For the last several months, I have been almost underground. When it comes to blogging about Huntsville Alabama Real Estate, I have been non existent. I know we have to keep it up and it has hurt me in the search engines. However, I am still seeing a surge in contacts and sales. It is almost like the faucet has been turned on again. It will likely be short lived but my team and I have several things under contract. It looks like they will all close.

As I mentioned, we have been working on several new things. I will give you some detail about these things.

We were investigating a new contact manager with a builtin drip email syatem. There are many quality programs out there. Some are very expensive for up start agents and teams. There are other problems with these systems. They don't integrate very well with other system. So, I usually spend a lot of time logging in and changing multiple systems. To solve this dilemma, I have teamed up with a new website/graphics' designer and a programmer.

We are building a new system, that will roll out in the Huntsville Alabama area. This system will have a CMS website manager, website hosting, Google Analytics, blog, forum, Flyer Designer, Email Designer, Contact Manager, IDX solution, MLS Gateway, property websites, listings' module, virtual tours and a Drip Email System. There will be only one interface to work from, only one login area.

We are taking it slow to be sure and do it right. We have the content manager, website hosting, and listing module in place and functional. I was building this system for my business and asked the opinion of some of my REALTOR friends; they loved the idea.

When the system has been fully tested. We will unveil this to the general real estate industry.

We all know that after you do the basics of building a quality site and implementing a good SEO strategy, the next things needed are quality links.

I don't know what made me think of this but I find my online marketing strategy to be a lot like pinball. Here is my description:

1) The steel ball is a blog post, article or press release.
2) The spring loaded launcher is used to to launch the ball. These are the actual blogs, article directories, and press organizations promoting your news to online publishers: including digg, delicious and etc.
3) You score points by keeping the ball bouncing around.

Everytime you get credit for an additional link in Google, these are points. The more of the link references you have the more your ball will bounce around between the bumpers.

The more content you publish and the more references you create the higher your placement in the search engine. I am still kind of new at this social media stuff. I have learned that I need to create daily posts and news for Huntsville Alabama real estate to maintain enhance lmy position.

If you never launch the ball you will never gain search engine position.

There are all kinds of advice on how to build websites. It can be a real tough decision on the direction. If you make the wrong decision it can set you back several months and you could lose hundreds to thousands of dollars by dropping potential clients. Do you know where to begin? In this article, I will help you understand the decision you should make.

I have purchased several how-to guides on the internet. You know those that claim to help you earn $1,000,000 in your first month online. They have a thousand-word sales pitch before they tell you the answer is in an ebook that costs $24.99. In almost all cases the information in these ebooks was the same as in forums you can join for free. This is my first piece of advice. When you are making business decisions about online marketing, find a forum or a blog covering the topic. If you can, become a member; spend hours gleaning from the experience written there. This can save you from many of the pitfalls.

Most people have heard of search engines and how it is important to gain clients through search engine rankings. The higher you rank in the search engine the more visitors you receive. So, wouldn't it make sense to build your website for search engine rankings as the main priority? Many web designers use this approach, but it is wrong. You need to ask yourself a simple question. "Who is my audience?", or "Who are my customers". This answer needs to be the focus of your website. You can work to get rankings drawing in the visitors, if you can't retain them it is all for nothing.

With visitors as your primary focus, design the site around them. Some designers think bells and whistles are the most important features. Some think high end graphics' design is the most important feature. These both are secondary in importance. The most important feature is ease of use through the navigation. Most visitors will be looking for something specific. How easy will it be to find on your website? You will lose more than 50% of total visitors in the first 30 seconds if they can't navigate the website with ease. You will need to take the time to plan the navigation menu. What options are most important to your visitors? These need to be main categories. It is ok to have subcategories from these. Make them in a drop down or in a different color. Differentiate the primary categories from the subcategories. After the navigation work on the overall look and feel of the website; quality content worth reading and appealing photos become important. I have one note of warning. When using a lead capture form, collect only the necessary information. If you overload the visitor they will not give their information. I ask for name, email, and phone. I get about a 5% optin rate for Huntsville Alabama real estate. When it is all said and done, have a free offering on your website. I am personally working on a PDF relocation guide for Huntsville Alabama. The visitor must request a free copy via a user input form.

You may still be wondering about search engine rankings. Isn't it important to rank in the search engines? It is so very important to rank. Ranking is the primary source for visitors. However, search engines can't keep the visitor for you. You must make your site search engine friendly, but this is about formatting the completed website to meet the search engine guidelines. Many of the things important to the search engines don't affect the overall design and aren't really noticed by the visitor. When you figure out the profile for your visitors, design your website around their needs.

I have a site that has been in the top 10 of Google for the terms Condos and Condos for sale. There were 50,000,000 web pages referenced by Google and at this point CondosandResorts.com is number 2. I have actually had this ranking for about 2.5 years. The site was originally setup for condo sales in the U.S.

I am thinking of converting it to a rental site, since it is ranking for condos. I am sure there are a lot more people out there looking for weekend rentals.

With this site we can usually make a new condo project rank in the search engines within 4-6 weeks.

I am looking for any ideas and feedback. I really would like to make this site work for REALTORS, developers, and the general public.

If you have ideas or suggestions please comment on this blog. If you know anyone who could benefit from this site pass it along.

I recently had an interesting conversation with a local builder I hired to do some remodeling. We were discussing advertising and marketing. Since I work directly for builders, developers and REALTORS, I can see the huge gaping chasm between the builder world and REALTOR world.

When I became a REALTOR one of my developer friends told me to only wear my name badge when I am dealing with the actual home buyer. He said that developers see agents as door mats to walk on. So, I had to take this into consideration when dealing with builders and developers.

I think he is right about the developers' view of REALTORS. In Huntsville Alabama Real Estate we have around 2,000 agents. That is a huge amount. Many of the new agents come into the business with no real skill and very little to offer; thinking it is an easy business with lots of money to be made. Many of them have no sales, experience, business experience, no marketing and no advertising experience. The field doesn't require strong credentials or an education to get a license. Developers need results and when you can't prove results you can only talk in theory. There are about 8% of REALTORS who really work and provide results. Those remaining will be of no service to the the developers.

I asked my contracted builder what he thought about advertising and marketing. I asked him about their company philosopy when it comes to REALTORS. He has a local REALTOR listing his property. I know this REALTOR and he is a fine fellow. The builder felt like the REALTOR wasn't doing enough. He felt like the REALTOR should be spending a lot of money on this $250,000 listing. I asked him how his other sales are going. They are going as I expected, slow. So, I politely asked him if he has a budget for marketing and advertising for his own product. He spends almost nothing. I did take up for his REALTOR. I told him if there isn't money coming in for the REALTOR, how can that person spend money on advertising.

Most small to medium developers and builders are running their budgets on a shoe string. They seem very tight and unwilling to spend money. They do not feel that it is necessary to have a budget for advertising and marketing when that is the job of the REALTOR. What they fail to understand is the average REALTOR doesn't have the funds for this either. Especially, if this is the time of a slow market. When you look at the Huntsville MLS we are saturated with new inventory right now.

So, what do the successful builders and developers do? They budget 6% to 10% of the total project costs for marketing and advertising. They provide websites, brochures, and video professionally created to tell the story the best way. Don't place this task on the REALTOR. In most cases the REALTOR has to hire the same services as developer. They are usually not the professional when it comes to creating the supporting marketing materials.

REALTORS and Developers work in the same industry but have two completely different businesses. The developer wants only his product advertised and sold. The REALTOR has to spend their advertising dollars promoting their total book of business. REALTORS have to promote all of their listings. Good REALTORS understand that this is a numbers business and they can't put all their eggs in only one developer's basket. Many REALTORS have gone out of business spending money on a bad project.

This was written by Pearl Real Estate Marketing for you to make a stronger case for marketing.

Our government has some kind of regulation in every industry. So, it is impossible for me to believe the words of people who run for office with the word liar as their foundation.

There is a joke out there that goes something like this. How can you tell when a politician is lying? When his lips are moving. We all know that these people who regulate everything lie to get in office. The Websters' dictionary should define politician as, ... Untrustworthy, Disloyal, dishonest, shady, immoral, no integrity, would sellout their mothers to get ahead and we could go on and on. We place our trust in these people and put them into office, when we know what they are. They are the ones who convicted Oliver North of lying to congress when they themselves are liars. My focus is not Oliver North but being convicted of lying to dishonest thieves.

Here is my point... How can we trust the people to fix a problem that they themselves created. They want to create more regulation to protect the public against greed when it is their greed that put us in this position. IF THEY WANT TO PROTECT US THEY SHOULD RESIGN AND WE WOULD BE WAY AHEAD. They purposely relaxed the oversight and told us, Freddie and Fannie were OK while they were running it into the ground. Every politician in Washington should be fired and a new group come in. They couldn't be any worse. I have no respect for the people supposedly running the show. They have sold out the future for my kids and grandkids.

We need to go back to the declaration of indepence and restate it to these people. Here is a quote from the Declaration of Independence. "... That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it,  and to institute a new Government...". We need a re-established government centered on the declaration of independence and on the U.S. Constitution.

This is really upsetting to me for our families' futures. This will likely be my last ranting and raving about this matter for a while. I promise to get back to Huntsville Alabama real estate and SEO. I still owe new posts about online marketing.

From what I understand the mortgage problems were created by the subprime mortgages. Maybe one of our Active Rain mortgage specialists can answer a question for me.

I don't understand all the details of the subprime mortgages but I know there are a lot of foreclosures for differing reasons. In many cases people could get 100% and greater in their loans. In addition could get assistance with closing costs. Did these people not have to pay for PMI (private mortgage insurance in their monthly payment?

1st Question
If they have to pay PMI what happened to that insurance covering the default? PMI is paid by the home owner to cover and hedge the default risk for the mortgagor. I would like to know where that money is?
Alan Greenspan made comments a couple of days ago of how he thought the banks would do a better job protecting themselves. That is the dumbest statement I have ever heard by someone who is supposed to be so smart. He stated he couldn't see this problem coming. They regulate everything and they knew what was going on. Everything being told to us by politicians and the federal reserve is a lie. There were a lot people responsible for oversight in these issues and they either had their hand in the pot taking money or was looking the other way while their buddies were looting our system. I have nothing but disgust for the whole group promoting this bailout.

2nd Question
If the PMI restriction doesn't apply any more, then why should anyone have to pay it? Once we get this absolute financial bank robbery by our fed government behind us, I think I will look for a subprime mortgage soak up my equity, blow it all and then file bankruptcy. (not really). That is how I want to respond to this. Why should anyone have to pay PMI if others don't?

I don't know what is going to happen in our Huntsville Alabama real estate market but I will certainly be looking for banks and Huntsville mortgage companies who held to appropriate standards. From what I can see Compass Bank kept their nose clean in this process.

I would really appreciate other comments on this. Especially if you can explain what happened to the PMI.

I know I am "stereo-typing" an entire industry but let's look at the facts. Also, know there are some very reputable attorneys. Some are friends I would trust almost over anyone. A good example of an attorney with integrity is Michael Brodowski in Huntsville Alabama Real Estate law.

From what I can see, most state and federal politicians have backgrounds in law, typically as attorneys. There are some industries with bad reputations, like used car salesmen, REALTORS and attorneys. These are viewed skeptically by the public. I want to talk specifically about the attorneys; we can rip on the others later.

Regardless of who you vote for this year, we have a real problem in our legal world, created by politicians. Most politicians I have met are cagey and hard to pin down with a direct answer. Then we see these people making laws for our country, which is really made to benefit them. When I meet with people, I look into their eyes across the table expecting straight answers. If I can't get straight answers I withdraw my trust. I see the state and federal lawmakers as hypocrites who have sold their souls to the devil for power and money. There is no one who believes for a minute we are truly being represented by these people. It is so evident that their self interests out-weigh the needs of the people. They will not look you in the eye and be honest.

I have personally decided they don't care about me and my family. If things aren't changing in the right direction I will be voting against the incumbent. I am a conservative and I am convinced that we have to provide for ourselves with integrity. So, my voting will lean strongly conservative but the previous and current congress has shown they are not interested in representing me. Both parties had control of the congress in the last 10 years and their track records are abysmal.

I now support a "two consecutive terms" term limits. Our hard earned money, as taxes, should not be a personal slush fund and piggy banks for people who don't care how hard we work for our country. Then they hide behind laws they create for themselves just to fatten their pockets.

Most of these "so called" representatives make more money from outside interests than their salary. This money is made while on the clock for the United States citizens. I think we should get a cut of the excess. We "the people" should start a movement demanding 50% of the money they make on our dime.

Just remember the next time you vote to elect an attorney or the incumbent to a seat in congress, they are seeking it for personal gain.

 How does Google measure your reputation?

Websites are judged by the search engines on their reputation and real estate websites are no different. Some people think reputation is measured by the amount of visitors. It is just the opposite. Your amount of visitors is based on your placement in the search engines. Placement in Google specifically, is based on how they measure your website's reputation.

The simplest definition: A website's reputation is measured by how many anchor text links point to the website from other web pages. This includes internal and external links. Your site must out perform the competition in getting links.

As with any rule there are loop holes. Spammers were interlinking all of their websites with links at the bottom of the page to rank in the search engines. This tactic drove legitimate marketers to use the same methods to compete. Google figured it out and started penalizing all sites using this method. Google started discounting links to and from sites. Then the spammers and SEO's (Search Engine Optimizers) started embedding these links in content, but it would be content not worth reading. The content would be stuffed with links. Once again Google had to penalize these kinds of sites. This has all happened in the last three years.

You have likely heard of the Social Media Phenomenon, also known as Web 2.0. This in its simplest form is content writing, articles, press releases, blog posts, how to guides and general news. All of these are part of the new online media. Google is looking for quality content with one or two links embedded in each media post.

An online marketer may have the responsibility of building/maintaining the website. In addition if the marketer wants to create traffic he/she must consistently create social media content. This requires creating a network of other online marketers with whom you can share these tasks. The more social media sites you post on and link with the more reputation you build with the search engines.

These social media posts must be done consistently for every keyword phrase for which ranking is desired.

Such as:

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate
Huntsville Al Real Estate
Huntsville MLS
Huntsville Real Estate
Huntsville Homes
Huntsville Homes for sale

In short, the way to rank with Google is still in linking. However, those links must be embedded in quality content. Google is making web masters work like the rest of the country. We must earn it without short cuts and through good quality work.

How to make a website search engine friendly:

1)   Title of the website - must target the keywords desired and must be unique on every page. There is a limit on the quantity of words in the title allowed by the search engines.

2)   Meta Description - Must be a concise statement about the content on the specific page and target the keywords. This statement needs to be unique per page. There is a limit on the quantity of words allowed by the search engines in the description.

3)   Keyword Tags  - These need to be keyword phrases for the entire website.  Separate each phrase with a comma.

4)   H-Tags - H-tags are html tags to highlight specific keyword phrases in the content on every page. These tags specify the importance of the keyword phrases to the search engines. My H! tag is my primary term Huntsville Alabama Real Estate.

5)   Navigation - The navigation needs to include important keyword/phrases linking to the specific page.

6)   Keyword Density - The keyword density of a website needs to be around 2.5% of the total words of the site. This includes alt tags, H-Tags, Page Title, keyword tags, Meta Description and page content.

7)   Hidden Text - Hidden text is something that will get you banned in the search engines. It, in most cases, is a tactic by spammers banned by search engines. Spammers attempt to hide text from the end user but serve it to the search engines. It can be done accidentally by web designers.

8)   Alt Text - These are keyword phrase tags attached to photos. These need to be unique per photo.

9)   Quantity of pages - I would suggest a minimum of 15 pages per website.

No matter what you read or hear about some things not applying anymore, don't believe it. The search engines may change and place weight one aspect more than others. However, all the above information is still very important to your online success.

In the next article I will cover website reputation and how search engines judge site.