Antique-shop.com
Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: mart on February 18, 2020, 06:40:18 pm
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Why or how we went from one of the top sites to one that can`t be found on google ?? I looked through pages and and with different search topics and this site does not even show up anywhere !! Only way to find it is to use the correct name !! But how many new people would know it ?? I searched several different ways !! Ideas?? We need to generate some interest !! But how ??
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Yes, I wonder that quite a bit. I do remember the "top site" days. What is the key difference between then and now, besides the ever-more depressed antique market?
I suspect it relates to a discussion we had a year or so ago regarding old software. I remember Jacon chiming in, and I agreed with him.
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Apparently, you have to be term / word specific. The following comes up at the top of list for me.
"Jul 29, 2019 · News: Wow! Antique-shop.com forums are in the big #1 spot on Google for the search term "antique shop forum", for 4 years running! Thanks to YOU."
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The name ……. Antique-Shop.Com ….. was great before the Internet got polluted with dozens n’ dozen of similar sites because “antique” was the primary search “word”, ….. aka: “antique anything” ……..and the word “shop” didn’t matter.
But now days, ….. no one does a Google search for an …… “antique shop”, …… unless its "city" specific.
So my advice, get the website owner to change the registered name to …… Antique Questions Forum, ….. or something to that effect because that is what people want to know, …… they want answers to their questions.
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I searched for antique discussion groups, antique forums, and one other term that eludes me now !! But under each I looked through the first 5 pages and found nothing !! I know google has changed some things about their search criteria but didn`t pay attention to what it was !! Didn`t think it would affect the general searches !!
Problem is,, we need to generate some interest to draw people here !!
Rauville,, who would use that phrase when doing a general search for information ?? Not many !! "Antique shop" is more of a local thing !!
I did notice that the forum I disliked came up at the top of the list !! Twice !! Guess people don`t care if the members are rude !! Ticks me off to no end !! And yes,, I know the grammar is not correct in the last sentence,, tell that to all the old people !! You might get an ear full !!
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This is a very interesting discussion. I am going to try several different searches and see what I come up with as well.
Thanks for the info y'all. Hope Ed sees this!
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Of course if you use "antique" in the search topic it brings up anything you ever searched for using that word !! But very few groups or information forums !!
https://www.google.com/search?q=antique+information+groups&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b
This is the first page of my search for "antique information groups" !! What I am trying to figure out is how to get this site out there so people can find us again !!
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Mart, since you are a contributor to the ….. Kovels Antique Collectibles Forums ….. maybe you could mention that ….. Antique-Shop.Com …… is also a great place for discussions and getting questions answered.
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I think that the reason that there are few antique discussion groups is that many website-based discussion groups have migrated over to Facebook groups.
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Mart, since you are a contributor to the ….. Kovels Antique Collectibles Forums ….. maybe you could mention that ….. Antique-Shop.Com …… is also a great place for discussions and getting questions answered.
I have done that Cogar but only once has anyone came here for more than one post !! Singular question they needed an answer for !! Recently Kovels "updated" their website !! Its a disaster !! To be honest they could care less about the free registrations and the discussion/Q&A forums Their main issue is selling the paid subscriptions and the outdated books and price guides !! Many of the prices there are years old !! I would never recommend that site !!
Tales,, I think you may be right !!
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I believe that that some of the issues you’re talking about with Google an antique shop are correct. I do believe there’s a whole other factor also. Facebook groups. There are groups for everything.
I am in some for:
Antique identification in value
Antique and collectible‘s for sale
Identify and value my painting
Depression and elegant glass
Decoy collecting
There are so many more.. often posts on these sites get six or seven responses with in a minute or two.
I feel like the people that are posting are looking for an instantaneous answer. They are in the shop or at a yard sale, thrift store, or at a flea market and they want to know if somethings a good deal. Often they’re not contacting for information on their own items.
I think that is the same reason we get one post and the person never comes back.
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Pelady wins the prize for the correct answer, ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I will second that Cogar,, but how do we correct it !! Not sure how correct the facebook groups are and really,,I have no idea how to find them !! I do have a life other than sitting at this computer !!
Brownie point for you Pelady !!
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I am going to disagree here, FaceBook is a factor but, not the main reason you are not showing up on Google search results.
Websites are like most ventures, you are going to get pretty much exactly what you put into them, you put nothing in, don't expect to get much more than that in return.
Your software is dead with the old age
It's difficult to post photographs (a KILLER for this type of format)
You don't itemize categories (furniture,silver, pottery, etc)
You are attracting fewer & fewer posters
The new posters you do get don't stay, in fact most leave
You have fewer & fewer real "antique" postings which translates into fewer & fewer search results showing up on Google
In sum, a death spiral if your goal is to attract new people, posters, so NO! i don't "wonder" why forum is what it is, i just assumed people here liked it this way.
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Let me give a personal example, for many years i was a project manager doing very large commercial projects and my website? the only thing i used it for? email! my traffic was pretty much ZERO to that site but it didn't matter, i wasn't using it to attract business/people/eyes.
When i retired a few years ago, my goals changed, instead of doing bid & spec work where only 1 thing mattered, the NUMBER! Now i was semi retired, not doing that big work and i needed a website that attracted people/eyes as i was doing small residential work.
Solution? pitch the old website & redesign a new one targeted to attract EYES! and move up the search engine ladder one step at a time.
Times change, goals change, conditions change, simply put, those that change prosper, those that don't change don't, it's as simple as that.
This ain't rocket science folks!
I just checked on Google the search term "antique forums", this site is on the bottom of page 2, not many "eyes" are gonna venture that far down the list, just sayin.......
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That's what I was talking about.....
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That's what I was talking about.....
LOL, well it doesn't seem like anyone else is!
It's easy to "blame the other guy" or point fingers at the "boogeyman" as the reason things are not going well, very human thing to do. Problem is, it's 99% BS and 1% true, if this forum wants to attract more people you gotta do the things that will attract more people. Hello?
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That's right, nobody else is. The fact is that this site was number one five years ago, and now it's lost in the aether. NOTHING has changed with the site, but the internet has changed ALOT. If some type of software/format investment is not made, this site will die in the dark, much like the Victorian furniture site I used to frequent.
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OK,, This is my personal opinion,, I do not think it has crap to do with the site itself !! Kovels just updated theirs and its a disaster !! Those I have talked to want simplicity not all the stuff that software developers think they want !! They want ease of navigation, good pics without a lot of junk added which is useless,, and reasonably fast responses !! That is what the people that post say !!
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Kovels just updated theirs and its a disaster !!
I didn't know they updated but, the fact is their "forum" IS a disaster, no doubt! Most likely because their site is not primarily a forum/ community info type site, they are trying to sell you something, a price guide. It's much to "busy" and takes 3 or 4 clicks just to get to their forum, I.E. they are trying to do to many things at the same time.
If it's any comfort, i would note that they are at the bottom of page 3 in search results so, doing worse than this site! lol
I would add that i doubt their "update" is going to help their forum at all in terms of traffic.
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I do not think they care at all about those that ask questions on the free subscription,, Just those that pay for the premium membership and even they complain !! I agree Ghopper,, its just for selling the outdated books/ price guides !!
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If anyone is interested in where i am coming up with these search rankings, link below is where. Using search term "antique forums" and only checking google. Your results could be slightly different as i know google slants results based on location, I am in Charlotte NC and with those terms, this site is at bottom of page 2, kovels bottom of page 3. DEADSVILLE in both cases......
https://www.google.com/search?q=antique+forums&oq=an&aqs=chrome.1.69i60j69i59l3j69i57j69i60l2j69i61.3520j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
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This is my personal opinion,, I do not think it has crap to do with the site itself !!
YOU ARE WRONG!!! Threatens to light a match to that stump Martha is sitting on if she don't BEHAVE! :P
You don't have to believe me, the answer is right in front of you on this sites Home page, just a cursory review of More Stats provides much of the data one would need to make some general observations and, THEY AIN'T GOOD! trust me! Here are a couple
Top 10 Topics (by Replies)
People are so funny (outrageous Craigslist prices)
This thread was started by Hosman in 2010, guess when the LAST REPLY was posted? 2016, JEEZZZZZ, 2016? that was 4 years ago kids, hello? #1 post On Top 10 Topics!
Or even more telling is
Forum History
Yearly Summary New Topics
2020 37 It's almost March, you've had a whole 37 new topics on this site in 55 days this year and i know for a fact that at least
3 of those new topics are SPAM because a spammer posted early this morning & posts are still up as i write this
2019 180 I would note a year has 365 days, you had 180 new topics posted last year? not exactly winning i would say
If one looks at the above stat page, it is very clear the glory years for this site are, 2010-2013 and, you have been losing ground EVERY YEAR since 2013 in terms of new topics. In some years losing ground DRAMATICALLY, in 2013- 2484 new topics, 2014- 1653 new topics, 2015 -1488, 2016 - 689
Anyone see a trend here besides me?
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Ha !! Well my stump ain`t burning yet Jacon4 !! I am just saying what people tell me !!
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I am just saying what people tell me !!
What people? There are no people in here! You got like what, 5 or 6 regular posters? ::)
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No people from here !! I have heard from some Kovels posters that emailed me privately !! I am just speaking in general about what people are interested in when at a site like this or any other !! Most people simply do not have the time to sit and go through a myriad of topics before finding the one they need !!
And yes,, Facebook groups have hit individual sites pretty hard !! Mostly ( I think ) because those that post questions there feel more like they are talking to friends !! I do not even know how to find Facebook groups !! But the public just so involved with these social groups that they all think they are involved in the lives of everyone there !! I bet you can find most of our missing members on Facebook !!
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I bet you can find most of our missing members on Facebook !!
LOL, I hear you but i am not buying that argument! "It's the other guys fault why i am failing!!!"
While it's true there are more sites/options today than 5 years ago, 5 years from now there will be many more options than there are today.
FaceBook is toward the middle of page 2 on that "antique forums" search, only a couple spots above this site and, probably 90% of people using search? never even see page 2 at all.
When i click that FB antique forum group from search, the last post was July 4, 2017.
If you are not on page 1, forget about it.
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When I first found this forum it was basically “dead” with many unanswered questions and very few comments by viewers.
So I started responding to “questions” as best I could ….. and even posted meaningless comments so that the “poster” would know “someone was listening”.
And during my past years as a member of this forum I would post pictures and commentary of my antiques and collectibles because I knew there were lots of other people out there in “Internet Land” that had similar antiques and collectibles, ….. or who were looking to find out more about their collectible, similar or otherwise.
And I was right, because the “traffic” on AQF began a steady increase to its height of a couple years ago.
So, I will assume the “fault” for the “death spiral” of AQF because, due to my current health condition (RA) I am no longer capable of photographing my antiques and collectibles items of interest and/or uploading said pictures to AQF with associated commentary.
Now what you all probably don’t realize is the Google is one powerful search engine …. and iffen you are posting to the Internet, …… Goggle is, ….. ipso facto, …… looking over your shoulder.
And just to prove my point, I picked two (2) subject titles from page #1 of the current Title Index and copied them (1 at a time) to the Google “search query” and pressed the “return” key.
And guess what happened? ….. See for yourself by repeating what I did, …. to wit:
Older Karpen (of Chicago) Wicker set
Fairy No. 6 Potbelly Wood Stove
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My few cents....
Times change. You could put all kinds of money into a site and that doesn't make it successful. ALSO, just because people aren't posting doesn't mean that people aren't using this forum. For instance at this moment, 40 guests (non members) are researching topics on the forum. This site is a great resource for many and they are finding their answers without having to ask.
One of my sons actually works in this "area of interest" that we are discussing. Even Google is antiquated compared to the evolution of technology today. Facebook is popular because for many individuals they can have it all in one place and not have to learn how to maneuver the internet AND majority of people on it are older!
This site started as a hobby for Ed. It wasn't his career/main income. A place for like-minded people to meet up and discuss items of interest and help others learn what they have and the history of it. That is what is has continued to be. It costs him money to maintain this and he must be still pretty interested in it to keep it up and running (for our pleasure).
The antique market in general is going through a slump. The youth of today are going for ultra modern, sleek looks. Just give it time. All styles cycle.
When I did the search for "antique forums" it was easy to note that so many that come up easily are those for profit, (Which this isn't.) Also, not all of them are actual forums like we are - for example the one for Historic Williamsburg is for a forum that is held there annually. Funny, looked at the one directly above the "antique-shop" link titled " need a list of antique discussion boards that are free on the ..." and antique-shop forum is listed. The sad thing is that the little bit posted about this site isn't one to draw anyone in (see below). How would one change that?
"Antique Questions Forum - Antique-Shop.com
www.antique-shop.com › forums
Photo's are important! (info on loading pictures). Started by railman44 « 1 2 3 4 ». 52 Replies 39607 Views, Last post January 06, 2020, 07:46:09 PM by mart."
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Well,, everyone makes good points but how do we fix it !! Thats the reason I posted this !! I would love to see more people posting here !!
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Mart. I am an inactive member of one of the Facebook groups and they give terrible information. The one moderator will give an incorrect answer and and then close the thread so he or she has the final word. I have seen that several times.
I pulled this forum up on Google with no problem with Antique Shop Forum as my keywords. As an SEO writer I know that most people will not search that way. They will search antique value or whats my antique worth. Those key words will never pull the site up because they are not there. Using social media and back links is critical to SEO these days. If you have a blog that links to this site and people search topics on the blog, you will gain traffic.
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Thats what I was trying to do,, use the search term most would when they wanted info !! I had no luck at all !!
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Does anyone wonder ??
Well, they should wonder NO MORE, site was down for what, 3 days?
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No,, longer than that !! I have been checking back over a week !! What happened ?? Haven`t heard back from KC !!
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LOL, I'll tell you what happened! You guys in here sitting on your stumps wondering what happened!?
Meanwhile the forum is slowwwwwwwwwwwly sinking into internet oblivion ??? :P
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Don`t gripe Jacon4 !! At least I have a place to go during this two week shutdown !!
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Hi! Not sure what happened but Ed got it fixed. I imagine he is slammed working with all that is going on.
THANKS ED! One less stresser! :)
Hey Mart! Sorry, been busy helping out family/friends/people/animals with food, supplies, etc.
FYI Pet shelters are overflowing with pets. There is the normal quota of animals BUT people are surrendering their pets for fear that they cant afford them/get food for them. Several shelters in our area are begging for people to foster otherwise they will have to euthanize to even try and keep up. Others are begging to any food to help out with the numbers.
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Surely you are kidding KC ?? They spend the same each week no matter what !! You can buy 50 lbs for $20. at your local feed store and I can assure you that even with our bunch of hounds ( six to eight ) it will last almost a month !!
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We haven't been able to get our dog's food until today I had to drive a ways to get it. (We buy the giant bags as well but It has been back ordered already 2 weeks and stores around our area have been out due to hoarding.)
Many people have lost their jobs and aren't sure how long this will go on. So, they feel they are doing the best things for them/their pets. The fear mongers on television/radio have caused such a panic. Soooooo sad.
Many of the smaller towns around our area have closed their shelters! Fort Worth Animal Control is sending out alerts to all the lost/found sites for help with fostering and desperately needs food to accommodate the animals. Dallas was sending out notices for fosters for large dogs (52) or they will have to eventually euthanize to make room.
I have a friend that she/her husband run an international school in Wuhan, China. She has kept a day-to-day account/diary on life through all of this. Yesterday was the first day with no reported new cases! Yippee!
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Why doesn`t someone start a Gofundme page for the shelters ?? Here you can find all the dog/cat food you want,,but don`t look for toilet paper,tissue or paper towels !! Hey folks,, they still make that stuff !!
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We are taking several giant bags of food next week to some shelters plus treats.
My better half won't let me foster - says our two are enough of a hand full! LOL So, we are doing our part helping out.
I will have to see if there are any GOFUNDME for local shelters.