Special offer

Thank You Active Rain Members!

By
Real Estate Agent with Quality Real Estate Services

I learned how to build a website for the first time in 1999. I had just got my insurance license and I started to work at an agency that didn't have a website and had no plans to have one. I knew it was important to have a website so I decided to build my own and that's what I did.

I found a free web-host and followed some of the tutorials. It took about a week but by trial and error I learned enough HTML to build my very first website. Of course as many of you know, If you build it they "might" come if...! I wasn't fortunate enough to have the SEO knowledge to get myself good search engine placement and I didn't get lucky.

That website ended up being just an online form I would send people to that wanted to get an insurance quote when I couldn't take their information right  away.

Well I took that experience into real estate in 2002 and I had taken the position that websites are just for capturing information when I couldn't take it on the spot. I have always heard of people getting lots of leads off their website and I always wanted to know how they did it. I knew that PPC advertising was only temporary and since I rarely click on a banner ad myself, I figured it was a waste of money to go that route.

Over the last week or so I've been reading blogs about SEO and so I decided to take a couple of ideas and try them out. I still don't know exactly what I did but I goggled a couple of the keywords I decided to target and voila, today I showed up on the first page. Whoo Hooo! The keywords are buy a house in renton, renton home search, sell a house in renton, buy a renton home, sell a renton home, and a few others.

I am eternally grateful to the Active Rain community. I owe it all to the information shared here on Active Rain by agents who are willing to share what's working in their businesses with everyone in the real estate community to use as we wish.

This community is a testament to what's possible when people are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others. As I continue to grow in my experience here, it is my intention to pay it forward and make a difference to someone else.

Thank you Active Rain Community!

"KS" Kotambu Shabazz, Renton Real Estate Agent & Loss Mitigation Consultant

http://www.kshabazz.com/

http://www.seatacinvestments.com/

 

Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hey KS,

Job well done. Sounds to me like you knew more to begin with that the average Realtor.  I've been here a while myself and I learn something every single day!

Oct 22, 2007 10:41 AM
Kotambu "KS" Shabazz
Quality Real Estate Services - Renton, WA
Renton, Real Estate Consultant
Lynda- Thanks for the compliment. I did know a little about building websites but I had no idea how to get people to visit them. I'm learning something new everyday while here on AR as well. See ya around.
Oct 22, 2007 01:44 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
KS, The information people are kind enough to post on here is amazing.  Congratulations on learning things to help with your site and I'm sure you'll continue to learn more every day!
Oct 23, 2007 12:50 AM
Kotambu "KS" Shabazz
Quality Real Estate Services - Renton, WA
Renton, Real Estate Consultant
Carole- Yes it is. I look forward to learning more and sharing what I learn as I go along. Thanks for commenting
Oct 23, 2007 06:14 AM
The Keutla Team
Keller Williams - Auburn, WA

KS,  its amazing is'nt it?  This site and many others have an amazing amount of information that is just waiting to be tapped into.  Good Job KS!!!

 The Keutla Team

Oct 23, 2007 09:05 AM
Kotambu "KS" Shabazz
Quality Real Estate Services - Renton, WA
Renton, Real Estate Consultant
The Keutla Team- thanks for stopping by.
Oct 23, 2007 09:19 AM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

KS - Here is another SEO tip for you, Instead of using your website in this post like you did

http://www.kshabazz.com/

http://www.seatacinvestments.com/

Change these to be keyword rich anchor text for your area and then include your website as the link. For example I use Sell My Home in Metrowest MA if you click this link it will take you to my website which is also a point2 site by the way. Over time by using key keyword rich anchor text the words that you use will become better ranked in google and bring people to YOUR website. Hope this helps!

Oct 23, 2007 01:25 PM
Jacqueline Fortier
JC Penny Realty - Davenport, FL
Homes for Sale in Central Florida

Hello KS,

I have learned soo much more on AR that I could have hoped for.  It is a great community of people!

Oct 23, 2007 11:28 PM
Kotambu "KS" Shabazz
Quality Real Estate Services - Renton, WA
Renton, Real Estate Consultant

Bill- Thanks you so much for that tip. If you notice in my post I did use the anchor text a little better. i haven't figured out how to use it as a signature yet. Any suggestions?

Jacqueline- I feel the same way. Thanks for commenting

Oct 24, 2007 07:52 AM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate
Ks- No problem! Just do you websites the same way you did in the post. You just need to think about the keywords you want to come up higher in the search engines and use those. Take close words and include your website as the link.
Oct 24, 2007 08:46 AM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

KS - Nice to hear your positive story.  You're on the right track now.

Aloha - the Hunter

Oct 24, 2007 12:13 PM
Rick and Lynn Orze
RE/MAX All Pro - Carol Stream, IL
Carol Stream, IL RE/MAX All Pro
KS- We just wrote a blog ourselves about how great we think this network is and all the benefits of it. From the prospecting for business to sharing ideas and tips with your fellow real estate professionals! It is a great place! Thanks for sharing your experiences!!
Oct 24, 2007 12:37 PM
Kotambu "KS" Shabazz
Quality Real Estate Services - Renton, WA
Renton, Real Estate Consultant

Bill- Thanks for the advice and the encouragement.

Georgina- Thanks for the comments.

Rick and Lynn- You're welcome. Thank you for visiting.

Oct 24, 2007 12:56 PM
Kotambu "KS" Shabazz
Quality Real Estate Services - Renton, WA
Renton, Real Estate Consultant
This blog post got me first place placement on google for Renton Home Search keyword! This stuff is great.
Oct 24, 2007 12:59 PM