A few months ago I talked about localizing your content for better search results. And I recently received a new whitepaper about this same subject. Out of the paper came one statement that caught my eye and interest the most-
“The single most effective strategy for localism is placing a geotargeted keyword in the domain name…” (more…)
“1/3 of Adult Internet Users have a Profile on a Social Networking Site, Up from just 8% in 2005″
There was an article in USA Today recently that talked about how Baby Boomers are heading online to participate in Social Networking. We generally talk about using social networking for professional reasons but this article in particular focused more on the differences in uses by generations. The boomers who are mostly just getting online now are looking to make friends, catch up with old acquaintances and keep in touch. USA Today notes that the biggest difference between generations is the interest in making new friends. Older generations are looking to find like minded people, chat and get to know them while younger users are there to see what their current friends are doing, not to find new ones. Either way people are truly embracing the popular technology and it is changing society, “affecting everything from TV viewing habits to the way companies peddle products.”
As part of the article, Josh Quittner of Time magazine gave some suggestions geared towards those individuals over 40 that are joining the online social network revolution. Although a little cynical, I do think he offers some valid basic advice. Read on for fun and think about what you are or shouldn’t be doing with your online networks.
Many people I have talked to are interested in starting their own online communities. Some already have one and need help with encouraging participation. I thought I would share a smart road-map to building a successful online real estate community.
We all know that if you want a successful community, you need people ready and eager to join and participate. The lifeline of any community is its members and the content. Keeping members involved and inspired to contribute is the biggest struggle but first lets start with a plan for your community.
First Step: Lay the Foundation
Realtor Magazine online just posted an article that I think offers great advice. A brokerage blog is one of many solutions offered by the Enterprise Platform. We have written many posts spanning the spectrum of blogging as a social network builder and on how to localize your content. This article helps reiterate the positive influence blogging can have on your business.
The “4 Steps to a Successful Brokerage Blog” according to Realtor Magazine:
STEP 1: Pool your people. Contributing consistent, quality content is the ultimate key to any blog’s success. By creating one central blog for your brokerage, you can leverage the collective time, energy, and diverse talents of all your associates. Individually, a salesperson may simply not have the time to post regular entries. Pooling the talent of your sales staff allows them to combine their knowledge to create rich content about the markets they serve. You can help to direct and focus your team by giving specific ideas or topics for the blog. With your vision, your team can create digital archives of highly relevant and informative articles that consumers can easily access.
If over 80% of all web interactions begin with a search and 85% of all clicks happen in organic terms in search results then why aren’t you doing more to help out your website’s best friend- your Blog?
Your company’s blog truly is the best friend for your website. While your website hosts all of the pertinent information about your company and the products or services you offer, it is limited to a static amount of space. You can only have so many tabs, links and pages before your website becomes too complex to navigate and your potential customers become frustrated with trying to find the information they want. A blog offers unlimited space to advertise your products/services, knowledge and brand. Plus, as a bonus, blogs are continuously updated and this inflow of information and content offers a great boost for your websites SEO.
Your Blog = Organic Search Traffic
With this in mind you should focus on how your blog could capture those organic searchers. This means focusing your blog around the information your customers want. (more…)
