Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
So being in the gutter we decided that was the time to change the url, always hated the old one anyway. we bought foowidgets.com & widgetsfoo .co.uk .eu and 301'd the old site to the new .com
Got the url updated in Dmoz (took 1 day!) and finally the description we wanted, thank you to that editor.
Things were looking up we thought, although sales most certainly were not.
Then came the -31 and eventually -'where the ** is the site'.
Since we've sorted out all 'subtle mental' (supplemental) issues and removed some possible over optimisation issues. Mainly out of paranoia of big G. A quick look at the serps in this area makes us look like saints compared to the dodgy and ill thought examples of some other sites.
Been trying ever since to get sites that link to the old site to update their links. This has become nearly impossible. Who reads link requests any more. very few have updated their links. Even coded an affiliate scheme to try an give them an incentive, but decided not to use it as we didn't want to store user data without using ssl. Plus the paranoia that big G would take offence.
The Google directory still shows our old site 2nd place. sorted by page rank to a site that we know well for going on massive link campaigns. Well done to them.
The area is not competitive with mainly mom pop sites and a couple of major manufacturers, we have our own distinctive range that no one else makes. If we ever post on forums related to the widgets we are always inundated with praise and request for materials/equipment from hobbyists. Something we don't and never will supply.
Thing is we don't rank for any single keyword on google, not even for widgets. we used to, but no more.
How can a site with widgets in the url widgets in the content and widgets in the navigation, pictures of widgets, that sells widgets, listed in the widgets section of Dmoz, with a directory of widget sellers/suppliers (non affiliate) and perfect match adsense about widgets and an old 301'd page rank5 domain that used to rank for widgets not rank for widgets.
I've checked through 1000 results for widgets trying to find the site. You can imagine the kind of results you get when you get that far down the serps.
one of the problems is the widgets we make are unique. search for 'foo widgets' and we are No1. However if you don't know about them then you would not normally search for those two keywords that are both the brand and url.
As an example if someone created an ipod made of wood you would never get anyone searching for 'wooden ipods' unless they already knew about them. But you would expect them to rank somewhere for ipods.
So here we are coming up to Xmas and things are looking grim, think we can last till Xmas, although if the seasons sales are bad then its time to get one of those job things!
As many as said on this forum before, basing a business purely around google serps is dangerous. Although with the monopolistic strangle they have on the net what else can an on-line business do. Should have spent my time chasing the mail order path instead of trying to second guess the giant.
Oh well moan over.
ps
Any chance of a job section on the forum around about Xmas ;p
Plus erm ... shuffles feet, I may have since cancelled all google adwords webmaster etc accounts due to a slight '** you too hate complex'.
Just to add a black helicopter theory (don't actually believe it but you know..).
Adwords
Never actually bidded on the keyword widgets as we used to rank for that term. Around June I tested the keyword widgets and found we could get top (blue) placement for about Xp.
Thought about swallowing the pride and paying up. but just feels like some sort of buggery. I'd rather pay offline ads/magazine than paying big G at the moment.
Unfortunately funds are too low for advertising risks.
Its going to cost me to wind down, and by the lack of visitors I can't afford the gamble that something might change.
Wasted far to much time and effort on that... (im sure you can imagine the rest of that rant).
Must be that the products weren't ok for post May 2006. Strange that the customers decided this at the same time as one of the main ranking keywords disapeared.
Self employed for the last 4 years.
Time to go begging to the unemployment office.
Merry Xmas G
I would suggest a campaign for fresh, direct links of quality and authority. Probably THE most important thing you could do.
Buying ads and links are only temporary stop gaps. Ads may get you thru this season, next season is also something to plan for.
So got to go begging to the government. That takes time too! And your not allowed to make a penny while scrounging. so I have to disable all possible income. Even the pittance that some Adsense pages brought in.
I design, create, sell physical products. The design is totally unique, no one else (as far as I know) makes anything close. I haven't lost the design or skills just the revenue stream.
Whether or not I can make money of msn and yahoo alone at the moment doesnt matter. As things won't change within the next couple of months. I've been telling myself maybe next month will be better for far too long.
By now I should be already getting the part time 'santas little helpers' in and ordering more materials while fretting over whether they will arrive in time. Instead I've still got materials bought in Feb!
Spent far too much time chasing that evil search engine. Trying to shoot for those invisible goal posts (the ones that move).
I knew things were going to be knocked back, just didn't expect to have to wait this long. And if I knew that we would not come back for the money keyword, I would have moved on or changed direction a long time ago.
I also would have paid the sickening amount it costs for Xmas fairs at the NEC Birmingham and Olympia London etc. But back then everything was groovy and Google didn't seem to have a problem with us. So this year I opted out.
Most fairs will have been fully booked since June/July, the only ones left now will be the ones where bored housewives stick pieces of felt together and OAP's shuffle round.
I gambled, I lost.
On the plus side. Spend six months scrounging ( get my tax back!), use the time to create some new designs. Do things I've not had the time to do due to piddling about with the evil one. Join one of the startup business things the goverment offers (free cash). Come back with the knowledge I've gained.
See it's not all bad :)
Sign here sir.
texas
In the years I've been online I've yet to see "links of quality and authority" in my niche. I Wish there was.
80% of the sites listed are bored USA housewives who use the word 'hubby' to describe the other half. Those you can get links from, and sales for that matter.
The few directories I've seen are pure adsense [expletive].
The others are companies who would have to pay a web designer to add that link.
I've been doing the link building for a long time. The last one I sent out was 3 days ago, the link was added and the reply was "I really like your widgets, very unique :)" Arrrg!
As for buying ads... who do you reccomend ;) ... they aint getting a penny.
The only other option: Set up an affiliate scheme, let someone else worry about ranking and feeding the evil one. And that will take time.
Could always set up a blog, bitch about google and plaster adsense all over it! Should be relevant ;)
