Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I have had the honor of being part of this forum for over a month now. We all have shared many ideas, questions, concerns and learning experiences. Some have taken comments personally (when there was no intent to personalize any suggestions or comments), others have listened intently to suggestions and have graciously accepted them, implimented them or learned from them. Still others have gleaned a great amount of information from these forums, but still are hesitant to get involved in the discussion. (Perhaps they are the smartest of all.)

Anyhow, I must say that this foum has been a great asset to the entire management and design teams at GoTruckStop.com, http://GoTruckStop.com/  . We have listened to suggestions and comments, have shared information, and have assisted several other members in areas that they were not as strong in.

To everyone I say thank you and thank you for putting up with my strong willed disposition.

If I may at this time share a little of the success that GoTruckStop.com http://GoTruckStop.com/  has experienced over the past few months regarding search engines. I use the "big three" as examples ... Google, Yahoo, and MSN.. And I`ll also use my biggest competitin within the trucking industry, Iowa80.com .

 (note: Iowa80.com, http://iowa80.com , is the largest truck stop in the country. Their on-line store is one of the most extensive stores within the trucking industry. And they are one of the most financially strong organizations within the trucking industry. The Moon family, that has owned the Iowa 80  Truck Stop for many years, are also some of the classiest folks I have ever had a chance to personally meet. The entire staff of the Iowa 80 Group are all first class.)

As we all know, search terms and keywords anf their interaction with seach engines, spiders, and bots are integral to the success of a web site, especially an e-commerce site. (otherwise known as "SEO" - search engine optimization) Within the trucking industry, several keywords and search terms come to mind when shopping for accessories and gifts for the trucker and his/her truck. Those key words include big rig gifts, big rig accessories, trucking accessories, truck stop, as well as many others.

Lets search the term big rig gifts ...

Google : (total results - 1,680,000)

GoTruckStop.com  - #5, #39

Iowa80.com - does not even place in the top 50.

Yahoo : (total results - 319,000)

GoTruckStop.com - #8, #25

Iowa80.com - does not place in the top 50.

MSN Search : (total results - 100,744)

GoTruckStop.com - #3, #12

Iowa80.com - does not place in the top 50.

Well, you get my drift ... for key search terms like the ones I have listed GoTruckStop.com`s  biggest competion is either not listed in the top 50 positions ... or GoTruckStop.com is nipping at their heels.

For example using the search term truck stop ....

Yahoo : (total results - 19,900,000)

GoTruckStop.com - #14

Iowa80.com - #13

The hard work from our design team, led by Walt Smith and Vince Creazzo, is finally starting to pay off. The search engines are not only picking up on our html pages, but also on the .js (java script) files. This is one of the unique features of the data base/shopping cart that we use at GoTruckStop.com. And you too can have these type successes too.

Does this mean that GoTruckStop.com sits back now and relaxes ... heck NO!! The beauty of our data base is that we can change the order and the look of items within the store ... with the click of a button. And just like blogs, search engines love a changing data base or web site. They index the site much more often ... when things change and it appears that content changes.

So in conclusion ...

Ioawa80.com take note ....

GoTruckStop.com is running with the "big dogs" !!

Good for you! How long has your website been in operation?

Vicki, GoTruckStop.com went "live" officially on Aug 21, 2004 ... however shortly thereafter I closed the store portion ... when I went to Iraq. I returned from Iraq July 15, 2005 ... and re-opened the "store" December 2005. In less than 5 months we have the seen moves in the search engines that I have spoken of above.

This will now allow us at GoTruckStop.com to re-allocate our financial resources (ie. dollars spent with Yahoo Search Marketing - pay for clicks) to additional search terms within the gift and trucking markets. The data base/shopping cart that we use is remarkably easy to use, very in-user friendly ... a extremely powerful. As I`ve said before ... it knocks the socks off of anything I`ve seen out there. And its very affordable !!

As I said before .... we`re "running with the big dogs". 

Wow !! Just an update ...

Search term ... big rig gifts

Google : (2,570,000 results)

GoTruckStop.com : #2

Iowa80.com : does not appear in the top 50

Search term ... trucker gifts

Google : (5,200,000 results)

GoTruckStop.com : #2

Iowa80.com : does not place in the top 50

Just like when I was in Iraq ... I truly believe I`m blessed and surrounded by angels.

That and I do believe that the GoTruckStop.com team is onto something that is going to make the trucking industry take notice ... (and yes folks, you can have this type of success too. Come join me at the top!!)

I found this thread while looking through the archives. I went back to several of the search phrases that GoTruckStop was quoting.

Here is an update. I must say - very impressive.

Search Phrase :

big rig gifts -

• Google        : #1
• Yahoo         : #1
• Live (MSN) : #1

trucking accessories -

• Google          : #2
• Yahoo :         : #1
• Live (MSN) : #9

big rig accessories -

• Google          :  #2
• Yahoo           : #3
• Live (MSN)  : #2

trucker gifts  -

• Google          : #2

Way to go GoTruckStop !!

Does anyone else think this is strange? Are BlondieBlue and Guests the same person? I`ve noticed in other posts that they talk constantly about this truck stop web site... This seems to verge almost on forum spam. I got a random phone call from someone who was somehow affiliated with the truck stop site... said a lot of the same things that both these guys have said. Makes me wonder...