back to school chat log

[2007.07.18 17:49:57] Welcome to the CafePress Chat Room
[2007.07.18 17:49:57] SC has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 17:49:57] All users in this room have been allowed to talk
[2007.07.18 17:55:48] goatlady has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 17:56:16] Message queued in room for moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 17:58:25] BrittaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 17:58:51] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 17:58:59] BrittaCP: Hey gang. I just opened up the lobby if you would like to chat in there until 4
[2007.07.18 17:59:05] BrittaCP: sorry, I didn't realize it was closed
[2007.07.18 17:59:20] SC: thanks for opening the lobby
[2007.07.18 17:59:25] BrittaCP: No Prob!
[2007.07.18 17:59:29] BrittaCP: see you all at 4!
[2007.07.18 17:59:56] BrittaCP has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 18:00:06] The room has been closed by the system
[2007.07.18 19:00:35] The room has been opened by the system
[2007.07.18 19:00:39] ninaPA has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:00:56] digimbalance has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:06] cancercrusader has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:11] I'm Here has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:11] kaosnorway has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:12] Photo Girl has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:14] MrsEvilGenius has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:14] ididitdesigns has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:15] AngelaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:15] cowpie has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:17] CYIdo has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:25] Gandalf_Parker has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:30] BrittaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:35] Tyr has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:39] John has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:43] Renee has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:01:47] AngelaCP: hi everyone
[2007.07.18 19:01:58] AngelaCP: i'll wait another minute while more people make their way here....
[2007.07.18 19:02:04] goatlady: hi
[2007.07.18 19:02:06] Matt has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:02:15] wilderside has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:02:18] BrittaCP: Hi everyone
[2007.07.18 19:02:34] DDKnight has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:02:38] MrsEvilGenius: hey, Ang
[2007.07.18 19:02:39] Karen has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:02:40] kaosnorway: hi
[2007.07.18 19:02:43] Matt: Hi
[2007.07.18 19:03:13] AngelaCP: Ready to get started?
[2007.07.18 19:03:18] BGryphon has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:03:25] Renee: My kids are really tired of hearing the words "back to school" already.
[2007.07.18 19:03:29] AngelaCP: I’m the Community Advocate, from the CafePress Community Team. Most of you already know me, for those that don’t you may find me on the forums, these chats, or on the monthly shopkeeper newsletter – ShopTalk.
[2007.07.18 19:03:42] AngelaCP: Before my gig as Community Advocate, I was an Account Manager working with corporate shops so I know a thing or two about prepping shops for Back-to-School.
[2007.07.18 19:04:00] AngelaCP: Plus, over the years I see all the wonderful things shopkeepers do for Back-to-School (B2S) and have seen what works and what doesn’t. I would love for you to share with everyone what has worked for you … or what didn’t work.
[2007.07.18 19:04:17] Rico has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:04:24] AngelaCP: So before we begin, this is a reminder that this chat is moderated
[2007.07.18 19:04:46] AngelaCP: your questions will go into a queue and will be displayed once answered or pushed out
[2007.07.18 19:05:04] AngelaCP: So, let's start... I want to go over statistics for Back-to-School shopping in the retail industry. You’ll see some lovely graphs pop up.
[2007.07.18 19:05:13] AngelaCP: Average B2S spending by demographic (source BIG Research, Consumer Intentions & Actions 2006):
[2007.07.18 19:05:36] kayecee has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:05:57] AngelaCP: sorry guys
[2007.07.18 19:05:59] AngelaCP: give me a minute
[2007.07.18 19:06:04] AngelaCP: i'm having issues uploading it
[2007.07.18 19:06:42] Karen has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:07:02] Karen has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:07:04] I'm Here has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:07:22] Kate@LittleLizzyLou has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:07:32] AngelaCP sent a picture:
[2007.07.18 19:07:37] AngelaCP: sorry guys
[2007.07.18 19:07:38] Photo Girl has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:07:39] BrittaCP: YaY!
[2007.07.18 19:07:53] I'm Here has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:08:12] AngelaCP: Average a consumer spends on B2S items in 2006 (source BIG Research, Consumer Intentions & Actions 2006):
[2007.07.18 19:08:21] AngelaCP sent a picture:
[2007.07.18 19:08:44] AngelaCP: Average consumer spending per category (source BIG Research, Consumer Intentions & Actions 2006):
[2007.07.18 19:08:49] Kippy has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:08:51] Romy has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:08:54] cafepress24 has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:09:01] AngelaCP sent a picture:
[2007.07.18 19:09:01] Photo Girl has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:09:30] AngelaCP: When consumers plan to start shopping for B2S (source BIG Research, Consumer Intentions & Actions 2006):
[2007.07.18 19:09:35] Tabitha has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:09:48] AngelaCP sent a picture:
[2007.07.18 19:09:58] AngelaCP: sorry the graphics are a bit small
[2007.07.18 19:10:01] AngelaCP: and for the wait....
[2007.07.18 19:10:07] chm has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:10:15] AngelaCP: I thought these statistics will help you get an idea of how big the B2S retail market.
[2007.07.18 19:10:25] AngelaCP: As you can see, clothing and accessories is what most people are purchasing for B2S.
[2007.07.18 19:10:40] AngelaCP: Most start shopping 3-4 weeks before school starts. Please note in third place is 2 months before school starts… and that’s why we’re here today. Now, let’s talk about getting your shop prepped for B2S to take advantage of everyone on the last pie chart :P
[2007.07.18 19:11:01] AngelaCP: Agenda:
Today’s B2S Workshop agenda is:
-- Shop Sections/Organization & Products
-- Shop Aesthetics
-- SEO/Keywords
-- CafePress B2S Campaign
-- Q&A
[2007.07.18 19:11:11] AngelaCP: wrong paste
[2007.07.18 19:11:25] kayecee: can you post these diagrams somewhere so that those of us with less-than-young eyes can study it later.... :-o
[2007.07.18 19:11:31] BrittaCP: they will be included in the transcript
[2007.07.18 19:11:36] AngelaCP: Agenda:
Today’s B2S Workshop agenda is:
-- Shop Sections/Organization & Products
-- Shop Aesthetics
-- SEO/Keywords
-- CafePress B2S Campaign
-- Q&A
[2007.07.18 19:12:14] AngelaCP: Shop Sections/Organization & Products
[2007.07.18 19:12:24] AngelaCP: As I go over a few ideas, please keep in mind how this translates to your shop. Some of these ideas may not work for your shop – it all depends on your shop niche/audience.
[2007.07.18 19:12:29] ninaPA: Give us the 'what doesn't work', so we don't waste time on it in our shops...
[2007.07.18 19:13:09] MrsEvilGenius: Lol, Nina
[2007.07.18 19:13:15] AngelaCP: So ninaPA, it all depends on your shop. Some of these ideas may help your shop but others may not quite work for the type of audience your shop may attract.
[2007.07.18 19:13:29] AngelaCP: A best practice to follow for any campaign is to figure out the audience you want to target. In this case, it’s obvious – your target audience is students.
[2007.07.18 19:13:55] AngelaCP: Look a little closer and you’ll see there are different types of students. You can do better job of targeting the right products and designs for each student type. Quality targeting equates to better conversion. We love higher conversions, right? :)
[2007.07.18 19:14:03] AngelaCP: Here are some the recommended categories for students:
[2007.07.18 19:14:13] AngelaCP: Pre-school/Elementary
Middle/High School
College
[2007.07.18 19:14:30] AngelaCP: These student groupings make most sense to merchandise around. Does anyone think another set of groups would work better for their shop vs the recommended one? If so, please share!
[2007.07.18 19:14:42] cancercrusader: When I click on the graphs, they open in a new window and are full-size (just in case you didn't know...?) for anybody having trouble seeing them.
[2007.07.18 19:14:49] NiftyGaloot has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:14:58] BrittaCP: Thanks for the ip cancercrusader
[2007.07.18 19:15:00] AngelaCP: Thanks CancerCrusader... referring to the graphs
[2007.07.18 19:15:18] ninaPA: How much are we targeting students, and how much are we targeting their parents who shop for them?
[2007.07.18 19:15:35] AngelaCP: Ah, we'll kind of touch upon that in the next section
[2007.07.18 19:15:41] AngelaCP: good question!
[2007.07.18 19:15:57] AngelaCP: For each student group, think about the merchandise and designs that’s right for that student group targeted. In this case, each student group may have similarities, but enough differences to market them separately. Here are some ideas:
[2007.07.18 19:16:11] AngelaCP: Pre-school/Elementary: Create a section that appeals to younger students.
[2007.07.18 19:16:21] AngelaCP: Choose designs that are appropriate for students that age – cartoon drawings, animals, insects, cute sayings, school topics such as math, reading, etc.
[2007.07.18 19:16:28] AngelaCP: Science is popular for kids this age – space, planets…
[2007.07.18 19:16:35] AngelaCP: If you think of any topics or themes for this student group, please toss them out!
[2007.07.18 19:16:47] flipk has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:16:50] AngelaCP: Be sure you do not have inappropriate designs such as adult humor, anything offensive, etc. Keep in mind, the buying audience for this group is parents… nothing will turn them off more than having inappropriate designs for kids items.
[2007.07.18 19:17:03] AngelaCP: Suggested product categories for the Pre-school/Elementary student group are:
[2007.07.18 19:17:13] AngelaCP: Apparel that fits kids that age: We have the Kid’s T-Shirt and Kid’s Sweatshirt
[2007.07.18 19:17:24] AngelaCP: School bag/folder accessories: Students this age have pencil boxes, school bags, lunch boxes, folders. Highlight Stickers, Mini-Buttons, and Buttons.
[2007.07.18 19:17:33] goatlady: What aobut teacher specific?
[2007.07.18 19:18:03] jimsz has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:18:07] AngelaCP: You can certainly add a section for teachers, but I'm not sure how well it does. Anyone?
[2007.07.18 19:18:19] AngelaCP: It's definitely unique and targeted so definitely give it a try!
[2007.07.18 19:18:27] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:18:29] Renee: Because I have two kids of school age, what's coming to mind most is the category of "anti back to school"--sort of like the anti-valentine's day.
[2007.07.18 19:18:34] AngelaCP: That's a great idea!
[2007.07.18 19:18:43] AngelaCP: Boo! Summer's over...
[2007.07.18 19:18:58] MrsEvilGenius: My oldest Evil genius Son is 5 and starts school this year - two words: SPACE and DINOSAURS!;)
[2007.07.18 19:19:00] AngelaCP: I think that's very creative and unique... where else can that be found? ;)
[2007.07.18 19:19:15] AngelaCP: Yes, that's very popular w/boys that age :D
[2007.07.18 19:19:23] cowpie: I've done pretty well with teacher shirts.
[2007.07.18 19:19:24] MrsEvilGenius: I can see that, Renee for older kids. The elementary kids seem to be gung-ho about school though
[2007.07.18 19:19:36] Renee: I would think teacher gifts would be a good category, closer to the holiday season
[2007.07.18 19:19:43] digimbalance: A teacher may want to buy bulk stickers to use as a "gold" star kind of idea.
[2007.07.18 19:19:50] Gandalf_Parker: an idea that is always worth mentioning is to put designs onto posters in the form of book covers
[2007.07.18 19:19:59] SC: i have sold 3 teacher designs over the last week
[2007.07.18 19:20:09] jimsz: I am working on a drawing right now of just that!
[2007.07.18 19:20:12] MrsEvilGenius: digi, that's a great idea!
[2007.07.18 19:20:12] AngelaCP: Well, there you have it... maybe a teacher's design is worth doing...
[2007.07.18 19:20:21] AngelaCP: Does anyone have anything they want to add before we move on to the next student group?
[2007.07.18 19:20:50] Renee: My kids are 11 and 14, although the oldest was anti school since he was little. On the topic of planets, I did some "save pluto" designs that might be able to get new life now
[2007.07.18 19:20:55] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:21:05] AngelaCP: Great! well, we're moving on to that age bracket now...
[2007.07.18 19:21:15] AngelaCP: Middle/High School:
[2007.07.18 19:21:29] AngelaCP: This is the fashion conscious group of the bunch. Students in this group are looking to fit in – look cool. They will be looking for trendier, edgier designs – cool statements.
[2007.07.18 19:21:41] AngelaCP: Let me toss out some ideas for topics/designs for this group
[2007.07.18 19:21:48] AngelaCP: band, team sport, cheerleading, football, jock, clubs (chess club, honor roll, detention babe), team spirit, cliques (queen bee, mean girl, nice girl, class president), home coming, prom, Class of 2008
[2007.07.18 19:22:01] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:22:08] SC: sarcastic - attitude - princess
[2007.07.18 19:22:17] AngelaCP: Okay, detention isn’t a club, but wouldn’t a Detention Babe text with a cute design look cute? Maybe under the text is a drawing of an angelic girl…
[2007.07.18 19:22:28] AngelaCP: Yes SC
[2007.07.18 19:22:35] AngelaCP: High School Students are proud of their year so offer designs with Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Seniors on it.
[2007.07.18 19:22:44] flipk has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:22:46] AngelaCP: There’s so much you can do for this group for designs…
[2007.07.18 19:22:55] flipk has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:23:07] AngelaCP: Suggested product categories for the Middle/High School student group are:
[2007.07.18 19:23:23] AngelaCP: Apparel: Junior line for girls, Ringer T-shirt, Fitted T’s, Colored T-shirts, and Sweatshirts
[2007.07.18 19:23:30] AngelaCP: Locker accessories: Magnets, Mini-Posters, One-Page Calendar, Stickers
[2007.07.18 19:23:35] AngelaCP: On-the-go: Caps, Messenger Bags, Mini-Buttons, Journals
[2007.07.18 19:23:40] AngelaCP: Anything else I’m forgetting?
[2007.07.18 19:23:40] Renee: I've been trying to think of some science and math designs for girls. Seem to be drawing a blank, though
[2007.07.18 19:23:40] kayecee has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:23:40] wilderside has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:23:41] John: Class of 2008 (Hopefully) lol
[2007.07.18 19:23:49] Gandalf_Parker: teachers tend to like mugs so be sure to include them in teacher-type designs
[2007.07.18 19:24:16] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:24:20] SC: renee - try things like "not just for boys anymore"
[2007.07.18 19:24:29] AngelaCP: Great ideas
[2007.07.18 19:24:42] AngelaCP: Moving on to the next student group…
[2007.07.18 19:24:48] AngelaCP: College:
[2007.07.18 19:25:00] AngelaCP: It’s all about self-expression with this group. Politics, pop culture, and college humor are just a few of their favorite topics. Create designs around these topics. Other ideas:
[2007.07.18 19:25:16] AngelaCP: "Major" pride – college students take pride in the subjects they’re studying for such as Art, Business, Computer Science, Marketing, Design, etc.
[2007.07.18 19:25:29] AngelaCP: Those who went to college knows what I'm talking about ;)
[2007.07.18 19:25:34] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:25:35] AngelaCP: Geek pride – sorority, fraternity, rush week – it’s the social scene in college
[2007.07.18 19:25:44] John: Major: Unknown
[2007.07.18 19:25:55] AngelaCP: Ha, yes!
[2007.07.18 19:26:01] AngelaCP: Not all about geek? Well – then lots of politics and college humor will do the trick.
[2007.07.18 19:26:16] SC: college is usually in mid to late september - when thier loans come in - and thier parents are not there to stop them from using thier "emergency only" credit cards
[2007.07.18 19:26:27] Renee: Major: Student Union
[2007.07.18 19:26:29] AngelaCP: Thanks SC! Toss out more ideas to share with everyone!
[2007.07.18 19:26:33] AngelaCP: Yes
[2007.07.18 19:26:38] AngelaCP: Major: Party
[2007.07.18 19:26:44] John: Minor: Sleep
[2007.07.18 19:26:50] MrsEvilGenius: You mean gReek, Ang?
[2007.07.18 19:26:55] AngelaCP: Yes
[2007.07.18 19:26:56] AngelaCP: :D
[2007.07.18 19:27:00] AngelaCP: good catch
[2007.07.18 19:27:15] AngelaCP: Suggested product categories for the college student group are:
[2007.07.18 19:27:16] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:27:21] AngelaCP: Apparel: Any apparel will work, but focus MORE on DESIGN and color
[2007.07.18 19:27:30] AngelaCP: Dorm room accessories: Wall Clocks, Throw Pillows, Posters, Mousepads, Framed Prints, Magnets
[2007.07.18 19:27:39] AngelaCP: On-the-go: Caps, Messenger Bags, Mini-Buttons, Bumper Stickers, Journals
[2007.07.18 19:27:48] SC: partying - drinking - missing home - glad to be out - team sports - school pride
[2007.07.18 19:28:07] goatlady: color: what is this years trend in color?
[2007.07.18 19:28:17] NiftyGaloot has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:28:18] AngelaCP: Does anyone know? I'm not sure
[2007.07.18 19:28:31] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:28:46] SC: i think it is pink orange & green
[2007.07.18 19:28:49] ididitdesigns: brown and pink are huge with my college age girls
[2007.07.18 19:29:15] cancercrusader has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:29:24] Kate@LittleLizzyLou: http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/content/color_trends.html
[2007.07.18 19:29:25] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:29:31] BrittaCP: excellent, thanks!
[2007.07.18 19:29:39] MrsEvilGenius: I see a lot of monochrome - black, grey, white around here on the boys - pirate designs are big here
[2007.07.18 19:29:45] goatlady: Thanx
[2007.07.18 19:29:57] Renee: I'm utterly out of the loop about pop culture. Any quick ideas on what is in with the college age kids
[2007.07.18 19:30:08] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:30:14] SC: boys are still into a lot of the retro 70's style -
[2007.07.18 19:30:37] AngelaCP: thank you to everyone for sharing!
[2007.07.18 19:30:41] cowpie has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:30:41] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:30:52] AngelaCP: Let’s move on to the next topic. You have your student groups organized in sections…. now how should it look on your shop
[2007.07.18 19:31:01] AngelaCP: Shop Aesthetics
[2007.07.18 19:31:13] AngelaCP: Dedicate the top half or top third of your shop for B2S. Or get creative and use the right portion of your shop. The point is to find a spot on your shop to promote B2S so your customers can get into the mood of B2S shopping and to see your merchandise selection.
[2007.07.18 19:31:37] AngelaCP: Start with a banner on your shop. If your shop is ready for B2S next week, get your customers to start thinking about school in July. It’s not too early! In the offline world, it’s the same. They probably have B2S out now, or in the next week or so. Halloween in August, Christmas in October.
[2007.07.18 19:31:38] dooni has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:31:48] AngelaCP: Prominently display the 3 student groups and your best merchandise. Do this with photos and product collages for each group so customers can visualize what have and pique their interest to click into the sections. Get them to want more and see what’s on the “other side”…
[2007.07.18 19:32:04] AngelaCP: Feature students wearing apparel, carrying messenger bags, using a journal… to name a few. Show lockers decorated with your stickers, magnets, and poster print… Messenger bags and bags decorated with mini-buttons.
[2007.07.18 19:32:15] AngelaCP: If you plan to subcategorize on the section level, do the same. Your shop is a marketing vehicle to promote your merchandise - the more you display it and show customers what you have, the more likely they will buy more from you.
[2007.07.18 19:32:25] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:32:39] AngelaCP: In general, think about navigation and be sure you use the space well. Be sure it’s not so confusing that your customer will not know what to do next. Think like a customer.
[2007.07.18 19:32:41] kayecee has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:32:50] AngelaCP: Does anyone have anything they want to share about Shop Aesthetics before moving on to SEO?
[2007.07.18 19:33:08] SC: i am planning a rotating banner for the top http://www.htmlbasix.com/banner.shtml is great for making a simple rotator
[2007.07.18 19:33:30] Matt: Any ideas for offline B2S marketing?
[2007.07.18 19:33:34] skully has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:33:36] BrittaCP: drop some cards in the libarary
[2007.07.18 19:33:46] AngelaCP: Moving on.... SEO/Keywords
[2007.07.18 19:33:48] BrittaCP: on on student bulletin boards on a campus
[2007.07.18 19:34:00] jimsz has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:34:06] AngelaCP: Fliers
[2007.07.18 19:34:27] AngelaCP: offline marketing for B2S is probably easier for the older audience
[2007.07.18 19:34:28] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:34:30] Proud Poppa has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:34:35] BrittaCP: write sick notes for the teacher on the back of a flier
[2007.07.18 19:34:41] BrittaCP: send your kid to school with it
[2007.07.18 19:34:43] BrittaCP: ha!
[2007.07.18 19:34:48] AngelaCP: LOL
[2007.07.18 19:34:55] SC: i am having my website printed on 1000 pencils and giving to my mom to give tot he teachers in her school to give out the first day of classes:-d
[2007.07.18 19:35:05] AngelaCP: Oh, in goodie bags :D
[2007.07.18 19:35:22] MaxMuhlin has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:35:24] AngelaCP: kids give out goodie bags or get them
[2007.07.18 19:35:31] AngelaCP: make one with pencils to give out
[2007.07.18 19:35:34] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:35:37] AngelaCP: if they allow it....
[2007.07.18 19:35:48] AngelaCP: okay, let's move on to SEO
[2007.07.18 19:35:50] AngelaCP: Help B2S shoppers find your shop by using keywords to set up search engine optimization.
[2007.07.18 19:35:59] AngelaCP: Most of you already know about the importance of optimizing your shop for search engines …
[2007.07.18 19:36:09] AngelaCP: Things to think about: 1. Start Early, 2 Use the Right Keywords, and 3. Optimize Your Shop with the Right Keywords
[2007.07.18 19:36:16] AngelaCP: When
[2007.07.18 19:36:22] AngelaCP: How early should you start? Everyone has a different opinion on when… The recommendation is to start at least a month before so search engines such as Google can get your shop pages indexed for search. If you can do it earlier, great!
[2007.07.18 19:36:46] Renee: Where do you get pencils printed?
[2007.07.18 19:36:51] AngelaCP: SC
[2007.07.18 19:37:00] AngelaCP: Right Keywords
[2007.07.18 19:37:06] AngelaCP: So we know to start early, but what to do from here?
[2007.07.18 19:37:15] AngelaCP: Start by coming up with keywords customers will use to find your shop. Before you start prepping your shop, start by thinking of all the topics and themes you want to cover and list them out.
[2007.07.18 19:37:29] AngelaCP: Obvious keywords are: back-to-school, school -- apparel, t-shirts, clothes, bags
[2007.07.18 19:37:35] Photo Girl: There have been a lot of searches for "book bags" already
[2007.07.18 19:37:39] AngelaCP: School bags, posters, school supplies, dorm room, book bag
[2007.07.18 19:37:48] 1512blvd has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:37:56] AngelaCP: Think of the keywords that are right for your shop. THINK LIKE A CUSTOMER. What keywords would you use on search to come up with stuff you want to see? Back to school, school clothes, school shirts?
[2007.07.18 19:38:12] AngelaCP: Even though you would want to focus on the obvious keywords, I encourage you to use other keywords related to B2S such as school subjects (math, spelling, etc) and the other topics we talked about earlier.
[2007.07.18 19:38:40] chm has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:38:40] John: Do I put the keywords in my item descriptions too?
[2007.07.18 19:38:43] BrittaCP: yes
[2007.07.18 19:38:48] CYIdo: Google Trends is really helpful for picking keywords.
[2007.07.18 19:38:51] chm has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:38:51] Karen: I get pencils at inkhead.com
[2007.07.18 19:38:54] AngelaCP: If you simply optimize your shop for back to school only... you will get a lot of competition
[2007.07.18 19:38:56] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 19:39:21] Renee: Thanks, Karen
[2007.07.18 19:39:33] skully has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:39:40] Kate@LittleLizzyLou: Are we ever going to be able to add more than 20 tags? It's so hard to narrow it down, and I feel like I leave off important tags.
[2007.07.18 19:40:23] AngelaCP: I don't have the answer to that, but I would almost recommend not using all 20 tags. My rule of thumb is to list the top 5-10 keywords for your design
[2007.07.18 19:40:39] FJS has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:40:43] AngelaCP: anything more is probably too broad... in my opinions
[2007.07.18 19:40:53] Karen: I think more than 20 tags will just make the tag spam worse
[2007.07.18 19:41:04] Kate@LittleLizzyLou: Oh wow! Ok, thanks Angela!
[2007.07.18 19:41:32] AngelaCP: agreed! I believe less would force someone to pick the best 5... if that is the case we won't find too many random tags... but that is my belief
[2007.07.18 19:41:47] FJS: I missed the first 40 minutes, will someone be posting the chat log, please?
[2007.07.18 19:42:00] BrittaCP: it will be posted later
[2007.07.18 19:42:12] 1512blvd: How does that make sense?
[2007.07.18 19:42:14] Proud Poppa: why's that?
[2007.07.18 19:42:15] goatlady: why
[2007.07.18 19:42:26] AngelaCP: see my previous answer... and again, that is my personal opinion
[2007.07.18 19:42:27] cowpie has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:42:34] AngelaCP: I agree with Karen ;)
[2007.07.18 19:42:44] ninaPA: When is it appropriate to use back-to-school as a tag? Does that ever make sense for most designs?
[2007.07.18 19:43:22] AngelaCP: I *think* it definitely appropriate if the design is school related - subject like math, reference to school
[2007.07.18 19:43:36] AngelaCP: in general, any thing can be bought for back to school
[2007.07.18 19:43:54] AngelaCP: when you search for back to school, as a consumer what would like expect to come up...
[2007.07.18 19:43:56] AngelaCP: ?
[2007.07.18 19:44:21] AngelaCP: Moving on....
[2007.07.18 19:44:22] AngelaCP: Optimize Your Shop
[2007.07.18 19:44:27] AngelaCP: Now that you have all the keywords, be sure to put them everywhere on your shop and B2S sections. On the B2S section of your storefront, write an intro and work your keywords in.
[2007.07.18 19:44:35] AngelaCP: Get as much of your keywords on to the pages of your B2S sections of your shop.
[2007.07.18 19:44:40] AngelaCP: Use keywords on your links. School Clothes, Locker & School Bag Accessories, Too Cool for School T-shirts
[2007.07.18 19:44:46] AngelaCP: Title your products. School is Cool T-Shirt, Math isn’t for Nerds Jr Jersey
[2007.07.18 19:44:53] Proud Poppa has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:45:27] AngelaCP: If you have time, add product descriptions too. If you can only do one, go ahead and focus on the Product Title since that link shows up on the section level and product page level.
[2007.07.18 19:45:32] AngelaCP: On your images, use keywords on “alt tags”. Alt tags are indexed on search engines.
[2007.07.18 19:45:37] AngelaCP: For those who are not familiar with alt tags, it’s the copy/text that shows up when you mouse over an image. Here’s an example:
[2007.07.18 19:45:43] kayecee has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 19:45:49] AngelaCP sent a picture:
[2007.07.18 19:46:00] AngelaCP: excuse my drawing ;)
[2007.07.18 19:46:01] BrittaCP: nice
[2007.07.18 19:46:10] AngelaCP: LOL
[2007.07.18 19:46:16] AngelaCP: You will need to code the alt tags in for images used on your shop front or any in sections that’s not uploaded in the Product Designer. The code would look something like this:
[2007.07.18 19:46:24] mkar has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 19:46:25] BrittaCP: That says "Alt Tag" BTW
[2007.07.18 19:46:25] AngelaCP:

there may be a small section fo chat missing here i was booted from chat momentarily (also times do not line up)

[2007.07.18 16:48:14] Welcome to the CafePress Chat Room
[2007.07.18 16:48:14] mark has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 16:48:15] All users in this room have been allowed to talk
[2007.07.18 16:48:18] AngelaCP: okay everyone
[2007.07.18 16:48:23] AngelaCP: sorry, i have to move on
[2007.07.18 16:48:25] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 16:48:30] AngelaCP: so quickly, i'll post the last sectoin
[2007.07.18 16:48:38] AngelaCP: CP B2S Campaign

Very quickly, I'll cover some of the things we're doing at CafePress
for B2S. As you may have already seen, the B2S portal is up. We have
the categories and subcategeories listed. If you have designs that
will fit in any of the categories, be sure to tag your images with
that category.
[2007.07.18 16:48:52] AngelaCP: Most of you already know how to view
the tags we're using to pull up the search results.
[2007.07.18 16:48:58] AngelaCP: The B2S portal is on the marketplace
[2007.07.18 16:49:03] AngelaCP: Just a reminder… Please DO NOT TAG
your images with all the Tags we're using on our B2S campaign just to
get your designs to come up if your designs are NOT RELEVANT. This is
called Tag Spamming.
[2007.07.18 16:49:08] AngelaCP: Tag SPAMMING hurts the Community
(other Shopkeepers – YOUR peers!), the shopping experience
(customers), and ultimately you (Tag Spamming is against the TOS).
[2007.07.18 16:49:14] AngelaCP: If you want your designs to show up
for all the categories, be sure to create designs for the appropriate
categories and Tag as such.
[2007.07.18 16:49:19] AngelaCP: Some Shopkeepers may tag all their
images back to school, but please only do this if your image is
related to a back to school topic. It's more beneficial to Tag your
image by the topic if your design isn't really back to school.
[2007.07.18 16:49:25] AngelaCP: Our B2S campaign started 2 weeks ago
and will remain until mid September. Back to the pie chart we saw
earlier, there's still a small percentage of shoppers that buy for
school after the school starts.
[2007.07.18 16:49:36] AngelaCP: Also, for colleges – some start late
September. On your shop, you can scale back after the first week of
September if you feel B2S might date your shop.
[2007.07.18 16:49:43] AngelaCP: We'll be sending out buyer newsletters
that will take customers to the B2S portal.
[2007.07.18 16:49:49] AngelaCP: We've done some PR around back to
school to get the word out to shop for B2S at CafePress.
[2007.07.18 16:49:52] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 16:50:05] zainabi has entered the room "CafePress Chat
Room"
[2007.07.18 16:50:14] winter has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2007.07.18 16:50:14] goatlady: Most of you already know how to view
the tags we're using to pull up the search results.
[2007.07.18 16:50:17] AngelaCP: Yes.
[2007.07.18 16:50:27] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 16:50:35] AngelaCP: So everyone, i apologize for having to
make this short...
[2007.07.18 16:50:39] mark: i have around a hundred different topic,
but some similar designs i made last week. How do i upload them
[2007.07.18 16:50:54] AngelaCP: i forgot to mention earlier that i
have to cut this workshop short by 10 minutes
[2007.07.18 16:50:55] BrittaCP: stick around after the chat... one of
the Shopkeepers here will be able to help you in the lobby
[2007.07.18 16:51:09] AngelaCP: what i'll do is grab all the
unanswered questions, and post them in the Community Forums
[2007.07.18 16:51:37] AngelaCP: in addition, I'll summarize this
Workshop with top points and get a discussion going with everyone
[2007.07.18 16:51:46] Rico: when will this transscript be posted?
[2007.07.18 16:51:53] BrittaCP: hoefully by friday
[2007.07.18 16:52:02] BrittaCP: *hopefully... or sooner
[2007.07.18 16:52:06] Rico: thank you:)
[2007.07.18 16:52:23] AngelaCP: Thank you everyone for attending
[2007.07.18 16:52:39] Photo Girl has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:52:40] BrittaCP: The lobby will be opening in just a
minute
[2007.07.18 16:52:42] AngelaCP: my apologies for not sticking around
for the questions...
[2007.07.18 16:52:50] AngelaCP: i'll chat with you on the forum :)
[2007.07.18 16:52:56] cowpie: I don't know about anyone else, but this
chat has been very helpful to me. Thanks Ang and Britta!
[2007.07.18 16:53:01] AngelaCP: glad to hear that!
[2007.07.18 16:53:08] Rico has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:53:10] flipk has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:53:10] AngelaCP: this will not be the end of it
[2007.07.18 16:53:14] AngelaCP: i'll see you online :)
[2007.07.18 16:53:24] AngelaCP: bye everyone ;)
[2007.07.18 16:53:26] AngelaCP has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:53:26] wilderside: hello
[2007.07.18 16:53:26] Karen: Hi
[2007.07.18 16:53:26] cowpie: Hi!
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] Rico: Good evening everyone:)
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] MrsEvilGenius: ohhhh, cool ...
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] Renee: If I send these image links to my
husband (who operates the store with me), should they work for him?
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] Renee: When I click on the image, they open full
size in another windwo
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] cowpie: Anybody have a magnifying glass?...lol
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] Karen: Schools here start in Sept. Some start in
August in other parts of the country. How early in August? Any input
on that?
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] cowpie: good idea...
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] goatlady: OR is it the parents of students?
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] John: Just students? Not students and parents?
[2007.07.18 16:53:27] MrsEvilGenius: wait ... and teachers, too, right?
Or no?
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] wilderside: where is a good place to advertise
during back to school season?
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] MrsEvilGenius: I sell my teacher stuff well all
year 'round
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] Gandalf_Parker: tile boxes as "locker
organizer", small calendar pitched as "locker size"
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] SC: mine are anti- no-child-left-behind - so
theya re being bought by teachers - not as gifts....my mom works in a
school and her and her friends buy them to wear while setting up for
classes LOL
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] MrsEvilGenius: My Evil Genius Husband is a
teacher (middle school) and Kayecee (where are ye girl?) is a teacher.
What do you say Kayecee? I'd ask EGH but he's feedin; goats;)
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] cancercrusader: Well, depends on what type of
math Renee...but we used to always draw Se^xy (the integral sign and
then e to the xy...if that makes any sense?) on the board in Calculus.
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] Karen: mine goes back to college mid Aug
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] MrsEvilGenius: I thought I was going nuts ...
not the first time, LOL!
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] cafepress24: i personally think that blue is
really in
[2007.07.18 16:53:28] SC: purple/lavender is always hot with college
girls
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] SC: bubble letters oulined in think outline
beige/brown or yellow/orange combos
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] Renee: Pirates :-D *Every* design seems to have
a pirate tie-in.My husband can't believe that people want to buy
designs with our daughter's cat "wearing" an eye patch and pirate hat!
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] cafepress24: tv commercials are really in
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] SC: she works in a high school 90% of her kids
show up without a pencil the 1st day LOL
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] SC: http://www.orientaltrading.com - go to
teacher then to more pencils
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] goatlady: what about possible typos or
misspellings and the such?
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] dooni: i have a ? about tags... do categorizing
still matter?
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] FJS: Thank you
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] cowpie: clothes and school supplies
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] goatlady: what is the percentage of actual back
to school related sayings vs non school related for B2S sales?
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] CYIdo: I like how the back to school portal has
sections to click for elementary, middle school, etc. However, all of
these sections take you to the same designs (just tagged as back to
school). Is it possible to get these age group links to be more
appropriately directed?
[2007.07.18 16:53:29] John: The last alt tag image is covering the
last 5-6 lines of chat
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] mark: Hello everyone
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] mark: Hello Moderator? ? can u read my messages?
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] goatlady: ?? I dont
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] goatlady: click the transcript button and copy
it- looks like a folder paper between the photo and paintbrush
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] Karen: Thanks for the chat
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] chm: Thank you, Angela and Britta. : )
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] SC: thanks chat was informative!!
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] SC: see everyone int he lobby!!
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] FJS: BGryphon are you going to post the chat?
[2007.07.18 16:53:30] cowpie: Bye and thanks!
[2007.07.18 16:53:38] cowpie has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:53:39] Renee has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:53:41] SC has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:53:47] The room has been closed by the system
[2007.07.18 16:54:18] Karen has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:54:35] Tyr has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:55:05] kaosnorway has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:55:44] BrittaCP has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:56:09] ididitdesigns has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:57:02] goatlady has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:57:02] Message queued in room for moderator(s)
[2007.07.18 16:57:49] John has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:58:30] cafepress24 has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:58:41] CYIdo has left the room (logged out)
[2007.07.18 16:59:29] DDKnight has left the room (logged out)