16 replies to this topic

[mrgoodfox]

Hey everyone,

some of you might know about my hookah website.

Since i joined cre8asiteforums few years ago, I've made a lot of improvements to the site and have had great success with it. I've been battling for the main keyword "hookah" for a while now. Right now I rank for the 5th position. I'd like to improve that.

I've done quite a bit of SEO work on the site. Its definitely in the higher levels now and I need more of your help. In my latest attempt I worked mostly on the on-site factors of the homepage.

I slightly changed the title of the homepage:

From
Hookah - Buy Hookahs, Shisha, Hookah Accessories - BuyHookah.com
To
Buy Hookah, Hookah Tobacco & Coals on Sale - BuyHookah.com

Hired someone to create weekly videos

Added more useful descriptive text to the homepage

Reduced the number of inner site links on the homepage (sidebar and homepage text) from over 150 to a little under 100.

What are your thoughts on my latest changes? Any other suggestions?

Edited by mrgoodfox, 03 August 2010 - 04:31 PM.

[EGOL]

This site is looking better all of the time. Nice work!

If this was my site I would focus on getting more informative content and promoting it prominently on the homepage and interior pages.

You have some informative articles. I would add a lot more with great photos showing how to do things, comparing hookahs and accessories... some video if you can make them... show how to smoke a hookah and how to enjoy it... I am sure that there are lots of things to show about this topic.

I would also add facebook "like" button or ekstreme.com/socializer/ or addthis.com

[tam]

To look at it from a different angle, are you sure that's the right keyword? I don't know the field but it seems quite general. People that are actually ready to buy instead of just browsing tend to be more specific. Maybe they've done a little research or talked with friends so have idea of what brand and will search '<brand name> <product>' or a particular style. Although ranking well for a single word like that might feel good you may achieve more by focusing on more specific phrases and the individual pages focused on them.

For example, your describe several different brands on your homepage but the brand pages themselves don't seem to be optimised - they have no text at all. I would take your brand description, move it to the page featuring that brand and then optimise that brand page. See if you can rank for that and I would guess you'll find you get a better conversion rate from the visitors you attract.

Just a thought

[mrgoodfox]

Thanks Egol.

i am constantly adding new content. Do you think i should publish an excerpt of the blog posts on the homepage?

Tam, I liked your idea so much I already took those descriptions off homepage to put them on the category pages.

[EGOL]

Do you think i should publish an excerpt of the blog posts on the homepage?

I think that is a great idea.... I would try to add links to relevant blog posts all over the site. If you have a couple blog posts about charcoal then link to them from all charcoal pages...

When you have a LOT of blog content I would have a big menu page with image and short description for every post. This page would present them by category and promote the most popular at the top.

Too many blogs allow great content to be buried. Run those blog posts the same way you would run a great content site.

This is a really nice site. You should be proud to own it. Keep up the great work!

[earlpearl]

Nice site. Lots of information. Looks nice. Hope it works well for you.

Hookahs.....ZOMG. Reminds me of some former habits....better not comment any further

Here is one small business tip.

If there is a product or item that sells well and you aren't quite ranking high enough for it, and it happens to be somewhere lower in the site hierarchy...I'd pull that page and highlight it. Essentially give it a higher structural ranking within the site.

Its the same premise as a store or business that sells all sorts of stuff, but happens to carry an item that is hot and popular. Say it is cereal and a particular brand is incredibly popular.

The store will carry that brand in the cereal section but also highlight it where everyone can get at it. Highlight it!!!

Structurally, the deeper the hierarchy, the tougher it is to get high rankings.

Frankly, over time you can rotate that kind of page. Consider a "specials" page and highlight the things that are special in the market.

Gives you an opportunity to rank higher for an item that is in demand and wherein the ranking competition might be tougher.

just my $0.02

[mrgoodfox]

Almost a year has passed since the last site update and (of course) i've made another site upgrade.

What do you guys think of the new design and feel of the site.

[jonbey]

I like it, but.....

Not sure about the rotating banner at the top, as at first the image I saw I though was your logo, then it vanished. Also, images on the right draw attention away from the text.

The "Hookah Bars Directory" had me miss clicking all over the shop. First I tried clicking a pin on the map, then I tried clicking "Hookah Bars Directory", finally got the link below.

Copyright © 2006-2010 - it's 2011!

"Hookah wiki project is our attempt at creating the largest hookah knowledgebase online."

how about "Hookah wiki project is the largest hookah knowledgebase online." ?

OK, it may not be, but probably is!

[mrgoodfox]

I agree with the map. I plan on making it an interactive map where you can click on each state. I just havent figured out how yet.

Thanks for the copyright. I will fix that too.

I wasnt sure what you meant about the rotating banner on top. Can you elaborate?

[jonbey]

Yeah, the big black band between the green and the green.

When the page first loads, the image that I thought was your logo, i.e. chap smoking the hookah, is on the right, then it goes and is replaced by something else.

Just does not seem right. Feels like it should be on the left and permanent.

[mrgoodfox]

I do like the mascot on the left side too (this is how we had in the previous design)


I just can't find a place for it in the new design around that same area (that it fits)

What do you think of the placement on this page?

Edited by mrgoodfox, 18 March 2011 - 06:49 PM.

[Dr.Marie]

I really like the look of your new site!

[mrgoodfox]

Thank you Dr. Marie.

Now we'll have to see whether it will translate into better conversion rate or not

[TheBicyclingGuitarist]

I like the photograph on your home page, and the layout seems professional and friendly at the same time.

One minor spelling correction, on the Hookah Contests tab you have "Most Bizaare Hookah" when I think you might mean Most Bizarre Hookah. I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your projects.

[mrgoodfox]

Thanks BicyclingGuitarist

You're right about the type too. I'll fix that.

[malfi]

nice site, looks good and lots of info

[mrgoodfox]

Thank you. So far we've added 600+ wiki pages (full of unique content) too
I'm hoping for a big surge in long tail keywords within the next 6 months or so