How to move up in Google, MSN, and Yahoo.

I am not a SEO or search engine guru.  I am not a computer geek.  I am fifty years old and had to learn by doing.  But here are some of the things you need to do to move up in the search engine results.  It has helped me tremendously.   My site is no where near great, but it is getting me business.  A website is a constantly needing improvement and change.  Unless you have a lot of money for a professional to do it, it takes time.  I got my site up to the top spots by myself in quite a few different categories.  You can do it too yourself.

1.)  You need to start getting inbound links.  Google free directories and start adding your site to 2 or 3 a night.  Blog and hyper link to your site.  Hyperlink into some of your back pages too.  If you can have another blog at blogspot or another site.  Join myspace, facebook, and other social networking sites at least for the links to your site.   Use Active Rains free link to your site.  Use craigs list to post your listings and link to your site.  Use Utube and Flicker.  You can pay $299 to get listed in Yahoo's American directory though you can join other Yahoo directories for free.

2.)  When picking a website here are some things to think about.  It is good to get a site that will allow you to add content, or that will add content for a reasonable price.  Some of the website companies that I have seen around are Advanced Access, Meyers, Top Producer, agent image   Look at the top websites in your area, talk to other agents THAT ARE GETTING BUSINESS FROM THEIR WEBSITE.  Then talk to the companies that they use.  I am amazed at how many agents don't use the internet or websites to get business.

2)  Keywords are the words you want to be found in.  Say you want to be found in Denver Real estate.  You need to use Denver real estate in your pages about 3% - 7% of your time on your webpages.  If you have 200 words on the page then those words need to come up 6- 14 times.  Even once or twice is better than none.  Use your keywords in your title.  But don't over do it over 10% will get you penalized by the search engines. 

3)  Each search engine has it's own formula for searching and they are changing constantly.  It is hard to be at the top of the search engines for Yahoo, Google, MSN, AOL all at the same time.  Search engines I have been told are smart.  They can tell home many visitors you have had, how long they stayed on the site, whether they are a first time visitor, and whether they bookmarked your site.  How they do that I have no clue but that is what I have been told.  This all helps you to move up to.

4) Content. You want information about your area.  The cities, the neighborhoods, links to info in the area, area restaurants.  I have been told many times by clients the reason they called me because I had a great site. You want people to stay on your site and to come back.  That is why it is sometimes good to have a funny section, a holiday section,  a restaurant review section, a local attraction section.  Something besides real estate to come and see what's new.

5) Search engines like to see new content or changing content on the front page.  So having a blog on your front page or having MLS listings changing on the front page is good.  Because the content would be new each day.

6)  You can use Google adwords or Yahoo adwords to be up near the front on the page.  That is where you pay for each click (a customer) finding you on your selected search page.  There are companies that do this.

7) Put your website address on every marketing piece you do.  Drive people to your website.

Join the group SEO and Blogging and any other group about blogging, internet marketing, SEO that is on active rain.  Read two or three blogs each day and do at least one improvement to your website a week.  It takes time but it will pay off.  You will move up the rankings.  Active Rain will help you if you use the information that is here free of charge from other readers.

YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND INTERNET MARKETING WILL HELP YOUR CLIENTS SELL THEIR HOME.  AN AGENT THAT KNOWS TECHNOLOGY AND PUTS THEIR CLIENTS HOMES OUT THEIR IN CYBERSPACE WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THE YEARS TO COM.

For more on Michigan Real estate go to my website www.RussRavary.com