Hello everyone, today I would like to briefly talk about one of the key decisions to make when using the Simple CSS Template Pack, which we took a closer look at a few days ago. Since then I have had the opportunity to integrate it not only onto a few new stores, but some existing ones as well. Let’s now take a look at the choice between putting BANS on the domain root, or your Blog.
With the Simple CSS Template Pack, you are given two options for installation. You can either have www.YourStore.com lead directly to your BANS store (which is then obviously connected to your blog via the interface) or vice versa.
This leads to an interesting dillema… Which do we put where?
I have given this a lot of thought and have decided that with all my new stores, and with all existing stores, I will be putting BANS on the root of my domains. Here is why:
By installing BANS on the root of my domain, it allows me to put auction links in front of visitors eyes without them needing to click any further into my BANS/Blog site. If your site has a high bounce rate, meaning many visitors leave the site after looking only at 1 page, this can be a crucial factor into getting commissions.
The last thing you want is for a visitor to come to your site via a search engine, look at your blog momentarily, and decide that this is not what they are looking for and leave. It is vastly preferable (in my book), for those visitors to at the very minimum be presented with some eBay auction affiliate links, so even if they only visit one page before leaving your site, hopefully they are leaving through one of your auction links!
It all depends on personal taste, and your niche however. If you are running a niche store that you are very passionate about, and write lots of unique and helpful content for your users, more than likely you could get away with having the blog on the root of the domain, because users will probably decide to browse further into your site due to its unique and helpful content. Do you want to take the chance that they won’t however? That is the real question my friends!
I am curious to hear from you all, especially those of you who have purchased the Simple CSS Template Pack. Have you decided to put BANS or your Blog on the root?
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Good post, because that’s exactly the question I’ve been debating for my next store. I came to the same conclusion on my own: that maybe it would be best for the BANS part to be most prominent. However, I agree that it depends on the situation.
From what I’ve learned, you will still reap the benefits of having a blog (search engine love, regularly updated content for your site) even if it’s not on your home page, so for the most part, I think BANS/blog will be the way to go for me.
Of course you also have the option of putting ebay auctions at the bottom of every blog post, which would still put auctions infront of your readers.
Just a thought.
@ Bill:
Yes it certainly is an option to simple use a plugin such as phpBAY to add listings to the front page of a blog.
However there are 2 downfalls as I see it.
1) With the Simple CSS Template Pack, it is designed to be used with the BANS #4 listing style… The others do not look nearly as good. So using phpBAY will produce less than attractive results, and it will not match the BANS section of the site.
2) This will incur extra costs (purchasing phpBAY)
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