Marketing 2

[2008.02.21 18:14:57] Welcome to the CafePress Chat Room
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[2008.02.21 19:03:14] The Shadow has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:03:19] AngelaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:03:29] Teesed: I made it to a chat!!!
[2008.02.21 19:03:34] BrittaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:03:34] AngelaCP: You did...
[2008.02.21 19:03:39] DafnaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:03:39] AngelaCP: hi everyone!
[2008.02.21 19:03:44] Winter: Congrats, Teesed :)
[2008.02.21 19:03:53] BrittaCP: hi everyone!
[2008.02.21 19:03:54] TexxasFiddler: greetings all!
[2008.02.21 19:03:59] PreggoPrincess has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:04:04] riahsworld_2: hi angela
[2008.02.21 19:04:04] DafnaCP: Hi guys!
[2008.02.21 19:04:04] AngelaCP: hi everyone
[2008.02.21 19:04:12] BrittaCP: be ready in just one minute
[2008.02.21 19:04:13] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:04:18] RUBY has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:04:27] The Shadow: Hello all
[2008.02.21 19:04:31] riahsworld_2: hey britta
[2008.02.21 19:04:42] graphicdeeziner: Hi Dafna and Angela
[2008.02.21 19:05:13] BrittaCP: Thanks for joining our chat today. Today, we’re covering Basic Shop Marketing.
[2008.02.21 19:05:30] BrittaCP: This is a part 2, to a chat we held a few weeks ago, for newer Shopkeepers.
[2008.02.21 19:05:41] BrittaCP: Here today is Dafna, our Top Shop Account Rep
[2008.02.21 19:05:50] DafnaCP: Hello all
[2008.02.21 19:06:00] ChulhuLovesYou has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:06:22] DafnaCP: For those of you who don't know me, I work with the top shopkeepers on shop marketing among other things
[2008.02.21 19:06:26] buffaloworks has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:07:04] Teesed: As in... marketing for Basic Shops, or Basic Marketing for Shops? :P
[2008.02.21 19:07:06] BrittaCP: Marketing for all shops, but at a easy and basic level
[2008.02.21 19:07:11] thomascarlson: The top shop keeper are doing fine, what about us little guys?
[2008.02.21 19:07:16] AngelaCP: that's why we're here today ;)
[2008.02.21 19:07:16] AngelaCP: welcome!
[2008.02.21 19:07:36] BrittaCP: If you’re a new Shopkeeper, we hope you find this chat helpful in getting your shop up and going.
[2008.02.21 19:07:49] BrittaCP: For those that have been around awhile, we hope that you’ll share your experiences as we open the chat up for questions and comments.
[2008.02.21 19:07:52] Teesed: It's nice to see people that I consider to be good marketers in here to take part. It shows you can never get enough info!
[2008.02.21 19:08:04] BrittaCP: We’ll do a little recap of what we talked about in the last chat.
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[2008.02.21 19:08:26] BrittaCP: The Basic Shop Marketing Part 1, that is
[2008.02.21 19:08:34] riahsworld_2: i'm always open to new ideas
[2008.02.21 19:08:41] BrittaCP: For the full version, you can read the transcript here: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/community/workshop_marketbasics1
[2008.02.21 19:08:49] tropicando has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:08:59] BrittaCP: Before we begin, I want to throw out our usual reminder about how the chat works.
[2008.02.21 19:09:17] BrittaCP: This chat is moderated. That means any comment or question you submit will be placed into a queue until it’s reviewed and pushed out by a moderator.
[2008.02.21 19:09:22] BrittaCP: So if you don’t see your comment right away, that’s why.
[2008.02.21 19:09:27] Cartwright has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:09:32] BrittaCP: We try to get all questions and comments, however some may be missed since many come in.
[2008.02.21 19:09:42] BrittaCP: We’ll also have the transcript up by the early part of next week.
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[2008.02.21 19:10:17] Dooni Designs: i would like to see new ideas.. hey maybe even "newbies" have some =)
[2008.02.21 19:10:17] BrittaCP: It;s always good to introduce someone's fresh perspective on something, no matter what skill level they may be at
[2008.02.21 19:10:22] The Shadow: Marketing is probably one of my worst skills to be honest
[2008.02.21 19:10:58] BrittaCP: So to recap what we covered a few weeks ago…
[2008.02.21 19:11:19] BrittaCP: Learning some basic marketing skills is important to your shops success. Once you upload your images, and create products you need to get the world to notice them and more importantly BUY them.
[2008.02.21 19:11:34] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:11:53] BrittaCP: 1. Tag Your Images: Make sure that your images are showing up in our Marketplace.
[2008.02.21 19:12:13] BrittaCP: By tagging your images correctly with relevant terms searching customers will be able to easily find designs and products you have to offer.
[2008.02.21 19:12:48] AngelaCP: Yes, our Marketplace is a great distribution channel
[2008.02.21 19:13:09] BrittaCP: 2. Upgrade to a Premium Shop: Basic shops are great for learning how to set up and create products; but with a Premium you get a lot more bang for your buck. Here’s a really good chart listing out what a Premium has to offer:
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/shops/premium4
[2008.02.21 19:13:34] riahsworld_2: i always go into the shop and type in something related to my images to make sure they are showing up
[2008.02.21 19:13:39] riahsworld_2: and if something isn't showing up right i retag them
[2008.02.21 19:13:47] LoveJML: Do you have to have 20 tges per image, or can you do just as well with less so long as the tags you choose are relevant?
[2008.02.21 19:14:36] AngelaCP: You do not have to have all 20 tags. In fact, only put tags you need. If you only have 5 relevant tags, it's better to have 20 with many irrelevant ones.
[2008.02.21 19:14:37] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:14:43] DafnaCP: 3. SEO: Search Engine Optimization: Get your shop and products to show in search engines like Google and Yahoo.
[2008.02.21 19:15:07] DafnaCP: Make sure that you have plugged plenty of relevant keywords into your Shop Description, Section Teasers, Section Descriptions, and Product Descriptions.
[2008.02.21 19:15:11] DafnaCP: Basically anywhere you can plug content into your shop.
[2008.02.21 19:15:31] DafnaCP: Since Basic shops only give you room to add Shop and product descriptions, this is one of the reasons why it’s recommended to go with Premium.
[2008.02.21 19:15:40] macartist has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:15:47] DafnaCP: Remember, content is king, and Premium allows for more content.
[2008.02.21 19:16:06] DafnaCP: Is there anyone here is who is not using a Premium Shop, presently?
[2008.02.21 19:16:22] DafnaCP: If you still have a basic shop and you’re interested in an upgrade please send me an email at dchaffino@cafepress.com for an extra three months for free.
[2008.02.21 19:16:26] ne@1512blvd: I use both
[2008.02.21 19:16:33] thomascarlson: text = content = happy google!
[2008.02.21 19:16:36] riahsworld_2: thats the reason i upgraded
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[2008.02.21 19:16:58] DafnaCP: yes, premium shops make Google happy
[2008.02.21 19:17:32] BrittaCP: Alright… so onto the things that we weren’t able to cover last time.
[2008.02.21 19:18:05] tropicando: me
[2008.02.21 19:18:21] BrittaCP: you're not using a premium, tropicando?
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[2008.02.21 19:19:11] Cartwright: Are section descriptions "searchable"?
[2008.02.21 19:19:11] DafnaCP: Britta before we move on, I does anyone have any basic questions about SEO?
[2008.02.21 19:19:40] DafnaCP: yes, section descriptions are searchable -- text in general is searchable
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[2008.02.21 19:20:09] tropicando: Is SEO more important for premium shops
[2008.02.21 19:20:18] Mike has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:20:22] DafnaCP: SEO is important for basic and premium shops but in premium shops you have a lot more opportunity to use text.
[2008.02.21 19:20:27] tropicando: yes
[2008.02.21 19:20:32] BrittaCP: Tropicando: if you're interested, take a note of Dafna's email address that she just put out, and take her up on the offer
[2008.02.21 19:21:13] tropicando: Does google penalize you if your store description, page description and product description all look the same?
[2008.02.21 19:21:27] AngelaCP: I don't know the exact answer to this. Anyone?
[2008.02.21 19:22:00] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:22:08] AngelaCP: I don't believe they penalize you, but I do think you want to optimize your content pages
[2008.02.21 19:22:13] DafnaCP: I've heard conflicting information on this so it's likely a safer bet to mix things up a little
[2008.02.21 19:22:18] thomascarlson: i would say no it doesnt, but it doesnt help either
[2008.02.21 19:22:23] The Shadow: There are alot of factors that come into play with Google... there are over-optimization penalties that can come into play
[2008.02.21 19:22:28] Cartwright: I am going to assume no, because that is what I do most of the time
[2008.02.21 19:22:39] Dooni Designs: i have experienced that it doesnt help to copy section, product descrips and teasers... actually long teasers just drop down things below the fold and annoy customers.. ive been told
[2008.02.21 19:22:43] AngelaCP: To do this, you may not want to use the same copy everywhere. Instead, you want to use the same top keywords and variance of the same type of words.
[2008.02.21 19:22:48] Teesed: BabyDave had a very nice post today on SEOing shops for a beginner trying to understand it. http://tinyurl.com/2my8py
[2008.02.21 19:23:02] BrittaCP: Thanks Teesed... and thanks BabyDave (who is not here with us today)
[2008.02.21 19:23:11] AngelaCP: BabyDave knows a lot about SEO... definitely take a read.
[2008.02.21 19:23:24] The Shadow: if you descriptions are all keywords and not complete sentences, google doesn't like that... since it can appear to be keyword stuffing
[2008.02.21 19:23:33] september has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:23:54] AngelaCP: So when I say variance, I mean, you might want to say merchandise in one content area, but in another call it apparel and on the go gear, clothes, etc...
[2008.02.21 19:24:14] AngelaCP: so why call it merchandise everywhere, if you can call it clothes, t-shirts, apparel, etc in other places... you get the idea.
[2008.02.21 19:24:21] Teesed: The Shadow knows also... ;)
[2008.02.21 19:24:39] AngelaCP: Agreed :D
[2008.02.21 19:24:44] BrittaCP: Alright... so let's talk about Shop Maintenance
[2008.02.21 19:24:56] BrittaCP: nooo... scratch that... we'll talk about that in a few minutes
[2008.02.21 19:25:21] thomascarlson: how much weight does the bold tag carry?
[2008.02.21 19:25:30] AngelaCP: Shadow or anyone?
[2008.02.21 19:25:41] The Shadow: I have a few skills Teesed ;)
[2008.02.21 19:25:52] AngelaCP: show us your skills... ;)
[2008.02.21 19:25:57] Sag: Small weight but don't over use it.
[2008.02.21 19:26:00] AngelaCP: Thanks Sag!
[2008.02.21 19:26:20] The Shadow: the bold tag carries some weight... but it also depend on what else is on the page and the various search engines do tend to weight things differently
[2008.02.21 19:26:25] FJS: Whew, I thought you were going to tell us to get out the mops and brooms.
[2008.02.21 19:26:25] thomascarlson: so bold one or two keywords?
[2008.02.21 19:26:30] chm has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:26:35] BrittaCP: Instead, let's talk about getting the word out about your shop...
[2008.02.21 19:27:02] BrittaCP: Promote on your website using a banner and persistent link on the navbar
[2008.02.21 19:27:39] BrittaCP: If you use a banner, be sure to use alt tags, this will help with SEO
[2008.02.21 19:28:17] BrittaCP: If you're not sure about alt tags... check out the tutorial we have here: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/learn/tutorial_seo_opt
[2008.02.21 19:28:54] BrittaCP: Having links to your shop helps with your ranking
[2008.02.21 19:29:11] ArmyMom has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:29:20] BrittaCP: o Blog it. If you don’t have a website, or even if you do, get a blog so you can have fresh content.
[2008.02.21 19:30:01] BrittaCP: I know some of you here, are heavy blog users already... care to share where you do your blogging at?
[2008.02.21 19:30:20] cyi has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:30:22] LoveJML: Blogger
[2008.02.21 19:30:27] ne@1512blvd: blogspot.com
[2008.02.21 19:30:32] chm: Blogger. Also getting into Facebook and Digg.
[2008.02.21 19:31:02] BrittaCP: Send a newsletter.
[2008.02.21 19:31:48] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:32:31] BrittaCP: You can either use the newsletter option built into your shop, or you can use a third party newsletter system
[2008.02.21 19:33:09] BrittaCP: I think one of the obstacles some SK's feel challanged with is getting folk to subscripbe to thier newsletter
[2008.02.21 19:33:44] BrittaCP: Has anyone here been successful in getting a good list, and care to share what you did? or perhaps you just got lucky?
[2008.02.21 19:34:04] TexxasFiddler: anyone using 3rd party newsletter systems here? which ones? how are they working out?
[2008.02.21 19:34:49] chm: I have plenty of subscribers, but am having trouble getting the graphic to show up in the CP newsletter - in both Firefox and IE. !
[2008.02.21 19:35:02] Stratman has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:35:43] BrittaCP: Next method...
[2008.02.21 19:35:53] BrittaCP: Promotion offline
[2008.02.21 19:35:55] ArmyMom has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 19:36:05] BrittaCP: Wear t-shirts, carry bags
[2008.02.21 19:36:15] BrittaCP: Bumper stickers, buttons
[2008.02.21 19:36:34] BrittaCP: Create fliers and business cards
[2008.02.21 19:36:38] BrittaCP: Try a craft fair
[2008.02.21 19:36:42] Dooni Designs: business cards too!
[2008.02.21 19:36:44] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:36:47] ShopaholicChick: dont forget to mention your shop when ever you can and always have cards ready to hand out
[2008.02.21 19:37:21] armymom has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:37:26] DafnaCP: So in part 1 of this chat Britta touched upon shopkeepers having their own website.
[2008.02.21 19:37:33] DafnaCP: I strongly encourage that you set up an external website for your store. A simple redirect is usually sufficient.
[2008.02.21 19:38:01] PreggoPrincess: Own domain - wordpress
[2008.02.21 19:38:01] DafnaCP: The benefits are additional places to put text (SEO purposes) and the ability to compete for Search Engine ranking on two fronts.
[2008.02.21 19:38:36] DafnaCP: Plus, going back to some of the other techniques we talked about, there are things that you can do on an exterior site that may not always fit in to your Cafepress shop.
[2008.02.21 19:38:45] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:39:17] DafnaCP: Such as a blog where you can even feature accompanying merchandise.
[2008.02.21 19:39:30] DafnaCP: For example a t-shirt that says what you were really thinking last week when your boss chewed you out or your sister did that thing that drove you crazy.
[2008.02.21 19:39:38] matisse has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:39:50] springdale has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:40:01] DafnaCP: Another idea I'm fond of is creating an “About Me” page where you discuss how you became interested in your particular niche/subject.
[2008.02.21 19:40:18] DafnaCP: Both options are great places to work in additional keywords.
[2008.02.21 19:40:25] Cartwright: do you mean a off site store or just a domain name with redirect
[2008.02.21 19:40:57] DafnaCP: It can be as simple as a redirect and as complex as additional pages that redirect to the store section. It's up to you.
[2008.02.21 19:41:13] Dooni Designs: my offsites serve two purposes. promoting my stores and being able to affiliate other shops.
[2008.02.21 19:41:13] NiftyGaloot has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:41:26] tropicando: What about a blog that was all done on t-shirts -graphically :)
[2008.02.21 19:42:18] springdale has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 19:42:29] DafnaCP: While that's a really cool idea it defeats the purpose a little because the graphics can't be read by search engines.
[2008.02.21 19:42:48] Sag: Tropicando - you need content = text for search engines. Graphics are nice and you can add alt tags but content is King!
[2008.02.21 19:42:53] DafnaCP: Still, I would think it would be very useful and frankly a fun experiment!
[2008.02.21 19:42:54] armymom: which external sites do you recommend?
[2008.02.21 19:43:00] BrittaCP: anyone have recommendations?
[2008.02.21 19:43:08] cyi: Blue host
[2008.02.21 19:43:15] thomascarlson: godaddy
[2008.02.21 19:43:38] ne@1512blvd: Tropicando, Why not do the t-shirt as the background, so that when you blog, the text can be read by the search engine?
[2008.02.21 19:43:42] thomascarlson: 3.99 a month for hosting
[2008.02.21 19:43:44] Dooni Designs: i have a yahoo site and a hostgator site
[2008.02.21 19:43:54] tropicando: I know, and I was so in love with flash..
[2008.02.21 19:43:56] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:44:00] ShopaholicChick: if your not good with HML try yahoo small busniess
[2008.02.21 19:44:23] cyi: Can you run CP shop on your yahoo site?
[2008.02.21 19:44:25] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:44:29] ShopaholicChick: the yahoo small busniess has a very simple page builder - no HTML required...but you can add HTML if you need it (and know it)
[2008.02.21 19:44:46] BrittaCP: Alright... next topic
[2008.02.21 19:44:55] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:45:01] BrittaCP: Shop Maintenance (no brooms and mops needed)
[2008.02.21 19:45:22] BrittaCP: Basicaly you want to keep that shop fresh and tidy
[2008.02.21 19:45:46] BrittaCP: Offer new designs regularly.
[2008.02.21 19:45:54] BrittaCP: Create new designs and retire designs that do not sell as well.
[2008.02.21 19:46:00] tropicando: I've erased 1 or 2 old designs :)
[2008.02.21 19:46:05] TexxasFiddler: that's my downfall
[2008.02.21 19:46:13] BrittaCP: Shoppers don’t want to come back to the same designs month after month.
[2008.02.21 19:46:39] BrittaCP: By retiring designs, you are helping in keeping your shop neat and tidy for shoppers, who may feel overwhelmed when there is to much to sift through.
[2008.02.21 19:47:20] BrittaCP: If you don't want to retire your designs... you can put them in another section, and just make sure that you always have your newest upfront and it's "fresh" for the shopper
[2008.02.21 19:47:28] thomascarlson: i would say not to retire them but use the dont show option
[2008.02.21 19:47:48] BrittaCP: Yes... to "retire" you don't have to delete the product
[2008.02.21 19:47:59] BrittaCP: you can simply hide them in your shop
[2008.02.21 19:48:08] Cartwright: hmm, i never thought of deleting
[2008.02.21 19:48:28] DafnaCP: So I consider this to be a pretty important part of managing your shop. Have you ever shopped in a really messy department store -- say around a big sale? It can be really overwhelming. By clearing out old and/or outdated designs you're providing a better shopping experience for your customers.
[2008.02.21 19:48:28] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:48:31] Karen has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:48:45] tropicando: they should pass the "would I wear this?" test, some of them I mean.
[2008.02.21 19:48:50] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:49:00] Stratman: Google doesn't like broken links, don't delete.
[2008.02.21 19:49:09] ShopaholicChick: i will also retag old designs and retool the descriptions....but i still never delete
[2008.02.21 19:49:11] ne@1512blvd: Deleting is bad.... especially for affiliates
[2008.02.21 19:49:12] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:49:23] ShopaholicChick: trop - i would not wear 90% of my top sellers - but I am not the shopper!!!
[2008.02.21 19:49:30] LoveJML: What counts as "regularly?" Once per day? Per week? Bi-weekly?
[2008.02.21 19:49:35] Sag: Instead you can also re-design an image that needs it for a fresh approach to the old design. Just simply replace it with something new.
[2008.02.21 19:50:14] DafnaCP: I'd say once a month is good enough. Just go through and hide things that aren't selling or even better do as Sag is suggesting and re-design your images.
[2008.02.21 19:50:17] ne@1512blvd: good idea, Sag
[2008.02.21 19:50:23] graphicdeeziner: when you hide a section are you changing their links?
[2008.02.21 19:50:57] ne@1512blvd: no
[2008.02.21 19:51:03] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:51:07] BrittaCP: Drive last minute sales for your retired designs with a message that conveys a sense of urgency
[2008.02.21 19:51:27] BrittaCP: (Ex: Last Chance to Get this Design) via your shop, Web site, and/or newsletters.
[2008.02.21 19:51:42] BrittaCP: You can also Offer Limited Edition/Time designs.
[2008.02.21 19:51:44] armymom: hummm, i like that idea BrittaCP
[2008.02.21 19:52:07] BrittaCP: Let your customers know your Limited Edition designs are available for a limited time. It creates urgency, encouraging customers to buy now, rather than later.
[2008.02.21 19:52:11] LoveJML: You could called the old designs "Limited Edition"
[2008.02.21 19:52:41] PreggoPrincess: How many designs do you recommend putting into one section before splitting them into several sections?
[2008.02.21 19:53:03] Mike has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 19:53:08] BrittaCP: How much is to much, to some you SK's?
[2008.02.21 19:53:21] The Shadow: All my stuff is limited edition...once I sell a million of them...that's it
[2008.02.21 19:53:29] ne@1512blvd: I prefer having at least 9 designs in a section
[2008.02.21 19:53:47] Sag: Shadow::-D
[2008.02.21 19:53:53] The Shadow: Well I have some very large sections....200+ designs in one
[2008.02.21 19:53:58] ne@1512blvd: no maximum for me yet though
[2008.02.21 19:54:49] Sag: You and me both Shadow!:-D
[2008.02.21 19:54:54] DafnaCP: I usually recommend around 40 designs in one section but I've seen it work with more.
[2008.02.21 19:54:54] TexxasFiddler: I prefer being able to see most of the products in a section on a single screen, but I'm never successful at that. They range up to 25 or so designs each section.
[2008.02.21 19:54:59] FJS: I'm with Shadow some more than 200 designs to a section. But I'm working on breaking those down into finer categories.
[2008.02.21 19:55:04] BrittaCP: Alright... so we're going to spend some time now, to answer some questions that came in that we haven't answered yet/
[2008.02.21 19:55:11] graphicdeeziner: what do you mean by a persistent link?
[2008.02.21 19:55:14] AngelaCP: A persistent link is basically a link on your navigation that's always there. For example, on CafePress, persistent links are: Start selling now, shop the marketplace, etc.... this links on the top navigation bar are always on the CP site no matter where you go... they do not disappear if you go into the About Us page, or the Help pages.
[2008.02.21 19:55:34] Dooni Designs: what about meta tags? should they be sentences or keywords?
[2008.02.21 19:55:34] AngelaCP: Meta tags are usually phrases.
[2008.02.21 19:55:39] TexxasFiddler: Re shop maintenance: Any plans to make it so that SK's don't need to edit what amounts to the same product multiple times? ex., medium sized button (single), same button (10), same button (100), round magnet (single)....etc. All the same product, just quantities differ. It would make things easier if we didn't have to enter what amounts to the same basic info 6 times or 3 times based on item.
[2008.02.21 19:55:59] AngelaCP: We're working on that for the long term...
[2008.02.21 19:56:09] thomascarlson: stumblupon is a social bookmarking site that has been sending a bunch of hits to my site
[2008.02.21 19:56:19] Cartwright has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 19:56:20] Dooni Designs: i have some big sections but this is what i do.... http://www.cafepress.com/eyeheartdesigns/4756155
[2008.02.21 19:56:24] AngelaCP: Thanks for sharing Dooni!
[2008.02.21 19:56:30] thomascarlson: I think its a good idea to stress the good points about buying from you rather than someone else. Like Any shipping promotions going on, the 30 day guarantee, unique products. All these things should be displayed proudly on all your pages.
[2008.02.21 19:56:50] AngelaCP: the 30 day guarantee is definitely a strong selling point
[2008.02.21 19:56:55] Cartwright has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 19:57:00] AngelaCP: risk-free
[2008.02.21 19:57:00] AngelaCP: original designs, etc
[2008.02.21 19:57:02] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:57:05] ShopaholicChick: i do the same as dooni in my foods section http://www.cafepress.com/shopaholicchick/3347557
[2008.02.21 19:57:15] AngelaCP: thanks for sharing shopa
[2008.02.21 19:57:29] tropicando: i would never wear a thong
[2008.02.21 19:57:35] AngelaCP: why not? ;)
[2008.02.21 19:57:45] tropicando: Does anybody know about any free business card websites?
[2008.02.21 19:57:51] thomascarlson: i have a full domain site that uses the cafewish script to display all my products.. http://thomascarlson.com
[2008.02.21 19:57:55] The Shadow: the SEO benefits to an external site are important because of limitations induced with on-CP pages
[2008.02.21 19:58:00] Sag: I would personally recommend websitegrader.com to grade your shops performance. It gives you a rating in all departments in effectiveness of your shop up to a perfect 100 grade.
[2008.02.21 19:58:00] Sue D: vistaprint
[2008.02.21 19:58:11] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:58:21] ShopaholicChick: www.vistaprint.com you pay shipping only for business cards using thier tempaltes
[2008.02.21 19:58:27] DafnaCP: Sag, that's a great idea!
[2008.02.21 19:58:31] tropicando: I have a question from the last meeting, when someone said something about "kiss me I'm Irish". Is there a gov't website where you can check if a slogan is trademarked?
[2008.02.21 19:58:41] AngelaCP: there is a site...
[2008.02.21 19:58:49] AngelaCP: britta is pulling it up right now
[2008.02.21 19:59:03] TexxasFiddler: vistaprint's the only one i know, but they put their own ad on the card as well, don't they?
[2008.02.21 19:59:06] Pfoinkle2: http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
[2008.02.21 19:59:16] AngelaCP: thanks pfoinkle!
[2008.02.21 19:59:21] AngelaCP: that's the one britta had ;)
[2008.02.21 19:59:24] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 19:59:32] tropicando: Don't search engines notice if you have things in bold or in bulleted lists, do I have that word right?
[2008.02.21 19:59:58] AngelaCP: Search engines notice text.... so if you have it in a paragraph or bullet lists, you're fine.
[2008.02.21 20:00:22] AngelaCP: if you are using images, use alt tags. However, the weight of alt tags are not as important as text.
[2008.02.21 20:00:27] AngelaCP: Keep that in mind....
[2008.02.21 20:00:37] TexxasFiddler: bold....definitely. I don't know about bulleted lists
[2008.02.21 20:00:39] Sag: Yes they notice but overuse of bold can hurt as well as help.
[2008.02.21 20:00:50] tropicando: thanks for that one, the govt site
[2008.02.21 20:00:58] Karen has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 20:01:02] AngelaCP: all in moderation right? ;) Thanks sag
[2008.02.21 20:01:17] RUBY has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 20:01:23] graphicdeeziner: I've been hearing a lot about how Facebook adds spies to your comp, do I do use facebook do others feel safe being there?
[2008.02.21 20:01:47] LoveJML has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 20:02:04] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:02:26] The Shadow: FYI...for those that use affiliate links... CJ links don't help with your ranking
[2008.02.21 20:02:53] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:02:58] TexxasFiddler: i'm probably missing something, but i've never used facebook...my face might scare folks off. i've sure not had much success with myspace though
[2008.02.21 20:03:04] ShopaholicChick: shadow remember if you still have your old PID for CP you can use it:D
[2008.02.21 20:03:10] ShopaholicChick: i have been using facebook without issues
[2008.02.21 20:03:26] cyi: Google image search has been sending a lot of traffic to my site & others. Alt tags have been really helpful.
[2008.02.21 20:03:30] Dooni Designs: shadow it does if the affiliate uses old cp links that link to cj.. er.. u know what i mean
[2008.02.21 20:03:38] Pfoinkle2: I think the issues with spyware and facebook are related to 3rd party applications that Facebook offers (such as "Secret Crush")
[2008.02.21 20:03:44] AngelaCP: Definitely use alt tags. It's better than not having anything text related for your images.
[2008.02.21 20:03:48] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:03:53] ShopaholicChick: i use chat rooms to advertise - my links are on my profiles and my name is in a random chat room
[2008.02.21 20:04:24] AngelaCP: Or make friends on message boards/forums where your target customers hang out. Be sure not to spam.
[2008.02.21 20:04:29] ne@1512blvd: I am afraid of people finding my site with images because I feel they may be looking to steal my image and not be interested in buying from me.
[2008.02.21 20:04:44] tropicando: Facebook you get in trouble with the applications that phishers ask you to retype your password. Take care to make your password different at facebook from your actual e-mail account.
[2008.02.21 20:04:51] Dooni Designs: yes shopa.. as long as you are not spammy about it. we both do the same
[2008.02.21 20:04:56] thomascarlson: people are scared of image search hits because people might rip-off there image, but these images are the same ones from your shop that anyone see when they go there so get the free traffic!
[2008.02.21 20:05:01] The Shadow: I know Shoppa... those are better... but I did have a $280 affilate sale to myself
[2008.02.21 20:05:32] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:05:34] ShopaholicChick: LMAo shadow how about a $280 affiate to ME!!!! fix the link!!!!!
[2008.02.21 20:05:41] BrittaCP: Ne: I think this is a natural fear for any artist, or seller... it's a risk; but when you're hard work is rewarded it's one worth taking
[2008.02.21 20:05:45] Pfoinkle2: My husband uses google images to SHOP for all sorts of things.
[2008.02.21 20:05:50] Dooni Designs: i get hits from google image searches too and i dont have alt tags on most of my personal images that are not hosted by cp per say.. some buy some dont.... graphic they can steal are low quality
[2008.02.21 20:05:56] AngelaCP: alright everyone
[2008.02.21 20:06:02] AngelaCP: looks like we got most of the questions answered....
[2008.02.21 20:06:15] NiftyGaloot has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 20:06:18] AngelaCP: you have 2 minutes for any other burning questions while britta opens up the lobby
[2008.02.21 20:06:18] kab has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 20:06:25] The Shadow: I have had sales from google images
[2008.02.21 20:06:30] TexxasFiddler: any idea what the next chat will be or when?
[2008.02.21 20:06:43] scarebaby has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.21 20:06:46] AngelaCP: Around the first week of March... Miss Britta is working on the schedule
[2008.02.21 20:06:49] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:06:58] AngelaCP: any topics you guys want to chat about in particular?
[2008.02.21 20:07:00] BrittaCP: is there anythign in particular you'd like to see a chat about?
[2008.02.21 20:07:07] thomascarlson: need a chat on turning traffic into sales
[2008.02.21 20:07:10] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:07:10] BrittaCP: get out of my head ang
[2008.02.21 20:07:15] AngelaCP: ah, conversion
[2008.02.21 20:07:24] ne@1512blvd: yes, conversion!!!!
[2008.02.21 20:07:31] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:07:35] Dooni Designs: cp growth and more advanced stuff =)
[2008.02.21 20:07:47] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.21 20:07:50] ne@1512blvd: Conversion eludes me more than anything else
[2008.02.21 20:08:11] DafnaCP: conversion = reason to keep your store tidy
[2008.02.21 20:08:16] AngelaCP: Okay... that chat will need to be interactive... :D lots of sharing...
[2008.02.21 20:08:21] ShopaholicChick: NEW MERCHANDISE!!!!
[2008.02.21 20:08:31] scarebaby: paid advertising
[2008.02.21 20:08:36] susanfaye has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 20:08:36] chm: Selling in a tough retail envionmrnt (current slowing economy issues) ??
[2008.02.21 20:08:42] Stratman has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.21 20:08:46] ShopaholicChick: how to pick the right tags for your designs@!!!!!
[2008.02.21 20:08:51] AngelaCP: Great suggestions everyone!

St Paddys Day - 020708

[2008.02.07 18:48:28] Welcome to the CafePress Chat Room
[2008.02.07 18:48:28] shopaholicchick has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 18:48:28] All users in this room have been allowed to talk
[2008.02.07 18:52:13] Not Really Here has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 18:52:21] Dooni Designs has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 18:54:16] Not Really Here has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.07 18:57:22] Galaxy Girl has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 18:59:32] Art has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 18:59:59] flipk has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:00:29] yoop has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:00:44] bluesy has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:00:54] VoteForCthulhu has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:00:54] BrittaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:00:59] Linda has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:00:59] Not Really Here has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:01:04] slamdunk has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:01:09] Shadow has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:01:17] Shadow: Hello happy SK's
[2008.02.07 19:01:25] BrittaCP: Hi Shopkeepers, thanks for joining us.
[2008.02.07 19:01:29] yoop: Hey there
[2008.02.07 19:01:30] mystic has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:01:32] AngelaCP has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:01:32] PeggyWvB has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:01:34] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:01:45] sag has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:02:05] shopaholicchick: hi everyone
[2008.02.07 19:02:10] Dooni Designs: hi everyone
[2008.02.07 19:02:10] Linda: hi
[2008.02.07 19:02:15] AngelaCP: Hi everyone!
[2008.02.07 19:02:15] BrittaCP: Today we’re talking about how you can get lucky with your sales this St. Patrick’s day.
[2008.02.07 19:02:40] mystic: I don't even have designs created yet.
[2008.02.07 19:02:45] BrittaCP: Actually, there isn’t really any luck involved… it’s all adding and marketing St. Patty’s Day merch to your shop.
[2008.02.07 19:02:50] NiftyGaloot has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:02:55] Kippy has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:03:03] BrittaCP: However, we want you all to find a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow this SPD, and so here are.
[2008.02.07 19:03:25] BrittaCP: As with all our chats this is moderated. That means any comment that you submit will be placed into a queue until it’s reviewed by a moderator and pushed out by a moderator.
[2008.02.07 19:03:36] PhotoGirl has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:03:41] matisse has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:03:49] BrittaCP: We will also have a transcript of the chat posted by next week
[2008.02.07 19:03:56] BrittaCP: We try to get all questions and comments, however some may be missed since many come in. So if you don’t see your comment right away, that’s why.
[2008.02.07 19:04:20] John has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:04:24] BrittaCP: We think that SPD (St. Patrick's Day) is a great opportunity to really get some green in your pockets.
[2008.02.07 19:04:41] BrittaCP: Around here, CafePress, SPD is a really big occasion as far as sales go.
[2008.02.07 19:04:47] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:05:12] shopaholicchick: <~~~~~made more on st paddys then on xmas last year
[2008.02.07 19:05:22] BrittaCP: case in point
[2008.02.07 19:05:25] AngelaCP: That's great!
[2008.02.07 19:05:32] mystic: wow
[2008.02.07 19:05:46] BrittaCP: Not many retailers offer the type of interesting and diverse but relevant items for the occasion like those you can find in our Marketplace... those designs, of course, coming from you.
[2008.02.07 19:06:02] John: That's good to hear, been busy making SPD products.
[2008.02.07 19:06:02] PhotoGirl: So did I.
[2008.02.07 19:06:22] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:06:37] BrittaCP: So, the question is, “what sells during SPD, and what should I be adding to my shop?”
[2008.02.07 19:06:37] azac has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:06:48] Blonde Designs has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:06:54] the orb has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:07:11] yoop: When does CP start promoting SPD?
[2008.02.07 19:07:14] AngelaCP: We typically promote SPD right after V-day. That being the case this year... once Vday goes, in comes SPD.
[2008.02.07 19:07:22] BrittaCP: First, let’s look at who typically buys stuff for St. Patrick’s Day.
[2008.02.07 19:07:39] BrittaCP: It’s a good mix of both male and female shoppers… all of which have one goal: they want to stand out from the crowd.
[2008.02.07 19:07:59] transcript has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:08:09] BrittaCP: Not only are they looking for something festive for the day… but unique shirts also serve as a great ice breaker/ conversation piece at parties or bars… where they may be knocking back a pint or two.
[2008.02.07 19:08:47] BrittaCP: However, not everyone who celebrates is necessarily a “party” person. There are still people who enjoy participating by being festive at work, or dressing up the kids.
[2008.02.07 19:08:56] Shadow: pint or two? Must not be Irish... or thirsty...
[2008.02.07 19:09:14] the orb: nice
[2008.02.07 19:09:20] Romy has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:09:28] BrittaCP: So what kind of products are these folk looking for, and what key merchandise do you feature in your shop… in other words what items should I be adding SPD designs to.
[2008.02.07 19:09:53] BrittaCP: We’ll be doing an SPD portal, and these are the same item that we will be highlighting as well… that’s why we encourage all of you to add them.
[2008.02.07 19:10:22] BrittaCP: Number one is apparel (surprise!)
[2008.02.07 19:10:38] BrittaCP: Again, that brings us to the conversation piece at the bar, and easy item for work, and the fun shirt for the kids.
[2008.02.07 19:10:55] the orb: what is the change of us getting anything close to kelly green shirts ?
[2008.02.07 19:11:11] azac sent an audio message: Laugh
[2008.02.07 19:11:15] Shadow: I was going to ask that too Orb
[2008.02.07 19:11:21] AngelaCP: We will not be getting kelly green shirts in time for SPD this year :(
[2008.02.07 19:11:55] the orb: you probably would of asked whats the chance and not change
[2008.02.07 19:12:04] AngelaCP: I knew what you meant ;)
[2008.02.07 19:12:17] Romy: how about kelly green thongs? lol
[2008.02.07 19:12:20] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:12:25] AngelaCP: Wow, that would be interesting won't it?
[2008.02.07 19:12:35] the orb: :)
[2008.02.07 19:12:36] BrittaCP: Let's look at our number 1 SPD item…
[2008.02.07 19:12:49] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:12:57] BrittaCP sent an audio message: Drumroll
[2008.02.07 19:13:01] BrittaCP: 1. Men’s Dark T-Shirt: featuring Military Green.
[2008.02.07 19:13:30] BrittaCP: Definnetly show off your designs on the Military green shirt
[2008.02.07 19:13:46] BrittaCP: 2. Junior Jersey: white
[2008.02.07 19:13:57] BrittaCP: 3. Men’s White T-Shirts
[2008.02.07 19:14:04] BrittaCP: 4. Women’s Cap Sleeve (brown/ white)
[2008.02.07 19:14:11] BrittaCP: 5. Men’s Sweatshirt (hooded and Ash Grey)
[2008.02.07 19:14:35] BrittaCP: Those are the top 5 items. Other featured items will be:
[2008.02.07 19:15:01] BrittaCP: Women’s: Women’s Light T-Shirt (yellow), Women’s Spaghetti T (pink)
[2008.02.07 19:15:11] Ne @ 1512BLVD has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:15:14] BrittaCP: Men’s: Green T, Baseball Jersey, Long Sleeve
[2008.02.07 19:15:33] BrittaCP: Junior’s: Raglan (black/white), Ringer T (mint/avocado)
[2008.02.07 19:15:51] BrittaCP: Other: Infant White Tee, Buttons, Greeting Cards, Caps, Dog T-Shirts, and Mugs.
[2008.02.07 19:16:07] PhotoGirl: When did we get a women's light yellow t-shirt?
[2008.02.07 19:16:12] AngelaCP: We got them last year.
[2008.02.07 19:16:20] azac sent an audio message: Yell!
[2008.02.07 19:16:23] AngelaCP: It's under Women's Light T-shirt
[2008.02.07 19:16:46] BrittaCP: So what should you put on these great items?
[2008.02.07 19:17:02] BrittaCP: any one have ideas they want to share?
[2008.02.07 19:17:05] Dooni Designs has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.07 19:17:30] balance has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:17:48] mystic: Unique and funny sayings. Of which I have none
[2008.02.07 19:17:55] AngelaCP: well, we're here to help you
[2008.02.07 19:17:58] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Well, I have Irish, Ireland, rainbows, leprechauns, Irish toasts
[2008.02.07 19:18:09] BrittaCP: I like to say “Think green color, and think funny.”
[2008.02.07 19:18:25] BrittaCP: when making SPD designs
[2008.02.07 19:18:37] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:18:43] shopaholicchick: and make sure your design has green in it - no one likes getting pinched/slapped/pinched for not wearing green
[2008.02.07 19:18:47] Ne @ 1512BLVD: I am nt funny :(
[2008.02.07 19:19:06] NiftyGaloot: Shamrocks = 3 leaf clovers
[2008.02.07 19:19:09] AngelaCP: It
[2008.02.07 19:19:25] AngelaCP: It's fine... most people think shamrocks = spd
[2008.02.07 19:19:33] AngelaCP: even though technically it's not
[2008.02.07 19:19:40] BrittaCP: While there are all kinds of creative directions that you can go with for St. Patrick’s Day, and you should design what fits best in your shop, we find that designs that are green and funny or suggestive/tongue-in-cheek humor do very well.
[2008.02.07 19:20:14] BrittaCP: Of course, if you have a shop that is Celtic art themed, jokes about beer may not be appropriate.
[2008.02.07 19:20:26] BrittaCP: So you should make sure that your designs fit your target audience. Perhaps you may consider opening a new shop just for SPD humor.
[2008.02.07 19:20:57] matisse: Too late for that?
[2008.02.07 19:20:59] RandyG has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:21:05] AngelaCP: It's not late... it's just not early....
[2008.02.07 19:21:10] mystic: Is opeing a basic shop for this a good idea?
[2008.02.07 19:21:35] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:21:42] AngelaCP: If your shop has nothing to do with SPD, it's definitely appropriate to get a basic shop up just for SPD
[2008.02.07 19:21:49] John: What colors work well with the CP green shirt for SPD?
[2008.02.07 19:21:58] AngelaCP: The SPD green actually works very well
[2008.02.07 19:22:15] AngelaCP: I've seen a shirt with that green and black, come out very well
[2008.02.07 19:22:20] balance: I have lots of fun Irish cartoon characters with Irish wordys and drinking etc..
[2008.02.07 19:22:27] shopaholicchick: opening a basic shop is an ok idea - opening 20 basic shops - or a premium is a better idea
[2008.02.07 19:22:32] BrittaCP: When we narrow down top selling content… there are a few themes that we see selling especially well… each of which can involve the color green and lots of humor.
[2008.02.07 19:23:21] BrittaCP: Irish Heritage: Things like – “Kiss me I’m Irish” or “I love Irish Men”
[2008.02.07 19:23:32] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Do children's designs do okay for SPD?
[2008.02.07 19:23:52] BrittaCP: Drinking Related: Green Beer, and Support the Irish Beer Drinking Team (which I suppose can also be used as Irish Heritage).
[2008.02.07 19:23:52] cowpie has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:24:06] AngelaCP: They do, but not as much as the adult designs. That said, for children's designs... the Irish pride type designs tend to do better.
[2008.02.07 19:24:26] Shadow: Kiss Me I'm Irish is actually trademarked
[2008.02.07 19:24:47] AngelaCP: Oh, well if it is, don't use it ;) But, you get the idea....
[2008.02.07 19:24:51] mystic sent an audio message: Say What?!
[2008.02.07 19:25:11] AngelaCP: As with anything, please research it.
[2008.02.07 19:25:16] BrittaCP: Shamrocks (which we've just learned is actually 3-leaves): lucky four leaf clovers… you can get all kinds of wild with those
[2008.02.07 19:25:26] matisse: I'm going to have to hire some funny irish person to help me...I'm not funny.
[2008.02.07 19:25:34] BrittaCP: Pinching: you can either promote pinching… or not being pinched. After all that’s why you wear green… so you don’t get pinched.
[2008.02.07 19:25:42] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:25:50] BrittaCP: Leprechauns: What’s not funny or green about a leprechaun?
[2008.02.07 19:26:07] shopaholicchick: <~~~funny but not irish - so i play on that angle a lot
[2008.02.07 19:26:15] azac: I'm curious. Do shops with a green color scheme sell more items during St Paddy's Day as opposed to shops that have a red or blue scheme for example. I am wondering if there is a subliminal effect that puts consumers in a better shopping mood?
[2008.02.07 19:26:32] AngelaCP: Does anyone have an experience with this?
[2008.02.07 19:26:42] AngelaCP: I can say this, your entire shop does NOT hvae to be transformed for SPD.
[2008.02.07 19:27:21] AngelaCP: You can highlight a section with your SPD merchandise and make it festive. No need to do so much to make your whole shop green.
[2008.02.07 19:27:42] AngelaCP: Not unless your entire shop is all about drinking, Irish pride, etc.
[2008.02.07 19:28:01] matisse: All I got is ugly Leprechauns.
[2008.02.07 19:28:03] the orb: i once knew a leprechaun and he wasent funny at all
[2008.02.07 19:28:08] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Just add a green banner or falling 4-leaf clovers :)
[2008.02.07 19:28:13] Shadow: I haven't had a green theme for St. Pat's but I did other colors for a few other occassions (but I have no idea if it actually improved sales)
[2008.02.07 19:28:18] Art: Is there a way to change background, colors, etc for just one section of a premium shop?
[2008.02.07 19:28:38] AngelaCP: Not for one section of the Premium Shop template. But, you can add a SPD banner on a section.
[2008.02.07 19:28:38] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:28:43] AngelaCP: OR make the font green
[2008.02.07 19:28:48] Linda: yes, I have different color backgrounds in sections
[2008.02.07 19:29:03] AngelaCP: Well, Linda said she could....
[2008.02.07 19:29:09] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:29:13] AngelaCP: Can you share for Art?
[2008.02.07 19:29:18] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Do you put the html is section descr... Linda?
[2008.02.07 19:29:23] Linda: oh, I am not using a template, so maybe it doesn't apply
[2008.02.07 19:29:35] Linda: yes, Ne, I use html
[2008.02.07 19:29:41] AngelaCP: Ah, that could be it. Typically, the templates are consistent throughout the shop pages.
[2008.02.07 19:29:46] Shadow: you migth be able to change the colors if you runn a CSS based template and place ths CSS reference in the section description html
[2008.02.07 19:29:51] shopaholicchick: i dont know if changing volor brings sales - but it keeps my shop from being boring - i only change the sidebars though
[2008.02.07 19:29:56] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Where do you put it though?
[2008.02.07 19:31:01] Linda: http://www.cafepress.com/lindas_worldart
[2008.02.07 19:31:08] NinaPA has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:31:09] AngelaCP: So we're already getting some questions on Tagging.
[2008.02.07 19:31:40] AngelaCP: What should I Tag my designs? If it has anything to do with the topics Britta just listed, go ahead and use Saint Patrick’s Day as a high level Tag.
[2008.02.07 19:31:48] AngelaCP: Before anyone asks this question, I’ll answer it for you. There are different results for Saint Patrick’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, St Patty’s Day, St Paddy’s Day, so go ahead and put these keywords as your Tags for your SPD designs.
[2008.02.07 19:32:30] AngelaCP: It's hard to predict what someone will type in the box for their search... so you can cover yourself by putting these varations of SPD in your Tags.
[2008.02.07 19:32:36] AngelaCP: Just be sure to use relevant Tags on your designs. DO NOT add irrelevant Tags just so your designs come up on search.
[2008.02.07 19:32:43] AngelaCP: For example, do not add the Tags leprechauns, pinching, drinking beer on your Shamrock design.
[2008.02.07 19:33:07] AngelaCP: Unless your Shamrock design has beer, or leprechauns in it....
[2008.02.07 19:33:14] AngelaCP: Use the following Tags: green, 4 leaf clover, shamrock, saint patrick’s day, good luck
[2008.02.07 19:33:31] AngelaCP: These Tags would be appropriate for this design.
[2008.02.07 19:33:36] NiftyGaloot: Do we use the aphostrophe or not in St. Patrick's, or both ways?
[2008.02.07 19:33:48] AngelaCP: You can ignore puncuations
[2008.02.07 19:34:06] AngelaCP: If you see, there number of returns should be the same
[2008.02.07 19:34:11] Art: great question nifty
[2008.02.07 19:34:16] AngelaCP: I agree...
[2008.02.07 19:34:21] mystic: No tag spamming PLEASE
[2008.02.07 19:34:26] matisse: I hate tag spam!
[2008.02.07 19:34:31] AngelaCP: We all do *sigh*
[2008.02.07 19:34:41] balance: To get a better position in the marketplace for SPD is it better to delete the images then upload them again as fresh images?
[2008.02.07 19:35:11] AngelaCP: It's better to leave your designs. They have had "history"
[2008.02.07 19:35:41] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:35:49] NiftyGaloot: Hmmm... When adding tags numbers aren't the same with and without aphostrophe.
[2008.02.07 19:36:07] goatlady has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:36:19] AngelaCP: Hmmm, if that is the case, it's okay to use both.
[2008.02.07 19:36:23] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:36:30] AngelaCP: Punctuations is not supposed to be a factor....
[2008.02.07 19:36:58] AngelaCP: as long as your Tags are relevant, and you want to use all variations customers may use to find your designs... go ahead and put them all down.
[2008.02.07 19:37:02] Fricka has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:37:07] shopaholicchick: balance to delete them you have to remove the section and all the product theya re on - and then you loose the links - and create broken links for anyone affiliating you
[2008.02.07 19:37:56] AngelaCP: Good point SAC. SEO and Affiliate is a BIG reason why you will not want to delete and recreate a product.
[2008.02.07 19:37:58] PeggyWvB: If I re-tag my celtic designs to add SPD, will I loose my market place standing?
[2008.02.07 19:38:03] BrittaCP: Not unless you're removing the tags that are already there. Any new tag you add, will begin with a fresh ranking. Your tags that have been there, will remain the same. Does that make sense
[2008.02.07 19:38:13] cowpie: Is there a reason we can only have 20 tags?
[2008.02.07 19:38:18] AngelaCP: Should we need more?
[2008.02.07 19:38:28] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:38:37] AngelaCP: I think for most designs, 20 is probably more than enough.
[2008.02.07 19:38:59] AngelaCP: If anything, more Tags can lead to Tag spam. Though not intentionally.
[2008.02.07 19:39:19] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:39:28] AngelaCP: People might start off with the most valuable descriptive Tags, then start adding Tags just to use up the entire 20 count.
[2008.02.07 19:40:16] AngelaCP: I actually believe we should have less... but that's my opinion. I feel if the limit was... say, 5, I bet people will be very choosey about the 5 Tags used... and not "waste" it on anything irrelevant.
[2008.02.07 19:40:19] the orb: Does anyone here know how to do the Irish Jig?
[2008.02.07 19:40:24] BrittaCP: I won our office contest for my snazzy jig last year... can't really say i know how to one though :)
[2008.02.07 19:40:38] PeggyWvB: With all the possible variations on spelling certiain names -like SPD- 20 tags is confineing
[2008.02.07 19:41:12] AngelaCP: I agree for this specific case. The variation for SPD is probably 4 or 5. There's still 15 Tags left ;)
[2008.02.07 19:41:23] AngelaCP: But not in my world of just 5 Tags :|
[2008.02.07 19:41:30] cowpie: Sometimes 20 is enough, and sometimes it isn't. When you get into baby and kids things...like baby,babies,kid,infant,toddler,child,children....there's 7 right there.
[2008.02.07 19:41:47] the orb: i agree , we need less tags
[2008.02.07 19:41:50] PeggyWvB: 5 is way too few for most of my art
[2008.02.07 19:42:02] AngelaCP: Aren't you glad I don't make these decisions? ;)
[2008.02.07 19:42:07] cowpie: And then you have to describe the design....
[2008.02.07 19:42:25] balance has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.07 19:42:25] AngelaCP: Correct - but Tags should be used to describe the design
[2008.02.07 19:42:35] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:42:40] RandyG: does it matter if i use capital letters in keywords?
[2008.02.07 19:43:01] AngelaCP: It should not matter. However I have noticed that the results get shuffled even though the number is the same
[2008.02.07 19:43:22] Ne @ 1512BLVD: I think tag spamming could be cut down if we had less free tags and more drop down tags/categories and one special place to enter our store tag
[2008.02.07 19:43:27] AngelaCP: I agree
[2008.02.07 19:43:33] shopaholicchick: will the portal for st pattys be better then the current portals - and go to the actual design - not just a general section where that design may or may not appear???
[2008.02.07 19:43:40] Kippy: That's a great idea, Ne!
[2008.02.07 19:44:17] AngelaCP: We're always testing out new ways for the portals. It's always being tested... I can't say how SPD portal will look like this year.
[2008.02.07 19:44:21] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:44:31] PeggyWvB: CP hasn't used the tag "celtic" before for SPD. is this going to change?
[2008.02.07 19:44:51] AngelaCP: It depends. If we do a search for celtic and the results are not SPD, then we won't use it.
[2008.02.07 19:45:19] VoteForCthulhu has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.07 19:45:34] AngelaCP: However, if you have a celtic design that's SPD/Irish, definitely tag it with St Patrick's Day so your celtic design shows up.
[2008.02.07 19:45:51] Karen has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:45:52] AngelaCP: Celtic designs aren't always irish... so the results do vary...
[2008.02.07 19:46:02] PeggyWvB: Irish pride and celtic pride overlap the same audiances for the most part. People who shop for one will buy the other.
[2008.02.07 19:46:15] AngelaCP: I don't disagree with you Peggy.
[2008.02.07 19:46:39] AngelaCP: I just did a search for celtic and the results are not Irish or SPD inspired....
[2008.02.07 19:46:56] AngelaCP: or at least not a lot
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[2008.02.07 19:47:03] cowpie has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:47:08] Sue D has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:47:18] AngelaCP: but i bet the celtic designs that look irish/spd are tagged w/SPD or Irish, etc.
[2008.02.07 19:47:25] AngelaCP: They'll still be a part of the portal search results
[2008.02.07 19:47:28] PeggyWvB: I just don't want to tag spam
[2008.02.07 19:47:46] AngelaCP: You won't if you're sure your celtic designs are appropriate for SPD
[2008.02.07 19:47:52] PeggyWvB: Irish are celts, Ang... Celtic art is Irish inspired...
[2008.02.07 19:48:10] AngelaCP: Correct, but not all the designs come across as SPD
[2008.02.07 19:48:25] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:48:36] shopaholicchick: peggy a lot of celtic art is celtic knotts and those are not very st paddys day -
[2008.02.07 19:48:47] AngelaCP: Though SPD = Irish it's not Irish = SPD
[2008.02.07 19:48:51] AngelaCP: i hope that makes sense
[2008.02.07 19:49:10] Linda: an example, would a celtic cross be considered SPD or not?
[2008.02.07 19:49:47] Kippy has left the room (logged out)
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[2008.02.07 19:49:54] PeggyWvB: Yes!
[2008.02.07 19:50:14] shopaholicchick: i could use more tags - but for the most part i think it would lead to more tag spamming if people had extra tags theyw ould be adding more things like christmas to every design
[2008.02.07 19:50:19] John: The market place is already flooded with thousands of "I clover Bill, Bob, Jane, Pete ... on every image tag. Market flooders some call them.
[2008.02.07 19:50:34] AngelaCP: Agree... that's why if you can come up with original, unique designs... the better!
[2008.02.07 19:50:51] AngelaCP: Britta just tossed out some ideas... it doesn't mean you have to use the exact ones she listed out :D
[2008.02.07 19:51:05] AngelaCP: We know you guys will get inspiration from the examples she tossed out :)
[2008.02.07 19:51:14] Fricka: Sorry for coming in late, but is there a special tag recommended for St. Pat's day?
[2008.02.07 19:51:59] AngelaCP: No special tag other than using relevant Tags and you can use the high level tag, St Patricks Day, Saint Patricks Day, and other variations for your SPD designs.
[2008.02.07 19:52:13] Art: only if carried by a leprechaun drinking green beer wearing a shamrock in his hat, Linda
[2008.02.07 19:52:19] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Isn't SPD just an American holiday or is it is Ireland also?
[2008.02.07 19:52:26] Galaxy Girl: Should we be uploading designs for SPD now, or wait a little? I don't want to be too early...when people might not be shopping yet
[2008.02.07 19:52:34] AngelaCP: You should do it now.
[2008.02.07 19:52:44] BrittaCP: Yes. And by adding designs and merch, and adding descriptions and titles, you can still get your items SEO'd and picked up by search engines... by adding image tags to your SPD images, you can have your images ready to go in the MP when the rush hits.
[2008.02.07 19:53:01] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:53:06] yoop: People are already shopping.
[2008.02.07 19:53:11] Art: But Angela, the stuff that's already there obviously got past the tag "filter" (not the right word, but I don't know what is), and it "has history" so how do we get into the top ten pages past the inappropriate stuff?
[2008.02.07 19:53:11] shopaholicchick: galaxy i have been selling SPD for 3 weeks now
[2008.02.07 19:53:31] AngelaCP: Art, there's other factors other than newness that gets your design on the top 10 pages.
[2008.02.07 19:53:52] AngelaCP: Like Google, there's a page 1 and a page 50
[2008.02.07 19:53:52] graphicdog has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.02.07 19:54:06] AngelaCP: We agree we need to do something about those Tag Spammers
[2008.02.07 19:54:14] AngelaCP: but they don't stay up top for long...
[2008.02.07 19:54:51] PeggyWvB: It's a Catholic Saint's Day, used in America to celebrateb Irish heritage Ne'
[2008.02.07 19:54:59] Ne @ 1512BLVD: I have had my SPD section up for a month, but no sales yet. I have about 15 new designs I did today to get in
[2008.02.07 19:55:05] Art: I made my first SPD sale ever today.
[2008.02.07 19:55:10] AngelaCP: Congratulations!
[2008.02.07 19:55:13] Shadow: it is celebrated in Ireland
[2008.02.07 19:55:24] goatlady: original designs would be great if you didnt have to wade through 25 pages of the same design with a diff name ahead of yours
[2008.02.07 19:55:32] graphicdog: I'm still selling Year of the Rat suff.
[2008.02.07 19:55:43] PhotoGirl: Yes, people might buy celtic cross at st pats day for wear all year long.
[2008.02.07 19:56:07] AngelaCP: The Tags you use are most likely the same keywords you’ll use to describe your SPD section on your shop. When you use keywords on your shop to describe your shop or SPD section, it’s helping your search engine optimization (SEO).
[2008.02.07 19:56:21] Ne @ 1512BLVD: People shop at weird times.... I sold VD in Dec. and sold a New Years design recently!
[2008.02.07 19:56:27] AngelaCP: Remember, Tags are just for the CafePress Marketplace.
[2008.02.07 19:56:42] AngelaCP: You want to be seen by search engines such as Google, Yahoo, etc.
[2008.02.07 19:56:47] AngelaCP: By now, most of you are already aware of how using descriptive words and content helps get your shop/site ranked on search engines.
[2008.02.07 19:56:53] AngelaCP: If there are any newbies here, here’s a tutorial to brush up on your SEO skills.
[2008.02.07 19:56:59] AngelaCP: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/learn/tutorial_seo
[2008.02.07 19:57:06] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:57:11] AngelaCP: http://www.cafepress.com/cp/learn/tutorial_seo_opt
[2008.02.07 19:57:27] Art: that's why I advocate longer description fields
[2008.02.07 19:57:35] AngelaCP: I have that on the wish list....
[2008.02.07 19:57:41] PeggyWvB: Are the button price updates going to be finished soon? I need to update my google base
[2008.02.07 19:57:53] AngelaCP: A couple of days...
[2008.02.07 19:58:01] Shadow: if you can get Google to notice you, the marketplace tags are irrelevant
[2008.02.07 19:58:04] Art: thanx! :-)
[2008.02.07 19:58:09] shopaholicchick: i sell st pattys stuff year round
[2008.02.07 19:58:15] graphicdog: Is it worth making SPD designs for green t-shirts?
[2008.02.07 19:58:21] AngelaCP: Definitely.
[2008.02.07 19:58:39] AngelaCP: Any color shirts... just be sure to include green in the design.
[2008.02.07 19:58:44] AngelaCP: It's all about the message.
[2008.02.07 19:58:49] PhotoGirl has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.07 19:58:58] AngelaCP: Humor and Irish pride does the best for SPD
[2008.02.07 19:59:05] AngelaCP: Humor = drinking
[2008.02.07 19:59:09] AngelaCP: in most cases.
[2008.02.07 19:59:14] sag: I wish the tags could get picked up by search engines as it would keep some a little more honest with them.
[2008.02.07 19:59:22] AngelaCP: Thakns for the suggestion Sag.
[2008.02.07 19:59:27] AngelaCP: Okay, we're down to the last minute
[2008.02.07 19:59:42] Art: Shopaholicchick, what's your main shop?
[2008.02.07 19:59:45] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:59:49] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.02.07 19:59:56] shopaholicchick: www.shopaholicchick.com
[2008.02.07 20:00:16] the orb: a better product designer where one image can be used for all products would cut down ,, big time!!!!
[2008.02.07 20:00:20] BrittaCP: Well folks... that's another wrap for us
[2008.02.07 20:00:20] AngelaCP: Note
[2008.02.07 20:00:20] AngelaCP: noted
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[2008.02.07 20:00:35] goatlady: Sheryl can you copy the transcript for me I was way late.. thanks sweetie
[2008.02.07 20:00:40] Ne @ 1512BLVD: I think the dark apparel looks best with the green designs, do they sell well
[2008.02.07 20:00:45] PeggyWvB: I agree orb!
[2008.02.07 20:00:45] Linda: ty
[2008.02.07 20:00:45] Art: too obvious, thanx
[2008.02.07 20:00:49] shopaholicchick: can we get the lobby reopened so we can conitnue to chat there???
[2008.02.07 20:00:49] BrittaCP: We'll be opening the lobby again so you can all chat freely over there
[2008.02.07 20:00:52] PeggyWvB: Will you please post when it's finished?
[2008.02.07 20:01:00] BrittaCP: Again, transcript will be up by the beginning of next week
[2008.02.07 20:01:00] AngelaCP: Transcript will be up next week
[2008.02.07 20:01:10] Art: green, wee folk, beer, leprechaun, shamrock, irish...got it
[2008.02.07 20:01:10] NiftyGaloot: Thanks Angela and Britta! :)
[2008.02.07 20:01:20] AngelaCP: Thanks everyone!
[2008.02.07 20:01:26] BrittaCP: See you all next time
[2008.02.07 20:01:31] AngelaCP: We hope you get lucky in sales!
[2008.02.07 20:01:35] cowpie: Thanks Ang and Britta
[2008.02.07 20:01:36] sag: Thank you, ladys!
[2008.02.07 20:01:36] Ne @ 1512BLVD: Thanks for a great chat... one of the best I think
[2008.02.07 20:01:41] Sue D has left the room (logged out)
[2008.02.07 20:01:41] NiftyGaloot has left the room
[2008.02.07 20:01:41] AngelaCP: Wear your green or you'll get pinched!
[2008.02.07 20:01:47] Ne @ 1512BLVD: have a safe drive home
[2008.02.07 20:01:51] mystic: Thanks Angela and Britta
[2008.02.07 20:01:51] the orb: thanks
[2008.02.07 20:01:51] yoop: Thanks
[2008.02.07 20:01:55] Art: you already told us, it's not luck, it's marketing
[2008.02.07 20:01:59] azac sent an audio message: Clear Throat
[2008.02.07 20:02:01] Art: thanx angela, thanx britta
[2008.02.07 20:02:03] AngelaCP: bhye
[2008.02.07 20:02:04] AngelaCP: bye
[2008.02.07 20:02:09] The room has been closed by the system