WidgetHi folks. I'm writing this post to send you guys over to Eric Bramlet's post over at http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/ titled Trulia Widgets: Truliamazing Trojan Horse(s) . Now folks.....I am far from being a techie and most of this stuff is over my head BUT from what I'm reading it looks like all these cute little Trulia widgets are swiping our Google Juice.

If you are wondering why Trulia is beating you out, for local Google SERP, this could be why. From what I understand, every time you place one of their widgets on your web site or blog you are basically telling Google that Trulia, not you, is the local real estate expert.

Did you know when you Google Poinciana real estate, Homes.com is number 1 and Trulia is number 2. My site, http://buypoinciana.com is number 3 and 4. My site http://poincianaproperties.com is number 7 and http://brokerbryant.com is number 10.

Fortunately, for me, I do own 40% of the SERP for that search. But why should I have to compete with Trulia and Homes.com? They are NOT experts on Poinciana real estate. In fact, you can't even find me when you click over to their sites and I belong to both Trulia and Homes.com. Actually, after extensive searching, you can find me. But that's only because I know where to look. The consumer doesn't have a chance in hell, of finding me, unless it's by luck. OR.....they can Google Poinciana Real Estate Expert and find me in the numbers 1 and 2 position! Bite me Trulia!! Oops....sorry....I couldn't resist.

My http://poincianaproperties.com site is hosted by Homes.com and has been for almost 9 years. I wonder why my profile and listings, when found directly through homes.com, is loaded with paid advertising? Seems like the $79 a month I have been paying for 9 years would keep that from happening.

My suggestion is to pop over and read Eric's post and then take the steps he has outlined to change the Trulia widget code. Or better yet....quit using ALL widgets. Have you ever looked to see how much crap widgets place on your computer? It's a whole bunch. Widgets are like spy ware. Not only are they stealing your Google juice but they are also spying on you!

Do you really think they give you these FREE widgets just because they are nice and want to help you? I don't believe that for one minute. Those FREE widgets are costing you. They are costing you business.

OK, that's it for me. You got anything to add?

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139 Comments on Trulia Widgets. Are they stealing your Google juice?

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

MAY
14
2008
Outside Blog

Geez. this is the blind leading the blind and yelling "Fire!" at the same time.

11:26pm • #121
MAY
15
2008
10 Featured Posts

Hi fellow Rainers!

For some clarity on much of the misinformation and confusion going on here and elsewhere, please take the time to read our blog post - http://www.truliablog.com/2008/05/15/back-to-basics-trulia-was-built-to-help-improve-your-ro

Thank you

Rudy
Social Media Guru at Trulia.com

11:26am • #122
1,049,200 Points 397 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

OK Rudy, I just read the post you had linked to. Very informative. Most of this stuff is way over my head. Are widgets good or bad? I don't know. I do know I don't use them for a multitude of reasons. Primarily because I just want folks to stay on my site. Secondly, I have found that widgets slow my site down and fill my PC with cookies.

Having said that I just received a buyer from Trulia voices who I am working with to purchase  500K vacation. he contacted me because he liked my honesty in the handful of answers that I have left on Trulia voices. So it certainly works. For that.....thank you!!  

So I will pass on the widget, not just Trulia's, but ALL widgets and I will just keep doing what I do. I OWN Google for my area anyway.

3:12pm • #125
2 Featured Posts

Here is a question I asked on the HomeGain blog recently- How does a third party PARTNER with Realtors? http://blog.homegain.com/how-does-third-party-vendor-partner-with-realtors

 

7:59pm • #126
MAY
28
2008

Misty,

If you really don't think those links to Trulia don't mean too much, please link everything you do to one of my sites.

Rudy,

Thanks for the propoganda.

Not so stupid agent
3:46pm • #127
MAY
29
2008

I have just started following this drama and while I understand that you would not want to send visitors or Google juice to Trulia I think that this is being blown way out of proportion. I have been involved in SEO for nearly 10 years so I know a bit about the industry. Those widget links are beneficial to Trulia, no doubt. They are using hypertargted anchor text and they provide quite a few links. If I were to use the widgets (any widget) I would simply remove the links. I think widgets can provide useful information and a good user experience as long as you keep the user on your site. If you provide an experience that they enjoy they are more likely to stick around and come back. Nothing wrong with that.

And there is nothing wrong with Trulia providing widgets and of course including a link back to their site. This is standard protocal for all widgets. It helps with SEO and it helps bring more visitors. Nothing at all evil or shady about it. And if you think that if every realtor removes the Widgets from their site is somehow going to kill Trulia's SERPS you are sorely mistaken. Halfdeck, who is a pretty well respected SEO, wrote a good article about this here. Trulia has tons and tons of page rank passing links from highly trusted sources and like Misty said, they have all the on-site SEO factors in place that allow them to benefit from those links. As long as sites like CNN, Businessweek, and other trusted web sites link to them and they continue to add relevant content to their site, which has strong technical SEO techniques in place, they will continue to rank very well.

I agree that you are not helping yourselves by keeping the links in the widgets but I think that the overall affect is being overstated. I also think that utilizing some widgets while keeping users on your site can be beneficial in making your site a useful resource, which will keep users coming back and compell others to link to you.

8:56am • #128
JUN
06
2008

BT, alot of this is over my head as well.  I think you have the right idea, when in doubt, just pass. I luckily never got so far as adding widgets except on my #1 site, and they interestingly enough, seem to have been removed without me asking.

 

9:38am • #129
JUN
07
2008
192,462 Points 1 Featured Post Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp

LOVE the debate!  Mark Pilatowski-for those of us not so html savy, how do you disable those links.  I just added one of the Google widgets to my site and was trying to figure out how to eliminate the hyperlinks.  It was not clear which part of the code pertained to them.

9:02am • #130
JUN
14
2008

Not to side track the thread, but I'd like to know how to disable them as well.  Also, does puting listings on Trulia take away as well or is it jus the widgets?  Still learning...

11:39pm • #131

I personally do not believe in the theorie of stealing Google juice. I believe it actually helps to link to sites like Trulia. The question is if their fame is deserved or not, when they really do use a system that makes real estate webmasters work for them without really benefitting all that much. I like their site, their blog and team looks cool, but the question is whether or not Google is doing a great service by rewarding those who figure new ways to convince webmasters to advertise their websites for free.

11:52pm • #132
OCT
20
2008

So then, how about Altos Research and their widgets?  Same thing?

http://boiserealestatesoup.com
11:03am • #133
1,049,200 Points 397 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Altos Research is not competing with me for real estate related google searches.

11:14am • #134
OCT
22
2008
607,072 Points 9 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Bryant - great information, and debate here. In my area, the ranking changes almost daily. Good to know about the widgets.

11:24am • #135
NOV
20
2008

Hi Bryant ,your blog is good!

anyone know how to extract data from a web database. For example, how can I extract movie information from http://www.imdb.com/ into a relational database? Is there any existing tools to do this? Or need I write some codes?
Thanks a lot!

There is a Screen Scraping service, visit www.knowlesys.com for more details.

12:49am • #136
FEB
28
2009
1,100,626 Points 51 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Someone said a few exits back in the comments that wonder if  there is a study if you have dial up vs high speed if you tend to dig deeper than first 10 on page one?  I know kids who spend a considerable amount of time wheelin' around the net avoid the top sponsored search results. My son told me "Dad...they usually have nothing in there and paid to be there"..so they check what organically climbed to the top as most creditable and worth their eye ball scan. I know I don't limit it to page one...and in the case of saving money on something or knowing more, digging deeper is part of the discovery.  There may also be a better site a ways back that is new and climbing but not up to the first page plateau yet. Enjoyed Misty's contributions here at AR University.

7:14am • #137
APR
01
2009
154,703 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Very interesting, I have been weary of these widgets for quite some time....I did not really have a reason, but I am glad I have not littered them onto my sites.

4:36pm • #138
SEP
03
2009
Outside Blog

I can see how this could happen.  I always utlized YouTube and Google Videos, if I am going to ad ANY technology.  They don't steal your SERP's and Google LOVES LOVES LOVES videos on blogs. However, I personally have used Trulia widgets and haven't lost any rankings or Google juice, perhaps because my link popularity is so high?

Chris Hallmark - http://www.freerealestatemarketinglab.com

3:56pm • #139
JAN
04
2010
153,983 Points Outside Blog

Hi Bryant,

Good post. Excellent job. Very informative.

 

Best -Sash

12:34pm • #141

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Bryant Tutas Broker/REALTOR(R) Tutas Towne Realty, Inc

Poinciana, FL

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