Note: This is an older blog post, written on 5th December 2023, transferred from my previous website.
Six Month Business Review
So, I just realised that Nicola Porter Studio has passed the 6 month mark - My handmade business and my website was launched on 1st June 2023 (today is 5th Dec 2023).
Fair warning, this may well be a long ramble
I really don’t know if I should continue with the website or not. I have made a total of 2 sales through this site in six months!
Don’t get me wrong, they are not only sales I’ve had, most have been direct or through social media (more on that later).
I think problem with the website comes from the fact that it’s a free site - through Square - and it fantastic that they offer sites as a free service. But I’ve been trying for the past 6 months to get google to index it. Nothing seems to work - only 2 of my 90+ pages are indexed.
Google offer a service called search console which allows users to see which of their pages can appear in any potential google search (indexing) and lets them know if there are problems with their pages - that’s the idea anyway
My pages periodically show up in search console, with the tag “discovered, not indexed” with “Reason: not yet started”.
They stay like that for weeks and I sit here thinking…”oh good. The robots know the pages exist, they will be in search results soon”.
Then a few weeks down the line, I check again and they have stopped showing up in console at all! As though the software has forgotten, if that’s even possible.
To say that I’m frustrated by this is a huge understatement!
I asked about the problem in the help forums that Square operate. And eventually got told (in a really round about way) that it’s because it’s a free site and doesn’t have its own domain name. Google algorithms don’t seem to want to play nicely with sites like this
So obviously the solution is to upgrade to a paid account - but I just can’t afford another monthly outgoing right now. I need my business to at least be making a profit before I can do that. I don’t know if having a visible website will make profit or not.
To make sales I need a visible website, to be able to afford a visible website I need to make sales.
Catch 22!
Don’t quote me but I just remembered that there may be a way to get google to see my pages, it worked with 2 pages that have been indexed, I just need to remember what I did to make it work while I was faffing around on search console. It will just mean that I will have to do it for every single page, which may take some time.
So that’s the short term plan - try (again) to get the pages visible. If it doesn’t work, I will have to rethink the website completely.
Ok, back to sales…
After the initial post on Facebook when I first asked if people would be interested in a handmade bag business, there was a small rush of sales followed by a (very) slow trickle until the makers market in October which did pretty good considering that footfall was very slow.
November however was my best month yet! I realise its because of the season, with Christmas just around the corner, but I’m very hopeful for a similar success in December.
I am truly honoured by all the support shown to me so far by my lovely friends, family and followers!
Not only for buying my makes and showing up at fairs but also for sharing my posts, leaving comments, reactions or likes on social media, they all make a difference with Meta's algorithms and they all make a big difference in getting my products in front of more eyes.
Thank you so so much!
That’s what my business needs, to be seen by people. I have have had a few sales from people I didn’t know before. It feels great to have my work validated by any sale Thanks again!
Profit is a different matter…I’m not quite there yet. Even though November was my best month so far, I made a loss of just over £13. Its not great but I did buy supplies that I won’t have to buy again for a while.
Cross your fingers for me that I can break that barrier soon.
So what’s next?
All being well if I find a solution to the website issues, and if sales continue to rise then I will keep on keeping on.
I do have at least a couple of ideas for new products for next year - I won’t say anything just yet in case they don’t work out.
I’ll also have to have a think about seasonal items for summer, it’s probably a little late to be thinking about spring time.
Though I have been told that most makers experience a summer slump, where sales are few and far between. If this is the case for me then I will try to use any spare time I have to create some more artwork.
I have further plans to do a lot of research into other outlets for my produce. I’m a little worried that most will charge commission fees so I would have to take a hit or have different prices to cover the fees.
If things don’t work out that well I will try to get a paid part time job and keep the handmade business as a sideline.
Fingers and toes crossed that I don’t have to give it up altogether and try to get a full time job.
Anyway, thanks for allowing me to ramble on,
let’s end on a positive note…
I have another Makers Market coming up, Just in time for Christmas.
It will be at The Goats Gate in Whitefield M45 7QZ, on the 16th December and starts at 11am til 4pm.
There will be live music and hot food available as well as mulled wine and Reindeer.
It would be so lovely to see some familiar faces there if you would like to pop in.