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Internet Flyer Services ... Good For SEO??

Real Estate Search Engine Optimization

Internet flyer companies are great for emailing your listings to other agents. But, as far as any SEO benefit from posting agent flyers on Internet sites, you would be far better off paying a high school student to put flyers out at a local supermarket!

Before sending me a nasty comment, take a few moments and view this video about this subject. You'll also learn about selecting good keywords, the difference in SEO for large markets vs. small markets and what PR is all about and how and why you should pay attention to it.

Judi
search engine optimization software

Posted by Judi - SEO for Realtors Search Engine Optimization Software on 10/28/2008 03:13 AM

Comments (30)

SEO in the Online Marketing Channel

internet flyer services, real estate keywors, internet traffic, real estate website advertising, seo, real estate agent promotions, realtor seo

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30 Comments on Internet Flyer Services ... Good For SEO??

OCT

I've been trying to tell people this for years - it's absolutely TRUE. Single property websites/ flyers are good for many reasons - they definitely have their benefits - but they are WORTHLESS for SEO.

Except.....

I have one client with hundreds of domain names, all of which are 4-8+ years old and aged. We pick a relevant domain name (i.e. NashuaHomes.com) for that property and use it for a single property page, and they HAVE ranked fairly well. But this is because it is associated with an aged domain name. Most people, when using these types of flyers, by the property address as a domain. Again, it's a nice "fluff" marketing bit, sellers think it means something more than it does and it works for driving your own traffic to that site. But new domains are penalized by Google for the first 8-10 months, so unless that property stays on the market for YEARS, you'll never see it ranking naturally in the search results. Ever.

Hi Fred,

Thanks for your comment. Realtors need for good search engine optimization and their general lack of knowledge on the subject allow them to be taken advantage of by a number of schemes targeted specifically toward them. I'll be publishing information on how to avoid Realtor Internet rip-offs soon.

Keep an eye on my blog

Judi

Judi, Thanks for sharing this video. I watched it and felt that the information was very helpful - especially for someone who doesn't really know much about SEO - I just know I have a lot to learn.

Hi Vicki,

Thanks for your comment.

I'll be publishing some new "How-To" videos soon.

To stay in touch, subscribe to my blog.

Judi

Everyone wants their own website to rank and surely everyone should strive for that. But your own website can only place in up to 2 positions on the 1st page of Google. That means by solely focusing on getting your own website to rank can cause you to loose leads because of those other 8 spots. Online flyers, classified ads, blogs (AR, Localism), etc. can all help you capture more of these spots.

The Google Keyword tool is not completely accurate because it is based much on the Google search network https://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=90956 which is based off AdWords. We see this directly in our Google Analytics stats. The Google keyword tool often times will not display any search results for a given search phrase but our Google Analytics reports for the month shows hundreds of unique visits for that same search phrase that the keyword tools showed 0 for. You should strive to get ranked for all types of related, relevant search phrases. Ones that bring in 10 hits and ones that bring in hundreds of hits. Quality, relevant, targeted traffic is a good thing even if it is only 10 targeted hits. All those hits add up and bring in more leads. Yes sometimes blog posts, online ads, virtual tours, videos, flyers, etc. will only rank for a week or two but that is an entire week or two that you are getting hits and leads. Consistently using these other online tools and resources will help you constantly stay at the top of search engines and many also bring in additional link backs to your own website. A great example of how another Realtor is benefiting from this can be read from http://activerain.com/blogsview/748447/Use-The-Power-Of-Blogging-In-Active-Rain-Localism-To-Give-YOU-Page-1-Google-Domination. Look at all those spots she grabbed on the 1st page of Google by using other online tools. One of those spots are even from an online flyer.

Should a lot of your SEO focus be on your own websites ranking? Absolutly! But in addition you should increase your leads by using other resources too.

OCT

Hi Misty

Thanks for your comment.

Just to restate, I'm not saying NOT to use Internet flyer services. Exposure on the classifieds sites is good. However, I PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE there is any SEO benefit from these services.

See my post today on the subject.

I understand you Judi. We all have different opinions, and my opinion on the matter is based on the traffic our members actually receive to their flyers, rather than belief. We provide tracking stats to our subscribed members that allow them to see just how much traffic they are receiving from the directories, and how much traffic they are receiving from natural searches. We are able to see first hand the hundreds of unique hits many flyers receive just from natural search engine searches. We also have 3 different types of web stat software setup on the site, one of which includes Google Analytics. Month after month our stats show that most of the traffic comes into our member's flyers from natural city, state, property type searches.

I think you may also be under the impression that we only optimize the flyers for very low competitive search phrases and are not upfront with our customers on this. We are 100% upfront, and in fact we provide our members with a list if search phrases their flyer will be optimized for, directly on the save screen. We also work directly with our members if they have any special requests.

Anyway, I wish you continued success in your business.

It's funny, I've never ONCE seen a real estate flyer in the natural Google search results under any keywords that actually matter. Never.

I suppose some of us define "what actually matters" differently. What matters to us is targeted traffic we can send to our member's flyers. Like the sampling I just pulled from our Google Analytics stats.

san diego property = 105 uniques

st charles il homes = 84 uniques

olympia wa property = 68 uniques

las vegas property = 61 uniques

cape coral property = 48 uniques

puyallup wa property = 40 uniques

duct cleaning in ma = 35 uniques

mens earrings = 35 uniques

rent to own homes = 34 uniques

phoenix area real estate information = 32 uniques

chula vista ca bank owned property = 28 uniques

hohenwald tn property = 28 uniques

portsmouth va property = 23 uniques

I am not promoting and have never promoted to replace SEO on your own site with other online services such as online flyers. But I am simply stating, that by using other tools and services out there you can bring in additional traffic and leads.

Interesting, thanks for sharing! I'll have to think about what really matters???

Misty,

Thanks again for your comments to my wife's post. It's great that AR provides a great forum for all views.

I'm a full time Realtor & assist occasionally with Judi's SEO services. All our views have been proven in not only my real estate website, but on our client's sites. Websites from real estate, law, dental, medical, hotel & SEO, our concepts have and continue to work in the most competitive markets.

Now, this is not to say other concepts will not also work to gain standings and traffic. But, we feel that we just have limited budgets and limited time & so we go for the gold!

The natural outcome of this strategy is that we also rank high for many unintended lower traffic keywords. We understand, many embrace the long tail, lower traffic, keyword concept. Is it the best way to invest one's resources? Well, not in our opinion! But, it sure beats a lot of other SEO strategies and any positive online marketing is far better than no action at all.

Bob Schwartz, CRS, GRI, real estate broker

I use Classified Flyer Ads, and they do that. I was really skeptical that they could even get me on the first page of google for tiny keywords that knowbody uses but was amazed when I got the email telling me that my keyword, "Logan Utah Real Estate" was now on page one of Google just a couple hours after setting up my account.

That ended up being for the "blog" classified flyer ads provides. Overall single flyer sites rankings aren't that important, but classified flyer ads has some power behind it. Logan Utah Real Estate is the biggest search term in my market and it did in the matter of hours what took me months to do.

Great info and different views posted. As with many...time and budget is limited. While budget is limited we need to soak in whatever we can and try to implement everything that makes sense.

Thanks Alan for your support. It's great to hear a good success story.

Bob - thanks for your input and I hope you and Judi don't think that I dis-agree with what you are doing or that I doubt your skills. Just the opposite in fact. I think it is a great accomplishment to rank well for a very competitive search phrase and I see you have accomplished that. I also know and see the results and traffic that comes in from long-tail type searches. It amazes me each and everyday. We have seen a 500% traffic increase to our flyers in 1 year because we re-structured them for more targeted search phrases. That is something that can't be ignored. "any positive online marketing is far better than no action at all" is something I am in complete agreement with.

NOV

First of all I would like to say this is my first post to AR as I am a new member.

I recently sold my commercial printing company and now do website design and dabble in SEO. I am a little curious as to how long search engine king Google will allow SEO flyer ads to rank as high as they do. There have been many "hot" social networking and articles sites fall apart due to what Google eventually considered irrelevant content. If Google continues to allow activities to go on they way they do, sites that should be ranking higher due to their constant presence will continue to be punished by flyer ads that are only temporary in nature. I am curous what other people's thoughts are on this and what they think Google will do. Do you think these ads will continue to be allowed by Google to obtain high ranking in the SERPs? What would Google be if Craiglist or Flyer Ads dominated the search terms?

I have a feeling Misty is going to hammer me on this one...

Well, I can tell you in my area (Boston/ Southern NH) single property websites NEVER rank in organic searches for search terms that regular people search on. EVER. So I don't think it will be an issue for Google. If you're trying to rank for a street address or some other esoteric term, they will rank, but nobody searches for real estate like that, so again... I don't think it will be an issue with Google punishing anyone.

I know people in the business of creating single property websites disagree on this, and that's fine. But single property websites, in general, do not rank in organic search results for normal search terms.

No I am not going to hammer you. I can't speak for other online listing flyers but our listing flyers are not irrelevant content. Our flyers are optimized very specifically to the property type and location or service/product that is being advertised. See my comment from 10/29/2008 04:53 PM. I don't think any 1 entity such as flyer ads, Craigslist, Trulia, etc. will ever dominate Google. These are however additional sources that do well on search engines and can help drive additional traffic to your listings and even your own site.

The post was an opinion from an established SEO on their value of internet flyer ads. You obviously have something to lose here if your opinion is not noted. So it is noted.... However... Sometimes people want other views on a subject than that of someone who stands to lose money if the opinion goes unchecked. You would argue that you are important to drive some traffic to a website and I agree with that. From the ad from you site below:

AD FROM YOUR SITE: We get your listings placed at the top of search engines for targeted keywords, producing high-quality results.

I think some people would read this and think it is the total solution. By the way you showed us how a user ranked on the top 10 using your site, http://activerain.com/blogsview/748447/Use-The-Power-Of-Blogging-In-Active-Rain-Localism-To-Give-YOU-Page-1-Google-Domination that you tell the user they can expect these results. The opinion here is to expect to see some traffic from your service, but just don't expect miracles.

Great video, Judi! I stopped doing the listing address URL and instead created neighborhood URLs that allow me to feature the home on that page and also provide other info and links for that particular area. It seems to work really well and the rankings on the search engines is very good.

BTW -- I LOVE your doggie pics! Are they Welch Terriers or Airedales? I just adopted a little Welch Terrier from a rescue last week and she is ADORABLE! :-)

Rob - I understand and respect other views. I have never stated that online flyers are the only solution. In fact, I believe just the opposite. I believe no single online entity is the only solution. Having just a website in today's online marketplace is not even the only solution. I strongly believe you should use as many online resources that are out there including a blog such a Wordpress, ActiveRain, Craigslist, online flyers, Facebook, videos, LinkedIn, Topix, listing syndication, your own website, etc. I don't think anyone should place all their eggs in 1 basket. Use what brings in traffic and even better leads. Use what works for you. What works for you may be different then what works for others. You will see from my own blog that I heavily promote using other online resources in addition to your own website. I also understand that many people do not agree with that and think you should solely focus on your own website. I respect that view and if that works for people with that opinion then that is what they should continue to do.

Misty - Very well spoken... I don't think I had my daily intake of caffenine this morning and got a little moody in my remarks... And there is no place for that in an online resource as great as AR. I know that most Realtors cannot justify the SEO pricetag and are trying to navigate the fog with a candle (as we all are).

No worries Rob, I took no offense. I used to (years ago) develop custom websites and provide SEO services for small businesses, so I understand how much work and time is involved in it. With that said, I respect the job of SEO professionals but also understand that many Realtors in today's market can't afford quality SEO services. This is forcing them to learn as much as they can on their own and use other available online resources to help bring in traffic. As you put it perfectly, they are "trying to navigate the fog with a candle". I think places like ActiveRain allow them to navigate through that fog a little easier.

Hi, I would like to advise all Realtors who are really interested in getting better search engine rankings and increased traffic to take a new Wordpress video course.

Lots of good solid info on how to set up your own Wordpress blog on your existing site and do the little known things to make it super search engine friendly.

I purchased the course after about two years of having Wordpress blogs and I learned some great ideas that I'm now putting into use on all my blogs.

Oh, Wordpress is FREE open source software, and considered by many to be the best blogging software out there!

For the full details, please visit: Wordpress video training the actual url is:

http://www.websitetrafficbuilders.com/blog-success-software.html

Judi

I, like Alan, have used Classifiedflyerads.com with great results. I just posted a couple of flyers for the first time a couple of days ago and they are on the first page of Google after only one day. And the search terms used were the most popular in my area. I'm a definite user of the service in the future.

NOV

Hi Rhonda,

Thanks for the comment. Can I ask exactly what were the search terms that you ranked for on page one of Google??

Judi

search engine optimization software

Thanks for taking the time to post this ... excellent information

Rhonda - thanks for sharing your success with ClassifiedFlyerAds.com. I see your flyers got ranked for multiple search phrases. You did a great job in setting up your flyers.

Madison TN Homes
Madison TN Home For Sale
Madison Tennessee Home For Sale
Madison Tennessee Home
Madison Tennessee Homes
Antioch TN Homes
Antioch TN Home for Sale
Antioch TN Foreclosure Home for Sale

Hi Misty,

Thanks for listing the keywords for Rhonda's site flyer promotion. I took all these keywords and ran them through the first three pages of results for Google. The results as of this morning, were that NONE showed up going back three pages for each keyword!

Look at this:

#1- Keyword phrases entered into search program:

www.websitetrafficbuilders.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Search running:

www.websitetrafficbuilders.com

Results returned:

www.websitetrafficbuilders.com

Well, if these keyphrases were on page one of Google, the only certain thing I can say, is that they are now, not only no longer on page one, but not on page two or three also.

I believe this example only confirms my opinion as first stated in my original post.

Judi

search engine optimization software

What URL are you running the searches against? I just ran the first 3 through Google and her ClassifiedFlyerAds.com flyer is showing up. Looks like you ran the queries against her own website, which we don't optimize. We optimize our members flyers and members can add link backs to their own website from their flyers. Following are 3 web archives I just saved of the first 3 searches that show her ClassifiedFlyerAds.com flyer is on page 1.

http://www.classifiedflyerads.com/Madison%20TN%20Homes%20-%20Google%20Search.mht

http://www.classifiedflyerads.com/Madison%20TN%20Home%20For%20Sale%20-%20Google%20Search.mht

http://www.classifiedflyerads.com/Madison%20Tennessee%20Home%20For%20Sale%20-%20Google%20Search.mht

NOV

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