Name of your website?Teapots to Talk About
Your name?
Cheryl Smith
Your Location (city, etc)
Etchingham, East Sussex
When did you start your website and why?
The Teapots to Talk About website was launched in September 2006 when I started my company hand painting teapots. I wanted a business that I could operate from home, that would allow me to be creative and one day the idea of painting teapots just popped into my head as the solution.
Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc
The Teapots to Talk About website allows customers to choose wording, decoration and a colour scheme in order to have a teapot personalised to their design, creating a unique and special gift. The website also has a gallery of all the teapots that have been sold, a small number of hand painted teapots for sale together with suggestions for quotes and wording that can be used. Teapots can be ordered and paid for through the website and delivered within 3 weeks.
What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?
Creating my own website has been a steep learning curve for me. I began knowing nothing with a single holding page and have gradually developed the site as I have worked out how to do more with it. Trying to get the site picked up by search engines and achieving page ranking seems to be the biggest challenge to overcome.
What has been the easist part of operating your website?
Using a host that provided a web building package has meant that I have been able to create a reasonable looking site with next to no knowledge.
What was your biggest mistake?
My biggest mistake was asking someone for help as a favour who promised the world and delivered nothing. If you want a job doing... do it yourself or pay someone!!
Who maintains your website and why?
I maintain my own website and update it most weeks as I complete new work. I cannot afford to pay someone else to do it and it also means that I maintain control and understand how it works.
Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?
I always intended my business to operate as a web based business and now that I am getting picked up by search engines that dream stands a chance of becoming reality. I now get a steady trickle of orders through the site which I hope will grow as I optimise it further.
What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?
I think the internet has already had a huge impact on the way we live our lives and will continue to do so.
What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
It's a lot of hard work for a single mum running her own business and unless you know what you are doing good advice and support is essential. It does make you evaluate your site carefully in terms of what search engines want but without it it would be impossible to run a web based business.
What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?
Now that I have optimised my site, search engines are bringing people to it. With so much on the internet there has to be some way of sorting through it all and search engines seem to do a pretty good job on the whole. You have to understand what they look for in order to make them work for you.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Optimising the site so it is picked up by search engines.
What method has been least successful for promoting your website?
Free publicity as I'm not very good and going out and seeking it!!
What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?
Less advertising - which I appreciate is what makes it pay for most people! An equal playing field for big and small companies alike.
Who has helped you most in the development of your website?
I have had brilliant free advice from a number of organisations but ebiz in Hastings, U.K. has helped me get my site to where it is. Without their help and support I would still have little idea of what I needed to do to get it picked up by the search engines.
What is your website address?
Teapots to Talk About
