Real Estate Search Engine Optimization
A 5-part mini-course, brought to you by ArmingYourFarming.com
Welcome to our mini-course on real estate SEO. You are receiving this 5-part course as a reward for joining the ArmingYourFarming.com newsletter.
Part 1 — Determine Your Key Search Phrases
The first step in a real estate search engine optimization (SEO) campaign is to determine your key phrases. Key phrases are those words and phrases you want your website to be found for in the search engines.
For example, if you're a real estate agent in Smithville, Texas, one of your key phrases might be "Smithville Texas real estate." The end-goal is for people to find the website when searching for the phrase "Smithville, Texas real estate" (and related phrases).
Don't Guess at Your Phrases — Research Them
Don't choose your key phrases based on a hunch. Research them. Find out how many people are searching which phrases. Overture (a Yahoo company) has a key phrase research tool you can use for free. It's located at http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/rc/srch/.
If you really want to get scientific, you can sign up with WordTracker (www.WordTracker.com). It's not free like the Overture tool, but it's much more thorough. It includes all of the major search engines with its results.
The SEO "Hunch" — What Not to Do
The worst thing you can do is base your key phrases on a hunch. Let me explain with a real-life example:
I know a company that sells graphic design services. Their company name and tagline make frequent use of the word "Awesome." So they optimized their website for the phrase "awesome design services."
They were so ecstatic when they began to appear on page 1 of MSN and Yahoo for "awesome design services" ... until I pointed out a harsh truth. Nobody is searching for the phrase "awesome design services" because it's entirely too vague and opens up a can of irrelevant worms.
In other words, they based their entire SEO strategy on one phrase — and a useless phrase at that. Awesome design services could pertain to anything from interior design to flower arrangement. Not to mention the fact that you never build a website around a single key phrase.
Key Phrases are Not a Magic Cure
Key phrases will help the right people find your website. But this is just one part of the broader approach you should take to search engine optimization. Some people focus so heavily on keywords and key phrases that they develop a form of tunnel vision. In other words, they neglect the website itself.
Here's the bottom line: It doesn't matter if you get top search engine ranking if you're website fails to perform. Search engine optimization drives people toward the objective. But what will they find when they get there? Focus on building a quality website, and your SEO efforts will be much easier and more successful.
Valuable Resources!
I've taken the liberty of rounding up some articles and websites that will help you learn more about researching your key phrases. I've personally reviewed each one of these sources, and found them to be helpful and accurate.
P.S. If you really want to take your real estate search engine optimization to the next level, see the featured guide below!
Note: I show you exactly how to implement key phrases in the guide featured below!
Real Estate Search Engine Guide
It's a fact: Nearly 80% of your prospective clients are using the Internet (and search engines) for real estate research. Are they finding you? Or are they finding your competitors? It's a question you can't afford to ignore.
If you'd like to make sure they're finding you, grab your copy of the Agent's Guide to Search Engine Visibility!
Tune in tomorrow for the next lesson!
Brandon Cornett
www.ArmingYourFarming.com
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