Search engines have guidelines in place to prevent the unfair manipulation of search engine rankings. These guidelines, or algorithms, are modified on an ongoing basis by the search engines as new deceptive practices are discovered (and as they find better ways to rank websites for users). If undesirable tactics are used on a website, it can actually result in being dropped from the rankings of a search engine…or certainly lowered in rankings.

If your site is banned or dropped from the search engine rankings, it can certainly have a negative impact on your website traffic, online sales generation and site popularity.

Read this article if you would like tips in avoiding making the search engines unhappy with your website.

[Note: Most of these points are big time baddies...a couple reflect just good practice to avoid...unless there is a good reason to do otherwise.]

I know we all would like to be in the top 10 when it comes to ranking well in the search engines. It takes time, knowledge, tweaking and patience. It can actually be a full time job…and top SEO professionals can make a LOT of money helping you get there.

Tapping the services of a full time, experienced SEO firm would be ideal, but for many of us in small business, this may not be an affordable option. So, if you don’t have a lot of time to learn and devote to the search engine optimization (SEO) of your site…and you don’t want to spend a lot of money…what do you do?

Visit this article that reviews many of the  factors influencing how well you rank on the search engines. A nice simple article on the main things you can do to help your site do better.

You can also contact GraphicalData for affordable assistance in “staging your website” for the search engines. We provide proven optimization and submission for GraphicalData websites to the primary search engines.

In my last post regarding ranking well in the search engines, I provided a link to an article about “Top 10 SEO Factors”. This post is a follow-up article in regards to what can provide barriers to search engine spiders or robots trying to crawl your website.

Visit this article to find a brief look at the top 10 mistakes made by website designers or those endeavoring to optimize a site for the search engines…and how to correct them.

There are many factors to consider in ranking well with the search engines. And, as luck would have it, each search engine has its own recipe (or algorithm) for the criteria that they apply to this end.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) “sets the stage” for the engines. Optimizing a website is sort of like staging a home for buyers, except in this case, you are staging for the search engine ‘bots. If you have good content (which is very important) it still needs to abide by other factors that search engines build into their formulas for ranking websites.

Visit this short article on some of the factors that can help put you in good standing with the search engines.

If you would like GraphicalData to assist you with SEO on your GraphicalData website, please feel free to contact us at seo@graphicaldata.com

Part 2 on driving off-line traffic to your website.

On my last post we reviewed what Direct Navigation was, and how it could be implemented and integrated into our marketing to increase the traffic to your website.

This post I would like to revisit the Direct Navigation concept and look at a few more zingers or slight variations on the previous examples. As you can see they are only limited by your imagination. You should review your strengths, what you are offering on your web site, and your marketplace…then promote with the appropriate “zingers” that would entice folks to visit your website.

• Visit My NEW Website
• View This Weekend’s Open Houses
• Subscribe to Neighborhood Reports for Statistics and Trends (not available all areas)
• Search All Area Homes for Sale Anytime
• To Visit Every Listing, Visit YourDomainName.com
• Request a FREE Relocation Package (if you provide one)
• View My Online Real Estate Newsletter (if you provide one)
• Request your FREE School Report [or] Free Neighborhood Report
• View Properties utilizing Google’s Earth Mapping Technology

I have had agents tell me that upon mailing out postcards promoting their websites (spheres and farms), when reviewing their stats, they saw substantial increases in traffic.

Whether using postcards, magazines (ie Homes and Land) or whatever, you will have an impact on the traffic to your site. And like anything we do in real estate, it is numbers and timing. The more we send, the greater the return.

Don’t be afraid to promote your website. Do have good quality content when your visitors stop by.

Did you know that “Direct Navigation” can often account for as much traffic to your website as do search engines…perhaps even more?

“Direct Navigation” can happen when someone types in your domain name, or URL directly into the address bar of their browser. This also  can include links from emails and bookmarks.

What might some of these marketing solutions be? Business cards, direct mail, magazine ads, newspapers, signage, etc.

For example, in Homes and Land…or newspaper advertising, you could continue to show 2 or 3 listings or whatever, but would devote the thrust of your message as to why they should visit your website with 2 or 3 zingers…maybe even only one if it is a biggie.

And another idea…send out those postcards. You could display an image of your website on the card, and then list a zinger or two as to why the recipient should visit your website. Agents that have done this  say they could see the increased traffic to their websites via their stats.

You can probably reduce the size of your advertisement one notch!

Here is a list of zingers that you can place in your advertising.

• NEW! Search homes by neighborhood!
• See Photos of your favorite listings!
• View all MLS listings from all real estate companies.
• See what homes sold for in your neighborhood.
• Estimate what your home is worth.
• Save your favorite listings for future viewing.
• Save your search for future viewing
• Find information on schools, and neighborhoods.
• Receive the latest email notification of new listings matching your search criteria.
• Send listings of interest to family and friends by email.
• View Buyer and Sellers tips.
• Calculate how much home you can afford.
• Calculate your mortgage payments.

Integrate your marketing strategies…offline marketing and online marketing…then watch your traffic grow!

If you would like more traffic to your website, it takes more than just launching a website, “and they will come”…

It actually takes a bit of work. I would like to share some of the ways you can drive more traffic to your site. A few may seem obvious and easy, while others are less obvious and may take a moment of your time. But, all will benefit you in the promotion of your website.

a). Make sure that your domain name has been added to the online office agent roster;

b). Include your domain name (and email) on your business cards, brochures, flyers and any other promotional materials that you might produce;

c). Ensure you have incorporated these same items into your email signature and any email-driven newsletters that you might send out;

d). Do you advertise in Homes and Land, the local newspaper, or other types of printed medium…then be sure and include your website domain name here as well;

e). Whenever there is a newsworthy event, submit it to the local newspapers for inclusion. Often it will get printed…especially if it is community-worthy. Don’t forget to include your domain name!

f). Write articles for online newsletters and the like. Show yourself as an authority. Be sure and include your domain name. You can submit to various online entities such as ezinearticles.com and isnare.com;

The ways to promote your site are limited only by your imagination. Just remember, by driving folks to your website will give them most of the information they need. All listings…schools…communities…area links…even what nearby homes have sold for and differing types of featured listings that you might have on your site. And a way to contact you!

Include that domain name on everything!