mentioning your competition on your website

[domineaux]

If you use Teleflora website or the images and information in their shopping cart items there are continual references of "Teleflora". Everytime their name is mentioned on the site of other florists that is a referral and helps their ranking on search engines.

Same thing... you are talking about. Teleflora doesn't ask your consent either.

Find a way to use other florists names in your site, even the wire services names, if you are so disposed. I wouldn't use their name in a negative sense. There are a zillion ways to structure verbal content,

Don't leave a stone unturned for best SEO. I could use your name several times on my website without much effort at all. I could use it as a menu item click on "About flowers", I coud use it in the header of a webpage easily, I could use it on on page with discusisons about flowers, etc.

We aren't guilty of creating the websearch quagmire. You can blame that on the cerebral idiots that are world class experts at search engines.

 

[RWK]

Rick, are you saying that she should create a page that shows google reviews of her shop along with other shops and their not so good reviews? If that is what you are saying that seems even more unethical!
It is bad enough for a florist when some flake goes off on a florist with a bad review, they may or may not be true at all. I would be livid if I saw a bad review posted on someone site. At least on Google you can choose to respond to it, deal with the customer complaining or flag it as inappropriate.

This thread is enlightening to say the least... Watering your own flowers brings more favor from your other neighbors than pissing on your ones next door.

In that light Joan, it does seem bad, I was trying to think of a way to showcase the pluses of her shop and highlight the negatives of the other shops in such a way as to put her shop in the best possible light.

perhaps that is not the best approach after all.

 

[Knife's Wife]

Rick,
Thank you for taking a second look at what you were suggesting. We always need to take a step back and look at through a consumers point of view, and what the outcome will be if they feel they have been deceived or tricked in anyway. Night fall always seems to come quicker than day light but, daylight reveals the beauty of earth more vibrantly.

 

[nanvireega]

Watering your own flowers brings more favor from your other neighbors than pissing on your ones next door.

I guess this is kind of my main point.

Yes, I want to do everything I can to make my business survive and flourish, but I also support other local flower shops.

Is it to my advantage if another shop has poor business practices, shorter hours, minor coverage, bad designs or goes out of business? Of course it is!

There is a natural order to things, what will be will be... the only thing we can control is our own situation and I do believe that we will soon see a light at the end of the OG tunnel...

But if WE all start acting like OGs, that light will get further and further away. Focusing & promoting our OWN strenghts will highlight the weaknesses of others! I know, I'm very optimistic ;-)

Whatever you decide to do, just keep in mind: Google is ridiculously fickle! Something that may seem to be to your advantage today could smack you really hard in the face tomorrow.

 

[theRKF]

What I was talking about is making a content page that uses the competitor's name without overtly referring to them:

Title: Anthony's Florist Adventure

Heading: Why Anthony's Flowers Proved Hard To Find, And Why He Loved Every Minute Of It

Content: 2-3 Paragraphs (story or testimonial) about a guy named Anthony looking for specific flowers that his girlfriend loves. You can even reference that they met on Hallandale Beach, and naturally include "flowers" "florist" and "Anthony" - all without ever talking about the a flower shop called "Anthony's Florist."

I'm not a copywriter, and this was a 2 minute brainstorm, but I hope it gives the idea.

Now, if a few blogs happened to mention the story and just happened to use "Anthony's Flowers" as the anchor text, there's a good chance that page would rank against weak competition.

 

[nanvireega]

Well, gee thanks Ryan! As if there aren't enough OGs ranking on my name already ;-)

Good example - and pallatable! In this case, would you do that as a blog entry or on a page within the site???

 

[CHR]

But remember if you go down that path, paybacks may be ugly - real ugly.

Optimizing for a competitor's name - to divert business intended for them - may create a strong blowback both from the targeted business - and their customers, especially if they feel mislead.

There are so many opportunities for long-tail keywords, why not focus on those and get your site in front of eyes actively seeking what you offer?

 

[Palms]

Seriously, has anyone even looked at my site. I just dont see how putting their name in a hidden page can trick the customers, unless they cant read or are blind?? I am not going to say that i AM that shop, just that I am a shop where orders can be placed online, where they dont. People searching their shops want flowers online, if they are fickle enough to order from me, they were never loyal anyway.

i want to come up on the first page of google when people search them - thats all, i dont want to kill their kids or burn their grandma with cigarettes...

And, if the florist really cared about the needs of the customers, they would ensure they had the option to find them on the net or order online.

I am taking an opportunity and i really dont see it as pissing on anyones flowers to be honest, although i admire the analogy.

Nancy, i am confused at how you support other local flower shops??

EVen though i disagree with some of you i want to say thanks to you all for commenting, an empty thread is boring

 

[anytimeflowers]

[

QUOTE=Palms;300940]Seriously, has anyone even looked at my site.

Yes Paula, I did when you posted a link for shop wall colors. Nice, by the way!

i want to come up on the first page of google when people search them - thats all, i dont want to kill their kids or burn their grandma with cigarettes...

That just made me laugh out loud! Thanks honey bun. And you can do whatever you want to do, we just fear for you if there is any sort of back lash, that's all.

Linda

 

[nanvireega]

That just made me laugh out loud! Thanks honey bun. And you can do whatever you want to do, we just fear for you if there is any sort of back lash, that's all.

Linda

Here, here!!!

 

[nanvireega]

Well, as for how I support other local flower shops... I just try to be very fair and honest when dealing with our customers. If someone calls me and I can't do something for them but I know a shop or a designer who can, I have them call direct. If it's too late for us to handle a particular area, I have the custoemr call direct. If a bride comes to me and tells me that another shop has bid to do a job for less that I can and I see that the price it's what most important to her, I can't "beat it" and it's from a decent shop who will take care of her then I let the job go.

I'm not worried when I do this because the customers appreciate that I am putting their needs first and they come back to me.

Not sure why or how I confused you, I was just trying to get across that I believe in the power of the local flower shop and would be extremely happy if all the OGs went belly up and we all flourished... truth is that they need us, we don't need them.

Not saying we shouldn't be creative and market ourselves to the hilt... and I do hope that the strategy works for you, truly. Just don't want anyone using yours or Ryan's on me <fingers crossed> ;-)

Ryan's is really tempting though...

 

[Eric S]

Welcome To SEO School For Paula!!

First paula if you are to create a page with other flower shop names the only way this would work is if you link to the page somewhere on your site.

The best place would be from your front page. Any other pages would be lower ranking and probally won't do much. When you say that your going to create a hidden page to help with SEO and you don't link to it somehow it really wouldn't do any good because there is no way the search engines would find it.

We use to see some OG's that would list shop names and address but as more shops have their own websites those OG pages have slowly disappeared. Forget about this idea for now and lets start on your first lesson.


If your really serious about getting your website ranking up you really need to start with your meta tags. There are three of them Title, Description and Keyword.

Your Meta Tags on your home page.

Title Meta Tag About Flowers - Widnes, Cheshire UK Widnes Florist, Chesire UK - Not bad but it could be better.

Description Meta Tag (Paula there is nothing that's your problem)

Keywords Meta Tag (Hmmm there is nothing there either. Not really important but you should have something there.)

Since your description tag is missing google for instance looks at your content on your page so when you see your website listed on google you see this.

About Flowers - Widnes, Cheshire UK Widnes Florist, Chesire UK Your Wedding with About Flowers. Bridal Flowers · Venue Flowers · Chair Covers · Bridal fayres we are attending · Links to other Wedding Vendors ...
www.about-flowers.co.uk/

So thats what you need to start doing. Start with your front page and create a Great Title and Description then you will need to do the same with your subpages.

Each page should have a different Title and Description. Let me say it again EACH PAGE SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT TITLE AND DESCRIPTION.


For instance your About Us Page has the same Title as your front page.

About Flowers - Widnes, Cheshire UK Widnes Florist, Chesire UK

That should be different. See all of your pages have the same Title and no Descriptions so the search engines basically see the same page through out your site.

When you do this I promise you will see a difference and then when I'm happy with what you have done then I'll tell you what you need to do next. :dearbob:

Go get'em Paula!!

 

[Palms]

Eric, i will go forth and ammend those areas immediately..... if not sooner, thanks you for the heads up.

I do come the top of google for most searches to be honest. I just want to come up when someone searches specifically for another shop that does not have a website. I have never had to concentrate on seo (touch wood) as i have good results due to lack of online comp.

Thanks once again everyone