Announcement! Project Indie

EtsyLounge is moving to Project Indie. Please visit the new site, bookmark and follow. 

New content to come, with the same mission of showcasing handmade, and providing my fellow artisans ongoing opportunities to promote and boost their search engine rankings.

Storque Yourself: An Invitation to Followers of EtsyLounge

I've been reviewing my goals for this blog, which started out last year as an effort to boost the truly artistic, unique and the very best of Etsy. What I've hoped for is more interaction, which is what generates synergy for all of us.

So, I'm thinking the way forward is to create a Storque-like feature, in which featured artisans who've chosen to follow EtsyLounge can promote themselves and give us a more in-depth look at their work, their studios, their goals, their story.

My question for you: Would I have your support if I put the time into creating opportunity for you? I know many of you have your own blogs, but as we all know, it is the linkage that raises our SEO ratings and thus, it is through interaction with other blogs that we create internet synergy.

Question for Me: Can I pull this off? (As a non-geek, so far I've found one interactive gadget using Friends Connect. It's a start, and I'll keep working on it...scroll all the way down to the bottom to see it, and feel free to fill out the questionnaire if you'd like to be blogged!)

Synergy: Followers Appreciation Day

Handpicked on Etsy
Today I am catching up with my own studio work, but wanted to take a moment to show appreciation for some of the followers of EtsyLounge who have repeatedly taken the time to post comments and contribute to SEO for this blog (see yesterday's post.) I stopped by 8 stores of previously featured artists, and found 8 lovely new things to display in this 'smorgasbord feast for the eyes.' It is generous of talented, busy artists like these to continually participate at this blog and support their fellow Etsy artists by creating synergy for all, and it makes the effort of doing this project worthwhile for me.
Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings. Prices range from $10.00 to $300.00. Today's featured artists are: Brightnewthings, sleepymoondesign, safletcherart, 2ndcoming, ingermaaike, lauratrevey, BrooklynThread, KCRlehrstudio

REDUX Tips to Artists Featured Here at EtsyLounge

Expanded Redux of my July 28th Post:
Why Follow? If you're a featured artist here, you have been given a free, permanent promotion at this blog. To increase your advantage as a featured artist, simply link to (visit) this site once in awhile to boost the ranking in the search engines. Everytime you link to this blog, you add one more site visit, and because every site visit contributes to SEO (search engine optimization,) it benefits you! So, please take advantage by following, visiting, telling your friends to follow & adding synergy to EtsyLounge.
Promote Yourself: You can more actively promote yourself simply by including your URL when you comment, so that people can find their way to your own site. In fact, whenever you post a comment on this or any other blog, you should always include your URL link to your site or store! As stated above, when others link to you, you score one point at a time with the search engines toward raising your page ranking. Anonymous comments accomplish nothing for you at all, and signing off with your store name will help a little, but nothing works as well for you as posting a link.
In summary, I want EtsyLounge to work for you and for all of us, so please take advantage and freely use this site to promote yourself and fellow artisans by creating those links! The more you participate, the more you will be rewarded by drawing attention to yourself.

EtsyLounge: Why?

Last night while finishing up this necklace for Piacere, I slipped into a funk. Yesterday I blogged ten Etsy artists, most of whom receive little attention on Etsy despite obvious talent. Four bothered to respond. Time to take a breath and consider if devoting 2 hours of my day to this is truly worthwhile.

Four primary reasons I feel this blog is worthwhile:

1. Raising the bar: Etsy is inundated with crafts that simply do not meet artistic criteria. My opinion, and I realize craft and handmade has its own valid ethic. Art, however, too often gets lost in the crowd on Etsy. I realize this is a volatile, debatable issue and I may not make friends by publicly sharing my biased viewpoint.

2. Creating Karma: Internet search engines give high priority to incoming links. By providing artists with links from this blog, I help boost odds that their work will eventually make it to the first 3 pages (top 30) searches on Google and Yahoo. I am only one person, but I want to contribute in my small way to promote the best of Etsy. If others participate and reciprocate, the karma (buzz) will grow, potentially exponentially. That goal is achievable only if blog visitors & followers participate by commenting, chiming in, telling friends to visit, etc.

3. My Own Very Personal Interest: Yes, within the motive to raise the bar is the potential benefit to myself. I believe in the work I've been doing for over 20 years, and am committed to excellence in my own products and creations. Just like we all want to be in the best galleries, I too want to my work to be in good company.

4. Fun and Inspiration: It is simply fun to discover and interact with other talented artists. As artists, we all know the feeling of isolation and myopia when we focus so intently on our own work that we exclude the energy of other artists from our awareness.

Some words about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) If you are unfamiliar with this, I recommend going to Timothy Adams Town Hall Meeting, and these emptyeasel.com articles about SEO for artists and about Page Rank. I'm still learning, and I find these tutorials helpful.

Patience is the main thing to bear in mind with all SEO efforts. It takes time for the seedlings to sprout. Sow the seeds, nurture the plants and you will gradually see the rewards for your efforts.