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We received a lot of wonderful information from Poshmark regarding the changes since February but some are asking me, “Now what? How do we operate under these new changes?” Today, I’ll talk about the new search, how SEO has been affected and how Ambassador II fits into the picture.
Poshmark has done two major things since February:
1) Added new parameters to search, including simple search
2) Rolled-out Ambassador II
As a reminder, SEO is irrelevant WITHIN the Posh platform in the context of using true SEO, which optimizes listings for outside search engines and brings traffic for search engine sales such as Google. After all, SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization” and is what we use to get ranked and get views on the Web. Using SEO + normal listing increases sales since you’re adding the element of guest buyers and hits to your closet from Web searches.
Posh has rewarding behaviors programmed into the platform, mostly related to listing, sharing and following. This has not changed. You should continue to list, follow and share as you always have. As with the original Ambassador program, Posh algorithms reward your closet activity by sending targeted users to your closet except now the Ambassador II closets are gaining even more “rewards,” notably enhanced traffic being driven to your closet. Per Nyzelle, the Ambassador II program is supposed to hustle for you; it will drive more traffic, more followers, more visibility so sales can be brought to our doorsteps and prevent us from being required to work so hard. More about the rewards system here.
Make sure you aren’t confusing the two new features(or other regards to sales slowing down) because they’re separate, they just happen to have been rolled out at the same time. The simple search functions within the platform are somewhat hurting the closets who have spent time on SEO’ing their closets. When we have very descriptive titles, sometimes it’s too descriptive and may miss a user who is simply looking for a “blue top.”
In order to combat the search function simplicity, it’s an extremely easy change. Listing titles should change from:
Louis Vuitton Petit Métis MM White Leather Satchel
To:
Louis Vuitton Leather Bag Satchel White Petit Métis MM
By simplifying the first few keywords it will satisfy the new search function and you’ll still have an SEO’d listing because you kept the main keywords needed for outside searches. If a user is searching for “blue top” on Poshmark it will return the listings that have the phrase “blue top”. It also looks for listings that are Just Shared and Relevant (two more filter factors that have been applied to Poshmark’s search features). This means that SEO’d titles will still work as well as they used to and we have the added benefit of having our listings show up for the user if “blue top” is found in your listing.
This brings up a really important point. I know what you’re thinking… You’re thinking, “OK! I’ll just put a lot of keywords and phrases in my listing description and I’m good!”
Nope.
That is called “keyword stuffing”. We’ve all seen the closets who put a huge paragraph of keywords at the bottom of their listings in the hopes they will cast a wider net, but this is actually counter-productive and kills the visibility of your listing. Posh specified that they are looking into putting in controls to deprioritize listings that do this, and search engines absolutely penalize listings that do this. Google (and other engines) have a lot of coding in place to fight spam – and keyword stuffing is spam. If there are tons of keywords in your listing, Google will actually de-rank your listing which hoses SEO.
If we’ve learned nothing else by being sellers on this platform it’s that we have to adapt with changes. This isn’t a change that’s going to kill your closet. In fact, it’s going to help you out a whole lot in the long run. Just remember, we are currently in the rebound period for Ambassador II. With the OG Ambassador program it took 3-6 months to see a full rebound in closet activity and PA2 is seemingly following the same trend. Poshmark is investigating these trends and will improve upon them if they can.
What does this all mean? Keep calm and carry on. I know your sales are suffering right now. So are everyone else’s. Poshmark is not in the business of losing money. If our sales are suffering so are Poshmark‘s. All we can do at this point in time is operate from past history, use the lessons we’ve learned over the years, and make smart, informed decisions. If there continues to be a large dip in sales, it’s a safe bet that Poshmark will course correct.
Just breathe!
XOXO,
Poshmark Paige 