Question
I still haven't sold anything from my store after two months. I am searching today on several of my keywords. I am finding for all of them so far that all of the pay ads listed on the right are for new stores or ebay, none are for stores selling vintage items like I do (even if I put vintage in the search).
I know what stores consistently come up on the first page on the free ads for keywords, most of the top 3 or so come up on a variety of my keywords. None of them are apparently running google ads or I haven't run across the right combination that they use. Also, some of the stores also sell on ebay so I know whether or not their items sell there (can't tell whether a website is actually selling, or no way I've figured out). Just meaning I can tell at least about those websites that also sell on ebay how successful they are.
It's looking like for what I sell, google adwords may be worthless. Right at the moment I am selling mostly vintage textiles but also sell china, pottery, silverware, etc. Most if not all of my items would be considered home decor and bought almost exclusively by women.
As some examples:
Vintage tablecloths - all of the ads on the right are for new tablecloths and are corporate stores (or ebay). None are actually selling VINTAGE tablecloths
vintage linen or linens - same thing, one ad is actually for a vintage textiles website
I've tried various others, vintage doilies, vintage crochet, vintage damask, all the same, all ads are corporate stores, new items.
I thought when first starting my google ad campaign, ok, I'll be the only one and will get all the customers! Well, I've had plenty of click throughs, as high as I want my budget to go, but no sales.
The ezsale newsletter had an article that said that 75% of paying customers actually clicked through from the free google ads. I'm beginning to think for my type of items, google adwords is either useless or perhaps I just have to tweak more to attract the right clicks.
I'm surprised how hard this has been, I've been selling on ebay since 1997 and through malls for long before that and have never had a problem selling my items. I am using oscommerce, it's very well laid out and easy to find things in, I've done what I think is a good job of the layout of my web to set the *tone* for the type of items I sell, I tinker constantly with my photos always trying to improve them and think in my categories I am in the top 5 or less usually in quality of photos.
So, I don't think it's my items, prices or presentation, got to be the ads. What am I missing here I wonder. I will say, before I started reading the discussions of webstores here, when I did a google search I never paid any attention to the ads on the right at all, the always appeared to be corporate stores so unless I was looking for a brand new item they weren't of any interest.
Basically, wonder what others experience selling vintage items through websites are. My store still isn't googled though the google bot has been to my store practically every day this month.
That article on the newsletter also said her click through was 30% I believe but she only spent $9 a month so compared to that I definitely am not using specific enough keywords!
Mel-
Answer
Mel,
I am so sorry your having so much trouble. I wish I had the answer for you. Have you had mike (cobaltlady) take a look at it. I know he helped me tons and also Mildreds.
He is great at looking at things and giving suggestions to tweek.
email me and I will give you his email address, I know he won't mind.
janet*lanetzliving.com
Janet * Lanetzliving.com
My Website, up and running and I already sold stuff!! woo hoo!....
Me Page
Answer
Mel-
I really don't have any words of wisdom to pass onto you other than just hang in there a bit more. I started one of my websites July 4th, and have, just in the last 2 weeks, starting making sales.
I used Adwords just long enough until I was "in" the search engines and ranked. Then I "paused" the campaign---that was a few weeks ago. Haven't run an ad since, but the sales are happening! (finally)
As soon as I finish work from another site, I'll be listing much more on the new site, which in turn I hope will generate even more sales. At which time, I also hold out hope that everyone's kids will be in school, expendible income will finally be available (via a better, more positive economy) and BUYERS will no longer be a mirage. I will also be able to devote a bit more time to searching out good reciprocal websites to exchange links.
You're probably NOT doing anything wrong, in fact, if your site is up and ready to rip, then I honestly believe that you'll be one of the first "in the door" when things begin their upswing climb. Just give it a few more weeks, and try very hard NOT to become discouraged.
_____________________________
~Weaving thru life on a silver cloud~
www.simplybaskets.com
www.simplynantucketbaskets.com
*Abe's* Antique Silver Shop
Answer
Kathleen,
how long did it take you to get googled? I'm still waiting for that http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif I resubmitted to dmoz today but am afraid to resubmit to google since they said they might ban you for doing that.
I was doing some more research on the top sites that come up on a google search (the free ads on the left). Some on the first page have a 0/10 page ranking by google and no backlinks at all except from themselves, and that site will be (sometimes) ranked higher than a site with 3/10 and some backlinks. Most of the sites I looked at though were 2/10 with no backlinks at all.
I wish my site would get googled, I think I understand better how to get a site high ranking but these adwords just have me cornfused http://community.here.com/infopop/em.../icon_wink.gif
I'm going to try to get some backlinks from sites that are googled and see if that helps. Wish I had kept aol for a little longer, my homepage there had been googled and on yahoo for close to 7 years, it might have been worth the money per month to use it to point to my store site, I dunno http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif
Mel-
Answer
thanks Janet http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif
I don't think he could help, I have gone to all the top sites for my items and looked at their metatags etc., I'm pretty good at that http://community.here.com/infopop/em.../icon_wink.gif and have tried most of them through adwords. I've also done searches on those keywords and none of the sites are using google adwords campaigns. I think my type of item just doesn't work when listed on the right with the chain stores.
That newsletter today also said something like 2-3% of ppl clicking through and buying was a typical rate. 3.5% of the ppl viewing my site are adding it to their favorites, not sure if that is a good ratio or not!
Mel-
Answer
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I was doing some more research on the top sites that come up on a google search (the free ads on the left). Some on the first page have a 0/10 page ranking by google and no backlinks at all except from themselves, and that site will be (sometimes) ranked higher than a site with 3/10 and some backlinks. Most of the sites I looked at though were 2/10 with no backlinks at all. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That is one of the great mysteries to me as well. I've noticed the same thing with my competition, and it really ticks me off. I've spent a boatload of $$ on Adwords this month, but am still getting a good ROI, so I'll keep at it.
Hang in there - it takes a while for it to happen!
http://members.aol.com/melbayone/thread.gif
Melinda
Answer
Hi mels,
how bout links?
do you have those on your home page, I think those are a big help!!
Janet * Lanetzliving.com
My Website, up and running and I already sold stuff!! woo hoo!....
Me Page
Answer
Hi Mels
me again, http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
I just got ranked 4/10 in the last two days. It took a couple months but Mike thought even then it was fast. He originally told me it could take up to 6 months maybe. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif
I did register with dmoz right away. Mike sent me all these sites to submit and I did I had no idea what I was doing but he seemed to know. Maybe he could help you with that???
another thing he hammered at me all the time about was putting more on........ I now have about 225 items but he still says more more more......... he is a slave driver http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
Janet * Lanetzliving.com
My Website, up and running and I already sold stuff!! woo hoo!....
Me Page
Answer
MelBay Lets see if I can clear this up. Pagerank means nothing. It is site popularity based on links and a couple of other factors. PR 4/10 or higher backlinks are what gets you indexed by Google and increases your pagerank, again this does not mean a thing and has no bearing on your placement in the search results page (SERPS). To give you an example I was helping Mildred's with her website and shortly after we got her links, she started showing up number 1 on first page of Google search for a lot of her keywords. Yet her pagerank was zero (pr 0/10). You ask how this is possible well she got indexed into Google so her text was on file and her site was designed to have excellent keyword exposure. In other words her keywords on her site appeared to have more relevancy for the words searched for than the other sites below her. It boils down to getting the proper words (text) in the right places so your site appears better to google than your competition. As for meta tags the "title" and "description" tags are the ones to concentrate on. You still need "keyword" but for the minor searches. Google ignores them. Adwords are very difficult. I go for very precise words better say multiple words. Most single words are too broad and will just get you many impressions and clicks but no sales. Adwords are something I work on everyday. Adjusting prices I am willing to pay or deleting or adding more words. Its a daily chore. Make your keywords very specific you want sales not impressive impressions or clicks. Most searchers will click on search items before your adwords. So to end this the most important thing of all are the SERPS. Any of you can contact me on Yahoo messenger or thru my website if you want to discuss this more.
Mike
My website www.cobalthaven.com
Answer
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mels:
Kathleen,
how long did it take you to get googled? I'm still waiting for that http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif I resubmitted to dmoz today but am afraid to resubmit to google since they said they might ban you for doing that.
Mel-<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I "went live" on July 4th (and submitted to ALL the major search engines & indexes), and was indexed into Google near the end of July. However, it wasn't until the end of August (on Friday, to be exact) that I was "ranked" and a paltry 3/10 at that. (Have changed a bit around and added/deleted keywords, meta tags, etc.). Google should be "dancing" again early to mid-September.
I believe one of the reasons I was indexed as quickly as I was, was due to Mike's (CobaltLady) link to my site. I've noticed that the other reciprocal links I have haven't "counted" yet.
_____________________________
~Weaving thru life on a silver cloud~
www.simplybaskets.com
www.simplynantucketbaskets.com
*Abe's* Antique Silver Shop