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How To Advertise Your Real Estate Website
How To Dominate Your Local Online Yellow Pages
A few months back we hosted an article by one of the most prolific online marketers in the world today, Dan Hollings. If you don’t remember, Dan spearheaded the online marketing efforts for the best-selling program, “The Secret”, which had over $200 million in sales.
We’re thrilled to announce that Dan has agreed to share a series of remarkable internet strategies with our Agent Inner Circle® Community, as a 10-part sequence, starting today. Here’s Dan’s helpful article (with more to follow)…
As I mentioned in a previous article here on Agent Inner Circle®, understanding how your local prospect “thinks” when they do an online search is the starting point for getting found first on the internet. (By the way, If you’d like to see my earlier article – the “first” in our 10-part sequence – simply CLICK HERE). Today, I want to continue revealing top secret internet strategies specific to real estate professionals. And we’ll start off in a place you might not expect – how to narrow your thinking to get rapid results online… The internet, in the minds of most, is this big global network of people and computers plus a bottomless pit of information and resources so vast no human can really comprehend it. And just when you think you’re beginning to grasp the massive breadth of all this, you’re dumbfounded to discover it’s likely doubled in size, and doubled again from what you last conceived. Often in our fascination with the internet’s “bigness” and scope, we fail to realize how powerful a tool it can be on a smaller scale – locally. It’s almost like thinking, “Hey this might be a great telescope, but lookie here, if I do it this way, it’s a great microscope!” For most real estate professionals, the internet should be a local microscope, allowing you to focus in on YOUR neck of the woods in ways, only a few years ago, were totally impossible. ADVANCED SECRET INTERNET STRATEGY “Think Local”… Imagine this: What if you could create a publicly searchable local map of all your happy clients and customers chock full of great stuff about YOU… testimonials, photos, links, videos and more. Think it might impress a potential home seller? Think you’ll get the listing? Oh, I almost forgot – What if you could do it for FREE? How do you THINK LOCAL?…Explore First, Then Plant Yourself Right Where Your Best Prospects Are Looking…
First, discover LOCAL search. I’ll focus for illustration purposes on Google Local, but all the major search engines offer local search results for keyword searches that are deemed “local.” Go to Google.com and type in the address of where you live Try it with the full address, then just your street name and city/state, then just your zip. Any lights going off yet? Something was FOUND, right? Search engines seem to dig up something, no matter what. But were any of the results useful? And… Could you have been found there? Now, try clicking on the MAP option that likely appeared when you did a street address search or ZIP CODE search. You’ll notice under the search box a TAB called “Find Businesses” – click that. Initially, you’ll get something like the image to the right. In the search box to the left of your address, type in any business, keyword, or phrase you like. In my example, I’ll type in what I do as my business… “Internet Strategist.” (next to location “Tucson AZ”) Quick Side Note: Google does change how their website looks from time to time. So you may need to click “Show search options” and select “Businesses” from the drop-down menu. As you can see, local businesses pull up on the left and at the TOP is my business (which I run from my home) called Web Services LLC. Again, any lights flashing in your head yet? Even on most other searches in my local area, my listing pulls up typically within the TOP 5 of local results. If anyone searches by the county name where I live, or any neighboring communities… BINGO, they’ve found me. If I were in any local service business, I could easily pursue a few simple steps and PLANT myself under keywords and phrases HOMEOWNERS, BUYERS, and PROSPECTS might type in when seeking to find the agent or services they need.And to think, the population of Tucson, AZ is over 518,956
Out of over a half million residents living in my area, Tucson, I’m thinking a few might be seeking services or help, and many (if not more) in YOUR local area are desperately trying to find you… but can YOU be found? It only gets better… Have you ever inquired what it costs to be in the local yellow pages? Pick a big number and add several ouches afterwards. Yet, Google and other search engines will give you a BIG yellow page style ad (with your own COUPON option) for absolutely FREE. And we are not talking for just one year – we’re talking perpetually! FREE! So… you may be asking yourself, “Where exactly do I start to tap into local search?”… 1. FIRST identify the best sites to place your local business info. Here are some HELPFUL RESOURCES to get you started…- CitySearch
- InfoUSA
- Local.com
- MerchantCircle
- TrueLocal
- Yelp
- Localism (part of Activerain)
- http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/local-search-marketing-guide/other-options/
- A “free home evaluation” coupon…
- Free “Consumer Real Estate Guides”…
- And, PROOF from satisfied customers
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What SEO Experts Do When They Need to Get Found Online
WOOD WITH GORDS?
Are you good with words? Great! Even if you aren’t that’s OK. There are many tools online that query actual search databases and tell us exactly what people are typing into those boxes. To make it easier, I’ve posted a tool that is like a ONE STOP SHOP for most of your keyword research needs. It’s located here (and it’s FREE): http://danhollings.com/woodgords/ Another way to do quick research on top keywords is to use the Google Suggestion Tool. This tool is now integrated into the main search toolbar on Google’s homepage. You’ll notice when you begin typing a search phrase, before you press enter to search, suggested phrases automatically show up below. Pay attention to these as they are high-traffic terms people search. Here’s what you can do to get a feel for local real estate search terms…- Enter “your city” and “real estate” (example = “tucson real estate”…without the quotes)
- Before pressing “enter” or clicking search, notice what phrases Google suggests
- Write these top phrases down for later use
How to Find The Keywords and Phrases BUYERS and SELLERS Are Typing Into Search Engines
1. Determine who you’re after…- Think of the ONE person most likely to need what your web page or service is about.
- Erase from your mind all inside knowledge about your company, product, service, industry etc.
- Forget all techno-babble terms only known by experts or industry insiders.
- You are not a former client, so you have no history or relationship.
- You have a definite need, challenge, desire, question or interest (that’s why you are searching).
- You’re about to type words into a Google search box in the hope the search results page will guide you to a solution, a service, an answer, an agent, a perfect business or site.
- You initially seek information and/or help more so than a product or “expert.”
- What words or phrase would you type in whereby when the results came up and you saw the site title listed (and ultimately a linked page)… you’d say “BINGO” this is what I was looking for!
- Sometimes by thinking about the “who, what, when, where, why or how” behind the searchers motivation will spark additional useful keywords and phrases.
- Ask others what keywords they use to find real estate information online, including: your spouse, your Ex, your neighbor, your kids, your postman, your lawn-keeper, your pet sitter, your cousin Skippy, past clients, your bartender and anyone else you can reach out to.
- Don’t prep them with background info, just show them your draft page, a printout, or tell them your basic goals. The less you say, the better results you’ll get.
- Remember, people are not always good spellers… misspelled keywords can be untapped potential for traffic.
- Go to Google, type in the keywords you’ve discovered and look at the top sites that return on the results page. These sites are competing for a similar audience on a large scale – borrow from them for your local plans.
- Go to sites you already know (from experience) that are seeking to attract the same people. Examine what they are doing and take notes if you think you see a good idea.
- Examine your competition’s page title, headlines and the general subjects of their web pages.
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Insider Reveals 4 Steps To Get Clients From The Web
- The city and zip code part can be done with this tool: (You need only enter your ZIP and a radius in this tool – results will show at bottom) http://www.5minutesite.com/local_keywords.php
- To help you with local county names, try this tool: http://www.naco.org/Content/NavigationMenu/About_Counties/ Data_and_Demographics/Data_and_Demographics.htm
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How To Get Clients Online Without A Website
GOOD NEWS
Unlike the early years of the internet when you needed to have a programmer, a designer, and a pot of money… today, with WEB 2.0 opportunities everywhere, you can set up web pages quickly and without paying a cent. Web 2.0 is many things by definition, but at its core is the concept that YOU are a content creator and if given the ability to add or create content on someone else’s site or system, you will. For our purposes, this is like being handed the keys to the back door of the internet’s “bait and tackle“ shop. We can quickly and easily create all the bait (content) we want to attract schools of prospects. I’ll show you how in 3 easy steps…HOW TO SET UP WEB PAGES THAT GET FOUND EVEN WITHOUT A WEB SITE
STEP 1: Identify the TYPE of Focused Content Pages You need to take the localized KEYWORDS, TAGS, and LOCATIONS you compiled earlier and create very focused content that you can place on several web pages. The content you create doesn’t need to be professionally written or “scholarly“, rather it needs to be homespun, helpful, brief, in your voice and honest. Testimonials from third party sources and clients are great to use and are very powerful. Everything needs to be peppered with real estate related KEYWORDS and LOCATIONS. And if the system where you are posting your information allows you to categorize your content, then you’ll use your TAGS. Keep in mind, the content you create should be structured to FIT the type of site where you are posting it, which means it might be in a format like one of the following:- A PARAGRAPH about what you do,
- an ARTICLE about your service benefits,
- a LIST of things you do for clients (or areas you cover, or things a homeowner might look out for),
- a REVIEW of your business
- a PHOTO of you performing your service,
- a MAP of areas you cover,
- an online “Consumer Awareness Guide,“ or
- a testimonial VIDEO you post on YouTube.
TWO GREAT PLACES TO START POSTING YOUR CONTENT OR MEDIA
The examples below are not all real estate related on purpose…so as to expand your creativity- SQUIDOO http://www.squidoo.com/ An example of a Squidoo LENS page for a Children’s Book: http://www.squidoo.com/ladybug-stuff/
- HUBPAGES
http://hubpages.com/
An example of a HUB about Real Estate Ads:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Real_Estate_Ads
SIX MORE PLACES TO POST CONTENT OR MEDIA…
- GOOGLE BASE http://base.google.com/ An example of a GOOGLE BASE page – in this example a review of Dean Graziosi’s book: http://www.google.com/base/a/2575746/D4701930617138357370
- GOOGLE PROFILE PAGE http://maps.google.com/help/maps/profile/index.html An example of a GOOGLE PROFILE page – in this example it’s me! http://maps.google.com/maps/user?uid=109843529767179534196&hl=en&gl=us
- TUMBLR http://www.tumblr.com/ An example of a TUMBLR for “to-do“ list generator: http://to-do-list.tumblr.com/
- SWIKI http://www.eurekster.com/ An example of a SWIKI for real estate: http://real-estate-foreclosures-state-by-state-swicki.eurekster.com/
- FLICKR http://flickr.com/ An example of MONTEL WILLIAMS using “bait“ for one of his “boats“: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8391553@N06/503947524/
- YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/ An example of a Rockin’ Cockatoo dancing to the Back Street Boys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utkb1nOJnD4
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Can Blogs Make You Money, Save You Time?
- Blogger https://www.blogger.com/start
- WordPress http://wordpress.org/
- Testimonials
- Reviews of local places
- Helpful resources area
- Your photo (perhaps a family photo)
- …and a BIO about yourself (should make you sound professional and knowledgeable, but not a know-it-all or uppity expert)
- Local (and some national) market news
- Local events
- Real estate tips and how-to articles
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Beginner’s Guide To Getting Clients With Twitter
How To Leverage The Money-Making Potential of TWITTER To Bring You Business
You may already have a Twitter account. But there’s a good chance you’ve missed one or more of the critical steps I’m about to explain on how to set up a Twitter profile to bring you clients. If you don’t have a Twitter account, well it’s your lucky day, because this is your chance to jump in and start profiting within the next few minutes! Let’s get started… STEP 1: How To Sign-Up For Twitter In Under 5 Minutes- Go To http://twitter.com/ (click “Sign Up Now”)
- COMPLETE BASIC INFORMATION (name, username password, email)
SPECIAL INSIGHT: make your username “human/personal” NOT corporate or weird. And even though you are allowed up to 15 characters for your username, make it as short as you possibly can (10 characters or less is optimal). More on this in step 2…
- DOCUMENT and SAVE your username / password.
- SKIP the FRIENDS part for now…(select “Skip this step” at the bottom. You can return to SETTINGS later if you wish to do this).
- SKIP the NEXT STEP (“Look who else is here…” Don’t do this unless you are a celebrity freak…it’s not going to bring you business in your local market).
- CONGRATULATIONS (your account is tweet ready – but needs tweaking).
- Don’t Tweet yet, it’s time to set a few things up so that you don’t look like a Twidiot!
- Click SETTINGS at top of your profile. (https://twitter.com/account/settings)…
- A quick search on Google Images for “Twitter Backgrounds”, “Twitter Wallpaper”, or “Twitter Templates” will likely help.
- You can also check out TweetBacks for several great Twitter background templates that are easily customized.
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5 Easy Steps to Generate Referrals With Online Reviews
You’re heading out to dinner with your sweetie, and want to find the perfect restaurant for a romantic evening. Where do you turn? If you’re like 90% of consumers, you’re going to hop online and check out online reviews, whether on Yelp, Google, or otherwise.
Check out Michael Krisa’s video below, for additional tips and why it’s important to leave online reviews of your own:
Need more reasons to get on board with online reviews? Check out these statistics.
- 88% Of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations
- 72% Of Consumers Say That Positive Reviews Make Them Trust A Local Business More
- 92% of users will use a local business if it has at least a 4-star listing
- 72% of consumers will take action only after reading a positive review
Isn’t the first one surprising? What does that mean for you as a realtor?
Whether we like it or not, online consumer reviews have an impact on your business. Sites like Realtor.com, RealSatisfied, Zillow, and Yelp allow for consumer reviews, and your potential clients are likely to check you out online.
How do you help make sure those reviews work in your favor?
We have a 5-Part Plan to make sure you get the most from your reviews, and we’ll share it with you:
- Preview
- Give
- Guide
- Ask
- Praise
1. Preview
Tell the client what to expect when they start working with you. Tell them beforehand that you’re going to ask for a review and possibly referral at the end.
By clearly setting the expectations for what they can expect from you, when you ask for a review at the end, they have a benchmark.
2. Give
Give the client an easy way to review you and pick ONE site. Then, email them, with specific instructions (if you use an automated email system, make it one of your standard “after-transaction” emails).
3. Guide
Help them understand review sites when it comes time. While consumers read reviews, don’t assume that everyone knows how to give them.
4. Ask
Ask! Just ask… over… and over… and over again. It normally requires 7-8 emails to get someone to respond. It’s not that you’re bugging them – in fact, most people say that they were just “busy” and meant to do it.
Beyond that, if someone compliments you, make sure to ask them to leave a review on another site.
5. Praise
Last, and probably the most important, when you do get a review make sure to thank your client, and recognize them in your monthly newsletter or on social media. When others see this, they’ll be more likely to follow your star client’s example. Plus, everyone likes praise.
After you’ve gotten a great review, don’t be shy – this is a good time to remind clients that your business is based on referrals. Someone who is happy with your services will also be happy to share your name with people they know who may be looking to buy or sell a home.
Monitor Your Online Reviews
First, make sure you set up profiles on multiple sites that pertain to your business. Yelp, Angie’s List, Google Local, LinkedIn.
Now that you’re set up, how do you find reviews about you? If you have a Google account, it’s one of the easiest ways to receive an alert when something about you is posted online: https://www.google.com/alerts
Make it a point to respond to EVERY review out there about you, especially any that are negative. Handling those in a professional, positive way can mean that potential clients may overlook a negative review.
Promote Your Reviews
As we’ve seen, reviews can be very powerful, and promoting the ones you get is critical to your marketing strategy. Add links to your review profiles on emails, your website, etc. and make it easy for your clients. After a transaction, send an email asking for an online review, or a referral. If you’re working with a business, give them a referral.
One of the best ways to get a referral is to give one. It’s the “rule of reciprocity,” if you give someone something of value they are going to want to do the same.
BE The Expectation
Don’t forget, the cornerstone of all of this is that you need to BE a stellar agent. Stand out from the pack by being great at your job and delivering on the expectations you shared in your preview.
Put in the time and effort with each client, and you’ll be rewarded with reviews, referrals, and continued business. Set up a business based on amazing service, and you’ll never be waiting holding your breath in the hopes that you’ll be profitable next month…
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Generating Real Estate Leads with Video: Searchable Vs Social (Facebook or Youtube?)
Facebook is meant for social content. YouTube is meant for searchable content. Pretty simple, right?
However, I see real estate agent after agent wonder why certain videos don’t perform well on Facebook, or maybe they fail to understand the value in YouTube. After all – if you’re posting your videos to Facebook, why bother with Youtube?
To their defense, I have to admit I didn’t understand it either, until last month.
It came after interviewing Karin Carr on my podcast, Onion Juice Podcast. Karin, a REALTOR, explained how she closed six transactions in the last three months just from her YouTube Channel. You have to hear how – listen to the Episode by clicking here.
So what is she doing that others are not?
She understands and embraces Searchable Vs. Social Content. In fact, she doesn’t even share her YouTube videos on Facebook or any other social media platform! Wait.. what the what!!?
Here is how she looks at it:
A real estate “how to” video, real estate market report video, community video, or a first time buyer seminar video, for example, are all made for YouTube – where it is searchable. People who need this video are searching for it.
People on Facebook are generally there to be entertained not taught to about real estate. It would be like giving a first-time buyer seminar to an audience that is expecting to watch a reality tv show, concert, or sporting event.
All of these are made for Facebook: a video that asks for people’s opinion, a vlog that is entertaining, a house remodel show (like you would see on HGTV), a promo for a new listing, or a drone video. These are the right focus when the platform is social, where content is entertaining and generates engagement.
These are more for Youtube: a how-to video about how to stage your home for sale, a real estate report for recent home sales in your target (niche) area, a training video for what to expect when purchasing your first home. Focus on educational and searchable content for a platform focused on education and training.
Again – For YouTube create content that is educational and is searchable. For Facebook create content that is entertaining and engaging.
Do that and you’ll see your numbers improve.
Another way to look at it, as Jerry Potter said on the Onion Juice Facebook Group – “Creating searchable content is for people ready to buy/sell right now. Creating social content is for building relationships with people that will be ready to buy/sell a year from now. They’re both important, and both will have a much higher ROI if you know the difference.”
Are you following me so far?
Want to geek out some more and dig deeper into searchable content so you can break through on YouTube? Keep reading it’s about to get deep!
Here are 5 things you need to know about searchable (Youtube) content :
#1 Treat YouTube like a search engine, not like a social media platform.
This means you can use content to target a specific audience. For example, one video might target local homeowners looking to sell, while another might target local buyers looking for homes in your area or out of town buyers. Your content, title, tags, and keywords will all have an effect on how people find this content.
YouTube is often said to be the second largest search engine in the world after Google itself. Every day, people watch hundreds of millions of hours of video on YouTube, generating billions of views. Having a strong YouTube presence can have an incredible impact on your brand reach and will give you the chance to engage with the millions of visitors of using the platform.
YouTube is owned by Google. In real estate, we all know how hard it is to get ranked on the first page of Google because of syndication sites like Zillow, Trulia, or Realtor.com. However, Google will often sprinkle one or two videos into the first page when it thinks that the videos are highly relevant to a person’s search – And these videos come straight from YouTube. So the biggest benefit of creating YouTube videos is definitely SEO.
#2 Understand YouTube is a search engine that uses a specific algorithm you can follow.
When it comes to ranking YouTube content, TJ Kelly is the man with a plan. TJ manages Mxt Media, a Real Estate SEO and marketing agency outside Boston. I recently interview him on the Onion Juice Podcast and have hired him to help me with the launch of my YouTube plan. (listen to this episode here).
When YouTube first launched, part of the algorithm was based on views. The more views your video got, the higher it ranked. Now, YouTube uses a different approach. While they still count aggregate views they do so in conjunction with engagement metrics, which include number of seconds viewed, comments, likes and social shares.
TJ said before, it was better to pump out a ton of videos with less focus on content. Now, it’s better to create content-rich videos that drive user engagement.
The other factor is the total amount of minutes and seconds your video has been viewed. This is not per user, but overall. Therefore, having longer videos will add more seconds to your count and increase your rankings.
Yes, LONGER VIDEOS, you read that correctly!
#3 The three P’s of YouTube: Proof, Preview, Proof
The first 15 seconds will determine if a viewer will stay engaged, which TJ says is critical.
TJ recommends using the PPP method when producing content for YouTube.
Here’s what that looks like…
Preview: First, give the viewer a hint of what the video is all about as soon as the video starts.
Proof: Then, establish proof that you know what you’re talking about and can deliver on the topic.
Preview: Finally, reiterate what the video is about, this time adding a specific detail that the viewer will learn.
#4 SAY your keywords in the video
The latest algorithmic changes to Google’s search engines now take into consideration a more dynamic field of content types. As such, videos, images and transcriptions are now “crawl-able.”
Anything you say in a video (especially one that includes subtitles and annotations) can technically impact your ranking signals.
Putting your keyword into the title of your video while also saying your keyword throughout the video is a great way to drive home the point of what your video accomplishes, to both viewers and search engines.
In line with Google’s shift toward natural language search and high-relevancy content, matching auditory keywords within a video with those utilized in video titles signals that you’re not spamming users and that your video follows through on its title.
#5 – Customize video thumbnails
A newer differentiator that is becoming more common on YouTube is creative video thumbnails. Just last year, thumbnails were static images, but they now automatically animate when cursors hover over them.
If your video is featured on page 1, it’s likely facing stiff competition from other videos that may better serve viewer intent. So how do you get users to click on your video despite being ranked lower?
The key is to make a great first impression by having a customized thumbnail that stands out visually from everything else on the page.
Customization can take many forms, including appealing color schemes dynamic banners or design patterns, and Intuitive splash screen/video title combinations.
Again, please do yourself a favor. If you are producing videos for YouTube, focus on searchable content and don’t expect these videos to be the highest performers on Facebook. Maybe think about a different, entertaining take on a video you create for Youtube, and test that one out on Facebook instead of reposting the exact Youtube video. It will be interesting to see the difference- if you try this, share your results with us by commenting on this article! We’d love to hear from real estate agents trying this out for themselves.
Is “SEO” Right For You?
As a real estate agent, you’ve probably heard the term “SEO” (Search Engine Optimization) but it’s such a complex topic to navigate, it’s easy to lose track of where the real value is and how you should incorporate it into your business.
In basic terms, SEO is how people find you on the Internet. When done correctly, SEO can generate an unlimited source of new business… but an in-depth SEO strategy is not for every business, and if it isn’t right for yours, you can easily sink a ton of time and money into efforts that will never pay off.
I’m sure you’re thinking, “If it’s such a great source of business, why isn’t it for everyone? Is it for me?”
The Biggest Challenge
When determining if SEO is right for you, it really comes down to choosing one of two paths, and I’ll explain why.
In many ways, the largest benefit of SEO is also the biggest challenge: everyone is there. Both clients and competition flood the online landscape, and according to a NAR study, 100% of home buyers and sellers used the Internet to search before taking action. That’s 100% of your clients! Search engines have also evolved the longer they’ve been around, combining mature technology with a huge market means that there’s already a lot of competition. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any space for you though, but it does mean that you’ll need to put some time (and possibly money) into the right efforts.
So, which path should you take?
A Tale of Two Roads
Road 1: As we saw, 100% of your clients are using search in some fashion before working with you. So, at the very least you need to show up online when your clients invariably search for properties in your market, or when they search for you directly. This isn’t overly challenging and doesn’t require much to maintain. However, this strategy doesn’t consistently bring you new clients, it will only ensure you don’t lose the business you’re already driving from other avenues.
Road 2 (the road less traveled): If you’re looking to drive new business from your online presence, the payoff is enormous, but it’s going to take some time and consistent work on your end.
It’s not enough to drive business with SEO by creating a lot of content upfront. What most people don’t know is that can actually hurt your website. These days, Google is using every piece of data available to find and rank content, including how consistently you post, to how engaged people are that visit your site, to whether the content includes video with it. So, writing content about every neighborhood in your area and posting it all at once to your website would really be a disservice to your SEO ranking. Instead, making a commitment to write an in depth editorial on each neighborhood on your site every 1-2 weeks, will enable search engines to find you based on a broader set of criteria (this also gives you a great opportunity for continued promotion on social media.)
While individual neighborhood descriptions can be a great way to start, they’re not nearly enough to build a high traffic site around. In reality, you need to find a topic you’re passionate about that also helps your target audience. This can be anything from real estate advice (for a very specific audience) to the best restaurants in your city. The key is that you consistently put out new content around a single theme that your audience finds interesting and valuable.
Time To Pick
So, which option sounds best to you? Remember, there’s no wrong answer here. You can only focus on so many sources of business at once and it’s totally acceptable to run a basic ‘business card’ style website without focusing on SEO. However, if you’re already putting out content, or want to pursue new lead sources consistently, SEO could be a great source of business for you.
Either way, you’ll want to start with the basics so you show up in searches for your name, your business name, and maybe a few specific search terms related to your business. Now, I’m going to dive into the next steps if you’re interested in taking your SEO game up a notch!
Road 1: The Basics
First and foremost, focus on Google. As of April, 2020 Google controlled 86% of the global market share. So much of the market in fact, that other search engines are forced to follow a majority of Google’s protocols. Essentially, if you’re doing well on Google, you’ll do well on other search engines a majority of the time.
Start by opening an ‘incognito window’ in Google Chrome, and then running a search for your name and business name. (If you try to search within a regular browsing window, your search results will be skewed as your own website is more likely to show up based on sites you usually frequent.)
What did you find? If your website isn’t on the first page of the search results, you probably either need to update your existing website, or work with another vendor to build a new one.
Once you have at least a basic website in order, you’ll want to set up Google My Business and Google Search Console.
Google My Business is what allows you (as a business) to show up to the right of a Google Search, with your specific business information (shown below). This is a great way to stand out against other REALTORS® and gives people an easy way to contact you without having to go to your website.
Last but not least, setup Google Search Console. This tool allows you to monitor any errors on your website, view analytics for how you’re performing on Google, and research keywords you may want to show up for in searches.
This is about as far as it makes sense to go if you’re not ready to take the second road and only want a basic website for you and your business (remember, there is nothing wrong with this).
Going Advanced
If you’re going to commit to creating content and building an audience with SEO, it’s probably time to consult with an expert. SEO is constantly evolving at a pace that makes it difficult to keep up with, even if you dedicate all of your time to it. What’s worse is that a number of Google’s updates make previously effective SEO practices counterproductive. So, when it comes to the technical aspects, you’ll need to be aware of the most recent and up-coming changes to the SEO landscape and will probably want to hand it off.
When it comes to content creation on the other hand, I would make sure you stay central to the process. It’s totally acceptable to hire a ghostwriter, but you’ll want to come up with or approve the content ideas, and do a final edit on everything you’re putting out. If your content doesn’t feel genuine, or speak to your audience, Google knows that and factors this into your search ranking.
A Word of Caution
Whatever your path, I wish you the best of luck. My only warning would be that you don’t try to capitalize on the benefits of SEO without fully understanding the journey you must travel down on that second path. I’ve seen way too many agents who believe that Google can bring them business without any continued work. While that may have been the case years ago, the market has become so saturated and competitive, and search engines have become so intelligent, that’s just not the case anymore.