So Much Technology and so Little Time!
I don’t know about you, but I get so many soliciting phone calls (and spam) from companies offering websites and front page placement on Google. Yesterday, I received one proposing for a minimum of $225 per month I would be “guaranteed front page placement on Google” by “a bona fide certified Google specialist”. Well, doesn’t that sound all official and everything? Pretty flashy, but that’s a lot of advertising budget dollars per month! Is this worth it to me? Would it be worth it to you?
I certainly believe in internet marketing and Google. I love Google – Google is taking over the world. I “google” every day to find everything. Is it worth paying for ads or placements? The word on the street (or in the “clouds”) is “Organic” Search Engine Optimization. Google engines are searching “organic” optimization (key words or phrases actually written into your site’s script) as a priority above clicks or ads. Who knew? A savvy web designer who does specialize in organic search engine optimization will benefit your website MORE than paying anything monthly – clicks or “certified specialist”.
A website designer would do a complete and thorough keyword and phrase search for key text. This text would be inserted on your site. Additionally, you need to keep your content fresh for the search engines to find you – How? Blog Blog Blog and updating your content on your homepage. PLUS, your real estate listings need to on separate pages and not just listed through the MLS search engines. WHEW!
As a side note: Before you can optimize your site with great content, you need your OWN website. It can be in addition to your company’s website. But you need your own. How are your prospects going to find you when your domain name is www.YourComanies’Name.com/yourname? Worse yet, I have seen where instead of the agent’s name, there was a number! How in the world can Google, Yahoo, Bing or any other search engine possible find you?? If your company is providing a page on their site, that’s great and use it. But have your own built. Your clients deserve it.
When you are looking to have a site built there are many companies/designers and they all want your dollars promising you EVERYTHING.
Some companies have the same SEO for 500 agents. HUH? How can you compete with 500 companies then?
There are companies which have templates and your site looks MARVELOUS, (It really does); but if isn’t optimized and working for you, it’s not working.
Some companies have you purchase many many domain names to point to your site. That is a sign of a lazy designer and like having a hundred fishing poles in a pond with no bait.
What can you do? How do you know? Call me for a free (no strings attached) web site/building consultation. I don’t build sites – don’t like it. I like helping to design and maintain them, but don’t like to build them. HOWEVER, I do know what you should know when talking to site designers and even have some suggestions to help you “Bild” the best site for your Business.
So much technology and so little time! Don’t waste your time building it yourself or have your teenager build your site or waste your money on a company who cranks out the same site for everyone for an enormous fee. Hire a professional web designer and have it done right. You’ll pay for site building only and not for ads or placements.
