Recent drop in views and sales? It's not Etsy.

[#1]

The Etsy front page changes would not make a difference in views or sales since most sales on Etsy come as a result of Relevancy searches.

Around the same time that Etsy's front page changed, Google made a few big algorithm changes that would affect Etsy's ranking in Google searches for many popular keywords used on Etsy. A drop in rankings in Google can mean a big drop in shoppers.

In the past few years, Google has targeted low quality content and Link Spam. Some Etsy sellers know that backlinks add to a web site's popularity on Google and other search engines. But they do not know enough to stay away from Link Spam.

Last year at this time, Google penalized the Etsy.com Web site with a loss in rankings and views as a result of Link Spam unknowingly generated by Etsy sellers. There was a lot of the same confusion and blame and questioning Why in the Etsy forums.

Since Etsy sellers continue unknowingly generating link spam, Google very likely posed another penalty against Etsy. Google penalties usually last several months before the problem is cleaned up by Etsy SEO Admins and Google lifts the penalty.

[MaxplanationPhotos]

I didn't have a lot of google views but like the leader said, some folks get 100 plus google hits a day and they have been posting in the forums, so I could see why they would be worried.

pinterest is my second highest place for views :) some days I get almost 100 views from pinterest

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Yes Mary, some people are ignorant and some people don't know how to get Google views....
Let's stop talking about ignorance every time we discuss the increasing invisibility of Etsy shops (and other concerns about our shops).
The ignorant never had many views in the first place and therefore cannot have drastic drops in views, so this discussion is not about them.

Based on lots of team threads I read, the biggest drops in views seem to be the drops in Etsy views, not Google views.
So yes, Google made chances that effect our Google search rating (no surprise there, it happens at least once every year).
But Etsy made (and constantly makes) changes that effect most shops' visibility drastically!

Needless to say I disagree with your "it's not Etsy!".
It's Google and Etsy.

By the way: I am still getting the same amount of views and sales from Google. The majority of my customers find my shop through Google (I ask them). So Etsy shops must not be completely invisible in Google search.

[maydaylabels]

That is untrue: the ignorant could very easily have had good views, and, if they were dependent on a small selection of broad search words, or one stream of revenue (one style, one type of item, etc.), it could result in a serious drop from previously good views/sales.

I agree that most people I have seen do not rely on google views for a significant portion of their traffic; however, Etsy hasn't made any huge changes to search recently (the largest I've seen is the recent anti-clumping quota experiments, which came after all the complaints about lower views). Minor changes and fluctuations affect those whose revenue streams (and search views) are less diverse.

[UtterApparel]

From reading this thread it is clear that the terms SEO and ESO are being confused.

SEO - Search Engine Optimization and relates to optimizing a website so it can be found in searches undertaken on search engines like Google, bing, Yahoo etc.


ESO - Etsy Search Optimization and relates to the optimizing of product listings using tags and titles.

The two are different, but both Google and Etsy give you guidelines on how to achieve good results in searches.

As that advice given is core to the algorithms used, if you follow their advice you should be fine if minor changes in algorithms occurs.

If you notice most of the changes to Google algorithms are to weed out websites that use the techniques developed by some of the shady "Black Hat" SEO consultants.

The more shady SEO consultants come up with techniques of trying to exploit parts of the algorithm so their client's website appears on page 1 of Google searches.

Google identify the methods being used by such SEO consultants and then Google penalize the websites that use them.

So website owners panic, the shady SEO consultants say it is a change in the Google algorithm, the website owner then pays the SEO consultant more money to try and beat Google again. The cycle continues over and over.


Meanwhile, the small business owner who follows Google's advice (https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35769) rarely gets affected by the algorithm.

[UtterApparel]

Many people have said that their views are up and results from searches are up, but sales are down.

You have to remember that the percentage of people who actually purchase from Etsy is very small when compared to the number of people who just browse.

Perhaps they are browsing to get ideas for Christmas gifts for friends and relatives.

[LaLindaArtStudio]

Would having a direct link to my Etsy Shop as a button on my Blog Menu be considered a low quality back link since it is a menu link instead of being posted in a relevant article?

[LaLindaArtStudio]

Since I am still curious, and I did not get a response, I am going to ask again to bump this up.

Would having a direct link to my Etsy Shop as a button on my Blog Menu be considered a low quality back link, since it is a menu link instead of being posted in a relevant article?

[DistinctivelyDharlee]

I am trying to understand bad backlinks and exactly what they are within Etsy. If I have them in my shops I certainly want to remove them, as well and encourage others to do the same in my teams. Is this the type of bad backlink you mean?

"see this sweater in red here: (link)"

"see more sweaters here: (link"

"back to my shop: (link)"

[UtterApparel]

The links within your Etsy shop are internal links - they are OK.

I don't think Google will consider a link from your blog menu to your Etsy shop as a bad link.

[Former_Member]

Ladies, the best place to ask questions about backlinks is the Relevancy & SEO team.

I don't know the answer to your question, Linda, but Dharlee, I don't think those kind of links are bad. If they are, I have a bunch of editing to do to my listtings!

[BlackCatStudio98]

Andrew from UtterApparel says:

.
Many people have said that their views are up and results from searches are up, but sales are down.

You have to remember that the percentage of people who actually purchase from Etsy is very small when compared to the number of people who just browse.

Perhaps they are browsing to get ideas for Christmas gifts for friends and relatives.

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My sales are down after a good summer, but my views are up, so this is what I'm hoping is the case for me.

[LaLindaArtStudio]

re: Mary Van
"Ladies, the best place to ask questions about backlinks is the Relevancy & SEO team"

The OP is discussing quality backlinks, and I believe she runs and SEO team, so I do believe this is the proper place to ask this type of question.

[DesignsbyCher]

Unfortunately, this is one of those instances where a little information in the wrong hands can be dangerous. Someone posts in our forums about how backlinks are advantageous and that google likes them, but without really knowing what they are, they go ahead and do it...many sellers, many shops, and Etsy as a whole is penalized for it.

It's my understanding that Google likes quality back links, related to your blog, website and/or shop. In other words, you don't really want to ask your friend who owns a used car lot and has a website to link to your Etsy shop/website, unless you make car seat covers, cup holders or fragranced auto deodorizers (as an example). By the same token, if you sell jewelry in your Etsy shop, you wouldn't link to their site either, unless you're selling beaded rear view mirror hangers, keychains with car charms, etc. I believe they consider those trading links, and neither of you benefit from those.

If they're crawling OnFireforHandmade and find a mention and link to someone's Etsy shop, being a handmade artisan site... I assume they would consider that a good backlink.

If someone has a food blog and sells baked good here, trading links can be a good thing... I assume. Heaven knows, I'm no expert, but some things are just common sense, and linking willy nilly is not doing the shop, Etsy or any of us a favor.

JMHO of course...

[Former_Member]

Linda, I just meant that there would be good advice from experienced Internet marketers on that team.

You can ask anything you want here, but you won't always get expert advice! I try to go to the experts whenever I can.