Fear Not The Spiders

Its Known as SEO .... Search Engine Optimization. And if you want to be found on this crazy place called the web, you need to learn it. Google, Yahoo, MSN, and other send out what the call Spiders to crawl the web, looking for good things to bring back.

Google and other search engines are strange. Trying to figure out what it is they want in a website is sometimes like throwing darts blindfolded. I have been at the top of their lists...and have been at the bottom and everywhere in between. But just how can one improve their ranking? I have discovered a few things that seem to help.

1. FRESH content.

This excites the spiders like a wolf around raw meat. so add new items often. New listings, new blog posts, a new picture, SOMETHING anything to get them smelling the fresh blood.

2. Tags.

Tags ARE important for blogs, pictures, etc for they tell the Search Engines in shorthand what it is all about. Like this blogs tags.

3. Attributes

Ahhh Now these little things are great! But can be tricky to use. But they will tell those spiders what the item is and help your customers find them in a search.

4. Pictures

For some STRANGE reason, they love to see pictures. So post a few in your blog, be sure you have some on your web page, and include them in your item listings.

5. Be Keyword aware.

Keywords ARE great, especially in Titles and the first 100 words or so of anything. The Spiders love simple and presence. They will pick up on "Red Hat Size Medium" before they will "Beautiful Fancy Hat" But at the same time will not like it if you are just using the buzz words like " ruby red eBay cap hat ladies men children's". If they think you are spamming they will dump you, So be careful to stick to the facts, Jack!

6. Changes

Google and others like to mix it up! Sometimes just the simplest changes work to trick them into thinking that everything is new. So redo your bio, change a picture, color, rearrange layout just a little and see.

7. Link Backs

Here these to can be tricky. They love links...but hate those that are not relevant. Where you place links to your blog, website etc should be places that pertain to what your blog website etc are all about. Or at least have some relevance to them.

This is just some of what I have figured out...and have worked on this weekend doing to this blog, and my website: www.2wolves.com , my Bonanzle booths: www.bonanzle.com/renagade and www.bonanzle.com/RenagadesRelics .

I would LOVE to hear some of YOUR suggestions...What is good for SEO??

(commenting on Blogs is good for SEO too! LOL)

Later...........Renagade

Some places for great information on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_tag

http://base.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=78170

http://websitehelpers.com/seo/

WOW!.... Now THATS a SEXY Billboard!!

John...Big, Bad, John "ColderICE," Lawson is now the "Sexiest Billboard" you will ever see.

John has generously donated space on his chest to Breast Cancer Research. John will be auctioning off the ability for ANYONE to custom design a T-Shirt with their Company's Logo or slogan that he will wear at the Ecommerce Merchant Summit 2009 in Atlanta, GA . And trust me, not only will it get alot of exposure there, but people will DEFINITELY see your logo. John is a strapping guy with a nice broad chest...plenty of space for any logo. He also has a commanding presence with a wonderful personality and a head full of knowledge that makes people want to engage him.

The eBay Giving Works Auction will start on Monday, April 27th and ends on Monday, May 4th. The auction winner will be announced live, by Podcast host and auctioneer Mr. Auction Wally, during the weekly “Brainstorming Bonanzle” radio podcast show.

This just goes to show you ... John "colderICE" Lawson is a Big, Big Man....with a Big, Big Chest that houses a heart of pure Gold.

Anyone who would like more information on the ..please visit ColderICE at 3rdpoblogs.com

and help John "Sell His Chest to Save The Breasts!" (and get a peek at this guy too!)

Thanks John....You SEXY Billboard, You!.............Renagade

PS Brainstorming Bonanzle is set up to take donations to help sponsor a "Brainstorming" T-Shirt that John will be wearing during one of his video Blogs...If you would like to donate please Visit Brainstorming Bonanzle . A GREAT way for Bonanzlers to show their support of the show, of colderICE, and the Cause! Just use the Donate Button and tell them its for Breast Cancer!

Fun's Fun but B.S. is B.S.

Ah... the favorite phase my Dad always used when things got out of control. It was also used when it was time to cut through the B.S. and get down to business. And I am starting to see that more sellers and Businesses need to heed the phrase....especially in the eCommerce world.

Online Selling is a business, and sadly there are too many people that are not treating it as such. With the economic downturn and soaring unemployment rate, many people are trying their hand at selling online. These same people, now at home, suddenly find themselves without the human interaction that the "real world" job market gave them. So when they find a marketplace with a friendly forum they join in. New friendships are formed and a whole new world becomes available. This is good, this is fun...but there is a point when the "Fun" becomes "B.S.".

Instead of learning skills to help them grow their new found business, they start joining into the games and B.S. threads that many of the forums have.....and that sadly too many of these marketplaces condone ...even encourage. Yes, it can be fun to play along in a " Three Word Story" thread....or "name that tune" and everyone deserves those fun breaks from listing and promoting. Where it crosses the line is when the games start affecting the entire site....and in turn, the bottom line for all sellers.

John "colderICE" Lawson is the host of a great podcast titled "B.S. Walks when Money Talks " Anyone who has tuned into John, seen any of his Video Blogs, read any of his articles, or have had ANY dealings with him know, this guy is a fun loving person! BUT, John is also a serious seller......VERY serious. And he makes the sales. Not by "Playing games" but by having fun and "knowing the game". Believe me, he has achieved his status NOT by any selling game on any site...but through hard work, quality items, and knowing that Selling IS a business... and although you should enjoy what you do, it is not a game.

Now I am NOT trying to tell anyone HOW to conduct their business and if you just want to play around, normally that would be fine. But when the fun and games start affecting MY business and MY bottom line, I am going to speak up. And since the games and craziness is picked up by Google and other search engines, not every customer out to buy something is going to think it's cute, and not only will they not take the selling venue seriously, they may not view any of the sellers on such venues as serious sellers.

Most sellers online ARE taking treating their business as it should be. As a BUSINESS. And the serious sellers KNOW that "Fun's Fun but B.S. is B.S." because "B.S. Walks...When Money Talks" .

What think you?

Later...........Renagade

Say What You Mean, & Mean What You Say

Can the phrase be applied to eCommerce? You bet! The phrase has been a rally call to Glenn Beck and his supporters such as The-912-Project, but is should apply to all factors in your life, especially those of us who are eCommerce sellers.
Sellers ...think about it... you're customers cannot hold, touch or examine your product...they rely totally on you, your pictures, your description. So it is up to you to "Say What You Mean, And Mean What You Say". Giving a COMPLETE description is vital to having a satisfied customer.
Sure, pointing out a flaw, a mar, may turn off a buyer, but by doing just that, you know the one who DOES buy it fully knows what they are buying. And by clearing stating your return policy, shipping times and means, etc you are providing your customers with all the information needed to make an informed decision. Now add in CLEAR pictures from more than one angle, and you have provided your buyers with plenty of information and you also gave them a reason to TRUST you.
If You say the item is Mint...it better be! If you say you ship in five days...you better! Do you state you consider all offers? Well then you need to respond to even the lowballers with an answer. Prompt email response? Prompt is not next week sometime.
No mater where you sell at, be it eBay, Bonanzle, Etsy, etc, go and look over your listings and policies and ask yourself, does this truly "Say what I mean and do I mean what I say??"

Later............Renagade

WHAT Is eBay Thinking? Or ARE They???

eBay. We ALL know it and USED to love it. Note I said USED to. eBay has taken a sharp turn in marketing strategy that is causing many sellers, even the big boy power sellers with the feeling of being used and stepped on.

Ina Steiner of AuctionBytes wrote several good articles about the "New" eBay and two quotes truly jumped out at me that describes what eBay is thinking :

"President of eBay Marketplaces Lorrie Norrington said, "An analogy that is fairly simple is that the old eBay made a living in peoples' attics and garages. The new eBay is sitting in warehouses, liquidators and off-price retailers. And they're looking for cost-effective channel to be able to move high velocity." eBay SVP & GM of North America Marketplaces Stephanie Tilenius revealed that eBay is allowing certain companies to brand themselves on eBay. "We're changing how we actually show some of those sellers, those larger sellers, on eBay," she added." (article)

And:

"Stephanie Telenius, SVP & GM, North America Marketplaces, gave some examples of secondary market sellers, including Buy.com, SmartBargains for clothing, TigerDirect in the electronics space, and Act and Powell in the book space. She said eBay was ramping up its business development." (Article)

Another words... eBay has found a new love and has tossed aside the old one. Some of these old lovers are big time sellers on eBay, like John "colderICE" Lawson who wrote a STEAMING rant about the changes....

"At one time, eBay was MAKING people self sufficient, small business were growing thanks to eBay. eBay was once an asset to the jobless, the single moms, the handicap, NOPE…”screw those losers” right-on Lorrie Norrinton, eh?!? Today in 2009 eBay has SWORN to make sure that they will do their part to INCREASE homelessness, poverty, and hyper unemployment. eBay this week have promised Americans, that we will make sure YOU CAN’t SELL your stuff on eBay anymore when you need some rent money. Nope, eBay is NOT for you guys!

Hell no, eBay has said that they want to make sure the YOU and me, “Joe America” & “Suzy Six-Pack”, need to do your trading elsewhere, they are on a mission. As for you and I?…basically, if you are an independent sellers “Go to HELL! We DO NOT WANT YOUR BUSINESS, thanks but no thanks.” " (article)

BUT, like RedInkDiary's Henrietta put it in her "Dear John" letter:

"eBay is your toy and you may set the rules for playing with it, but we users also have choices and if the price for playing with eBay is too high we will not play, or pay for the privilege."

eBay needs to wake up! WE are MAD AS HELL and us old jilted lovers "little sellers" that you are tossing to the side CAN, HAVE, and WILL go elsewhere! We will NOT sit patiently pineing away waiting for you to love us again.

Later.......Renagade

PS...Sellers! Have you left eBay??? Where is YOUR new home at??? Mine is Bonanzle! Come visit me!