Etsy's New Pattern Website Option

[#1]

I would not use this even if it was free. Here is why:

I took a look at this to see how the Pattern websites are structured. The website is part of Etsy and is so deeply embedded within Etsy that it would be very hard for the search engines to even find it. All SEO would have very little effect in Google rankings.

Look at the URL address and count the number of slashes ("/") https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/me/pattern/home. There are five slashes which means that the website is 5 levels deep and each level deeper makes it harder for SEO to work and for the search engines to find your shop. these are also powered by Etsy.

The website depends on Etsy and if anything happens to Etsy or Etsy removes your shop for some reason, the website is also gone.

There are so many better options for stand-alone websites. Use a different Web hosting service, if you would like your website to be easily found in Google searches and for all your SEO efforts to work.

I like Etsy for many reasons but this new venture is not very good for Etsy sellers.

[Former_Member]

Thank you Mary,

I will be investing further! I've got time to explore my options without jumping through hoops.

I will be joining your facebook page as well. Do I join as my shop or as my personal?

I am totally facebook clueless for the most part and prefer it that way at this point :D

[tombstonebead]

Ya know I am so happy to find this discussion. I knew there were many issues.
Mary thank you for your information and your expertise.

barb

[Inklets]

Is it just me, or does Pattern come across visually as something a young grade schooler would put together? Horrid background colors and bland header with boxy photo layout? Or is that a symptom of end user choices?

...How can you call a subdomain a standalone?

[Former_Member]

Patterns does have the look and feel of website that was thrown together very quickly. At this point, there are just too many SEO issues and design issues with Pattern to use this.

Duplicate content will make Websites on Pattern very hard to find on Google in keyword searches.

[GardenFeltbyMarina]

Thank you so much Mary!!! Thank you for your information and your expertise.

[ZeniaLisJewelry]

Thanks for your insight ! You offer great information which I look forward to every week!

[Former_Member]

Thanks for posting the link to your FB group. I'm sure it'll be very helpful. I had a question about websites as well. You mentioned options cheaper than Shopify which I appreciate, I think I am going to choose Shopify after looking around. I am terrible at this stuff so I need it to be fairly easy to manipulate. Is there anything wrong with Shopify from search ranking perspective? I will point my domain name to it once I get it all set up. In a free trial period right now and just getting started. I've heard several people say they like it, but would love to know more about it from your POV. I wish we could reply to specific conversations on here. Sorry to change the subject so much.

[VintageMaineia]

I'm neutral about the new look. Etsy has to do what they feel that they have to do. If they give shops a little search boost that have Pattern, well then, those who opt for it are getting something tangible for the $15/mo.

So, Pattern is essentially a mirror site? I'm not feeling the need for that service myself if that's all it is (and not a boost in search).

I like the idea of a free-standing website. However, my two issues are:

1. Those who have had one state that they are a *lot* of work.

2. If I were to have the same items as my Etsy shop I would have to rewrite every listing. Else Google would see it as duplicate content and only show one or the other.

As a vintage shop, I have tons of listings rather than just a few repeating ones. That translates to a lot of rewriting should I pursue a standalone, I think. And then all the promotion. No thanks.

Am I missing something?

[VintageMaineia]

Here is a simple flow chart someone on another team found that breaks down some aspects of the "Pattern or No Pattern" question:

http://makeryspace.com/etsy-pattern/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfar...

[Former_Member]

Joanne,

The writer of that article completely misses the big SEO problems.

Since there is no way to SEO Pattern Websites and duplicated content is not used by Google in Google searches, the Pattern websites will not be found in Google searches by any keywords that would work for the same Etsy shop.

I have worked with SEO for websites for over 12 years and Etsy SEO for 6 years and can tell you that Google without a doubt would see the listing descriptions as Duplicate Content. There is also no way to add even basic SEO to the Pattern websites. I would never use or recommend the Pattern website to anyone.who wants natural organic search results from Google or any other search engine. Pattern is an acceptable website option for anyone who only wants to take care of their own promotion and marketing and not does care about the search engines.

There are good reason to have a stand alone website and good reasons not to have one in addition to an Etsy shop, an Ebay store etc. Maintaining a standalone website is work and any ecommerce software that makes it easier is expensive.

[Former_Member]

Sarah,

Weebly offers a lot of the same features as Shopify for a lot less money although still more than a self-hosted website.

A self-hosted website is the best for SEO but Shopify, Weebly, Bigcommerce and others like these that come with easy to use Site Builder software, although not ideal, are okay for SEO.

[FloralMemorials]

Not true. You can put your google code right into your settings in pattern. You can also edit your titles for Pattern.

[designsbyegs]

Hi Mary,

Thank you, Mary, for the 'heads up' about "Etsy's New Pattern Website".
I have been saving the announcements I have been receiving in this regard. Today was the day I planned to get busy and follow it to the letter.

We have had communications in the past and you know how difficult
it is for me to follow up. If you hadn't posted your thoughts, I would
have made 'another mess' in my quest to get my shop noticed.

Thank you, Mary. I just wanted you to know I am still plugging away daily and trying to 'get it right'. warmest regards, elizabeth

[COLDHAMCUDDLIES]

Have just read the previous comments - with interest. As one who has not had a website, and was definitely contemplating it, have signed up for that, but not the Pattern bit - perhaps the response I got from either Etsy support or the website operators (I contacted both with my concern that this was yet another Etsy income generating creep) and got the following response. Feel it does answer several folks' worries

"Hi Isobel,

Thanks for giving Pattern by Etsy a try!

I can assure you that you have not been charged the monthly fee for Pattern yet - you can explore Pattern and design a site to see the available options and preview a site. It is only if you click the "Start my free trial" button (and then clicked another button to confirm again) that your trial begins. And you can then cancel any time during the 30 day trial (by going into the "Settings" area of your Pattern Dashboard) and you will not be charged.

I can confirm you successfully purchased your domain, coldhamcuddliesstore.com, and you're free to do what you wish with it. Your domain registration is valid for one year, and you own your domain even if you cancel your subscription to Pattern by Etsy. View this help article for more information about transferring your domain.

I'm here to answer any additional questions you may have, so please keep in touch!

Regards,
Pete
Member Advisor"

My concern at the moment, is that in my techy ignorance, I have a website registered but presently no clue as to how I reach it and see what it looks like and how it works. Any suggestions, would be gratefully received!

[LovelyLuxeJewels]

Love that you have a Facebook group! I just joined.

[COLDHAMCUDDLIES]

In view of my previous post about the website and its Etsy connections - thought this follow-up from Etsy Support answering my specific enquiry as to whether one can dis connect from the Etsy link might prove helpful to some of the members. Am going to follow through, when I've done more research on other website providers, but meanwhile have disconnected (and kept my domain name!)

"To clarify, when you purchase a domain, that domain fully belongs to you and you're welcome to point it to whichever site you choose. Even if you choose not to use Pattern, you can direct this domain to a different site you manage, such as a blog or personal site. Having a domain does not require you to have a Pattern site as well.

In order to redirect this domain to a different site, you will need to disconnect it from Pattern first.

To disconnect a domain from your Pattern site, visit Pattern Dashboard> Domains and click "Manage" and then "Disconnect".

To fully disconnect the domain to be used with another site, you’ll need to transfer the domain out. To do so, click "Transfer", and you’ll then receive an email from our partner, OpenSRS, with more instructions."

Think, in the end, I'll keep the domain name for the year I've paid for, and then let it die a natural death! $18.00 for a year is not a whole lot to lose, to save one making a bad mistake in the long term!! I do have this knack of letting myself in for stuff, without doing sufficient research before I click on the vital button(s)!

[Former_Member]

Isobel,

You can redirect your domain to your Etsy shop. Using a clean domain name looks better on business cards than the long Etsy shop name.

[MeyerClarkCreative]

Thanks Mary for all your time and expertise! Very helpful.