basic seo needed

[bernie2]

I need some advice on some basic SEO that needs doing to my website www.pencilpal.co.uk if you would like to help please PM what you could do and a rough estimate of the cost. thanks

 

[FluxServices]

I need some advice on some basic SEO that needs doing to my website www.pencilpal.co.uk if you would like to help please PM what you could do and a rough estimate of the cost. thanks

How basic do you want the seo?

 

[SEO Positive]

Any ideas on keywords? or you also looking for someone to do the keyword research for you too?

It would be handy to know the keywords you are after so that we can do competitor analysis, and get you a fair price on the job.

 

[david64]

I am using Linux and when I load your page, all I can see is a grey box.

I don't know if this is a Linux issue or if that is how the site is meant to be. It seems to me your site is in Flash (which is crashing in my browser) loaded via an intricate piece of JavaScript.

You'd need the site converted to plain HTML and you'd also need a bit of keyword research and a bit of page editing. It would probably take 1 day.

You might be better of trying to sell your product on eBay.

 

[nextgenseo]

Well the cost and turn around time is very much depend on the keywords you are targeting. Please let me know what are the keywords to focus on for being able to quote you approximate fees.

thanks.

 

[bernie2]

Thanks for your replies, I dont really know how much basic seo i need as i dont know enough about it, ive got some keywords, i do google adwords, someone mentioned about 1 day to do this, if this is the case my budget will be fine for that but I cant pay hundreds. My product is on Ebay i have sold over 100 but what i am looking for is bulk orders of 50+ for golf days etc, i will be in touch with a couple of you to have a chat about how you can help me.

 

[fisicx]

Bernie,

It's been mentioned in many posts that it's the site content, navigation and layout that you need to focus on. Even SEO isn't going to help you get any orders because unless people know about you they aren't going to be looking for 'pencilpal' and you already rank #1 well for that term.

Instead of investing your money in SEO, use the money on PPC - it will be far more cost effective.

 

[david64]

Instead of investing your money in SEO, use the money on PPC - it will be far more cost effective.

You may be right. However, I think the site needs to be converted to HTML. It doesn't work on my PC and I'd also imagine the keywords that this sort of site would want to rank for are really easy.

 

[fisicx]

However, I think the site needs to be converted to HTML. It doesn't work on my PC and I'd also imagine the keywords that this sort of site would want to rank for are really easy.

Exactly. Bernie has been given this advice many times but nothing seems to change.

 

[QVA - Emma]

Exactly. Bernie has been given this advice many times but nothing seems to change.

I agree that converting to HTML would be best however I disagree with the keywords as not only does this sit in the highly lucrative golfing market but also as corporate gifts and gifts market which we all know is highly competitive.

PPC may work but only if the right image is being conveyed.

As a "golf widow" myself I am only too aware of these gadgets and gizmos that are available.

 

why don't you just phone or send a sample to all the golf clubs and cut a deal with them.?

As said no one is going to look for your product.

If you want internet sales you are going to have to rank for "golf accessories or gifts e.t.c. )

Earl

 

[fisicx]

...I disagree with the keywords as not only does this sit in the highly lucrative golfing market but also as corporate gifts and gifts market which we all know is highly competitive.

I know and Bernie has been advised that this is the way to go. Ranking for pencilpal is pointless because only those who know about it are going to search for it.

 

[website]

since you are using moonfruit (webeden) i suggest you get a specialist in that area.

 

[bernie2]

Yes i know people don't know about 'pencilpal' so what is the best thing to do to get them to know about it, improve website or seo? how do i get people to know about it?

 

[Ali-v-8]

hi bernie, sorry but you cant just be happy with getting basics done.
Getting basics in place wont get you a guaranteed top 100 position

if i were to take your website on it would be for everything. (performance based)
But i wont do half a job. And i dont think doing part of a job is a good idea.
its like having double glazing without loft insulation

 

[david64]

Yes i know people don't know about 'pencilpal' so what is the best thing to do to get them to know about it, improve website or seo? how do i get people to know about it?

Socialise in the golf community. Join golf blogs and add footer links back to your site, set up a blog and produce some good articles for it, go and comment on other blogs (mainly golf ones). Easy stuff you can spend 1 hour a day doing without spending any or only a few bunts.

You can also spam people up if you want, force your product in their face by just emailing them out of the blue. Might work, might not. By using the above methods, you might makes online friends, contact and build some rep.

Starting up online is hard. You can either pull out the cheque book or get advice here as what you can do for free - or even better both. Your site wont get anywhere without putting in a lot of effort.

 

[GNU]

Bernie,

It's been mentioned in many posts that it's the site content, navigation and layout that you need to focus on. Even SEO isn't going to help you get any orders because unless people know about you they aren't going to be looking for 'pencilpal' and you already rank #1 well for that term.

Instead of investing your money in SEO, use the money on PPC - it will be far more cost effective.

What are you basing this on? His product sells for £2.89 and the adwords tools is estimating £0.52 - £0.72 per click for spots 1-3 on the term "golf pencils"

PPC is not more cost effective than SEO... if he ditched his current domain and got "golfpencils.co.uk" or "golfpencilmania.co.uk"... best domain he can find... added some more content... went on a commenting spree on do follow blogs... wrote a few hub pages / squidoo lenses pointing at his site, did some directory submissions.... networked with a few golf bloggers... weasled his way onto their blogroll etc etc etc he would have a half decent chance of ranking on something useful... Once he has enough "golfpencil" links... 301 domain back to pencilpal.co.uk

In terms of the site... could just move it to wordpress... start a golfy blog, add sales pages as static pages, perhaps make one of those the front page, and the blog "loop" a secondary page... better still, start with the blog loop up front till you make it onto a couple of blog rolls, then switch it back round...

PPC would be flushing his money down the drain IMHO.

 

[david64]

Some more good DIY tips from GNU for you there Bernie

commenting spree on do follow blogs

Sounds like we've got a pro on our hands here. I can see the slurry of "Thanks. Nice post" comments now.

 

[GNU]

why don't you just phone or send a sample to all the golf clubs and cut a deal with them.?

As said no one is going to look for your product.

If you want internet sales you are going to have to rank for "golf accessories or gifts e.t.c. )

Earl

I recon this is the best advice in this thread so far... I recon you would be better off sticking with Ebay (and its ready made market place) and look at more offline stuff...

 

[bernie2]

great advice, not sure what to do now Ebay is good for small number sales but I want bigger sales and they come through my website, also Ebay take there little cut as well which eats into my profits and so do paypal.

 

[david64]

great advice, not sure what to do now Ebay is good for small number sales but I want bigger sales and they come through my website, also Ebay take there little cut as well which eats into my profits and so do paypal.

Can't really think off too much. Contacting courses has already been mentioned. Contacting online golf shops could also be a good one.

Problem is with you promoting this site online is that it just might not work and you'll have wasted time and greenbacks on it. Its a gamble.

 

[fisicx]

What are you basing this on? His product sells for £2.89 and the adwords tools is estimating £0.52 - £0.72 per click for spots 1-3 on the term "golf pencils"
PPC would be flushing his money down the drain IMHO.

I agree, my mistook.

But no matter how hard Bernie tries, he is not going to get any big orders until he changes his marketing focus. He shouldn't be selling pencilpal he should be selling golfing promotions. The problem is that this is a very competitive field so the advice to go offline and market directly is still the best way to go. If he actually wants to sell online then it may be better to work in partnership with an established promotional merchandising business.

 

[GNU]

great advice, not sure what to do now Ebay is good for small number sales but I want bigger sales and they come through my website, also Ebay take there little cut as well which eats into my profits and so do paypal.

Well, it depends how much time you have. As has been mentioned, you could turn your site into a blog... network, get links that way.

You could also send golf bloggers free samples in exchange for a product review... those would be cheap links... assuming your pencils are actually any good

You could also look at affiliate schemes, whereby you pay websites commision for selling your products.... tho I think you would struggle to make that work on such low value items.

Your problem when it comes to online advertising / ppc is that anyone with "golf traffic" will be pushing much higher value / high profit items.

Another idea may be to write to online golf stores and see if they would be interested in stocking your item.... pretty much the same as selling offline though.

Out of interest, are you selling on all the Ebays or just UK?... i.e. have you tried US, Australia, Canada, Europe...

 

[GNU]

I agree, my mistook.

But no matter how hard Bernie tries, he is not going to get any big orders until he changes his marketing focus. He shouldn't be selling pencilpal he should be selling golfing promotions. The problem is that this is a very competitive field so the advice to go offline and market directly is still the best way to go. If he actually wants to sell online then it may be better to work in partnership with an established promotional merchandising business.

Yup... as mentioned... if I had "golf traffic" I would not be pushing pencils...