Boosting Your Search Engine Ranking Part II: (Local) Content is King
There is no magic formula, set of keywords or SEO (Search Engine Optimization) mojo that will instantly put your website in the top 10 results on search engines. Any company that tells you there is is doing you a disservice.
That’s because if you believe you can flip a switch (or throw lots and lots of money at SEO, or both) and immediately be ranked near the top of search results, you won’t do the work you need to do to make your XSite search engine friendly.
Last time we talked about how links, ones that point to your site and ones you have on your site pointing elsewhere, influence your search engine results. Read that article by clicking here.
Now we’re going to talk about what your XSite “says” and how search engines decide that it’s relevant to people searching for real estate information in your area.
When you launched your Agent XSite, you “personalized” the pre-written content that comes with it, right? Made it relevant to your area, your services?
If you’re interested in good search engine results, you absolutely need to do that. (Some agents simply want a place they can point buyers and sellers to, and that’s great. We’re talking about XSite owners who want better search engine results.)
This is a simple process that will pay potentially huge dividends. Here’s an example of what we mean. Your professionally pre-written home page may start out like this:
The Right Real Estate Agent
People don't talk about it a lot. But finding the right real estate agent can be the difference between a happy, stress-free home buying or selling experience, and an unhappy, stressful experience.
First, you'll want an agent ready and able to make a full-time commitment to you. I can and will do that.
Second, you'll want an agent with the experience needed to know the local neighborhoods, schools, market conditions, ordinances, etc. With my years of experience in the local market - I have the expertise and track record of success you need.
Third, you'll want an agent who embraces the convenience of technology without losing the personal touch. You'll love the resources available on my website and the e-mail alerts that I send, but these will never replace the time I spend with you, serving as your personal guide through this exciting process.
XSites’ pre-written content is designed to be able to stand alone and present you and your company professionally. But if you want better search results, you might modify the above to say:
The Right Real Estate Agent in Atlanta and Gwinnett County, Georgia
People don't talk about it a lot. But finding the right real estate agent who knows the Atlanta, Georgia area and especially Gwinnett County can be the difference between a happy, stress-free home buying or selling experience, and an unhappy, stressful experience.
First, you'll want a local Gwinnett County agent ready and able to make a full-time commitment to you. I can and will do that.
Second, you'll want an agent with the experience needed to know the neighborhoods, schools, market conditions, ordinances, etc. in Lawrenceville, Snellville, Suwanee and elsewhere. With my years of experience in Gwinnett County - I have the expertise and track record of success you need.
Third, you'll want an agent who embraces the convenience of technology without losing the personal touch. You'll love the local resources available on my website, like real estate market conditions in Lawrenceville, schools in Norcross, and featured listings in Buford, and the e-mail alerts that I send. But these will never replace the time I spend with you, serving as your personal guide through this exciting process as you buy your Gwinnett County, Georgia dream home.
Do something similar on all your pre-written content pages, and Web surfers searching for “Gwinnett County Georgia real estate” are much more likely to find your XSite.
You can begin to modify your content by following the steps and advice you’ll find in the Agent XSites Users Guide by .
I’ve intentionally kept this article’s advice simple: Drop in as many local, “personal” references as you can in your XSite content. Do that and you’re well on your way to more search engine traffic. Next time out, we’ll get more into the nitty gritty of what kinds of content changes help the most with search engine results.
Do the very basic stuff first, by personalizing your XSite. Next time you’ll learn some tweaks and tips that will better optimize your site’s content.
Don't miss the rest of our "Boosting your Search Engine Marketing" series:
Part 1: How Links Affect Your XSite’s Search Results
Part 3: Where Keywords Should Go
