Archive for October, 2007
This is the second in the series on content mistakes you can avoid so that you don’t end up annoyed with your website like our friend here. Use this link to see all the posts in this series: Real Estate Website Content Mistakes.
6. Selecting Keyword Phrases for SEO Using Common Sense
Usually, applying common sense to tasks is a good thing. However, when it comes to choosing keyword phrases, common sense isn’t good enough.
The keyword phrases you choose will determine what content you need to have on your website to support your SEO strategy. The goal, when you select keyword phrases that you want to be ranked for in the search engines, is this: You want to select phrases that are used a lot, but that have the fewest number of sites competing for the phrase. Unfortunately, you can’t figure that out using common sense.
For example, let’s say your target market is USATown, Idaho. Common sense might tell you that most people looking for homes or REALTORS® in your area would search for USATown Real Estate. But, some research into keywords will probably show you things you never thought of.
You might discover that the term USATown Real Estate has the highest usage rate, but it also has the most competition. You might also discover that USATown ID Real Estate (using the two-letter state abbreviation) is used 90% as often, but has 50% less competition. Now that you have that information, common sense will tell you which keyword phrase you should target.
There are many keyword research tools available on the Internet. Two of the most popular are WordTracker and KeywordDiscovery. You will have to make an investment to use these types of tools. But, consider that it could make a significant difference in how quickly
- You start getting Internet traffic coming to your site
- You start getting leads from your website
- You start converting leads to clients
- You start seeing your site paying for itself
7. Focusing Only on Big City Keyword Phrases
It’s natural to want to rank for the main keyword phrases in your area. But, keep in mind that Internet buyers and sellers also search for real estate in suburbs, and major neighborhoods.
If your goal is to start getting leads as quickly as possible, be sure to evaluate a range of keywords. A quick way to get a feel for competition is to do a search on Google, for example. I just did a search on Google for Atlanta Real Estate. At the top right of the search results page, I was informed that Google was displaying Results 1-10 of about 25,600,000 results for that term.
Then, I searched for an Atlanta suburb, Roswell Real Estate. That results page indicated Results 1-10 of about 1,820,000.
I still don’t know how many people use the term Roswell Real Estate, or what the traffic is for Roswell GA Real Estate, but if the usage numbers are good, then I would certainly get quicker results using the suburb search term.
The overall idea is that if you choose your keyword phrases without the information you need to make an informed choice, you’re not giving your website its best chance to work hard for you as a lead-generating resource.
Test Your Home Staging Skills
· CommentsHome Staging Works
Many real estate market areas are very competitive right now. Lots of inventory, not enough buyers. One thing that is helping a lot of agents in their home marketing efforts is Home Staging.
If you have any doubts about whether staging works, read these Success Stories from agents working with Nickie Rothwell from GetStaged2Sell.com, a successful home stager in Los Angeles. You can also see some examples of staging on her home staging blog.
Some agents are footing the bill for the staging themselves, or giving it to their sellers as a closing gift. These agents have seen the difference a well-staged home makes in terms of reducing DOM and increasing sales prices. In those situations, the cost of the staging is minor in comparison, and usually a fraction of the lost dollars if a home undergoes a price reduction.
If you have a flair for design, there are some things you could suggest to your sellers to get their home ready for showings. This is especially true with a home that is occupied. A vacant home is much more difficult to handle yourself without the services of a professional stager who has an inventory of furniture and accessories.
Take the Test
Ever wonder if you have enough knowledge to help your sellers with Staging advice? Here’s your chance to find out. Take the NAR Home Staging Quiz. Don’t worry if you get the answers wrong. As with all NAR quizzes, the scoring page explains the correct answers!
Do You Make These Website Content Mistakes?
· CommentsThe information you provide on your real estate website and how you present it has a big impact on your ranking in the search engines, and the potential for converting Internet visitors into leads.
The Content category on this blog was created to organize information about website and blog content in one place. In addition to the individual posts, this is part one of a multi-post series about mistakes you should avoid making with the content of your website. Use this link to see all the posts in this series: Real Estate Website Content Mistakes.
You might want to blame your website for your mistakes, but it won’t help.
1. Creating Your Website, THEN Addressing SEO
Remember that there are two basic parts of SEO (Search Engine Optimization): on-page and off-page. The on-page planning and work needs to be done before you start creating content, writing ALT Tags for images, or planning the structure of your site (see Mistakes 2 and 4 below).
I know site owners who proudly introduced a new website, only to find that it would be impossible for the site to rank in the search engines. And, if you select the keyword phrases you want to be ranked for after the site is completed, what do you think the odds are that the content pages will be written and optimized properly? Right.
2. Flash Introduction Pages
Lots of people want flash introductions on their websites. You know – the ones that have all the pretty graphics flying around the screen. However, I’ve never talked to anyone who actually sat at their computer and watched the entire show before entering the site.
But, let’s do a little research. There is a poll at the bottom of the left column of the blog. PLEASE VOTE! Maybe I’ll be proven wrong!!
Not only are flash introduction pages annoying to many of your visitors, but they are death in terms of SEO. Search engines can’t read a flash file, and even if they could, the engines want content. They are trying to determine what the site is about. You need to help them accomplish that!
3. Avoiding Flash Altogether
Very often, the idea of not using flash introduction pages is brought home so forcefully, people end up thinking all flash is bad. That’s not true.
You can use flash in a header, or in the body of a page to tell a story. Many people use images of their market area in a header flash module. It can be a very effective way to attract your visitors’ attention, get them to envision your market area, and to subliminally reinforce your role as a local expert!
4. Using Framed Content Pages
Some web designers use frames for content pages. Search engines can’t easily read content in a frame. If you want a content page to count for you in terms of SEO, make sure the pages are not set out in frames.
How can you tell if a content page is set up in a frame? If part of the page scrolls while part of it stays static, it’s probably using frames. Also, unless your web designer is very clever, be careful of situations where the URL in the Address bar of your browser doesn’t change. If the address shown is always http://www.MyDomain.com, no matter which page of the site you are on, something fishy is probably happening behind the scenes.
5. Framing Other Websites into Your Site
If it isn’t illegal, you can certainly frame another site into one of your pages (see this post about framing pages). And, it makes sense for things like your IDX MLS search.
But, just keep in mind that the search engines consider the content from a framed website to belong to the framed site. So, don’t expect to get credit from the search engines, or your visitors, for framing in another web page.
Stay tuned – there will be more website content mistakes to avoid in coming posts!
Whimsical Wednesday: Spread Your Wings
· Comments
Here’s a great way to think about change and taking on new challenges:
“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.”
Quite a good point, I think. And, very appropriate for the real estate industry right now.
Whether you’re taking your real estate website to new heights, or evaluating the latest real estate related technology, it’s always good to remember that you don’t have to be an expert to get something started.
Besides that, everything is simple when you know how to do it. So, don’t be afraid to spread your wings. You just might enjoy flying after you get the hang of it!
Staying “Top of Mind” is Critical for Real Estate Professionals
One of the biggest challlenges for real estate professionals is staying in touch with past clients and prospects. Most people don’t buy or sell a house every month – or even every year.
Making sure a prospect thinks of you when they do need your services is more of a challenge for someone running a real estate consulting practice than it is for someone who owns a clothing store, for example.
Promotional Items for Real Estate Need a Long Shelf Life
Most promotional items have a very short shelf life. Pens run out of ink, printed calendars are useless at year-end, sporting event magnets aren’t needed after the season is over, and just about everyone is tired of those recipe post cards.
Agents end up buying more and more of the same things to keep their names and contact information in front of their prospects. Personally, I like the plastic letter openers, and I have three of them floating around my desk. But, I couldn’t tell you where I got them, or whose name and address is printed on them.
Consider a Unique Promotional Item That Never Dies
The most unique promotional item I’ve ever seen is a Desktop Planner/Calendar from Down to Earth Software. That’s a mini version of it over to the right.
You pay for it once, and you can generate as many calendars as you like. The calendar is perpetual, so it’s never out of date, and can stay on your prospects’ computers for years.
The calendar/planner function is extremely easy to use, so even your most computer-phobic contacts might actually use it. The planner lets the user keep track of important dates as well as when Suzie needs to be at her next ballet class.
You can be the hero who makes sure none of your contacts miss another anniversary!
You can offer the calendar on your website to improve your site’s “stickiness”, send it in an e-mail, or drop it on a CD to hand out. Not only does the calendar contain your branding, but it also has links to your website, and information about your services.
As of this date, purchase prices for the Desktop Calendar/Planner range from $300-500. The deluxe version includes audio and video components. Compare this investment to a box of imprinted pens, and you’ll quickly see the return on investment possibilities.
You can download this unique real estate marketing tool for free – to use for yourself, or to evaluate before you buy.
Staying “top of mind” was never easier!
