Those of you who followed Project Blogger knew that one of my frustrations was that during the contest, I was writing my little heart out but Google couldn't find me. There was almost an allergic reaction between Google and Real Town, the platform where I've been writing my Live In Los Gatos blog.

Well, I have good news to report.

Fran (Frances Flynn Thorsen, the managing editor of Real Town and my mentor during the contest) kept telling me that changes were coming. She had hoped that they would come DURING the contest, but alas, they did not. And that was a cause of immense frustration to me.

But come they did - and what an impact it has had!  So I had to report back with "the rest of the story".

When I fist started writing Live in Los Gatos (with the URL shortcut of http://www.liveinlosgatos.com/), the real web address of my blog was http://liveinlosgatos.realtownblogs.com/.

Google seemed to hate that.

In deference to SEO issues, though, in the last couple of weeks the changes have been implemented. The new "real" url is now http://www.realtown.com/liveinlosgatos/blog. Same shortcut, though. (I like my permanent URL to be short!)

Google likes it. Google REALLY likes it.

Suddenly when I look at my # of hits, it's way up. The results are coming to me from Google for a change too. And vanity searches, where I check "Mary Pope-Handy" on Google, return 2.5 times as many as they did a couple of weeks ago.  Suddenly, Google can "see" the almost 200 posts I have there on Real Town.

Thank goodness!

So take another look at Real Town. It is a neat community too - just like Active Rain is. There are pros and cons to each one, but do take a look at my Live in Los Gatos blog. You cannot do everything that 's on there with the AR blog. The two sites have a lot in common but a lot that's unique too.

Just check it out. It's better than ever.

 

6 Comments on Project Blogger Followup... "The Rest of the Story"

SEP
27
2007
 Great idea.  I have been looking for another blogging site, specific to Real Estate to branch out my work.  I will take a look.
11:56pm • #1
SEP
28
2007
1,360,746 Points 93 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master
I don't see a surge in Google traffic on mine until the 26th.  Of course the switch to the new urls was Monday the 24th. 
5:44am • #2
158,811 Points 27 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp
Scott - great!

Maureen - I have site meter on my blog there. If you click on it (at the very bottom) you can see the stats. One button inside shows referrals - where they came from. It NEVER used to be Google, but now it is. Only anecdotal, but....  And if you Google the phrases Los Gatos Real Estate, the blog shows up on page 2 in the #14 position.

I think the blog is also moving up my PopeHandy site, which had been going in and out of page 1 of google for that search but is now higher than I think it's ever been at #8. Just guessing that's the change.
5:58am • #3
1,360,746 Points 93 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master
I have a site meter I can't remember which one but I seldom look at it.  I have Google Analytics on both my WordPress and RealTown Blogs and that is where I like to look and compare the sites because it's got a lot more info. Yes Google does finally know there is such a thing as an RT blog.  I wounder whether  / how soon Technorati will recognize any authority on RT blogs. 
6:08am • #4
What site meter are you using?
9:36pm • #5
158,811 Points 27 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp
Maureen there are a bunch around but sitemeter.com is sure easy. I have google analytics too but I don't think it's as easy to use.

Scott I use SiteMeter.com on my Live in Los Gatos blog. Very easy and helpful.
10:56pm • #6


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Mary Pope-Handy, CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES

Mary Pope-Handy, Silicon Valley

Los Gatos, CA

More about me…

Sereno Group Real Estate

Address: 214 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, Los Gatos, CA, 95030

Office Phone: (408) 335-1432

Cell Phone: (408) 204-7673

Email Me

A discussion on the real estate market and practice, particularly in Silicon Valley, CA.











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