Why you are not getting found newbies

[#1]

Things are tough when your category has 2,000,000 items, and you have 40.
You must do everything possible to give yourself a chance to be found. I dont see that in threads compalining about low views.
And, it isnt that hard, nor does it take much time to have good tags and titles. Ignore all that constant "tweaking" noise you read about. Do it right the first time, and you can spend the tweaking time making things.

I have learned the following from the Queen of SEO:

1.Your title is not the name of your item. It is a 70 character string whose goal is to get your item found by etsy search.

2. If you cant tell exactly what the item is by reading your tags, your tags stink. Those words are what people search on. If I had a dime for every purple necklace that had neither purple nor necklace in the tags, I would have a lot of dimes.

3. Words in your title must show up in your tags. If Blue scarf is in your title, blue scarf needs to be in your tags.

4. Use as many of the 20 characters in your tags as possible. Blue scarf as one tag is better than blue, then scarf as two tags.

5.Read about SEO at cindys seo group. she is very wise. http://www.etsy.com/teams/10713/cindylouwho-team/discuss/10196168/

the end

[KondooWoolArt]

what do you think about my store ???

[Former_Member]

Alex - i posted above already - - could really use some of your help! Thank you!
Note i promised you chocolate! :)

[ScoSiCa]

Thank you for the critique Alex. I'm currently working on redoing my photos so the criticism is well timed. I'm more of an architecture/landscape photographer than jewelry so I have a ways to go on getting good macro photos that don't cut off parts of the item.

I also have terrible trouble thinking of anything but the most common/easy tags so I'll definitely try to find those angles you mentioned - including the birthstone idea. I think I might have a tag blockage as I have trouble finding things on Etsy that I want so the whole 'think like a buyer' doesn't really work for me.

Again, thank you for the honesty. Its appreciated and I hope you're feeling better.

[goolgool]

OK, I've been reading this thread and working on my titles and tags...
first time that I'm asking for an outside critique for my shop(:

I've been having fun making all my stuff, still i had only 3 sales since i have opened the shop and only about 20 views per day.
what can i improve next?

[Former_Member]

Alex - please please please tell me what you think of me - i have mentally prepared and packed the chocolate

[Former_Member]

I'm celebrating my 3 month anniversary and my shop is a constant work in progress. Currently I'm switching over to all white backgrounds and improving my descriptions. Since opening, I've had over 6,000 views, over 1,000 favorites, 25 purchases through Etsy totaling $271.00 and 33 purchases from my first home show with sales totaling $200. Would you please take a look at my shop and give me tips where I can improve even further? This is my full time job so I have a lot of time to devote to evolving into an even more successful shop. Thank you!

[Former_Member]

These are great tips, and things I am working on constantly. According to the Etsy Blog, if SEARCH appears at the top of the list in your Traffic Sources chart under Shop Stats, you are doing something right:) It is the top of my list, but I'm no where near satisfied with 50 views a day. As a part timer it's hard to be on top of it all of the time, but I know at least an hour a week spent updating tags/titles, etc and checking to see how views are effected is worth it for me!

[adfabinidaho]

Alex, you've been doing a great job here helping everyone :)
I could really use some help. I've been here for over a year with only 8 sales :( I've been trying to add more items and it's been slow, seems all my sales have been camouflage, which is great but I would love more sales.
I've been trying but not much luck :(

[Former_Member]

you are so funny Alex! yet helpful!!

[Former_Member]

Okay, i am taking the plunge and want a critique alex!

[Former_Member]

Very helpful tips here!! Wow!
If you have time Alex, can you take a look on my shop too?
Thanks!!

[Former_Member]

The advice here is amazing! I learn something new every time I check in.

Thank you Alex!!

[Former_Member]

omg, thank you so much. I will be revising much!

[Former_Member]

omg...I have laughed so hard. Great feedback Alex! You don't even have to look at my shop...I know just from what you told others where I can improve! BTW...your stuff is gorgeous!

[Former_Member]

I could not find the Cindylou SEO team you referenced...could you post a link? Thanks.

[Former_Member]

Never mind...I'm an idiot. I found the cindy lou link in the original post.

[theDelhiStore]

Really I learned so much, Thank you for sharing!

[MyHoneypickles]

I have loved and learned so much! Alex, I would love to have you grade my shop. I would be so grateful!! Thanks in advance.

[VelvetTeacup]

Hi Alex,

This is so helpful and sometime when you have caught up a bit would you mind having a look at my items and seeing what you think please?
I have had my shop for a little over a year and I know that my titles and tags are better than when I started but any help is very much appreciated.

[Former_Member]

heike from germany

selling scarves
silk and cotton
there are many on here, with differing degrees of " handmadiness"

i dont know what an infinity scarf is 28,000 of them on etsy. One is on the front page right now.
I like your pictures, very professional

you have a black cotton scarf. It really isnt black, it is three colors.
The title is the most important part of getting found. Yours is not good.
It is grey. black and silver, cotton scarf, batik, flower brooch, hand dyed, Use words that describe your item. Those last five words in the title do not.
heike.... cotton scarf isnt in the tags.... ach du lieber
batik cotton scarf
hand dyed scarf
you do have some misspellings in the tags, like oliv(e), safran (saffron)
that wont hurt you in the descriptions, but will in some tags. As a whole, you do pretty well with the language.
I like the look of your page. It is fun and vibrant. And I like buying German goods. Beer, tools, saw blades. I think the German reputation for quality can help you. Play that up a bit.

so
Your tags and especially your titles need to be more descriptive about YOUR product. "Fashion trends" and 'fall fashion" are not going to help you.

read this:

http://www.etsy.com/teams/10713/cindylouwho-team/discuss/9227373/page/1

[Former_Member]

Great info OP! Thanks!

[Schalrausch]

Thank you so much Alex. You rock!

[OnTheHook]

Curious to see what your feedback is for my shop. Thanks for doing this!

[Former_Member]

obcreations from geneve

3 months, 2 sales, 100 items

your photos are great.

your english is a little hard to follow in the descriptions. I bet it is your fourth best language. I think you need the help of a native english speaker.
wow
you hand paint the pendants
you do great work
I love the gradual color changes. i try to do that in my work, though I do it by sanding what had already been painted. It is a great effect.
well

all of your titles need to have better key words that people are likely to search on. You dont need to put handmade in the titles.
and use all 13 tags

reading this will help :

http://www.etsy.com/teams/10713/cindylouwho-team/discuss/10196168/page/1/

you do great work
love the hand painted pendants

there are so many similar items for sale here that you have to work like a swiss watchmaker on your tags and titles to get noticed.

And try to get some help with your English. I think that will help more than anything.
We Americans demand that everyione speak our language..

[Former_Member]

Do you have any info of how tags and search work in different languages?
I was assuming it's that same but things are a bit weird....

I noticed that I get views for some of my items when people search on Google but not not when the same keywords are entered directly on Etsy. How come???
Example:
the words 'Ringschale Hochzeit' (German for 'ring bowl wedding') entered on Google, gets me regularly views on ONE of my bowls....but not all...and I used it for several listings. Why is that?

If I enter the same keywords directly on Etsy none of my items come up :( and again: Several items have this combination.
I just don't understand!