RainMaker Boot Camp Draft Review Class: Video Reviews of Blog Posts

In this class Bob breaks down 5 different blog posts from members of ActiveRain. Each member has been involved in the Boot Camp series and has been taking classes on how to blog, what to write about and how to get your posts to rank better in the search engines.

Bob takes a look at each post to see how it ranks already in Google and what can be done to make the post rank better. If you've ever wanted to see practical advice on real posts, take a look at the videos below.

Video #1: Posting Your Listings

Should you post your listings? Yes. Is there a better way to do it? You bet there is. In this video, Bob takes a look at a blog post from John. John has posted about one of his listings. While he does a good job of focusing on the features of the property in terms of where he focuses his keyword strength, is there something else John could do to make his post more timeless? Think about your listings in terms of 'how could someone find it if they didn't know about it already'. Watch the video to see what we mean.

Video #2: Targeting Subject Matter

Bob couldn't tell if Lynn was attempting to rank for the condo building she had written about, or if she was trying to be the go to resource for Fannie Mae approved condos in Atlanta. Ends up she wanted to rank for Fannie Mae approved condos in Atlanta and she did just that. In this video Bob explains how to build a hierarchy of posts that all benefit each other, at the same time getting you ranking in the search engines.

Video #3: Targeting a Neighborhood

Matt does a good job of getting his post to rank in the search engines. In fact, it ranks just behind the HOA website for the neighborhood he writes about. He makes good use of his links and has a direct path back to his website. Because his post is already on the first page of Google, Bob really drills down on his exact use of his keyword phrase and makes a few small suggestions about cleaning up the content. In the end, this is a great post to build on and Matt has the foundation of a post that could rank in Google for years to come.......assuming he continues to add valuable content that will compel visitors to reach out to him.

Video #4: The Geography of Keywords

Dorette has the foundation of a good post. But her keyword phrase is just a little too long. She ranks for certain things, but not exactly what she was targeting. Bob takes a look at how throughout the post, she doesn't remain consistent and possibly covers too many terms. It's always a good idea to start out knowing what you want to target and staying consistent throughout the post. With a few minor tweaks, she'll be right where she wants to be. You might even consider making a few tweeks after watching this review.

Video #5: Choosing a Keyword Phrase

Kim and Kristine have fantastic content. They have a few things that will require updating from time to time, but the content of their post itself is very strong. But their title, and therefor the keyword phrase they wish to rank for is sending mixed signals, as is their use of the keyword phrase thoughout the post. Bob makes some suggestions to get them really targeted in on a specific phrase. And don't forget those links driving people back to your website. Calls to actoin are a must! Do you always have that call to action? (these two are on the ball and have already made the suggested updates to the live version of the post)