RISMEDIA, May 20, 2009-Now more than ever before, there is a desire from Realtors in the industry to find ways to be found by search engines without using pay-per-click strategies. Here are three critical components to a successful SEO strategy and how they must work together to create results:
1. On-page optimization (i.e.-targeted/focused website content to support the target with proper coding for every page). Many agents think they can add a few metatags and one general description for their entire site and that should suffice. However, for search engines to index your site in their system and be attracted to your site, your homepage content must be focused on a specific niche/target market. Take for example, www.MarcoRealtySource.com. The navigation itself shows the consumer that they have come to the right place to get Marco Island real estate information. In addition, there is homepage content for the search engines to recognize and index.
2. Off-page optimization (i.e.-link-building strategy). As early as two years ago, agents thought they could ask other agents, “Will you link to me and I will link to you?” Although this way used to get rankings, search engines have evolved in a more sophisticated manner so that the importance is to have inbound links coming to your site. Strategies like press releases can help RSS feeds syndicate your press release and create links to your site. Additional links like churches, chambers of commerce sites and industry directories can build this strategy. Also, link building every month is the secret, so as to not spam them all at one time.
3. Blogging. There is a huge “buzz” out there to blog. If you want to get the best ROI, however, then your blog should exist within your actual website platform. Think of your website as a book of information-the more credible and updated the book, the better.
Finally, these three components must work in conjunction together:
-Focusing on the needs of the consumer with great and unique content
-Building credibility in the industry because other relevant sources want to link to your site
-Constantly adding to your site and improving it for consumers
Tricia Fink Andreassen is the CEO and founder of Pro Step Marketing, a branding and Web marketing strategy firm that works with real estate agents to develop and implement Web marketing systems.
For more information, please visit www.prostepmarketing.com.
