xmlns:fb='http://ogp.me/ns/fb#' OriginalStitch: Where Can I Buy Recycled Fabric Gifts?

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Where Can I Buy Recycled Fabric Gifts?

Well what the devil on seven horses do we call this lot then?!

Don't know about you lot - but I turn to the internet for almost all of my purchases with a question like this title, because ain't many a high street that reliably houses the sort of ethical/eco-friendly/fairly-traded goods I've got my beady eyes out for.  I earmark certain local shops because I know they'll have what I want (you know who you are Freerange and Planet Health and Organics Thame), but for other stuff, it's no good me wondering the streets of Britain randomly hoping to stumble across a shop that might sell ethically traded tweezers, or organic cotton thread, or some nice environmentally friendly kids' school vests, or custom-made wooden turnip peeler. (Ok, so I never have actually searched for one of those).

We businesses who specialise in something effical or eco bust our guts trying to get our 'search engine optimisation' search terms right, because we know there is some soul out there looking for what we're selling, and they're not going to trip up in a dark alley and accidentally stumble into our shop.  T'intermesh is a big place.
(Wait.  Now get me, aren't I just the fancy one? Aren't you impressed with my impressive tinkleweb terminology?!)
A mat. No, a coaster. No, um, a holder. Thingy. Thing.

When I was first doing this website shenanigan, I was totally bamboozled by the search terms I had to think about putting in my (know-it-all voice again please) global metadata, oh yeah....
Hang on, to be honest, I still am, so I have to frequently sit down and have a good trawl through the site, asking myself if I have peppered it with enough of the words my customers might be typing in to Ye Olde Google, so that we find each other in the dark alleys of the internet. Ooerr, Mrs.

The most bonkers was our Pencil Rolls, and Double Pen Totes.  Now, I know they're called Double Pen Totes, and YOU know they're called that, but supposing you've never heard of them? Or OriginalStitch? What might you type in then?  Well, you should see some of the daft things I've got in me globals, love - here's a selection of what I imagine you lot might search for.
pencil roll, double pen tote, pencil bag, crayon holder, crayon bag, pen pockets, pen storage, pencil storage, pencil roll-up, pencil pocket storage, fabric pen pockets, recycled fabric pen bag, recycled material pen pocket bag, vintage fabric pen bag, vintage fabric kids pen storage...
Because not only do I have to think about what we should call the darned products in the first place, but then I've jolly well got to predict what you nutters are going to call them, and now it's all just gettin' a little bit philosphical, man, right?! 
Never mind metadata, it's gettin' metaphysical innit?
I've got to make sense of what's in my own head, then try and see inside yours.  Hell's Bells on a stick.

Can you imagine how much fun we had with the search terms for the Dolly Sling? Can you?!

So tell, me, empty the dustbins of your brains for search terms.  Answers on a postcard please!  What would you type in, if you were looking for one of these?!
Ah go on. Tell me in a comment what you would call this, and I'll enter it into the bowels and nooks and crannies of the website!

4 comments:

The Sewing Directory said...

Maybe dolly carrier or teddy carrier, play baby carrier, pretend baby carrier? Pretend baby sling,toy baby sling.

That's all I can come up with. SEO is such fun isn't it? And just when you think you vaguely have the hang of it, it all changes!

Amanda Jane said...

Dolly Baby Bjorn? Strap on dolly? no that takes us somewhere else completely! Sorry, shall try and make this comment anonymous?

FullertonRegan said...

I totally agree with Dolly Bjorn. Though I'm sure you'd have to work around copywright to use that...

Dolly sling is good. Dolly carrier, dolly backpack (even though it isn't, someone looking for a backpack might see yours and go, "Oh, I really want *that*, not a backpack!"), dolly tote. I realize they aren't all names that actually work for the sling, but I think the more eyes you get on it the better. Like I said, someone will probably be looking for something else but realize yours is actually what they want.

Deanna Sidoni said...

You should try Quail By Mail. They sell shirts made from organic and recycled fabric and some of the cutest toys I've seen anywhere.

http://quailbymail.blogspot.com/