Web Design Q & A and Discussion

[Former_Member]

Have a Web site or thinking of creating your own Web site and have questions?

Post all of your questions here in this thread. With over 10 years experience with SEO Web Design, I can answer most of your questions.

Sorry, Web site reviews are no available through this team thread but all other questions will be answered.

[Former_Member]

Hi Mary! I actually just started my own site just a week ago (constantbaubling.com- had wanted to for years and finally took the plunge!). I am pretty overwhelmed by the idea and don't really even know where to begin asking you questions! Thanks SO much for starting this thread and I can't wait to see some Q&A! Hopefully it will help me think of some things I need to ask! :D

[Former_Member]

Hi Jess,

Just let me know when you think of your questions. You have a pretty Web site.

Mary

[Former_Member]

So. Many. Questions. Haha!

I have my own domain right now - just add a dot com to the end of my shop name if you want to look. It just has some links to Etsy and Facebook (and I think Pinterest). I got it through Google / Homestead since they were doing a free-for-one-year deal so I figured go ahead and snag it now while I tried to figure out my next step.

I think I've decided to go with Squarespace. They have a 14-day trial where you can basically build your site and fool around with everything without having to enter in any credit card info. At the end of the trial, you basically have to then decide what you want to do. And your site isn't "live" during the trial, either. I've spent the past 4 or 5 days basically building it and I'm pretty happy. It's $30 a month which seems to be the average price for unlimited products and the level of customization I want without having to get an actual web host.

I know a certain level of "professionalism" is required but I'd really like to have it be a little more personal. Provide some information about myself as well as my jewelry and store since I am the creator and I think people would enjoy "getting to know" the person who makes the jewelry on the site.. or am I wrong in thinking that?

Also - this is gonna be pretty general but any SEO tips for when you create your own site? I'm not sure how familiar you are with Squarespace but they do provide places for you to enter in page descriptions and page titles, etc. which I figure is a good place to definitely use keywords to get found. But where else? Obviously there's no "keyword" or "tag" box.

I have more questions but there's a lot of them so I'm trying to start of lightly. Haha.

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much, Mary!! I actually am now wondering... are there certain site that have better SEO...? Even if you had the exact same photos, titles, listing descriptions, etc? How does that work?

[BeeGracious]

Hi Mary ~
Thanks so kindly for taking your time to help everyone so graciously ~ Praying for God to hug you REAL good.

I am in the process of creating my own website using Wordpress and hostgator. My main purpose is a place to house my different blog post. I am using a templete that allows a shop and ecommerce. I would love advice on this topic. I have a shop on etsy. It is OK, more like icing on the cake. My main bread and butter comes from local in person sales. At one point I had an Artfire site, sold a few and the last year I was there sold nothing. I noticed while having the 2 venues that google devided my product listings between the 2 sites. Because of this reason, I shut down artfire. I don't want to create this same problem again. I find it very difficult to use enough diversity in the titles for my product not to be seen as duplicate between 2 sites yet I hear about people building a brand across the web plus I see many affiliates ranked high with exact titles and content disscriptions. Any thoughts that could help me with this dilemma would be greatly appreciated. Also your thoughts on e-commerce on my own website vs etsy mini added only.

[Former_Member]

Jess,

SEO is a lot more than keywords and descriptions. Images have no influence on SEO since search engines cannot read images. They only read the text that describes the images.

The Web pages that come up on the first page or two of Google searches for any keywords are the ones that get most of the views. The goal of competitive Web site owners is to come on page one of Google searches. Achieving this translates into many views and hopefully sales.

The way for any Web site to work it's way to the top of the search results is to build popularity. Popularity on Google and other search engines comes from the quality and quantity of backlinks. Backlinks are hyperlinks on other Web sites that, when clicked on, lead to a specific Web page, such as an Etsy shop or a page in an Etsy shop.

You can learn a lot about building links/backlinks from Wordtracker Academy: http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/link-building (Wordtracker has been around for many years and can be trusted. Plus it's free)

[Former_Member]

Mardi,

It is customary to include an About page on every Web site. This is where you can write about yourself and your work. It is true that on the rest of the Web site you should avoid talking about yourself. Visitors are a lot more interested in what you can do for them than they are about you, at least at first. Just keep the personal the About page and you will be fine.

The title tag and description tag are the best places to add keywords. Adding keywords to the visible on-page text is also very important. You do not need anything else, such as a tag or keyword box - this is just Etsy's way to find your keywords for Etsy Relevancy searches.

[Former_Member]

Darrell and Frankie,

There are thousands of Web sites using the same popular keywords, such as "bird feeder." There are no duplication issues with Google for using the same keywords in many listings on Etsy or the same keywords on multiple venues such as on Artfire or on your own Web site. The work comes in creating unique descriptions for each listing that uses the same keywords.

It would be nice if Google gave a guideline as to how much duplication is too much but it's not that simple. The only way to find out how well your listings from every venue are ranking is to test by search on Google.com using a commonly used keyword phrase, such as "bird feeder", and checking the search results to see how well all of your bird feeder listings are ranking.

Most of the rest of the words you are using in your listing titles are not real keywords that shoppers ever use. You should do some keyword research and find words that shoppers are using. Google Adwords Keyword Planner is free and will tell you how popular all the keyword phrases really are with shoppers.

Google's Keyword Planner shows 475 different keyword phrases using the words, "bird feeder." Here are a few of the more popular keywords I found (check Keyword Planner) for the average number of monthly searches for each of these)

bird feeder
cardinal bird feeder
modern bird feeder
platform bird feeder
squirrel proof bird feeder
window bird feeder

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much Mary!

One more question: I read that it's best if you use "I" and "me" when talking about the products you're selling or how you made your items, etc. to better connect with the customers so they know that it's really a person and not some big company or something. Is that true? Or what's your opinion on that sort of thing?

[Former_Member]

Mardi,

Be real, be yourself but use "I" and "me" and even "we" on the About Page only. On the rest of the Web site, talk about "you", the customer.

People visit Web sites for one of three reason:
1. To make themselves feel good
2. To meet a basic human need
3. To solve a problem

Jewelry is often a "feel good" item but it could also be bought to solve a problem, such as a shopper looking for just the right gift.

Text that addresses one or more of these reasons (such as, "these handmade blue dangle earrings might be the perfect gift for your daughter or . . . . . ") will win over more shoppers than text that talks about "I" and "me" and "we" everywhere.

[Former_Member]

Makes perfect sense. Thanks so much!

[BeeGracious]

Thanks so kindly Mary ~ lots of work to do.

[Former_Member]

I would love to start a blog for our team ThemepartyYoungatHeart

but dont even know were to start....Help please...we have posted for and experience blogger just to make us one for our team
can any one help norma

[Former_Member]

Hi Norma,

I recommend using Google's Blogger which is both free and easy set up and to use: https://www.blogger.com/start‎ - no technical skills required.

Google has step by step support in getting started: https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1623800?hl=en

No experience needed to get started with this.

[WireExpressions]

Hi Mary, I've had a website for years. Once upon a time I had a server for it, and someone managing it, but had to take over it myself. It needs an overhaul desperately, so as I look at options my biggest question is about my domain...
Currently my domain is being pointed to my email provider's server. (It is not an option for me to have dedicated hosting through my domain registrar) What are your thoughts about that? Does this affect SEO? Do you think it would be in my best interest to transfer my domain so I can have dedicated hosting for my domain?

[Former_Member]

Wire Expressions,

There is usually no reason to transfer a domain. Your web site is fine as long as the DNS on the Domain Name points to the Web server that contains your Web site.

Why do you want Dedicated Hosting? What are you getting out of Dedicated Hosting that you believe you need it?

[WireExpressions]

Thanks Mary! Why do I want it? I guess it would be nice to have all my pages come up under the wireexpressions.com domain But if it makes no difference to SEO, then it is easier for me to keep it where it is.

[Former_Member]

Wire,

Your Web pages will all come up under your domain name, wireexpresions.com as long as the DNS names point to the correct Web server. The type of Web server you use, Dedicated or Shared or any other, has no effect on SEO.

[beckyrosedesigns]

I would love to blog, have my own web page, own my domain, etc.
I would like to know if there is one preferred site to buy a domain. Also for future branding, I have to change the names of my two shops that are up and running on etsy before I can do anything. They are already being used out there in the world of social media. So, when I do buy the name I just want to know where to start with registering it, first.

[Former_Member]

Val,

If you were ready for web hosting, I would recommend Blue Host ( www.bluehost.com/track/wingsdove/ ) which comes with free domain registration. This is the web hosting company I have been recommending to my web design clients for over 8 years.

To register a domain name very cheaply, at least for the first year, Godaddy.com has the lowest price. You can register a domain name with godaddy.com for $.99 using this link: https://www.godaddy.com/deals2/default.aspx?gclid=CMGDma7xgsMCFYdcMgodRA8A6w&isc=gofdc003&cvosrc=ppc... . Annual domain name renewals are usually around $10. I would not recommend godaddy.com for web hosting. Domain names and web hosting can be from different service providers,

This is the domain name registrar I have used for over 10 years. http://www.secureserver.net/?prog_id=htn&isc=wwbb202230&ci=86736. Registration and renewals are always $10 per year - Simple and straightforward without a lot of upselling.

[beckyrosedesigns]

Thanks Mary.
1. Register domain with GoDaddy. Do I pay individually for .com, .org, ,net, blogger, tumblr, etc. when registering my name ?
2.How does one know when they are ready for web hosting?
3.After registering the domain, do I need to go further with an LLC?

[Former_Member]

Val,
Register only the .com domain name. The other extensions are are not needed.

Blogger does not require a registered name. You are free to use any name that is not already taken by another Blogger user.

You are ready for web hosting when you are ready to start building your web site. You would build your web site on the Internet server owned by the web host.

Domain names have nothing to do with the type of business you have
You are claiming and reserving a word when you register a domain name

[beckyrosedesigns]

Thanks Mary. You know that I'll be asking a lot more in the future.

[Former_Member]

Hi,
Thanks for all the help here. I have seen Weebly.com and they let you build a web page for free. Have you had any experience with this or do you think it is worth pursuing? I am new to web design and really need the templates.
Thanks,
Donna