Real Estate Forums

NealRM · 02-20-2008, 08:01 PM

I think we agree that better and more photos, more area specific listings, good information and easy navigation is what visitors want. These are all items that good real estate sites have.

However, from a SEO standpoint I do not see how Google will be able to judge any of these items. Google can judge how many photos you have on a site, but not if the photos are any good. Nor can it judge if information is well presented, or correct. It can barely determine if content is redundant. The same goes for easy navigation. A search engine can tell if pages are linked together, but it can not tell if that linking is easy for a human to follow. In short, many of the items that make a good website are not incorporated into the SERP.

Unfortunately the nationwide site rank poorly in what visitors want. Yet they rank well in the items that search engines like. They have 1000's of pages with descriptive text and all the proper keywords. They have listing in every major market in the US. Yet the market saturation in any single market ranges from fair to poor. However, the shear number of listings allows them to get top spots and the traffic that goes with those spots. While better local sites get buried.

So what is the SERP solution?? I'm not sure. I just feel that limiting linking will move the balance of SEO power towards the nationwide sites and away from local sites.

SEOWolf · 02-20-2008, 09:40 PM

Neal they already the tools in place to handle all of the issues you have presented and have began using them to some degree.

Search Engines can determine the length of time spent on a site, the number of pages viewed the entry and exit pages as well as the referrer and the date of the last changes to the pages.

A better utilization of this information in an algorithm with a higher priority than linking would render better searches IMHO. Especially in our industry.

Visitors will not stay on sites with old information. More and better photos would keep potential buyers looking on your site. And returning.

This information lets the Search Engines know what visitors think of your site and should count MUCH higher in an algorithm than how may back links a site owner can accumulate.

Better rankings using this system would promote more time spent on developing good content and less time searching for links IMHO.

Just my 2¢ worth,

~VegasMack

NealRM · 02-21-2008, 04:13 AM

True a rating system based on traffic, time on site, and % of returning customers would be best. Google does have the technology to do this now. We just need to encourage them to start using it. Heck, with this system I might even get that coveted fist place spot for Missouri Real Estate.

Of course, 1hr after they do there will be someone scamming the system.

SEOWolf · 02-21-2008, 01:27 PM

Yes I am aware of how rankings such as Alexa are easily manipulated but it would be extremely difficult to scam a real ranking (ratings) system if properly implemented.

And the competition to build the best sites would then be on.

SEO and backlinks (good backlinks such as HHI Golf Guy mentioned) would still factor into the algorithm and would serve as tie breakers for equal sites.

It is just a matter or time before it comes to this and I can’t wait.

~VegasMack

P.S.
I think that Missouri Real Estate slot is filled.

coglethorpe · 03-25-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEOWolf

Neal better content is the key I believe.

Content is king. I think I've heard that before.

If a site has good content, it will naturally be linked from a variety of sites. I've run a couple of blogs and it was really neat to look in my logs and see a link from a blog I had never heard of. Someone found my stuff and thought it was worth a link. Of course, that happens much more when say, Mark Cuban writes something than when I do.