I have recently been in consultation with several of our Realtors and agents we work with and found it surprising how little about the Internet these guys know. It amazes me because using tools like Google and Yahoo are what sets you apart from being an amateur to being a true professional in real estate. So, I’ve decided to write a crash course on succeeding with Google to get traffic to your respective web pages. Don’t worry, the entire 10 step process is here. No teaser stuff to get you to buy anything. (I really hate that crap myself.) Once you go through it, you will be surprised at just how simple it is. It just takes a lot of diligent, hard work.
10 Things You Need To Know To Succeed With Google
1. The numbers don’t lie. Search marketing all about data. But, there’s a lot of data. Choose your metrics carefully, keep a close eye on them and make smart, deliberate decisions. I suggest starting with the tools Google gives you for free and then begin researching the better products that are out there. Pick about 4 metrics you will use and religious watch them to understand patterns and trends.
2. Character Counts. 95 to 190 characters is all you get for headlines, tweets, etc… Organic search phrases give you more and specific searches give you less so learn to get straight to the point. Think Twitter. Quick. Elevator Pitches. Tell me about your property (where it is, foreclosure, 4 car garage) in 140 characters or less.
3. You can work your online persona half a day –just choose the 12 hours you want to work. Flexibility will make you a successful marketer, time invested early on will get you to where you want to be. Google never sleeps.
4. The Midas Touch. When you’re dong everything right, your competitors will all think you have the Midas Touch. But, we know you are constantly testing to see what’s working. It can be our little secret. Testing and tweaking NEVER stops. Remember that. But, when you are closing 20 houses a month, you can hire a person or two to help you monitor and adjust Google ad campaigns, press releases and the like.
5. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Some call it organic. Others call it natural. Everyone knows it as SEO traffic. It “looks” free but we all know how much time you put into it to get it. Now, hang onto it tight! Just ask a professional and when you get the bill, you will know what I am talking about.
6. Videos do work! Start with YouTube, then branch out.
7. Quitters Never Win and Winners Never Quit. How does Google determine who gets the best positions in the search result? Great question! Wouldn’t we all like to know that one? But pages that are around over a year tend to get better Google positioning than those that are brand new. Start your blog or web site and keep working at it. Never Quit. Unless Google blacklists you. Then it is better to start all over again.
8. Patience is a virtue. Create a business strategy and stick with it. Tweak it. But, don’t abandon it – You WON’T get to #1 in organic or paid results overnight. Understand that you probably won’t see good traffic for the first year or so. Unless you get a million views on YouTube of your video of you tumbling and falling on your treadmill with your web address at the bottom of the screen.
9. Content is king but, relevance is queen. What’s that saying, “where the neck turns the head goes?” Think keyword to headline to landing page. Walk through the shoes of your site visitor. Would you click a website about buying a home and it immediately starts selling you home phone service? Would you go back after that experience? Google looks at sites the same way. Stay on point. You are a real estate agent. Or mortgage broker. Keep your pages with that same theme.
10. Knuckle down and get to work. Strategy with Internet marketing is ALL about messaging online. And content. And testing. And numbers. So, folks – knuckle down and learn it all until you can do it in your sleep. Then go learn some more!
Good Luck!
-Nick – www.TheFlipBoard.com
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