Paranoid about social networking?

once it was learned that google looked at links, some people put a
ton of links on their website (relevant or not)

It is my understanding that links TO your site are what are
important, possibly because you cannot do that yourself.

Noel

It is my understanding that links TO your site are what are
important, possibly because you cannot do that yourself. 

Yes, and the quality of the site linking to you matters too.

Elaine
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com

Because links are the currency of the internet. 

I should have said that I understand what links do for you with the
internet, that is not the issue. The issue is that we are sending
our customers to competitors.

Bill Wismar

is that all the top search spots are not there by having so many
other links on their sites. They are there because they pay google
and other search sites to be at the top. 

Connie has the bottom line, of course, but that’s only so many sites
that pay for listing. Probably a couple or a few results pages, in
jewelry - enough to knock most of us into the 50th result, if not
the 500th.

I watched a video on Internet searching, some of which had Google
people commenting. One thing they said was, “Only look at the top
ten results - if it doesn’t have what you’re looking for, alter your
search.”

More to the point, the Google guy said that the #1 factor in ranking
(besides paid rankings) is how many sites ~have links to your site~,
but not just that but how often they are used. Yes, they count. They
operate from the assumption that people linking to your site means
you are popular, but they are also hip to the “link spam” tricks that
have been mentioned here.

The links have to be legitimate, and Google has many ways of
verifying everything. They’re not #1 for nothing. Links you put on
your page enhance the ranking of those sites, but do nothing
whatsoever for your own.

By coincidence, benchpeg.com did a presentation at IJL called
“Social Media and How NOT to Use it”. A recorded version of it is
available on their web site

Indeed, links help - from many different standpoints (reciprocal
traffic, search engines, etc). However, this does not mean that you
send people to your ‘competitors’. As with the thread about stating
something is ‘hand made’ or not and marketing to YOUR clientele or
market, links are a tool. They can be geographic (local sites or
attractions etc), ‘best deals’, high fashion (not jewelry), fine art
etc. I always advise that people include a few relevant links. I do
not view every opportunity to spend money as competition.

Janice
http://www.doxallo.com

As mentioned before on the Orchid thread, you can (and probably
should) customize your page to be ‘private’ which makes it by
request only. You select who has access to what (if any)
about your or your business.

Besides, my address isn’t listed on Facebook.

In addition, the jewelry store down the road from me posts their
hours of operation on their front door. Wonder if they are just
setting themselves up to get robbed? after all ANYONE walking by
knows when they are there and when they are not.

Yes, that is a little tongue in cheek…but there is a lot of fear
in our culture(s) these days that probably really isn’t necessary.
Does one ‘need’ to be on Facebook? no. But being there also isn’t
that much different from a lot of other things that go on in life
that we’re simply more accustomed to.

Janice

There are some paid advantages and placement on some search engines,
however, I do not pay for anything like that and depending on what
search term you use, two of my sites come up on the first page on
google search (one is the third down on first page!) Using another
term I come up at the top of the second page. These terms I am using
to search with are generic, not using my personal name, business
name, or geographic location. These may not be search terms that
buyers use however I am only commenting on the idea that paying makes
one come out on top or near the top.

I don’t know much about SEO, but clearly something is working for
me.

Janice
http://www.jewelryartistsnetwork.com

The issue is that we are sending our customers to competitors. 

As someone else mentioned it is the type of links (the where). You
can have links to (and from) relevant sites that are not competitors
but “in the field” that complement your website. So you can
construct it so that you are not sending someone to your competitor. I
can’t recall the correct website/URL but there is a way to check who
links to you and that can be very interesting to see.
People/websites may be linking to you that you have no idea are
(which can be good or bad, depending on the website).

Mrs. Terry Binnion
General Manager
James Binnion Metal Arts, LLC

.....but there is a lot of fear in our culture(s) these days that
probably really isn't necessary. 

In this business a little fear can be what keeps you alive

Bill Wismar

I’ve sold a lot of jewelry off of my facebook page. I don’t have any
$10 earrings and never will.

I’ve also picked up some great wholesale accounts from networking on
Facebook.

Don’t judge it until you’ve tried it. Actually, nevermind. leave the
customers for us.

Amery Carriere Designs

There seems to be a misconception regarding page ranking in google.
There are distinct differences between ‘sponsored links’ which
generally are highlighted as the top two or three on any given page
and also displayed down the right hand side of the page (clearly
marked as sponsored links) and ‘regular rankings’. The regular
rankings are not influenced by any payment. It is possible for
anyone to hit the number one spot providing they have the skills in
SEO and the content in their website relevant to the keyword search.

Dave D.

In this business a little fear can be what keeps you alive 

while I don’t totally disafree…fear can also be what holds us
back, in business and in life in general.

There is a difference between fear and a having a working knowledge
of things and a healthy respect of things when we see them for what
they are.

For instance, I teach my children not to fear the ocean but to have
a healthy respect for the power of it and I provide them with the
education and tools that empower them to freely enjoy the water -
the power of the waves as they body surf their way in to shore.

Janice

DITTO!

Don't judge it until you've tried it 

Facebook has proved very useful in driving customers to our website,
as well as to our “bricks and mortar” store. We have sold high end
jewelry directly from our Facebook page. Google has been very useful
also. Purchasing Google ads has been so successful for us that we no
longer spend any money on print advertising such as newspaper or
yellow pages. Print media advertising, in our experience, is
overpriced for very little return.

Peggy Wilson
Harbor Jewelers
Chesapeake, VA

I have a flash site and don’t know how to enter “keywords” on it.
When it was first developed when you typed my name Amery Carriere my
own site came up on page 3!!! Over the years it moved slowly up,
not sure how but it eventually got to the #1 spot. Now I have a blog
and facebook, and they say that helps, but it was at #1 before any
of that. Not certain how it all came together.

Hi Amery,

I don’t know what program you use for your website so I cannot help
you as to how to add keywords. But if you would like to see the
keywords that your site is using go to your website via one of the
browsers (I was on Firefox). In the top navigation of the browser
under “View” look for “View Source” it will bring up the coding for
your page (and you can do this with any website on the web) and you
will see the keywords and then usually the word “content” and the
terms following keyword and/or content are your keywords. It is
generally believed that the keywords need to reflect what is on your
website…not all, but a number of the keywords listed in your
source code should be in the text of your website.

Mrs. Terry Binnion
General Manager
James Binnion Metal Arts, LLC

Hi Amery

The reason your website reaches the No1 spot for your name, is that
your name is in the title of your domain and in your keywords google
will realise your site is the most relevant for for the search of
‘Amery Carriere’. Flash websites are unfortunately a very poor way to
publicise through google ratings as much of the text is invisible to
googlebots.

This is of course fine if you wish to be found only for the phrase
Amery Carriere but to seriously rate for other phrases or keywords
you will be at a disadvantage.

The flash site is placed inside a single html page which does have a
list of keywords. If you have access to your site files you should be
able to edit them with any basic software. You can view your keywords
in your web browser by going to the menu item view/page source. I
would suggest that opening a google analytics account and adding the
google code to your home page will give you a better understanding of
who is visiting your site and how they found you.

Dave

I have been reading this with great interest.

For the most part it is mis-understood. Many responses are fear
based. The most prominent being losing customers to competitors."

I, speaking as a member of the Whaley Studio Team, do not fear
"competitors." I have contacted other teaching locations with open
invitations to visit us and see where we can benefit one another.
Fear is a destructive emotion, and may indeed cause lost
opportunities. I have directly heard the word “competitor” a few
times recently. I respect the personal feeling, do not see it as
real.

Before Orchid, this entire industry was fear and protect based.
Remarkably this is for the most part gone. Where an individual with
a problem had little chance of solution, now a post here leads to
resolution, and yes, frequently from a competitor. It is time we
understand some of the old messages need to be erased.

One fear I see may be of value, is the fear of not keeping up with
what is out there and available to all. Yes, I may be speaking
directly to you. Have you ever said “I don’t have time for FaceBook
or Twitter?” Moot point.

Even the strategy of others has been freely shared here. It is all a
matter of choice, as was just said, “ok don’t, leave it all for us.”

'nuf said."
Hugs,
Terrie