Hi @HHcsJoe. I perused your web site and there’s nothing I can really add to how you’ve set it up and designed it. It covers all the bases! Getting your web site noticed by online search engines and moving it up in the results is your biggest challenge here, as it is for everyone trying to break into the world of online sales. No matter what you do, and how effective it ultimately is for you, it will take time, patience and trial-and-error.
The first thing, and probably the most important thing, I’m going to suggest is that you invest some time, thought and energy in working on your SEO — Search Engine Optimization. Do a web search on that acronym and you’ll find a wealth of information on what it is and why it is important to help you be seen. The Wiki definition is as good as any — “Search engine optimization is the process of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to a website or a web page from search engines.”
Square has guides and tools for using the SEO capabilities built into it.
Ultimate SEO Guide
SEO Settings
SEO for Items and Categories
Verify a Site with Search Engines
Getting your SEO right (both for your online store and for your website in general) is the most important thing you can do because it gives search engines information they need to direct potential customers to your web site and store. If you don’t mind putting some more money into it, you probably should search for a reputable SEO professional to help you do this. But, that’s not required. Square gives you plenty of tools to do it yourself if you are willing to put in the time and research.
Besides SEO, there are other things that can help. When we first opened our ice cream shop, we had a goal of consistently being on the first page of search engine results. We did cross-site marketing with other local businesses, blogs and such. We contracted with a small, local marketing company that got us media exposure. We bought an online click-through ad with a local online news organization. It took a while for us to reach that goal, but we eventually did. These days we are consistently on that first page of search results when people look for us. But, we are obviously concentrating on a local market, whereas you are hoping to cast a much wider net.
I wish you every success. If you have any other questions, feel free to post them.
Chip A.
Square Expert & Innovator and member of the Square Champions group. (But NOT a Square employee, just a seller like you)
Was my post helpful? Take a moment to mark it as a solution. Marked solutions help other sellers find possible resolutions to similar problems. Also, if you find your solution elsewhere (say, through Support), it is helpful to come back to your post and tell us about it, then mark that as a Solution. Solutions are what this Community is all about!
