Technology in Real Estate: Is your domain name giving you Credit?

Technology: Getting the Proper Credit

How do you use your real estate domain name in linking your real estate website? Do you use www or non-www in your domain name?  The following addresses are considered separate websites by search engines:

• http://www.yourdomain.com  (the "www" version)
• http://yourdomain.com  (the "non-www" version)

If you use both when setting up your websites thru your ISP (internet service provider) or domain register, you may be missing proper credit.  Buyers, sellers and clients will see the same web page, but the search engines won't relate to the link popularity the same. If the "www" version of your website has 300 hits and the "non-www" version has 300 hits, then each version is getting a 300 point credit rather than you receiving a total of 600 points. Here are some immediate steps you can take to minimize this technology problem:

1. Make a Choice. Decide which format to keep. The "www" version is the most common method used. If you agree, then use the format http://www.yourdomain.com on every link you can control.
2. Website Review. Review your website and fix any links that use the "non-www" version. For example, if you have a link on every page back to your homepage and it uses the non-www format, switch it to the www-format.
3. Fix related Offsite Links. Request repairs to any links that may be directing traffic to your website using the wrong version of your address. If you have created relationships with other associates, websites or marketing programs that may be using the wrong URL, ask them to change the links if possible.
4. Remove the Problem Entirely. Minimize incorrect links from other sites by having your technology professional to "tell" search engines that the non-www URL is now permanently redirected to the www-version. Then when vistors click on the non-www version URL, they will automatically be redirected to the proper www-version. Search engines will interpret the redirect positively and will forward all link popularity to the www-version. Now you have consolidated the popularity from both URLs into a single website which can significantly increase link popularity and search engine rankings.

Implementing this technology called "server-side 301 redirect" may require the support of a technology professional with knowledge in making website changes. Refer your technology professional to the following tutorial: "How to 301 Redirect Non-WWW to WWW URLs" (www.stepforth.com/faq/non-www-redirect.htm).

Hope this helps you!  Let me know!