Month: November 2009

So you have just created your own blog shop, but it seems that your blog shop is nowhere to be found on Google. In fact, having your blog shop listed on the first two pages of search results will bring in lots of potential customers. Furthermore, this ensures a constant flow of traffic to your blog shop. Here are some tips which can help you optimise your blog shop for search engines.

Tip 1: Use keywords

Your blog shop should contain keywords related to your product. These keywords can be found in your articles or even in the blog title. Never try outwitting search engines by spamming keywords and changing the text colour to white. The last thing you want is getting banned by the search engine.

Tip 2: Use original content

Top search engines such as Google, MSN or Yahoo prefer original content. Copying information from another website will only affect your search ranking. In addition, avoid having duplicate content on different pages of your blog shop.

Tip 3: Include images

Relevant images found on your blog shop may appear when a potential customer searches for an image. If he or she likes the product by looking at the image, you have almost secured a customer after he or she clicks on the images and lands on your blog shop.

Tip 4: Obtain backlinks

One of the factors which is used to determine the importance of a webpage is number of backlinks. If a website with a high pagerank links to your blog shop, you will be able to increase your search results ranking. However, participating in too many link exchange sites may bring about negative effects.

Tip 5: Update frequently

Similar to Tip 2, search engines would love to see fresh and original content. For blog shops, one way to achieve this is to post customer reviews every other day. If you do not have the time to create original content all the time, simply paraphrase articles found on your blog.

Tip 6: Related products

At the bottom of each article, include a list of products which your believe your customers may be interested in. Link each of these products to their respective pages in order to create more internal links. Search engine spiders love interconnected food webs.

Tip 7: Use paid links

If you have the capital, you may wish to consider using paid links via Google AdWords. Choose the correct keywords which are more likely to attract genuine customers. In addition, monitor your return on investments regularly to ensure that you are not overspending.

Tip 8: Find out more

If you are willing to invest, visit a bookshop to purchase books on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques. Otherwise, head down to the nearest library to pick up a few books. Some of the methods covered in these books are catered to specific products.

It’s now your turn to try optimising your blog shop for search engines.

Recently, a friend who wanted to start selling things online approached me for help. Wanting to earn extra income without investing too much, he decided to start a blog shop. Creating a blog shop is not a difficult process, but there are several tips which can ensure that your blog shop is able to make more profits. In this post, I will be sharing tips on how to create a blog shop for free.

Step One: Register

There are many websites on the internet which host blogs for free. Here, I will be using WordPress as an example. Go to http://www.wordpress.com and click on the ‘Sign up now button’ on the top right corner of the screen. Next, select a username of at least four alphanumeric characters long. Your username should include keywords and be easy to remember. If you are selling mathematics guidebooks, your username may be something like ‘mathsguidebook’. Fill in the necessary details and click on the ‘Next’ button to continue. Select a blog title for your new blog shop carefully. Activate your account by clicking on the link in a message sent to your registered email address.

Step Two: Start Writing

Once your account has been activated, visit your blog and login. Click on the ‘Posts’ button, located on the left menu bar. Delete the default post entitled ‘Hello World!’.

Now, create a new blog post by clicking on the ‘Add New’ button. In a new post entitled ‘How to purchase?’, you may wish to provide your email address or contact number. Tell your customers how to pay for the items, such as bank transfer, Paypal or cash on delivery. In addition, customers would like to know the expected delivery time and additional postage charges, if any. Under the ‘Themes’ menu, select a simple layout for your newly created blog shop.

Step Three: Create Pages

Click on the ‘Pages’ button on the left menu bar. Edit the default post, ‘About’. In the box, enter information about yourself and/or the products you are selling. Your potential customers are likely to read this page when they would like to find out more about you or the products you are selling. If you have no idea what to write, you may wish to write about why you decide to start a blog shop. The words used do not have to be too formal, since this is a blog shop after all. You can also link to some of your other personal blogs as well.

Step Four: Start Selling

Whenever you have new products, create a new post. Enter a short description of the product you are selling on your blog shop. The description should include keywords which allow potential customers to reach you via search engines. Include as many photographs as possible so that your customer is able to determine if the product is suitable. Most importantly, do not forget to include the price of the product, as well as any additional charges. At the end of your post, remind your customers what they have to include in their email. Usually, the information required includes their name, contact number, and product details such as size or colour. Also, mention if you provide discounts for bulk purchase.

Step Five: Manage Listings

Soon, you may find yourself having a large number of products listed on your blog. Users may have to scroll down several times to search for the product which they want. One way to manage your list is by using Categories. At the Dashboard, click on the ‘Category’ button and create a new category. Classify your products under the different categories so that your potential customers are able to find what they want easily. Also, if you happen to have any promotional items, include a ‘Promotion’ category as well. Note that products can be classified under more than one category.

Step Six: Publicise

You have successfully created your blog shop but there aren’t many visitors yet. Therefore, you will need to start promoting your blogs. Post your link on your personal blog, Facebook Wall, Twitter page and everywhere else you can find. In addition, get your friends to help promote your blog shop by posting a link on their blog. Of course, you should post a link on your blog shop in return. If you are an active participant of a forum, add your link to your signature so that it appears under every post you make. As more people get to know about your blog shop, there is a higher chance for a successful transaction.

All the best in your new home-based business!

Continued from Part 1

To get all the souvenirs on your shopping list, you may have to visit many places as each place has a unique collection of gifts.

Most visitors to Singapore will remember the food here. The use of a wide variety of ingredients and spices make the food here unique and memorable. If you would like to bring back some of these to share with your family and friends (or keep some for yourself), the spices can be purchased from shophouses located along Serangoon Road or Geylang Serai. A more convenient place to shop for spices from Singapore is the supermarket. However, one drawback is that you may not find the spices you are looking for.

Also, you can get souvenirs from shopping malls located along Orchard Road. Orchard Road is one of Singapore’s busiest shopping districts. However, most of these souvenir shops are located in the older shopping centres. In addition, there are not many of them left, so there is not much competition among the shops. Therefore, the price you are getting may be slightly more expensive than in Chinatown or Bugis. However, do not be surprised if you can find some cheap offers there, especially during the Great Singapore Sale.

When you visit places of attraction such as the Singapore Zoo, the Botanic Gardens or even Sentosa, remember to check out their souvenir shop. These souvenir shops carry items which are more unique, but the price is slightly higher. In addition, during your visit to museums, you can purchase some authentic souvenirs. For example, if you like collecting stamps or postcards, there is a souvenir shop located right inside the Singapore Philatelic Museum. Also, you can find vases of different shapes and sizes to suit your budget.

Before you leave Singapore, visit the duty free shops in the airport. A wide range of products can be found in the departure area. Do some last-minute shopping with your remaining Singapore dollars, just in case you accidentally forget to get a gift for somebody.

Even though Singapore is a small country, there are many places to get hold of souvenirs. If you have any other places to recommend, do post a comment below! Your trip is not complete without bringing back some memories in the form of souvenirs.

So, where is the best place to shop for souvenirs in Singapore? Believe it or not, some locals do not know where to begin. If you are a local and would like to send some souvenirs overseas, you may wish to find a place which gives you the best value for your Singapore dollar. If you are a tourist in Singapore, you may wish to know where you can get different types of souvenirs, especially if you promised to bring home some Merlion plush toys. When you return from an overseas trip, people around you will start to ask what you brought back for them. Surprise your friends and family by bringing back something which is uniquely Singapore.

My favourite place to shop for a souvenir from Singapore is Chinatown. There are many stalls selling small items such as postcards, key chains and magnets, printed with the word Singapore on it. Generally speaking, Chinatown is a good place to shop for souvenirs if you would like to find a wide variety of items to choose from, or if you are running low on budget. If sending overseas, it is important for the item to be as light as possible (such as keychains). If you enjoy collecting traditional items such as inflatable balls, five stones or handmade quilts, you may wish to visit the Chinatown Heritage Centre. Get your name painted in Chinese characters by approaching one of the many artists found in the area.

Another place to shop for souvenirs in Singapore is Suntec City, especially if you are looking for a gold plated collar pin or a pair of earrings in the shape of the Vanda Miss Joaqium, the national flower of Singapore. In addition, you can find photo frames at some of the shops in one of Singapore’s largest shopping centres. If you like chocolate, grab a box of Merlion chocolates and share with your family. Due to the higher rental costs for these shops, be prepared to spend more money for these souvenirs. If you are lucky, you can purchase handmade Peranakan gifts such as bead art and porcelain.

Bugis is also a good place to shop for cheap souvenirs in Singapore. Although the items are slightly more expensive than at Chinatown, there is a better chance at bargaining for a lower price when shopping in Bugis. Bugis Street is usually crowded on weekends. If you would like to commemorate your trip to Singapore by shopping for souvenirs, this is a place which is not to be missed. You can also purchase some of the ‘Singapore is a Fine City’ T-shirts here!

If these are not what you are looking for, there will be more places to shop for souvenirs in the next post. Meanwhile, continue filling up your luggage with gifts which you can pick up everywhere around Singapore.