Real Estate Forums

SEOWolf · 02-15-2008, 12:21 PM

There has been much controversy over links and reciprocal links in the real estate industry this year.

So much so I have hesitated to even comment on real estate links and link exchanges.

I still believe that HHI Golf Guy was on target with his idea about article exchanges. It keeps to the spirit of the Google Webmaster Guidelines as well as creates useful content and the much needed back links.

I have begun spending more time attempting to design the BEST real estate websites as opposed to the best SEO on real estate websites as I posted on Greg Boser’s Blog for his article on “The Greatest Real Estate Agent in the World”. So far I am pleased to announce that Google is responding very positively.

What I have been experimenting with lately on a limited scale is Blog Comment posting. Now I do realize that REW just recovered from a Google penalty initiated by Matt Cutts for a “fake” blog comment link scheme.

This is NOT what I am referring to or attempting. What I am doing is using the “dofollow” tag on a couple of my blogs to test the benefit of Blog Comment links.

Only relevant comments that contribute to the “conversation” are allowed. Absolutely NO spam will get though Moderation.

If any of our Members wish to participate in our little back link experiment you may do so HERE or HERE.

If your comment is useful and on target and not spam you receive a One Way link back to your site.

The better your comment is the more likely it will be posted so let’s please post in an effort to continue the conversation.

We would also love to hear what your thoughts are on the “dofollow” tag or Blog Comment posting (Good or Bad).

I will keep you posted as to our progress with our experiment.

~VegasMack

NealRM · 02-15-2008, 02:27 PM

Mack,
interesting experiment, please keep us posted on the results. I'm really interested in the effect of the "DoFollow" tag. Does it really have any effect over a plan link?

SEOWolf · 02-16-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NealRM

Mack,
interesting experiment, please keep us posted on the results. I'm really interested in the effect of the "DoFollow" tag. Does it really have any effect over a plan link?

I think so Neal. I really do see advantages to using the “dofollow” tag as long as comments are closely moderated. Google dislikes spam of any type as evidenced by the recent Google penalty on REW.

I have noticed some backlinks from blogs that I have commented to that use the “dofollow” tag and I really do not post comments that often.

If the blog is covering a subject I am interested in I post a comment. If that blog uses the “dofollow” plugin than I just created a One-Way link. So since I really did contribute to the blog post by writing a relevant and well thought out comment. A “Win-Win” for all parties concerned IMHO.

I will keep you posted on our little experiment.

~VegasMack

HHI Golf Guy · 02-16-2008, 08:57 PM

Last year, before all this Google hoopla began taking place, I started a site that allowed agents to post articles for free. No one seemed interested back then. That's probably because it was a new site and everyone was still focused on what was working at that moment and not thinking ahead to the next logical steps that Google was going to take.

Don't read that the wrong way - I don't have a crystal ball or inside information. I moved to this kind of link building simply because of what I saw Google doing in the past. It seemed like the best move for the future.

Devaluing directories and paid advertising was an easy move for Google to make, especially going after paid advertising. This move by Google is not all about devaluing links. It's also about moving more people to put Adsense on their web sites.

BTW, my hunch is that within the next 12-18 months Google will begin devaluing blog links and RSS syndication. There is way too much crap being syndicated nowadays.

Because of all of the income producing projects and development that I needed to work on I never pushed the site. But now might be the time to get it rolling again. Based upon some new skills I have learned I need to update some code and functionality, but it works fine now.

As I said, if you want to sign up its free. All that I ask is that somewhere on the internet (forum post, your blog, someone elses blog, etc.) you add at least two links pointing to the site. I DO NOT want links from your own site (the one referenced in your article). One link will point to the article that you post, and one link will point to the homepage of the site. You can post more than one article, but adding links to additional articles is up to you. All I ask for is those two initial links.

Among the things I need to do is set up the site so article intros rotate on the home page. I may also create banners for everyone that submits articles and rotate those banners on the home page.

Anyway, if you're interested the site is Welcome! - e-NeighborhoodGuide.com

BTW, the TOS on that site is old - I probably need to update it. I'll try to get to that and updating the site within the next 2 weeks. Right now I'm swamped with projects and can't get to it.

SEOWolf · 02-19-2008, 10:09 AM

Well HHI Golf Guy I hope our Members take you up on your offer. You seem to stay ahead of the curve on this type of thing.

There are far too many people in your profession IMHO that look for ways to beat the system instead of working within it as you do.

For those that continue to ignore your advice and pay big bucks to get involved in more link schemes (scams) we can always say we told you so (again and again).

~VegasMack

HHI Golf Guy · 02-19-2008, 11:24 AM

Thanks.

Like I said, I don't have a crystal ball. What I try to do is put myself in Google's shoes and decide what the next course of action will be.

Once Google made links an important part of the equation, site owners took advantage by building thousands of spammy links. So Google took that away.

Webmasters then tried to link bomb using specific anchor text on more credible sites. Google took that away.

Then webmasters tried to concentrate on buying a few, high PR links. Google is taking that away.

Webmasters are trying to overwhelm the internet with RSS feeds and Social Bookmarking. I do use those now to an extent, but I don't put all of my efforts into building links that way. It's only a matter of time before Google cracks down on that. My guess is that it happens in the next 12-18 months.

The good news is that it will soon take less links to get to the top of the search engines. The bad news is that it will be even harder to find those links.

In the next month or so I will post on my site blog and my Active Rain blog my thoughts on the future of linkbuilding.

SEOWolf · 02-19-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHI Golf Guy

In the next month or so I will post on my site blog and my Active Rain blog my thoughts on the future of linkbuilding.

I look forward to reading that.

I participated in a thread on Matt Cutt’s Blog back at the beginning of 2006 on Webspam. It is a very long but good read.

My small contribution covered reciprocal links and reciprocal home page links and how I felt that both were used primarily in the real estate industry to manipulate the SERPS.

In an excerpt from one of my comments in that thread I stated:

Quote:

Unfortunately any link schematic within an algorithm is subject to manipulation.

It would be great if back links played no or at least a reduced role in the ranking algorithm.

A cottage industry has sprung up creating back links solely for the purpose of search engine manipulation.

Webmasters (and REALTORS®) could spend more time writing original content and make their sites better for their visitors if they did not have to chase after links.

While we must applaud Google’s efforts since that thread began, there is still much work to be done. Home page reciprocal links are still a source of abuse and site owners are rewarded for their use by Google even though it is a flagrant attempt to manipulate rankings.

Originators of outright link schemes (scams) need to be severely (and permanently) punished. As of late we have seen link scheme vendors slapped on the wrist temporarily and given the opportunity to sell yet another scheme to unsuspecting REALTORS® to replace that last 2 or 3. This sends mixed signals to website owners and webmasters IMHO.

It is human nature to attempt to replicate success. If it is perceived that if you are caught intentionally manipulating the system simply fix it and all is forgiven, then we can expect more of the same.

~VegasMack

NealRM · 02-19-2008, 05:29 PM

So once Google eliminates links and other abused items as factor in SERP, how do you think Realtors will compete against the nationwide listing sites. If you think that posting original content is the key, think again. With 100's of agents in even a small real estate market how much truly original can actually be posted. Do you need 50 articles on the local market or 200 articles on the top 10 things to do before listing your property?

In truth, visitors go to a real estate site for one reason and one reason only. To see what real estate is available. Better photos, more listings, easy navigation and up to date information are the keys to getting traffic. Unfortunately, Google does not have any method of measuring any of these important factors. Until the do, reciprocal links, blogs, and directories help allow smaller Realtor sites get good SERP. Without them, every real estate search would be topped by realtor.com, homes.com and other nationwide real estate sites.

None of this should be interpreted to promote deceptive methods, but as a counterpoint to getting rid of reciprocal linking.

HHI Golf Guy · 02-19-2008, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NealRM

So once Google eliminates links and other abused items as factor in SERP, how do you think Realtors will compete against the nationwide listing sites.

First off, there are not that many quality national sites. For many years, Realtor.com dominated the SERP's in most markets.

Second, Google has been working on local search and personalized search, making the SEO game that much harder.

Once again, I believe that as we move forward it will take less links for local sites to get top 10 SERP's. But the type and quality of the lings will be the deciding factor.

SEOWolf · 02-20-2008, 10:07 AM

Neal better content is the key I believe.

Better and more current information, better photos of listings and easy of navigation.

I would prefer my sites are judged on that basis rather than how many reciprocal links I can gather.

For many years we have been in a position of spending a great deal of our time searching for link partners and then trying to keep them honest. I am elated that this era is nearing its conclusion. This frees me and my client’s time up to improve the quality of our sites.

Back links were intended to serve as a vote for a site thus assisting its rankings. The theory was sound but too easily manipulated. Linking became an industry as opposed to a method for voting for good websites.

HHI Golf Guy is correct. It will take fewer links to rank well. They just need to be good quality links. I also believe that Google will soon make penalties for “Linking in bad Neighborhoods” much more apparent and severe. It is a logical “Next Step” in combating Spam. We have already seen a prelude to that over the past year. It was a “Shot across the Bow” for REALTORS® by Google that has not been taken seriously yet.

In the coming months we would all do well to distance ourselves from anyone that does not adhere to the spirit and letter of the Google's Webmaster Guidelines IMHO.

~VegasMack