Posts Tagged ‘SEO’
Increase Website Traffic Through SEO Optimized IDX
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011You probably pay a lot for your IDX service, but have you ever wondered if you are getting as much out of it as possible? Many agents don’t realize that proper and strategic use of your IDX integration can not only make your site more engaging to the visitor, but increase your traffic and search engine ranking as well. You just need to take four steps…
Four Steps to Getting the Most from Your IDX
Search engines, are constantly crawling sites, looking and comparing information to determine the best results to return to users searching for a particular set of keywords. By using a few simple strategies, you can leverage your IDX for content:
Step #1: Ensure your IDX resides on your site.
Most do this now because of the high demand for it, but if you don’t start from this premise, the rest of this article is a moot point for you. When it does, then every individual listing in the MLS can be viewed as a page of content on your site – and this is the central crux of the matter.
To see how many pages you are being credited for, try this… In a Google search, type site:yourdomain (in the example below, site:onlinedominance.com). In light gray writing at the top of the page, you will see the words “About ______ results returned.” So Google finds 1,340 pages of unique content associated with Online DominanceTM.
You can get “content credit” for all those listings in your MLS, provided you follow the next steps.
Step #2: Create predefined searches and install them on your site.
Having just a form for people to fill in with their search preferences, while vital, is not sufficient for this purpose because search engines are just an algorithm and are not interested in completing preference forms. So, if you want the search engine to see your content, you have to make sure the data from the MLS is being actively pulled onto your site. By creating predefined searches, such as by price, location, or even type of property, you are setting up a stream of constantly linked data of every listing that falls within those parameters.
Step #3: Create unique content describing that search
One of the more recent “gotchas” initiated by Google is an update that finds “low quality” pages, which is basically information it determines is syndicated from one source to many different sites. So, unfortunately for you, this means you can’t have just the predefined search. But you can end run this by taking the time to write a paragraph or two of custom content and add targeted title tags, so when the search engine indexes the page it may see some syndicated material but this will be offset by the unique content.
OK, you’re almost there!
Step #4: Link often and well
If you want the search engine to think a page is valuable, you have to treat it as if it IS valuable. So, every time you write something that relates to one of these searches, for instance a blog post about a recent upswing in sales in a certain price range in your market, include a link to that predefined search result page.
How this Helps Get Traffic to Your Site
So I know right now you are saying “Sure, I understand how to strategize the IDX, but what about the traffic and visitor engagement?”
Well, when the search engines find more pages of relevant content that is frequently updated, it helps your page ranking. Also, having lots of related third party sites (such as Trulia, Active Rain, etc.) link back to multiple points on your site helps not only ranking but the likelihood of people finding you. Finally, since every listing is viewed as a page on your site, searches on specific addresses (like when someone drives by and sees a yard sign) will yield your site as a result, so you don’t have to rely on over-used or highly competed for keywords.
As to customer engagement, people love the convenience and instant gratification of being able to see properties in the ranges or categories they prefer with the click of a button. Often, they aren’t sure exactly what they are looking for until they see some results, and having to go back and adjust information in a search form can be a bother. You will get more clicks on saved searches that then allow the user to sift and sort their specifics from there.
A Few Words of Advice
You have the step by step plan to get your IDX SEO optimized, and as always the next step is to implement. But be aware of a few more things before you do!
- Do Not Sock Google – Google is like the referee in a game, it watches to see if you are playing by the rules, and will throw the red card at any suspected foul punch. So, if you had say, 30 pages on your site one day and then next had 20,000, what do you think will happen? That’s right! So, pick the top 2 or 3 searches you think would be most effective in your area, and start adding those, going through all 4 steps to get them strategized. Add slowly to make your results most effective.
- Use the language your users use – People will tend to type search terms that they use in natural language. Name your predefined searches that same way to increase the match rate and hence your page position.
- Get a help in executing this over time – This is the perfect kind of task, low-level and long term, to get a VA to help you execute. Set up the process, set your priorities, and give a VA marching orders. You will see the results as they are added to your site, while freeing you up from worrying about maintaining the flow of information.
So, there you have it! Make sure you are getting the most out of your IDX’s capabilities when it comes to site traffic and visitor engagement by consistently initiating these strategies over time. The best thing is, since that IDX resides on your site, it will all be for your greater good!
Special thanks to Brad Carroll of Dakno Marketing for his contributions to this article.
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry. He’s dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. Send your Internet questions to help@askmrinternet.com or you can visit his Website at http://www.OnlineDominance.com and Facebook page at Facebook.com/OnlineDominance
This article is reprinted in its entirety from the October 2011 issue of REALTOR® Magazine by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright © 2011. All Rights Reserved other than mentioned above. Mr. Internet® is a registered trademark of RUSSER Communications.
Are You News-Worthy on Google?
Friday, September 30th, 2011
There’s just one problem: many times, when you receive these Google Alerts for your business or company, you don’t see the important stuff, such as your website and blog. Instead, you see seemingly random websites that aren’t relevant. There might be a reason for that: your blog and website aren’t registered to Google’s news feed.
When Google Alerts are sent out, they are pulling stories from websites that have registered their site, YouTube channel, blog, or anything else to Google’s News Feed. This is a simple, quick, and beneficial process, as it will make your content more “relevant” to Google, thus making your stories appear directly on the Google Alerts that are sent out daily, weekly, or monthly!
There are several benefits to taking the time to manually enter your site into the Google News Feed. Here are a couple for you to think about:
Your content will be seen as original and relevant to Google. The more original your content, the more Google loves it. The questions that Google asks you as you submit your URL to their news feed are meant to categorize your site based on content, type of site, and who is editing it. This information is all beneficial, as the more specific information you can give, the more fine-tuned your submission will be, and the better likelihood that your site will go out in relevant Google alerts to prospective clients.
You’ll place yourself in a position to be seen. Google is the number one search engine out there, and if your content is seen as “news-worthy” to their search, then it’s more likely that you’ll move up in the search rankings. Submitting your website and blog as a news item will help boost your web presence and make sure that the sites that you want to be seen are the ones showing up on the search engines. It’s just another way to boost your SEO!
Your real estate virtual assistant considers it part of their job to make sure you stay ahead of the curve in the tech world, and utilizing the Google News Feed to give your website and blog more exposure is one way to put your site above and beyond the competition.
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Look Over Your Website Visitor’s Shoulders for Greater Profits
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Ever wonder what prospects did when they visited your Website? What if you had the ability to “stand over their shoulders” and see exactly what they clicked on (whether actually clickable or not), the path their mouse took, etc. With this kind of insight chances are you would have a much better idea as to what’s working on your site, what’s not and what to do about it. Seem too good to be true? It was, until now…
Measuring Your Visitor Behavior
Website analytics (e.g. Google Analytics) provides extensive statistical data about where your visitors came from, how long they stayed, links they clicked on etc. While a powerful and necessary tool for any Web marketer, it’s not enough. Since most Websites are not static, it’s crucial that you also see how visitors react to and interact with your Website. This is called behavioral metrics and there are now a number of easy to use (and inexpensive) tools that provide detailed insights on how visitors behave on your site.
In one of my previous articles I mentioned an online service called CrazyEgg which provides “heat maps” of what your visitors view and click on in aggregate, on your site (see example heat map below —the brighter the spot, the more people clicked).
While very useful, another recent startup company, LuckyOrange, has taken behavioral metrics to a whole new level. In addition to heat maps, LuckyOrange also gives you the ability to record (like a video) what visitors do on your Website, including how they move their mouse, where they scroll, what they click on, etc. This innovative service even lets you “spy” on visitors as they are on your Website in real time!
Now before your brain starts screaming “That’s an invasion of privacy!”, it’s really not, well… in most cases anyway. The reason is that you don’t know who they are, just that they are an anonymous visitor. There is one exception however, and that’s if they start filling out a form on your Website and then decide not to hit the “Submit” button. LuckyOrange will record what they typed into the fields, whether or not they decided to follow through.
The only way to really get a feel for the full scope of what is possible with LuckyOrange is to visit their site and click the “Watch the Live Demo” button near the top. Be ready to have your mind blown as you watch recordings of actual Website visitors move their mouse, scroll, click, fill out forms and so on.
Best Practices
Like any kind of tool, LuckyOrange has no value unless used and used properly. With this in mind here are some best practices to help you get the most out of this one:
- Don’t Initiate Chat – while in real-time “spy” mode you have the ability to initiate a chat session with your visitor, ostensibly for the purpose of helping them find what they are looking for. Avoid that temptation unless you want to scare them away from your site.
- Watch what they click on (and don’t) – use the heat map feature to determine what most visitors find attractive as they vote with their mouse clicks. If they are not clicking on various parts of your site consider changing them to something more compelling.
- Watch their mouse movements – by viewing the recordings of individual visitors you will gain insight as to how engaged (or not) they are with your Website. You will find that most people move their mouse as they read, almost like using a finger to underline text as a book is read. Do they appear to be focused and engaged, or distracted? You may need to change some of your site copy to keep them on the edge of their seat.
- Watch for any hesitancy in when completing forms – you may consider redesigning your forms, adding privacy language etc. if your LuckyOrange recordings indicate visitor hesitancy to completing your all-important Website forms. Abandoned forms cost you immediate business.
As of this writing you can try LuckyOrange for two weeks free and after that it is $7/mo per Website. To get started, you (or your Web master) simply put a bit of code on each page you want to record. After that, it’s just a matter of visiting your own site and pressing CTRL + SHIFT + 1 on your keyboard to bring up your site’s LuckyOrange dashboard (after entering your email and password one time).
The more you understand your Website visitors’ behavior, the better you will be able to tweak your site to help convert them into closed transactions. And I know of no other behavioral metrics tool that does a better job of this than LuckyOrange.
NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors (unless he/they are directly involved with the creation and/or improvement of a vendor service or product), and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.
Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry. He’s dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. Send your Internet questions to help@askmrinternet.com or you can visit his Website at http://www.OnlineDominance.com and Facebook page at Facebook.com/OnlineDominance
This article is reprinted in its entirety from the August 2011 issue of REALTOR® Magazine by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright © 2011. All Rights Reserved other than mentioned above. Mr. Internet® is a registered trademark of RUSSER Communications.
The Future of Search is Social
Friday, July 29th, 2011Up until recently, we have been promoting social media as a means of making connections, building relationships, and connecting with your community. That’s still the fundamental purpose of a social media presence, but now, thanks to the brand new “+1” button from Google and Bing’s integration with Facebook, it’s clear to us that search engines are hopping on the social networking train, as well. This is great news for you as real estate agents, because now having a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ account can serve a purpose that goes beyond just making connections. Now, having a strong presence on these sites can boost your SEO as well.
Many of you, while searching the web, might have seen the “+1” icon come up on various websites you use, or next to each website on yourGoogle search results page. There’s a reason for that. The “+1” button, which has become integrated in Google’s brand new social networking site, Google+, is a prime example of how search is starting to go social. When you are logged in to your Google account and start searching for news, services, or entertainment, if you like something, you can click the “+1” button as a recommendation. Then, if a friend starts searching for a great movie to see, an awesome real estate agent, or even someone to do their landscaping within Google, they will most likely see the page that you recommended before other pages. They will see that the website was given a “+1”, and they’ll also see your picture and name underneath the website, showing that you’re the one that recommended that movie, real estate agent, or landscaping service.
Just think about how powerful that could be for your business. If your past clients, friends, and online community all click the “+1” button on your website, or next to where your website shows up on Google, then their Google chat, Gmail contacts, or Google+ circle would see that they recommend you when they search for real estate services in your area. This is an incredibly powerful way of getting new business, because think about it: people trust their friends and contacts when it comes to recommendations. You’re more likely to get an interested lead if they heard your name from someone else. This new integration of search and social media will prove to be integral to your SEO.
Online search engine Bing has also begun to jump on the social media train by integrating with Facebook. They’ll be offering a new Facebook plugin that will allow people to see which websites their Facebook friends favor. What will ultimately come out of these new additions to Google and Bing is this: your placement within the social graph will start to affect where you show up on the search engine results page. The more people recommend you, whether it be by Facebook or “+1”, the higher up your website will be on the Google or Bing rankings.
The way that search is going suggests one thing: if you’re not on social networking sites, it’s time to get on them. They’re becoming increasingly more important to marketing your business, and now that you’re going to seeing a stronger SEO from social media, it’s become even more imperative to get social. Setting up your Facebook business page, Twitter account, LinkedIn page, or Google+ profile might sound like a lot to deal with, but your real estate virtual assistants are always here to help! They can set up your profile, make your information keyword-rich and search engine-friendly, and maintain all of your sites for you. The sooner you start getting involved in that social sphere, the sooner you will see it boost your SEO!
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3 Good Reasons You Should Never Kick Your Blog to the Curb!
Friday, July 22nd, 2011
In our social media society, it seems we’re constantly being faced with updated features, new tricks and even new social media sites. And, while it’s good to stay on the cutting edge of social media marketing, it doesn’t negate having a solid and consistent real estate blog. In short: Facebook should never replace your blog.
Now, you may be wondering, “What’s the big deal? I’m not a writer and posting on Facebook only a takes a few minutes.” I understand that not everyone enjoys sitting down and writing a post! So, I thought I’d give you a few good reasons why blogging is still a great necessity for your real estate business.
1. Blog Customization and Branding: Let’s face it, you can only do so much with the look of your Facebook page. It’s not a bad thing; Facebook has its reasons for wanting to keep everything pretty basic. However, your blog is your chance to create a look and feel that ties in with your website and branding. It gives visitors a strong sense of your style, your committment to professional branding and serves as an extension of the information they’ll find on your website. Believe it or not, this type of consistency builds trust in who you are and the services you offer.
2. In Depth Analytical Reports: Want to know where your visitors are coming from, how many times a day your blog is viewed, and what posts are most popular? Most blogs have these analytical reports built in and grant you easy access to the stats you want to know! Find out what key words are being searched, how long visitors spend on your blog and more with your blog statistical reports or by adding in a 3rd party analytical tool. You’ll find these detailed reports to be helpful as you hone in on the needs of your target audience.
3. Search Engine Optimization: Yep, good ol’ SEO is one of the main reasons to hang on to your blog. There’s no replacement for providing rich content with key words that act as a feast for search engines. Sites like Google and Bing survive on pertinent information and the more quality content you provide, the more they like you and boost you to the top. We all know that no one will continue to page 10 in a search when the information they need is on page one. We’re happy to say that many of our clients sit on page one because of their blog… simple proof that it works!
So, you may be thinking that this is a “blogs are better than Facebook” post… it’s not. In fact, your blog and your Facebook page (and all of your other social media sites) should be interacting and supporting each other! It’s not a matter of having to choose between them; they are built to work together for the good of your business. And that’s an encouraging thought.
Here are a few examples:
Your blog should feature your Facebook and other social sites.
Your blog posts should contain a signature with all of your links.
Your Facebook should feature your blog.
Your Website should highlight all Social Media sites and your blog.
The list can go on and on! As you can see, the idea is to have all of your sites “talking” to each other and to create easy access for visitors to explore everything you have to offer. If you still aren’t convinced about keeping your blog; talk with your Virtual Assistant! They can answer any further questions you have or can even handle your real estate blogging for you along with your social media!
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Another Social Media Site? 5 Things to Know About Google+
Friday, July 15th, 2011
You’ve probably seen bits and pieces of information surrounding Google’s latest endeavor, Google+. And, like me, you’ve probably wondered “what in the world IS Google+?”.
In short, Google+ is the Google version of Facebook. Now, before you begin to have a slight panic attack about yet another social media site that you’ll have to keep up with as a busy real estate agent; take a deep breath. Google+ is not ready for businesses yet…. but it’s coming.
Forbes.com recently came out with an article noting Five Things Small Business Must Know about Google+. I don’t know about you, but I love concise explanations that give me a run down of something so that I don’t have to stream through a whole article trying to pick out the highlights. So, I’m going to give you these five points that Forbes.com pointed out so that you can get an overview of the latest social media site.
1. It’s a social media site- As we’ve noted, Google+ is Google’s version of Facebook. You can share content (such as text, photos, video, etc.) to a network of contacts. Your contacts can respond and rate your shared content in turn. You can add contacts, block them, connect to other services like Twitter, and much more.
2. It’s sort of like Facebook, but different- Unlike Facebook who’s dealt with their share of privacy issues, Google+ (or G+ as it’s being referred to) has a high sense of privacy. You can create groups called “Circles” and post content that can be seen by only the groups you select. It’s also similar to Facebook in that the “+1” you’ve probably been seeing around Google is like the “Like” button. However, there’s a difference… see point #3.
3. The +1 will probably effect SEO- It’s not set in stone how the +1 button will effect SEO yet, but it will most likely play a role. Google’s definition of the +1 is that “Clicking on it would indicate to Google that you have endorsed that result as a solid source of information for the search term you used.” Google denied that it would affect search engine rankings when it was first conceived about a year ago, but there’s no doubt it will be a part of the future ranking system.
Here’s how Forbes explains it: “With G+ using the +1 button as a way to endorse a post by a contact, the overall vision for +1 is revealed to be a bit grander. Google envisions +1 as the tool that ties together all user-endorsed content across the web. Whether you +1 something in search results or a photo that your friend took of his dog and uploaded to Google+, you’re contributing to your personal version of Google’s search algorithm, meaning that content may eventually be served to you differently based on your +1 behaviors.
This concept is very bold and presents an interesting problem for SEO management, if it does indeed create a personalized set of results which varies wildly for every user. When the SEO community reaches some sort of consensus (or if Google releases more information) then I’ll do a follow-up to this post on how +1 effects Google+ SEO performance.”
4. Google’s not ready for businesses..yet- While Google says that Google+ is not ready for businesses, it doesn’t mean you can’t set up a profile for yourself to become familiar with it. Google is anticipating launching their business pages this fall which are said to be highly valuable for business owners as they will probably entail some type of analytical data that displays detailed looks at demographics. Again, creating a profile for yourself now to get a feel for this social site can be beneficial, but you’ll most likely need to recreate a business one this fall when that launches.
5. Google is putting its full weight behind G+- It seems that Google has high hopes for Google+ and will apparently be fading out some of their current services such as Picasa and Blogger and will be using G+ as the platform for these service instead.
Now, before worrying about this possible change since we use Blogger for many of our clients; I reminded myself that, as with any major company, they will not leave Blogger users hanging. I’m sure the transition, whenever that takes places, will be fairly seamless and will actually work in favor of our active blogging clients who are looking to build their SEO. In fact, Forbes notes that “SEO is going to be influenced by this in a big way. Instead of being an aggregator or a channel to find blog posts about your firm, G+ will instead be both the platform and means of distribution for content.”
So, it appears as though Google+ is here to stay and that our view of how we use Google and work to increase SEO will be changing. Of course your Real Estate Virtual Assistants should keep you updated on the latest G+ news and how you can incorporate this into working for you and your real estate business.
While it still seems that Google is ironing out the details of G+ for business; I at least wanted to give you a little insight into this new social media platform and how it could eventually affect you and your business. I hope this helps!
READY TO GET STARTED? Here is a short video that I created that shows you step-by-step how to properly set-up your Google+ profile to get the most out of any future Google Juice we may get from having a public Google+ profile.
Setting Up Your Google+ Profile – A Video Tutorial
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4 Ideas to Unblock Bloggers Block!
Friday, February 11th, 2011
So you’ve committed to blogging consistently in the new year and, so far, so good! Whether you’ve had your blog for a while or are just starting out, you may have started to notice one of the hardest parts of real estate blogging: finding a topic.
We all know there are endless topics in real estate, but sometimes you just don’t feel like talking about the steps in buying a house, the latest social media news or what updates to make in order to sell a home. Whether your blog is geared toward other agents or potential clients; you want to make sure that what you’re saying in your blog is interesting and something people want to read.
Getting “bloggers block” or writing the same type of articles week after week can cause frustration and, this is usually how blogs become abandoned over time.
So how can you break the cycle and come up with intriguing posts week after week? Here are 4 great tips for unblocking bloggers block as pointed out by RSSPieces.com!
1. Hold a contest- Call out to local photographers and house hunters alike to take pictures of local attractions. You can even notify a local newspaper of your “blog contest.” If your town is small enough, it may even get picked up! Judge your entries and post the winners on your site. This kind of contest, keeps it local and engages the community as a whole.
2. Give a Lesson- Give a solid lesson on how to stage a home for sale. Or provide a “top 10″ list of things to do before a closing. People like to learn things that directly relate to their lives and how to be successful at their tasks. Spend the time to write a solid tutorial at least once a week. It is a sure fire way to keep your readers engaged.
3. Be Entertaining- Even if you are telling people how horrible the market is in your area, make ‘em laugh. If you can make the boring content entertaining, people will line up (subscribe to your RSS feed) just to hear what kind of wacky thing you will say next. Another option is to pick out a local happening or news related item and make it come to life in your own words! Relating it back to real estate will give it a twist that people may not have expected, but it’s a creative way to get their attention.
4. Make Complex Topics More Understandable- Make sure that no matter how complex the topic you are writing about is, you make it understandable. Many people have questions about finding a home mortgage, but nobody likes to feel confused and stupid because they read a post. If you are writing on a complex subject, have another agent in your office review it- get a second pair of eyes to see if you wrote intelligibly.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking every blog has to be the same! The great thing about having your own blog is that you have the freedom to post whatever you want to talk about! Telling other people about your blog whether it’s on your business card, email signature or promoted on your website will drive traffic to your blog. The more interaction you have on your blog; the easier it will be for you to come up with topics as you’re responding to comments and getting feedback on what’s on people’s minds. Your blog will come to life and, before you know it, your bloggers block will be unblocked!
Happy blogging!
P.S. If you’ve started your real estate blog and realize you just don’t have the time to do it; let us know! We take care of many of our clients blogs and love helping them out with this great marketing tool!
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Real Estate Resolutions: 7 Good Motivators for 2011
Friday, January 7th, 2011
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love making new year’s resolutions. As the self-diagnosed Motivational Book Addict, making New Years Resolutions is probably the highlight of my year. This is when I can sit myself down, reflect on the past year, and re-evaluate what I can do differently to make the next year AMAZING. Although I highly recommend making a personal New Year’s Resolution list, this blog is about your Real Estate Resolutions to jump start your marketing plan for 2011.
So get a pen and paper and get ready to motivate yourself. These are just a few ideas to get you thinking. They will most likely spark a few other ideas, getting you really revved up, until you can barely wait for your first new listing of the year.
1. Make a marketing plan
Maybe you have already been skilled in the ways of real estate marketing. You send out postcards, you’ve re-vamped your website, you’ve even attempted a Facebook page. Now, however, is the time to take that next step. Wherever you are with your marketing (“you don’t even have a website” all the way to “you are ranked #3 on Google for your keywords”), find out what you can do to improve upon it. I know that’s frustrating to hear, but there’s always something you can do better. Make a plan laying out everything that you’ve ever wanted for your real estate marketing. Don’t by shy here. This is where you can go crazy.
2. Take Baby Steps
The difficult thing about real estate marketing, is that it can be expensive and time consuming. The best way to tackle your biggest fish is to execute them slowly. Take a look at your “dream marketing plan” and see what you can do realistically. If you have a template website currently and you would like to make it a lot more customized, but can’t afford a custom website right now, start off with working within the parameters of the template to make it more personal to your business. Realsupport.com has some great examples of how you can make websites like Point2 and RealPro look like they were made for you, without the custom website price tag.
3. Create a timeline
Visualization is everything when it comes to reaching your goals. If you can go out and buy a calendar, specifically for the purpose of your real estate marketing, it would serve as the ultimate motivator to accomplish your goals. If you can fill in, to the day, what you are going to do each month for your marketing, you are much more likely to do it. Putting it on the calendar makes it specific, gives it a timeline, and encourages you to get it done.
4. Cardinal Rule: At least one touch per month
Make it a rule for 2011 that you make at least one touch per month with your SOI. Whether that be a postcard, an email, or a phone call, make it a point to keep in touch with your past, present, and potential clients. That means by the end of 2011 you should have reached a handful of buyers and sellers at least 12 times.
5. Start blogging
I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again – blogging can do wonders for your real estate business. Blogging to your clients not only reaches out to them on a more personal level, it also increases your SEO. There really is no downfall to it. The hardest thing about it is keeping it up. If you can’t do it, talk to your Real Estate Virtual Assistant about blogging for you on a regular basis. It really is worth it and you will see results if you do it correctly.
6. Positive Attitude
Okay. Try not to roll your eyes at this one, buy we all need an attitude adjustment. We all know that it has been a rough year for the market, and many of you cannot stop reminding yourself of this fact. But there is nothing better than a clean slate and a new year to change your attitude. Think positive for 2011. It just feels good to say it.
7. Hire a Real Estate Virtual Assistant
The job of a real estate agent requires a ton of responsibilities. Your day-to-day tasks can be very demanding, and stressful, and overwhelming. And that is without the addition of the marketing aspects. A good real estate virtual assistant can take a lot off your plate, as well as take your marketing to the next level. Take a look at our website to see what services we offer. Even if you don’t use us, it’s always okay to ask for help from somebody. A real estate virtual assistant may be just what you need to make this year everything that you imagined it could be.
Have a Very Happy New Year!
Carrie Gable and the team at RealSupport, Inc. are our “VA Quick Tip” columnists offering expertise in real estate marketing, technology and more. RealSupport’s office and team of 9 full-time staff members is located near Chicago, IL. Their successful team works virtually for many top real estate agents and brokers nationwide. Pioneers in the Real Estate Virtual Assistant industry, RealSupport offers marketing, branding, website and logo design, listing marketing, lead generation, technical support, transaction management, social networking, blogging and much more… Just ask!Contact Carrie
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Up Your Google-Juice With PDFs
Saturday, December 18th, 2010
If you have links to PDFs on your site, chances are you are not taking full advantage of how they can improve your Google search ranking. It’s very easy to turn this on, here’s how…
First of all the following process assumes that a) you have the rights to the PDFs on your site, and b) you have access to the full version of Acrobat (if not, find someone who does that can take a minute to do the changes for you).
- Open your PDF using the full version of Acrobat;
- Hit CTRL-D on your keyboard to open up this file’s Property dialog box;
- Enter the Title, Author, Subject (i.e. what the PDF is about) and appropriate keywords/phrases you want Google to pick up.
- Click the dialog box “OK” button and then save the changes to your computer.
- Upload the modified PDF file to the same server location as the earlier version.
Google will index all the non-image based (i.e. non-scanned) text in any PDFs linked to by your site. However, it gives extra weight to your Website by having this “metadata” information (i.e. Title, Author, etc.) completed as well. If the five steps above seem a bit intimidating, then have your VA or Webmaster handle it for you —it is definitely worth it!
NOTE: special thanks to Graphics Designer Nancy Ruzow (Ruzow Graphics) for bringing this to my attention :0)
How to Be Many Places At Once
Sunday, October 24th, 2010
Real estate is such a “local” business that anything you can do to associate your business with your locality will help you stand out and be found more easily. Here’s a very cool free tool that will help your business get listed in multiple major online business directories faster than you can say “bi-location”…
First Check Your Business Listings Then Get Listed
Get Listed is a free site that a) first checks to see if you are listed in the major online business directories and search engines, b) helps you get listed in the ones you currently are not. After entering in your business name and zip code it takes just seconds for it to check six of the major search engines and business directory and then provide you a result page similar to the example below:
For the ones you are not currently listed it will allow you to enter your information right from their Website making the process very easy and convenient. And this is just the beginning because GetListed.org also provides additional guidance on how to maximize your online hyper-local presence that is so important for both SEO and professional credibility.
Take a few minutes to Get Listed now and in a few weeks or months you will be glad you did.
