I need help with web issue...

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christi_dellarobbia

christi_dellarobbia

Member
Jan 25, 2007
143
21
18
Springfield
www.bergeronsflowers.com
State / Prov
VA
My website is www.bergeronsflowers.com and over the past year, another shop that has a similar website (bergerons.com) has emerged ahead of my listing on google, etc. She is located in Tennessee, I, on the other hand, am in Va, right outside of Washington, D.C.

I am VERY active in marketing to my customers, especially ones that have ordered and be referred via the internet. But, evidently, when some customers don't remember my exact web address, they go online and click by mistake on her website. (Somehow my website has moved to the 4th page on Goggle and she's now at the top) The customers place their order online at her shop and she, in turn, wires the orders up here (and doesn't use my shop, of course!). There have been dozens of calls to my shop saying that we haven't done something right, wrong flowers have been delivered, bad product, etc. Only to find out, after some sleuthing, that they ordered from her shop!

This has presented a real problem for me. I have tried to use Google AdWords, but still to no avail. I have contacted the other shop and informed them of the problems, and she just chuckles and says she's "sorry".

I don't want what I've worked so hard for to be torn down by bad customer service, product, etc. Who knows how many people haven't called me with complaints?

Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
Get incoming links to your site - that's the primary means to get a higher ranking. See if you can get local businesses to link to you.

Who designed your site? The HTML code is filled with errors and won't validate. Search engines could have trouble reading your content.

Ok - it's a TF site. Not much you can do about the code, but you can beat it up to get better SERPs. CHR is the expert at making TF sites better. She also posted about her experience moving from a TF site to her own site.

You do have some pages in the Google index, but it wouldn't hurt to submit a site map to Google. TF uses ASP, so they can't do SE friendly URLs like PHP does, but as long as they keep the variables short, Google should find your product pages.

Ryan
 
I would start by updateing your listing on google.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=bergeron's+Flowers+&+Gifts,+Springfield,+va

You will see that your website is not linked to your listing.

This link will take you to your information page floating on the map.
http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...pn=0.02383,0.037723&om=1&iwloc=A&iwd=1&dtab=0

Scroll Down to The Bottom Of The Page You Will See Add/Edit Your Business. You will need to have a google account (Free) Check Over Your Listing And Make Sure You Add Your Website URL To The Business Listing. You Will recieve a post card in the mail in a couple of weeks. Follow The directions on the post card to validate your listing and your listing will be updated in a month or two. Its a long process but it will start the ball rolling.

You need to go through the internet checking yellowpages listings and anything that list your business name. Yahoo Local Is Another Place To Look.

I had the same problem with our site. Mine was .net and someone else had .com. I coughed up some money to resolve that problem but very simular situation.

Look through the forum because many of the answers you are looking for are already here.

By the way you will always blend in with everyone else with those TF images. Go get a camera and start taking pictures!!!!!
 
Re: Add Zips and Towns to your KEYWORDS

<META NAME="keyWords" CONTENT="Bergerons Flowers & Gifts flowers florists bouquets national delivery gifts mixed flowers flower bouquet roses gift baskets plants gourmet foods birthday gifts VA Alexandria 22304 Teleflora Teleflorist Teleflorists teleflora teleflowers telaflora telefloral anniversary rose funeral arrangement sympathy daisys wedding baby new baby floral arrangements fresh long stem roses tulips buy flowers online delivery service lily lilies shopping daisies love romance get well holiday florist flor flore flo flow flora special occasion Valentines Day Valentine's Day Christmas xmas Mothers Day Mother's Day Fathers Day Father's Day Easter secretary's day secretaries day orchids vase thank you bokay seasonal balloons carnations Flower Delivery FLORAL funeral plants balloons sunflowers tulip congratulations daisies daisy solid Easter tiger lily birds of paradise ivy bouquet iris carnation gladiolus tropical exotic snap dragons snapdragons yellow roses lilacs ferns FLOWER arrangement special occasions long-stem roses long-stemmed red roses wreaths wreath floral centerpiece new home funeral crosses funeral sprays funeral baskets sympathy sprays sympathy delivery baskets house warming presents candles corporate gifts gourmet house warming housewarming garden cookies candy teddy bears stuffed animals stuffed animal holidays holiday internet florist eflorist e-florist eflowers e-flowers web florist web online congratulations">

Just checked your Meta Tags and your KEYWORD content does not have any of the other ZIPS and TOWNS you might also service.

You can check it yourself by launching any web browser, go to your website and then, click on PAGE located somewhere at the top of your screen and then, click on SOURCE. A new window in NOTEPAD will open up and show you what's there.

Just make a list of those zips and Towns and send them to the company which hosts your website and tell them to add those into your METAS.
 
On the topic of tags:

You need to amend the description tag. Use a couple more relevant keywords.

Your keywords are 3x too long, and filled with generic terms. Get the list down to under 500 characters, using only relevant terms (no more than 20 words).

Add a "noodp" meta tag. <meta name="robots" content="noodp">


Only one ALT tag has your shop name - the rest reference TF and TF items.

Ryan
 
Not familiar...

Infinite said:
On the topic of tags:

You need to amend the description tag. Use a couple more relevant keywords.

Your keywords are 3x too long, and filled with generic terms. Get the list down to under 500 characters, using only relevant terms (no more than 20 words).

Add a "noodp" meta tag. <meta name="robots" content="noodp">


Only one ALT tag has your shop name - the rest reference TF and TF items.

Ryan
Click to expand...

What does this mean? Add a "noodp" meta tag.
Should I add the "<meta name="robots" content="noodp"> exactly?
Sorry, you're talking to a dope (new learner) when it comes to this stuff.
Thanks.
Christi
 
christi_dellarobbia said:
What does this mean? Add a "noodp" meta tag.
Should I add the "<meta name="robots" content="noodp"> exactly?
Sorry, you're talking to a dope (new learner) when it comes to this stuff.
Thanks.
Christi
Click to expand...

"noodp" means to opt out of ODP (Open Directory Project) titles...
Many SEO experts claim using "noodp" will increase your visitors by 20%.

<meta name="robots" content="noodp"> is a way to tell Google and MSN not to use the ODP description for your web site. Yahoo does not support the NOODP tag because it doesn't use ODP descriptions.

.
 
Infinite said:
TF uses ASP, so they can't do SE friendly URLs like PHP does, but as long as they keep the variables short, Google should find your product pages.
Click to expand...

Not true. TF just sucks as web development.
 
mlou said:
Yahoo does not support the NOODP tag because it doesn't use ODP descriptions.
Click to expand...
Yeah - they just use their own lousy directory descriptions and there's no way to opt out.

I don't have a NOOPD tag and neither G nor MSN ever displays the ODP description. I think both use it only when they can't find a good title and description already tagged on the site.
 
Hi guys,
First post and all that, but finally! Something I can offer advice on, rather than listening and nodding :)
Google completely ignores the meta keyword tag. So, while it is too long, it doesn't matter. Yahoo uses it a little, but mostly to match typoes.
The Google Local advice is good - the other site shouldn't have usurped your name like that.
The ODP tag only matters if you have an ODP listing and the description is lousy. (Yahoo doesn't support the tag yet, but has mentioned in the last couple of days that it will, Real Soon Now)
ASP sites can do a rename, but hosted services like TF usually won't bother for you :(
Yes, you have some work ahead of you - it will cost money, I expect, whether you do it yourself or hire someone.
You also have canonical issues (I can get to your pages with variants - you want each page to only work for one URL)
Hmmm, the opposition has an odd site. I'd bet theres some funny business going on there!

From the shop side, could you ask her very nicely to send orders for your town to you, as people obviously meant to use you?
 
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