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Questions: On the Blog - Website Relationship

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Signature Real Estate TREC# 516948

First let me start by saying that I have read and will continue to read as many blog posts, articles, newsletters on SEO as almost anybody and I feel that I have a pretty decent grip on this "flexible science". However there are a few questions on the blog-website relationship that I just cannot seem to figure out. And since I have read some brilliant posts on this topic on this platform from some brilliant people, I thought I'd throw the questions out there for someone to provide some answers. 

Most SEO articles are in agreement that it usually helps to have a blog with relevant content to link back to your site. But at the same time, they say that the site should not link to the blog, because it is then considered a reciprocal link and the BIG Bad Google doesn't like that. The problem is that with the exception of a superfriendly platform like Active Rain, most blogs created on Blogger, Typepad, Wordpress etc. do not rank high by themselves. My question is:

  1. How is your blog supposed to get popular unless you direct some of the website traffic you already have so then in turn the links from the blog can add value to your website? Right now I have a blog section in the front page of my site with all the blogs linked in. Is that a good idea? 
  2. When you create a blog with Blogger, it gives you the option to host it on their server or your server. As far as SEO is concerned, which option is better? Currently my blogs are hosted on my server because I wanted my content to be my content.
If someone can help it would be great. 
Jim Little
Ken Meade Realty - Sun City, AZ
Your Sun City Arizona Realtor
Erion, hope you don't mind if I tag 1 more question to this. If you have a blogger account, can you change to your web site hosting?
Jun 04, 2007 05:24 AM
Erion Shehaj
Signature Real Estate - Houston, TX
Houston Real Estate Broker

I don't mind at all Jim. Actually, anyone that has any other questions is welcome to add them here too.

I can answer that for you Jim, you can! I have currently done it with my site. 

Jun 04, 2007 05:27 AM
Ronnie Roach
PrimePay Business Services - Kill Devil Hills, NC
You can get high rankings through Typepad - I know I do.  I also see myself on AR and I have reciprocal links.  Just write and the rankings will come.
Jun 04, 2007 05:35 AM
Marc Rasmussen
DWELL Real Estate - Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Real Estate
  • How is your blog supposed to get popular unless you direct some of the website traffic you already have so then in turn the links from the blog can add value to your website? Right now I have a blog section in the front page of my site with all the blogs linked in. Is that a good idea?
  • I don't think that is a problem.  I have had a link to my blog for a long time now. Google does not mind reciprocal links it just does not like excessive, unnecessary reciprocal links initiated only to inflate link popularity.

  • When you create a blog with Blogger, it gives you the option to host it on their server or your server. As far as SEO is concerned, which option is better? Currently my blogs are hosted on my server because I wanted my content to be my content.
  • I host my blog on my site. I like having it under my domain name because then I have more pages as I post in my blog. The more you post the more pages and content you have. Google likes good, quality content with plenty of useful pages.

    I usually rank #1 for "Sarasota real estate" in Google but was penalized about 30 days about for reciprocal link trading and state pages.

    Jun 08, 2007 12:40 PM
    Ben Kinney
    Ben Kinney Team - Bellingham, WA
    We do real estate:Tech, Training, Sales, Brokerage

    Mark

    How far did they penalize you for that?  Did they delist you?  Are you a REW member? 

    Erion

    Thanks for the good questions ...  it helps us all.

    Ben

    Jun 08, 2007 04:34 PM
    John Lockwood
    Lockwood Real Estate - Sacramento, CA

    I took a quick look at your site.  I have a couple of thoughts:

    1) You have about four blogs or so -- all with good content.   However on a site your size, I'd boil it down to one and rock and roll on that one.

    2) "Houston Real Estate" is the keyword your main site is optimized for.  Four years ago I SEO'd my way to the top of the SERPS for Sacramento  Real Estate, and I was unable to reproduce that trick three years later for  Oakland Real Estate -- and recall that I knew (or thought I did) exactly how to do it .  You're going after a keyword that's slightly more competitive than those two markets combined.  You're trying to slay a lion with a pocket knife and a pack of gum.  Get into Wordtracker.com and the like and research keywords for your market, and try to find out some combination of keywords that is achievable but will also make you money.

    3) I only see four or five incoming links for this google query:  "link:www.signaturehouston.com".  You need to do something to increase that.  It seems like so far you're focused on linking to yourself, which is good for page rank but lousy for what you really need, link reputation.  Once you've picked your doable keyword "SomePartOfHouston Townhomes" or whatever it is, make your blog "SomePartOfHouston Townhomes News" then start making pals with as many bloggers as you can.  Give some sincere compliments.  See if you can get some of them to link back to some of your posts, or main pages, or whatever.

    4) You can't game Google like you once could.  (Though you can still game MSN / Yahoo and make a few coins that way).  You just need achievable keywords, good solid content, and natural incoming and outgoing links.  Forget penalties -- just get ahold of (Google this:) "Google Webmaster Guidelines" and do everything it says to do, and nothing it  says not to do.

    Good luck.

    Jun 08, 2007 07:10 PM
    Marc Rasmussen
    DWELL Real Estate - Sarasota, FL
    Sarasota Real Estate

    Hi Ben,

    Yes, I am an REW customer. If you search my name in Google I am found on the 4th page. In fact, any phrase that I should be #1 for I am on the 4th page.

     I am hoping this is a 30 day penalty.

    Jun 08, 2007 10:19 PM