A little SEO / Search help?

[Former_Member]

HI there,
I've been playing around with some tags and placing keywords strategically and generally its going alright but there's a few things I don't understand.

I'm going to use my friend's shop as an example and am hoping for some insight.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79718652/pickles-homemade-dill-beans

When I search "Dill Beans" under handmade I cannot find this listing.
It's in his tags as "dill", "beans", and "dill beans". These words are also at the end of his short concise title, in his materials and in his listing (but at the very end, maybe it should be in the 1st sentence?).

As a customer I would search "dill beans" or maybe "dilly beans" (also nothing there) so what gives? Why can't I find these beans? Any thoughts? Thanks!

[HullStreetStudio]

the first three words are the most important so it seems like they're good there.

I think symbols like - and / screw up the search system.

I did do a search, even under the exact section his is under.. I have no idea why they won't come up even under pickles.

[HullStreetStudio]

I actually cannot find any of their items in search.

they do come up on google though.

I'm not really sure what is happening with their items, I've never seen this happen before. even on items with bad SEO they're at least somewhere in the fifty million pages. these items just don't show up at all!

[Former_Member]

There are only 7 items that come up under dill beans. Your friend's item is one of them.

[Former_Member]

it does come up in a etsy search on the first page if you put the first two words in the title

pickles homemade

http://www.etsy.com/search?search_submit=&q=pickles+homemade&view_type=list&ship_to=CA

[Former_Member]

I would suggest if you want your item to come up with in a search on etsy using certain words put those words in the title

[Former_Member]

I get it if I search for "pickles beans" which leads me to believe that the first word of the title is weighted more heavily in this case than any of the tags. So for this I would think changing the listing to "Dill Bean Pickles" should help a lot.

[ScrapsofLuv]

@cubits-

I'm not sure what categories or search terms you used, but I just did a search under handmade, pickled beans and they were listed 3rd on the page. I also did a search for canned beans and home preserved beans (both under handmade) and his item was on the first page for both searches.

[Former_Member]

maybe try Dill Beans Pickles Home Made
then if they are all in the tags titles should be correct
pity tags only allow 20 characters as this should be
Dill Beans Home Made
Dill Beans Pickled
Pickled Dill Beans

Interesting - go to drop down box at top of page......... - handmade............ there are no key words for Dill beans, Pickled Dill Beans...get your friend to do some research in the drop down box to try and locate which category to sell under and what the key words are to connect his product

[Former_Member]

another way to go about this is do a search with the words you use for any item and see what comes up

check out the words they use their titles and tags and see if any 'fit' your item if they do . . . . . there you go

of course you wouldn't use exactly the same words in your titile but it is all food for creative thought

[Former_Member]

Is you friend under "plants & edible" there are only 10 items in Dill Pickles - he is not there
important to get the category right...there doesn't seem to be a category for preserves..etc

[Former_Member]

Ok so here is something strange. I did 4 separate searches...two from my phone and 2 on my computer. On my phone his listing does not appear when I search "dill beans" or "pickled beans". When I searched on my computer he came up under both searches! I don't know what to make of that.

[Former_Member]

This is all very helpful. Still can't make heads or tails of it but it's certainly all food for thought.

He just added the tag "Dill Beans" tonight so perhaps the time delay is responsible for people getting different results than me.

[Former_Member]

Yes there is a time delay ..but sorry don't know how long

[Former_Member]

Still we've been playing around for weeks without results.

[Former_Member]

I'm stumped as well. I have tried searching some of my other items as well and just about have to put in the entire title to get it to come up in even the first few pages. That is searching under handmade only however.
I find you have to be really specific about what your are looking for although the suggestion is to not be too specific in titles.
Dill beans wil come up for me when searched under handmade, plants an edibles...

[Former_Member]

Maybe try the following - suggestion only
Title - Dill Pickles, Dill Pickles Homemade, Dill Pickle Garnish
plants & edibles - section already
suggestions to try as tags..............Dill Pickles, Dill Pickled, Pickles Dill, Dill Beans Pickled, Pickled Dill Beans, Dill Preserves, Preserved Dill Beans, Pickled Beans Dill, Dill Pickle Snack, Dill Pickle Condiment, Dill Pickle Preserve, Dill Garnish, Dill Pickle Garnish

[Former_Member]

I recall reading in one of the Etsy blogs that the delay can be up to 3 weeks. The following sentence was "Be patient". lol.

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much Jalali.

[Former_Member]

Dill pickles is a hard one...Cubit is in the 10 items
Couldn't get a handle on Dill pickle had to go to plants & edilble
also in drop down box "Dill pickles" comes up under "all items"
Cubit is under drop down box "hand made" "dill pickles"
seems like dill pickles doesn't have any suggestions for titling tagging in the drop down box which is what guides everyone on what to title tag items....test this by putting in "wedding earrings" and you will see quite a few options come up to tell people what tags etc to use...this is the guide to tell you what key words are...good luck...it's a minefield unless you know where to go

[Former_Member]

Thanks for your suggestions and input! I will definitely be making some adjustments and tweaking things a bit today.

Cheers,
D