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Top 12 SEO Mistakes

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Venture Realty International

Do You Make any of My Top 12 SEO Mistakes?

Everywhere I turn, I see posts telling about Search Engine Optimization. The 2012 BIG Jumpstart Blog Challenge has created a lot of awareness and interest in SEO.  Many of the posts are great -- but I'm the guy who reads all the "Dummies" Books and I started thinking about the mistakes that we might make. 

Clipart of Search engine spiderHere is my list of things that may make that search engine spider unhappy and hurt your site.

12. No Internal links (or not enough links). Good links raise the quality of your site and the spider will like it better.

11. Broken links and bad URL's. If the spider hits broken links or URL's that never worked the spider will feel blocked and the ranking of your site will suffer.

10 No site map. Site maps make it easy for spiders and they can index your site quicker.

9. No Alt text and titles for images. Photos will not count to the spider unless it can read text.  The title and Alt text can significantly help your site.

8. No use of header tags. Header tags help the spider because they allow it to weigh the words under the tag and it improves your ranking.

7. Using too many keywords that are industry jargon. Many of the terms we use every day in real estate are not terms typically used by consumers as they

6. Not using free tools.There are lots of free tools to help with keyword selection and analysis of your site -- use them. search.

Clipart Robot examining your site5. Wrong keywords.This is an easy mistake to make.  Just because a word is interesting to you, it does not mean that the potential client searching the web will use the same words.  Use keyword tools.

4. No consistency. Don't just use optimization occasionally.  Use it all the time and watch your analytics to see how you can improve.

3. Lack of keywords  (or too many). I've seen recommendations that keywords should comprise between 2% & 4% of your text.  Less than that and you are missing out.  More than that and you may get penalized by the Search Engines.

2. Thin content.Your site may be visually appealing with lots of photos and/or videos, but if there is little or now text, the site will not be interesting to the spider.  This also holds true if a page or post has only a few words.

1. Not focusing on the user. With all the emphasis on Search Engine Optimization, it is easy to forget the person you want to read your material. Don't get carried away with SEO. 

Cat at computer Clipart


Now that you know my list of the top 12 SEO Mistakes and you've seen some great material posted during the 2012 Big Jumpstart Blog Challenge, it's time to sit down and write. And if you have some favorite SEO mistakes please add them in your comment.

  

 

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Show All Comments Sort:
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Hi, Gary!

   Great List, practical and useable, thank you.

   I enjoyed our conversation yesterday, and look forward to talking with you again.

Jan 25, 2012 01:54 PM
Gary Coles (Coaching)
Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV
Latin America Real Estate

John, I have been taking a bunch of classes on blogging, SEO, etc. lately and I am signed up for a bunch more.  There is so much to learn. If my schedule allows, i will probably sign up for that class on the 31st.

Jan 25, 2012 02:00 PM
Gary Coles (Coaching)
Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV
Latin America Real Estate

Fred,  Thank you.  With your knowledge of SEO and technology, I really appreciate your comment.  I also really enjoyed our conversation.

Jan 25, 2012 02:05 PM
Christine McDaniel
Christine McDaniel Realty, LLC - Avon, IN
Broker Associate

Good reminders Gary.  Lot's of them that I didn't know.  The SEO class that is offered on AR is really good.

Jan 25, 2012 02:08 PM
Gary Coles (Coaching)
Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV
Latin America Real Estate

Christine,  Thank you. i will have to try to attend the class.

Jan 25, 2012 02:25 PM
Peter Pfann @ eXp Realty Pfanntastic Properties in Victoria, Since 1986.
eXp Realty, Victoria BC www.pfanntastic.com - Victoria, BC
Talk To or Text Peter 250-213-9490

Hi Gary,

Thanks and suggested, great list of pretty solid SEO advise, we are learning  more and more every day about the best practices with key words.

Jan 25, 2012 02:30 PM
Dagny Eason
Dagny's Real Estate - Wilton, CT
Fairfield County CT, CDPE Homes For Sale and Condo

Great advice here!  You just piled it in with this blog post!    Well done -I still need to be reminded to do the "extra" things each time - Google maps in your community posts, for one.  Google loves to find embedded Google maps in the posts...

Jan 25, 2012 02:35 PM
Gary Coles (Coaching)
Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV
Latin America Real Estate

Peter & Linda,  Thanks for the suggestion.  I am also learning every day.

Jan 25, 2012 02:41 PM
Gary Coles (Coaching)
Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV
Latin America Real Estate

Dagny,  Thank you. I like the tip about Google Maps.

Jan 25, 2012 02:43 PM
Marge Piwowarski
Phoenix AZ Horse Property - Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix AZ Horse Property, LLC

Gary, Thanks for bringing order to the mass of info bouncing around.  I am doing the AR SEO class  tomorrow.  I think I know just enough to be dangerous. 

Jan 25, 2012 03:19 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

All great tips Gary.....you're our Tude Teacher!  Keep it coming.....

Jan 25, 2012 03:40 PM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

Very well, done. Gary.  But, where are those free tools?  I am working on our website today.  Help me!  I've fallen and can't get up!

Jan 25, 2012 09:13 PM
Cheryl Dickson
Retired Realtor / Retired Home Inspector - Enid, OK
Retired Realtor, GRI / Retired Home Inspector

Excellent post Gary! Great timing with all the SEO posts for the Challenge telling us what to do, It's really good to also know what NOT to do. Thanks for also pointing those DO NOTs out to us, in addition to the TO DOs! Suggested!

Jan 26, 2012 10:22 PM
John Cannata
214-728-0449 http://TexasLoanGuy.com - Frisco, TX
Texas Home Mortgage - Purchase or Refinance

This is great information Gary, and a lot of information to remember. I've found that I add key words and links, but I dont know enough about the percentage of links and keywords vs regular text. If I were to think too hard about it, I wouldnt blog as much as I do (and thats not much to begin with). Love the information though, this way I dont over keyword or link. :-)

Jan 27, 2012 02:16 AM
Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula
Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA
Realty Works Temecula

Gary, An amazing list that I will keep for future reference! 

Jan 28, 2012 03:35 PM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

I am positive I have probably made all of these!  I am an SEO work in progress for sure!  Thanks for the tips!

Jan 28, 2012 04:29 PM
Adrian Willanger
206 909-7536 AdrianWillanger-broker.com - Seattle, WA
Profit from my two decades of experience

Gary-Yep, I've been guilty of all 12 items mentioned, when I started blogging I was just blogging for blogging sake without a strategy. It gets a lot more fun when you start to implement best practices that help get results. Good post.

Jan 29, 2012 03:08 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Gary great post and lots of food for thought.  I think we can all use some work at the beginning of each year on our SEO to make sure it is the best it can be. 

Jan 29, 2012 05:22 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Pushed!

Jan 29, 2012 05:22 AM
Sharon Lee
Sharon Lee's Virtual Assistance - Jonesborough, TN
Retired and loving life

Gary-I think I make all those mistakes and then some. Thanks for the great list.

Jan 29, 2012 08:43 AM