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Your Real Estate Keywords Could Be Hurting Your SEO

By
Mortgage and Lending with Equity Resources NMLS 67179 Licensed in NC

google adword toolWhen you put information on each page of your company website – and there’s a little blank space that says Keywords or Meta Tags… don’t leave them EMPTY!  Not only could EMPTY keywords hurt, be THOUGHTFUL about which words prospects are most likely to “Google” to find you.

You want to use the same “search terms” over and over.  So for instance, my husband and I are mortgage loan officers.  I want someone who is searching for USDA Home Loans NC to find me… it needs to be used exactly like that, not with commas:

usda, home, loans, nc

Your term might be Foreclosed Homes in Raleigh which gets 12,100 hits a month… as opposed to Foreclosed Homes Raleigh which only gets 580 hits.  (you can check use Google Adword Keyword Checker to figure out which ones you want to use)

Are you getting the picture?  You really need a LIST with your keywords, and you need to use them over, and over (especially as you are creating your profiles!).

We live in an area which is “locally” referred to as the Triangle.  People in California do not know to search for Homes in the Triangle… and many people LOCALLY do not search for Triangle Homes (seriously – less than 280 people a month) – but if I look at the Page Source for most Real Estate Agent sites, I’m going to find Triangle Homes or Homes for Sale in the Triangle as some of the ONLY keywords in their site!  Do you want to show up for 280 people… or 12,100?? (the answer is probably BOTH - right?)

DITTO – “Tools for Sellers”… as you can see below, NO ONE searches that term.  Sell My Home gets 74,000 hits a month.  You need to use keywords that PEOPLE would actually use.  Only 58 people searched Relocate to Raleigh, 2400 people searched Moving to Raleigh…  So be thoughtful about what keywords you are using!

We see many sites that when we look at the "Page Source" the agents uses the SAME keywords on each page.  While I'm suggesting that you use the same words over and over... you would WANT to use the terms relevant to that page.  Watch this to see if I'm making more sense.

 

 

We have a "Fan Page" where we are posting tons of information like this for Real Estate Agents we work with. If you'd be our "Fan..." We would appreciate it! Also! If you have questions, leave us a note, and we will try to answer it with a Video Post! Eleanor Thorne @isellmoney - 919-649-5057 with "techie questions" or call Steve Thorne with any clietns we can help you with in NC! 919-649-5058

Lee & Pamela St. Peter
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC
Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

Eleanor, I was JUST writing a post on keywords and using the Google adword keyword checker!  Too funny!!  So since you beat me to it (and well done I must add) I'll just hit the suggest button.

Great info and well written!  And great video!

Pamela

Jun 20, 2011 10:23 AM
Ron Marshall
Marshall Enterprises - Saint Michael, MN
Birdhouse Builder Extraordinaire

I just hit the suggest button before I read your first comment.  That was quite a post.  Thanks. 

Jun 20, 2011 03:15 PM
Eleanor Thorne
Equity Resources - Cary, NC
Advantage Lending 919-649-5058

Thanks Ron and Pamela - I appreciate your time!  It really does surprise me how many people will have a page about Golf Courses in our Area (for instance) and the keywords for that page are Homes for Sale in Cary!  If you are going to have Homes for Sale in Cary as keywords on a page about Golf Courses... you should probably add a paragraph or a Hyperlink at the bottom of the page allowing folks to Search Homes For Sale In Cary

Jun 21, 2011 05:49 AM
Kathy Sheehan
Bay Equity, LLC 770-634-4021 - Atlanta, GA
Senior Loan Officer

Eleanor, this is great information.  Thanks for sharing.

Jun 21, 2011 03:01 PM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Eleanor,

I knew nothing about SEO when I joined Active Rain, and I've come a long way following on the coat-tails of people like yourself who take the time to educate the rest of us.  I appreciate the fact that you and Steve look out for the rest of us!

Mike in Tucson

Jun 22, 2011 05:48 AM
Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

I know nothing about SEO, so thank you very much for the tips! Now... how to figure out how to fix my fb button! LOL!

Jun 22, 2011 09:07 AM
Larry Bettag
Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL
Vice-President of National Production

Eleanor....this is good info.  I know so much less than you, but I did know some of this.  You are DA BOMB!!!!  Thanks for your info!

Jun 22, 2011 04:00 PM
Austin Herbert
DNJ Gateway Mortgage - Raleigh, NC

Great info Eleanor, thank you for this. I'll definetley be using these tips.

Jul 05, 2011 05:22 AM
Connie Harvey
Pilkerton Realtors - Brentwood, TN
Realtor - Nashville TN Real Estate

How do you know how to do all of these things????

Jul 13, 2011 10:13 AM