is no bad question or response, but rather any and all questions and responses are valid ones (so don't be afraid to speak up, it's imperative that you do).
I also THINK Trent is trying to tell us that he needs our feedback before he can go any further with what he has to offer us because he is at a loss as to where WE are at the moment due to the lack of feedback from us.
Now that I have said all of that I pray that I am right in my assumptions. LOL If I am not...PLEASE feel free to tell me I am all wet! No offense will be taken what so ever.
Just incase I am right...To get the ball started I would like to ask you a question Trent.
A few of us recently signed up with SellerCircle in hopes that it would drive traffic to our stores (you know...here spider spider spider LOL). Well my question is...I don't see how it is going to do that because when I was looking at the way it was set up I could not find a direct link back to my store. Everything SEEMED to have been given a new numbered link composed by SellerCircle. I hope that made since. Anyway...could you take a look at it and see if SellerCircle will drive the spiders to our stores?
Please feel free to copy and paste this question into the proper thread. I know this has nothing to do with the survey....but I wanted to respond to the post you left here.
Whew...D"
Response:
Ok, D, you are all wet! You told me to tell you! :-p
That was a mouth full! You have been reading too many of my long winded writings. :^O
You are correct in some of your analagies. I do believe in helping people through things so they don't sink and I like to help them to figure out how to rely on their own senses by providing links to resources to encourage them to go out and grab all of that vast information that is available to ALL of us on eBay and on the web both.
The only bad question is the question that never got answered because it was never asked. We can all learn from each other if only we get involved. Just like your posting the new topic "eBay Announcements". There are over 2100 members of Selling Tips who are going off to their own little corners of the internet and finding new discoveries that could very well be beneficial to us all. Some keep this info. to themselves for their own gains not understanding that a group effort will help them to move along as well as the rest of us. These are the advantages to ALL participating.
I know there are far more knowledgeable people than I am who are reading these topics and not wanting to share their ideas. Bringing ideas to the table brings the possibility of friendly debates to the table as well so we can hash out the best ways to go about doing things. As long as emotions are left on the sidelines, then debate is a very good way for all of us to learn and advance.
There have been many great questions and some excellant participation in the responses to these questions. I applaud all for helping. Especially with my time being so limited.
Ultimately, I am asking for help in creating similar topics that all of us can learn from. A little bit of information or education can do so much for all of us. I haven't come up with a Part 4 mostly because I have to learn some other things before I can share them in a way that makes sense instead of further confusing those who are wanting to learn. I'd probably just end up confusing myself along the way.
Mr. tjwindart
Wishing you a wonderful evening!
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
WOW! I had a lot of catching up to do..thanks Trent and Jody too (moral support) for the information...and as far a Kev goes, he is the best! He put together my website ebook store and made all my new banners...Talent is not something he is lacking..this group has many talented folks in here..
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Debbie aka flmom4ever
If You Don't Stand Behind Our Troops, Feel Free To Stand In Front Of Them!!
Debbie aka flmom4ever
If You Don't Stand Behind Our Troops, Feel Free To Stand In Front Of Them!!
Debbie,
I had a lot of writing to do so I could respond to D. Just to top it all off, this great laptop with this junk Vista program in it decided to lock up just when I was almost done and then I had to rewrite the whole thing.
I love life's little challenges.
I've been looking at some of Kev's work and he really seems to have his act together with designs and everything else. I use to have about an ounce of his skills a few years ago and then I got away from it all and am now catching back up with things. My biggest problem is that I need a fair amount of time to really concentrate on what I am planning out. Unfortunately that time is a rare commodity for me and this would explain why I don't do much with my websites.
Mr. tjwindart
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
May I chime in Trent and say you're doing a GREAT job and we appreciate it!! I can relate to dad-blamed laptops with Vista. I'm in FL right now visiting and have my Vista laptop with me and absolutely hate it. I just said outloud, "I hate this laptop and Vista!" My daughter, who was walking by me, didn't even know she was in the room, said "Yes Mom, I heard you a while ago." So I must have said it earlier too. Again thanks a bunch! DejaDeb
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DejaDeb,
Your always welcome to chime in. I do appreciate the GREAT job but that's not why I am doing it. I actually enjoy helping others. I enjoy it a lot.
That is too funny! Sitting back here in my sleeper with noone around I might have said a little more than you did. We just have to love these Microsoft alpha release products! We only have two more years to go before they finally fix it. :^O
Another great resource for those interested. Thank you to my lovely Mrs. tjwindart for finding yet another resource packed full of information.
Please use CAUTION when reading and applying the information in link below.
After further analysis, there are some very good and some highly questionable tactics.
http://www.smallbusiness.ashop.com.au/c/5500/1/build-natural-search-engine-rankings.html
Mr. tjwindart
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
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Edited by tjwindart at 05/04/2008 6:13 PM PDT
Wow! That is a great article. There are lots of easy to understand explanations, examples and Do's and Don'ts.
Find out about DMOZ, Google Bots and the Google Dance!
I would say it is a Must Read.
Thank you Mr and Mrs tjwindart! Awesome!
msleo
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MUSIC MOVIES CD DVD VHS AUDIO BOOKS
MUSIC MOVIES CD DVD VHS AUDIO BOOKS
Speaking of you being in your sleeper Trent, may I ask how you connect to the internet? As soon as hubby retires we'll be rolling along in a motorhome with our eBay stuff and will definitley NEED a mobile connection without having to find a wifi hotspot. Thanks, DejaDeb
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:)
ALL WET INDEED! LMBO...OK. I understand now. Sorry for the confusion 🙂 I think the lack of sleep is beginning to effect my ability to reason. :O -- Educational Books CDs Toys Homeschool
ALL WET INDEED! LMBO...OK. I understand now. Sorry for the confusion 🙂 I think the lack of sleep is beginning to effect my ability to reason. :O -- Educational Books CDs Toys Homeschool
DejaDeb,
I am too jealous! LOL
Go find some fishing holes for me.
I use Alltel for my wireless service and the service has been excellant. I found a spot in Rawlins, WY near the Flying J truck stop where I could NOT log on. I'm sure that had nothing to do with the fact that Flying J owns WiFi. LOL I had to burn some of my frequent fueler credits to log in that night. Last week I could log in but the connection was about as bad as a modem and that was in Beaver, UT.
The service is NOT cheap but do to the size of my equipment and our restrictions I can't cheat like you might be able to by parking near some homes and checking to see if somebody has an unsecured wireless router. With most services you can usually connect through your cell phone but you won't be able to use your phone while connected. That doesn't work for me because of the number of business calls I get.
I'm still jealous!!! :^O
When you get out and start traveling you might want to try and schedule a stop off at Quartzite, AZ around the first part of the year to see one of the largest flea markets you will probably ever see. I like to drop in to see what people are selling to see if I can find any unique ideas.
Mr. tjwindart
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
D,
That is TOO FUNNY!:^O
You would never be able to tell in my typing screw ups when I am tired. I have started to really check myself when I am up late. Last night wasn't too bad because I only had a 400 mile day.
Mr. tjwindart
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BALL CAPS, BOONIE HATS, MILITARY BALL CAPS, and WIND SOCKS
