Saturday 9 March 2013

I finally made it....

..to page 1 on google!

I set myself a target towards the end of last year to try and get my HandbagsbyHelen website onto page one of Google. Ever since I started making bags I've spent (far too much!) time Blog-ing, Facebook-ing, Pinterst-ing and, occasionally  Twitter-ing.  But I was beginning to think my website would be permanently confined to the no-man's-land that is anything beyond page 5 on Google. On a few rare occasions one of my blog posts has made it to page 3, only to disappear a week later.

So imagine my surprise when I googled 'Handmade bags' a few weeks ago and found my website had made it to page 1! Yay!


At one point I was even above Anya Hindmarch! I don't really have any idea on what it was that made the difference, but here are my top tips for raising your profile on google.

First of all.... 

...decide the key words you'd like to be found under. For me it was simple - 'handmade handbags', 'handmade bags' and 'handmade purses' were my targets. I knew I would never stand a chance of getting onto page one for 'bags'. So choose something which is clearly linked to your product, but is also going to make sure you're not competing with more mainstream, better known and better resourced businesses.

Once you've decided your key words....

1) Blog regularly. 

Even if no-one seems to be listening! I know it can often feel like you're talking to yourself, but keep at it. Joining link up sessions like Handmade Monday can help a lot. As well as helping to make sure you post regularly, it's also really nice to actually get some comments - even if only for my own sanity! Try and use your key words in your heading or main body text of your blog post (as well as your tags).

2) Update your website

Once you've set up your website it seems to help that Google can tell that new products are being added. Even if you're just changing prices or posting a new picture. If Google thinks you're current then you're more likely to get noticed.

3) Use Google Merchant 

...it's free! I have to confess I had to get Mr HbyH to help me with this initially, but it's another way by which Google starts to recognise the name. I've never sold anything via Google merchant - but I don't think that's really the point. The busier Google thinks you are the higher up the rankings you'll go.

4) Go checkout some other sites who feature for your chosen key words

Google in the key words you'd like to be found under. Take a mooch around the top 5 pages. Then google the top 5 pages individually. You'll see all the places they are mentioned - this is how they got to be on the first page! Follow the links and see where they take you. It may be to blog posts, adverts or directory listings - go check them out. These are all places where you may be able to get your page listed or linked to as well.

5) Don't give up

It may seem like you're lost in the ether, talking to yourself and will never manage to be found. But persevere and one day you might just google those same key words and find yourself at the top!

So now i've made it to page 1, I just have to try and stay there!


(Health Warning: this is written by a complete technophobe who doesn't really understand this stuff. There are far more informative blogposts out there and as much technical detail as you'd like to take in. This is really based on what I 'feel' worked for me - it's not a science and there are no guarantees!)

29 comments:

  1. Congratulations on being found! I am still learning to map read! I shall try your ideas.
    Wendy x

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  2. Straight forward and practical - this is what we need.
    Thanks
    lu

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  3. that's pretty awesome, and great advice! way to go! J

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  4. I didn't know about Google Merchant! How in the heck do I get a datafeed!

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  5. Wow Congratulations. I am really happy for you. Thanks for the advice - I understand it and so shall be able to give most of it a go :)

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  6. That's brilliant well done, perserverance pays off:) really helpful tips too:) Thanks.

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  7. That is a fantastic achievement, well done!

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  8. Excellent news - well done! Great tips too. I would add that you should get listed on Google Places (maps) and also on an independent review website. Don't give up on the "bags" or "handbags" keywords either - I get over 600 hits a month from the term "unique gifts" which I never thought I could compete on - it seems some people *do* scroll to page 6 on highly competitive terms sometimes!

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  9. Congratulations! Well done.

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  10. Thanks for your post. It was really interesting and informative. I had not heard of Google Merchant either, so will have to look into it. It is amazing what us technophobes can achieve.

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  11. congratulations that's fantastic news! Some wonderful advice here too, thank you :) x

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  12. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your tips too

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  13. Well done :-) So all the hard work does pay off. I shall have to keep trying! Thanks for the help. I particularly like the tip about googling the top 5 sites for your key words and seeing where they are mentioned.

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  14. Well done! Move over Anya Hindmarch.....

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  15. Well done, brilliant news. Very good advice too - many thanks, it is really helpful. Hope you have a good week.

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  16. Thanks for sharing & congratulations! :)

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  17. yay, good for you. I think you deserve page one with your lovely bags.

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  18. Congratulations :) and thanks for what look like excellent tips, I have to admit that improving the SEO for my site has been on the to do list all year but always gets missed (or hidden from) as it seems an ever moving target!

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  19. Congratulations!Just shows if you persevere you can achieve anything!I'm off to google you now!

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  20. Congratulations!Just shows you can achieve anything if you persevere. I'm off to google you now!

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  21. One day I'll get organised, open that online shop I fanatasise about and follow your tips to maximise what I love, until then I'll continue coveting your bags and marvelling at your makes! The purses and bucket bags are super.. Sue

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  22. Well done you! And thank you for posting a clear, non techy, geek word free article about google rankings - from a fellow technophobe its much appreciated and I understand better now where I am going wrong :-)

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  23. Well done! And thank you so much for a really clear, human explanation of google rankings and how to get on them - I really appreciate it :-)

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  24. Hi Helen, me again, just to let you know I have nominated you for a Leibster blog award, please see my blog for details.
    Wendy x

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  25. I've just googled and your still on page 1. Well done.
    I always go to 'images' when I do a search so another tip is to make sure all your photos are titled before you put them on your blog or your web page.


    Jan x


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  26. Well done! Thanks for sharing your tips - always useful :-)

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  27. well done. interesting thoughts about how to make your blog successful.
    as for the key words, i think the rarer word typical of your website, the sooner your blog comes up in the google search.
    if there are many popular general key words like: cards, bags, sewing etc on the internet, the harder it is to come ahead of the crowd. but its worth fighting for this well deserved no.1 place

    as for the blog popularity i think fb and blog loving increase the traffic considerably :)

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