Black and White superman cartoon character ActiveRain- How to find your "Rain"bow.....

I want to share a success story with you as a result of joining the ActiveRain community.

I gladly joined the AR community because of Lenn Harley of Homefinders.com 

During my 1st week, I educated myself with Stephen Graham through live tutorials offered by the ActiveRain University.  The tutorials were extremely informative and easy to learn; Stephen is indeed a Blogging Guru.

Once I educated myself, I put my fingers on the keyboard and started blogging.  Even though I still consider myself a fledgling in the world of blogging, I'm happy to report I'm soaring like Superman!

 

My first blog discussed my Bank's 100% financing program for first time home buyers but had no specific geographic area referenced in the title. 

Subsequently, the blog did not show-up on the 1stpage of Google's search results because I was competing with 100 million other sites targeting first time home buyers.

Dilemma: How can I get my blog on the 1st page of Google?  Call ActiveRain!  The support staff at AR provided invaluable advice:  make my blog geographically targeted, so I immediately changed my title adding specific counties in Virginia that I was targeting.

 

Within 4 minutes of posting the revised blogs with a county in each title, Googlebot found them and miraculously I seized the #1 spot on Google.  It was truly impressive because there were still 300,000 other sites competing to be found on Google from the same search query.

Let It Rain: To my Surprise, within the first week of posting the blogs, I was contacted by 3 first time home buyers who were interested in qualifying for my 100% financing program.  I should mention they did not have agents.

Let It Pour:  Now armed with a qualified Buyer, I searched ActiveRain for an Agent who specializes in Henrico County, VA where my Buyer lives, and called Marcus Rice with the valuable lead.  He was so impressed with a Lender finally brinsteven conlan outside under a rainbowging him a lead, that he in return forwarded me a lead.

 

I believe this scenario is why ActiveRain was initially created.  What great synergy!  My goal is to bring exceptional value to both Realtors and my Borrowers, and AR allowed me to accomplish both in an efficient manner.

Simply put, ActiveRain has some incredible influence with Google (and others) with regard to SEO (search engine optimization).  AR is a powerful engine from which vital and time-sensitive material continually flows, and Google certainly values.

 

Finding the Rainbow:  If you want to stand out in the crowd and show-up on the 1st page of Google results, I'd recommend adding a geographical location in the title if applicable.  Most people I know, only look at the 1st page of Google results and then lose interest.  Therefore, your marketing effectiveness relies on where you show-up on the search results page.

Please share your tips and tricks for blogging, so we may increase the overall effectiveness of our ActiveRain community and help each other find that pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow...

 
This post has been included in Virginia Real Estate News
Post is included in group: 1st Time Buyers
Post is included in group: Active Rain Newbies
Post is included in group: Posts to Localism
Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: "Whacked"!!!

38 Comments on ActiveRain- How to find your "Rain"bow.....

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JAN
11
2011
578,516 Points 2 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thank you for this tip.  I am learning slowly, but surely, many tips for SEO optimization.  Thanks for yours.
6:37pm • #19
2 Featured Posts

Charles- I am glad it is useful for you. Good Luck.

Leslie- I feel that 2010 was the transition year and 2011 is the year to prosper for everyone

Andi- I believe that 1st time home buyers are our saving grace right now. They are the one's buying a lot of the inventory.

Amerifirst- There is definitely a lot to learn but I'm up for it.

Cindy- Your welcome. I am glad that even being new that I can still contribute something.
6:49pm • #20
330,753 Points 16 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Steve, congratulations on both the feature and the rainbow! That is a great picture, btw! Active Rain is definitely where the pot of gold is when you work it right!
6:55pm • #21
151,303 Points 3 Featured Posts

Steve, that is such an inspiring story to hear! Glad you posted it in AR Newbies group, that's what new comers need to hear - well, all of us love these stories!
7:13pm • #22
121,706 Points Attended Rain Camp

Great job and I've made notes for some future posts. 
7:43pm • #23
366,288 Points 17 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

Steve - I took a Rainmaker class yesterday - Steven Graham is an awesome teacher.  Active Rain training is a valuable resource - they want us to be successful and teach us how.

Longtail keywords using geo and descriptive terms are the key - and Active Rain has the Google juice.

Very cool that you are getting results already - keep up the good work.
8:11pm • #24
975,239 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Great post. I like the title, too. Sounds like the results are wonderful for your efforts.
8:55pm • #25
1,419,788 Points 52 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Nice job applying the tips from Steven's class on SEO. Geography really helps our posts hit the target.
9:14pm • #26
556,373 Points 11 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi Steve -- Congrats, I hope you have a great rest of 2011 as well.  That exceptional that you provided a lead to an agent. 
10:09pm • #27
621,510 Points 11 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Need to start doing more Hyper Local blogs. Something I haven't done in a while. Congratulations to you Steve. Great post.
11:52pm • #28
JAN
12
2011
1,139,206 Points 154 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

This such a great success story.  Sounds like you've taken the bull by the horns and really taken advantage of all the wonderful resources AR has to offer.  That is so great that you found a biz partner here, too.  Congrats on that as well as the feature.
6:30am • #29
478,321 Points 15 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Steve -- This is an awesome story. I am sure that now that you know some SEO tips taught by Steven, you will be even more successful in targeting homebuyers with whatever terms you wish.  Much success to you! Keep it going!
5:48pm • #30
JAN
13
2011
2 Featured Posts

Dawn-Thanks. The pic was a rare opportunity; I was driving along and this beautiful rainbow emerged after it started drizzling.

Anna- Inspiration is a wonderful feeling and I am so happy I could be apart of it. Thank you.

Rhonda- Definitely use locations in your blogs in the future and it will shoot you right to the top of Google!

Virginia- It is great you are taking advantage of the university that Stephen offers. Nice job.

Cheryl- I am happy you enjoyed the thoughts. That title took a while to come to my head.

John- Yes, Stephen's class is a must if your going to blog.

Cris- I wish a successful 2011 for you also. I decided in 2011 to concentrate on helping others and stop focusing on myself and it eventually will come back around.

Lanre- Absolutley, localizing the blogs will take a little more time but they will certainly be more effective because you are cutting the competition by a huge percentage with Google.

Debbie- Thank you. I am glad that the time I have put into learning is coming together now. This is such a great community, where we can assist each other.

Barbara- Thanks, I beleive that 2011 is where our industry starts coming together instead of falling apart. I am sure it will be a good year for you too. Always keep in mind what the other person needs and it will pay off.

 

 
10:58am • #31
JAN
14
2011
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Good for you Steve.  Keep up the EXCELLENT work.  What a great post!!
11:51am • #32
2 Featured Posts

Hi Charlene- I am glad you enjoyed this blog. Happy New Year. I hope things are going well with Preferred Title for 2011. I have a couple of other things to send you so I will contact you soon.
11:56am • #33
Called Shot Master

Steve, this is a wonderful testimony about how AR has come to your rescue!  Kudos off to you guy!  I wish you were closer to Illinois cuz I would definitely use you to help me with my many different faceted buyers needs that I have.  :)

I also took the AR webinars that helped explain and teach one how to go about blogging here.  Steve Graham is an excellent teacher and he explains everything so well that you can't help but walk away from his lessons without knowing what to do and how to go about it!  :)

That 100% financing for 1st time homebuyers .... do you still have that available?????  And can you do it in Illinois?????  I'm going to go right over to your other blogs and read them about what you have to offer as well.  If you can work in Illinois, I'd love to add you as one of my Associates.  :)  Let me know.

And then the referral you got and gave to a realtor.  Those things just don't happen in this world!  Kudos off to you for that.  If you get anything like that for the Illinois area, let me know!  :)

Keep up the good work.  I'm going to heed what I learned in those classes ad try to get more readership from my blogs from now on.  
2:42pm • #34
2 Featured Posts

Hi Karen-

Thank you for the lengthy response. Yes, the 100% Financing is still available and the $7,500 grant is a strong program because we will pay for the borrower's down payment for them.

I have a tendency to concentrate in the DC area with my business but I will certainly investigate to see if we have reciprocal licensing ability so that we may do loans in Illinois and I will get back to you on that.

It is surprising how many Realtors were soooo impressed with me referring out to a local Realtor; I guess it doesn't happen very often. It boggles my mind that more lenders don't advertise to the end consumer more often so they would be able to refer business to agents.

Definitely use what Stephen taught you because it really does work but it takes some trial and error to get accustomed to what works best.
4:36pm • #35
JAN
27
2011
975,239 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thanks for the phone call. Left you a message. Great rainbow photo above.
7:21pm • #36
621,510 Points 11 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Steve thank you very much for considering me for that referral. Looking forward to the phone call next week and doing more business together. Oh and welcome to Active Rain. Thanks again I really appreciate it. Much success to you. Great post.
8:34pm • #37
JAN
28
2011
2 Featured Posts

Cheryl- I left you a message back that I will call you next week.

Lanre- I am looking forward to talking to you further next week and doing business with you in the future also,
2:15pm • #38

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