Tag Archive for 'SEO'

Integrating Social Media into Your Online Marketing Plan

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NDG
on March 5, 2010
in advertising, articles, e-marketing, marketing, new home marketing and real estate marketing
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Continuing our Step-By-Step Process to Staying Focused and On Track in Today’s Market, this week, we’ll discuss how Social Media can help you distribute your content online to help achieve your search engine marketing and optimization goals, as well as help you achieve real authentic customer engagement.

Facebook, YouTube, Twitter—there’s a growing number of social media channels and platforms out there. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and off course trying to be everywhere, so we’re going to set the record straight about what you should, and shouldn’t, expect from your social media marketing efforts.

Make sure to review NDG’s online integration map for flowing data (content) throughout the fundamental online marketing components for Homebuilders, Developers, and Real Estate Brokerages.

NDG recommends that our clients have a living strategic plan for implementing, engaging, and monitoring your social media outreach. While social media can help build brands and maximize publicity efforts, do not expect these marketing components to instantly drive traffic or sales. Social media platforms are recommended because of their word-of-mouth generation capabilities and because of their wide-ranging reach across many varied demographic audiences. Do NOT abandon all other forms of marketing; rather, integrate social media into your current marketing strategy and, most importantly, your corporate website.

As a first, fundamental step, develop a blog to serve as the “content repository” to feed timely, relevant content to your corporate website. This same content can be distributed via a Facebook fan page. Then,  you can add other platforms such as Twitter and YouTube to your mix as you develop more content appropriate for these digital meeting places. Your website is the hub of all your marketing and advertising, and from this hub are distributed communications, each tailored to the channel you’re using.

Finally, remember that Content is Queen, and especially so for the social media. If you’re just shouting the same stuff down these channels, you’re wasting your time and money, and potentially damaging your brand and reputation. The ROI on your social media outreach will be directly influenced by your investment in generating good content, because this is what will help your Search Engine Results Page (SERPs) rankings grow higher and higher, and create more authentic engagement with your prospects—not repeating the same weak content over and over, which will just get you ignored by both your prospects and the search engines.

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Pay to Play Until You Can Go Organic: Search Engine Marketing

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NDG
on March 1, 2010
in advertising, e-marketing, marketing, new home marketing and real estate marketing
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As new home sales expert Myers Barnes often says, “It’s Online or the Breadline.” According to the National Association of Realtors, more than 90% of new homebuyers are starting their research and selection process online, shopping by elimination to determine which communities they will visit in person.

Your goal is to have your website appear on the very first page of search engine results pages (or “SERPs”) when your prospects search under the keywords associated with your website and its content, and have it appear there “organically” — that is, without resorting to paid advertising to help maintain this first-page ranking. This is no easy and simple task, nor does it happen overnight, but with testing, vigilance, and perseverance, you can achieve this goal.

Search Engine Optimization (or “SEO”) refers to improving your search engine ranking via non-paid methods. This is different from Search Engine Marketing (or “SEM”), paid search engine advertising that can help you eventually achieve your search engine placement goals without any financial investment. The most prominent example of search engine advertising is Google AdWords.

Keyword research will help guide the ongoing development of your paid search engine advertising, so that you can allocate minimal funds to test your advertising first. Once you have positive results, roll out your complete, tested & proven paid advertising. Remember, your goal is to have your website appear on the first page of search engine results. With a combination of Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing, you can achieve this goal, and then eliminate the expense of paid search advertising once you achieve sustainable “organic” first-page ranking.

Next week, we’ll discuss the facts and myths of how “Social Media” such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter can help you distribute your content online to help achieve your search engine goals.

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Making Your Website Searchable and Social Media Friendly

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NDG
on June 26, 2009
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There is an increasing demand for fresh, live web content as well as an increasingly high expectation of consumers to be able to interact with what they find in search results. This naturally requires that website owners and content publishers make their websites both search and social media friendly. Here are 5 ways to do just that from Lee Odden at Mashable.

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The Right Mix for the Highest Digital ROI

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NDG
on February 10, 2009
in advertising, e-marketing, marketing, new home marketing, new home sales marketing and real estate marketing
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Over at Marketing Sherpa they’ve asked consumer marketers to rank the ROI of various online marketing tactics and published the rankings for Q4 2008. The results? It appears that email, SEO, and paid search continue to enjoy the best ROI. And, it seems no surprise that display advertising is taking the back seat now. Click here to read the whole article.

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Create Effective Search Engine Optimization Using Flash—Yes, Flash

Published
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NDG
on February 3, 2009
in advertising, articles, e-marketing and marketing
. 3 Comments

Frequently we come across blog postings, white papers, and articles in magazines regarding the use of Flash-based websites and its negative effect on search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Almost unanimously, many who claim to be experts condemn the use of Flash and label the technology as a “death wish” for those who wish to achieve high search engine rankings, especially on Google.com.

The Facts: Optimizing Flash is not easy, but far from impossible.

Flash is now a viable technology that helps create rich online experiences and, with common sense tactics, can be optimized to target search engine results. Innovation in Flash website development practices, combined with other development technologies (like JavaScript) can now help produce high Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings for Flash websites.

In July 2008, Google and Adobe (the developers of Flash) announced a joint-venture update to resolve the Flash/SEO issue. The introduction of Google’s Flash algorithm means most Flash sites are, by default, search engine-friendly—assuming your programmer is up to date on the latest techniques required to effectively optimize Flash.

Of course, some issues remain, but these are being addressed and industry-standard work-around solutions have been developed to make Flash a viable technology to use for websites. And with Google now capturing 64% of the search engine traffic, and providing reliable indexing of Flash sites with their new algorithm, Flash should be a major component in the technical palette of every web designer and programmer.

Still Not Convinced? More in-depth technical explanations of these techniques can be found online. There are many sources where more specifics can be provided on actual SEO for Flash tactics.

Here are some examples of Flash-based websites with effective SEO from the NDG Communications portfolio:

VillagesOfSteepleChase.com

This Flash-based website is optimized for several key phrases, but our main phrase is “Townhomes in La Plata.” Our Google SERP (search engine results page) has this site ranking consistently between #2 to #4.

ChesterRiverHomes.com

Using the search phrase “Chestertown Waterfront Homes,” the Google SERP ranking for this Flash-based website is consistently #2 or #3.

So, while Flash is not necessarily the best choice for every website, it has been proven in usability research to enhance the overall user experience by making a site more interactive and intuitive. Remember, you have approximately 4 seconds to really grab a website visitor’s attention and help them make the decision to stay and consume more of your content. For now and the foreseeable future, Flash is still the best technology available to website designers to achieve real engagement and to convert visitors to registered users, and it can now be properly indexed by the world’s most dominant search engine, Google.com, ensuring that SEO goals are attainable.

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Getting to the Top, Part 2

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NDG
on January 8, 2009
in advertising, articles, marketing and real estate marketing
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With interactive advertising the advertiser now has total control of budget—meaning they determine how much they are willing to pay for each click, and how many clicks they will pay for in a predetermined period.

And, with the fully detailed reports of the campaign’s performance provided by the various ad venues (Google AdWords, AdSense, Realtor.com, etc.) you can now actually see and determine what works and what doesn’t to refine your approach to maximize the return on your online advertising investment.

This is the true advertising revolution: You are now in control. You determine what is spent, where it’s spent, and when to change course to ensure your share of the prospect pie. And you do it armed with hard and accurate information about your results.

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Getting to the Top: More Search Engine Basics

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NDG
on January 6, 2009
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Last time, we talked about the fundamentals of making sure your website is as close to the top of the list as possible for prospect internet searches. Implementing those changes is critical, but the process takes time. And since we know that time is money, and that we have sales goals to meet every month and quarter, let’s discuss what you can do while you’re working on improving your search rankings. If you can’t get to the top of the list organically (that is, without paying for it, by relying on the fundamentals of your website’s content for search engine optimization), you can buy your way to the top, often for a very competitive price, and even with small and limited budget.

One very effective form of internet advertising, Pay-Per-Click (PPC), is flexible, measurable, and highly effective. Providing the campaign is professionally managed PPC advertising can provide an excellent return on investment, enabling you to reach potential customers at the right time, right place, and right cost.

What is “Pay-Per-Click”? When you search for something on google.com, you’ll see both a list of websites in the main column, as well as narrow column of “paid-for” websites in the right-hand column. These are essentially ads for your website that appear based on specific keyword searches. You determine which keywords or keyword phrases are appropriate for your prospects and your property, for example “Waterfront lots in Charles County” or “St. Louis Townhomes.”

While it may appear that this approach could be costly, “Pay-Per-Click” is really “Pay-Per-Performance” because you only pay when a user clicks through to your website, rather than paying for each time your ad is displayed. This is a vast improvement over traditional print advertising which relies on the reader actually remembering what she or he read to use later, and cannot prove its effectiveness. Better still, with Pay-Per-Click, you get to actually bid on these search terms or phrases rather than just paying a set fee, and you can control when your ads will appear, as well as control your total budget—you determine how much you will spend in a given time period.

And, because this is interactive advertising, you can now truly see what works—and what doesn’t, so that you can refine your approach over time to maximize your online advertising investment. Then, if your website has a clear and compelling message, the probability of conversion (an online registration) is high, and an in-person visit from the prospect is now much more likely, giving your sales team the opportunity to make personal contact with the prospect.

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How to Make Search Work for You

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NDG
on December 18, 2008
in advertising, marketing and real estate marketing
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Last time, we gave you some hard facts about the importance of search engine optimization for new home sales websites, like the fact that 84% of homebuyers start their new home search on the internet. So you understand WHY you need to be concerned about making sure search engines rank your website as high as possible. Now, here’s the HOW. Below are some fundamentals you must consider when creating your website in order to help search engines connect you with the right prospects who are searching for new homes.

• It is estimated that 47% of all website visits come from direct navigation (that is, a user typing the website address or URL directly into the address navigation box). Therefore, your website’s address or “URL” should be simple and intuitive—as close to the community’s name or brand as possible. The closer your website address to your actual property’s name, the easier it will be for prospects to locate you online and for search engines to connect your website with the right prospects.

• A website’s architecture (the pages of content and how they are structured together) and the actual content of the website’s pages themselves have a direct impact on the way search engines interpret the site’s information and determine its relevancy. So, the better your content, the more relevant it is to your prospects, and the fresher it is, the easier it will be for prospects to find your website via search engines. When you update your website often with news, events, and more detailed information, the search engines notice this and will boost your ranking higher so that you can be found more easily. Websites that never change will begin to fall further down the list. The lesson: Stay fresh.

• Websites use special “tags” in the actual programming code to help search engines understand the content of your website. The Title Tag is one of the most important factors in achieving high search engine rankings. Limited to 68 characters including spaces, the title tag description is what appears in the clickable link on the search engine results page and is incredibly important in helping your website get better search rankings. Each page in your website can have a separate title tag that describes the page’s content. Remember, the title tag determines what your prospects will see when they’re searching for new homes online and find your website’s listing, and will help them determine whether to click your link, or to skip it and move on. So make sure you take advantage of this simple but most important programming tag to connect with your prospects.

• Having other websites link to your website can boost your ranking with some of the search engines and substantially increase the flow of traffic through your site. Just as having new and fresh content regularly added to your website will help improve your ranking, the more links you have between your website and others the more search engine optimization benefit you’ll be able to realize.

There are many, many more methods and strategies for helping your website achieve better search engine results rankings, but the ones we’ve discussed today are among the most fundamental and a good place to start. NDG Communications has helped countless clients boost their rankings to get more qualified leads, increase registrations, and help establish communities with our effective SEO services and e-marketing capabilities. If we can help you, please call or e-mail today.

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Does Your Website Get a Passing Grade?

Published
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NDG
on December 16, 2008
in advertising and marketing
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Ready to see how your website really measures up when it comes to driving qualified traffic? Use this professional website assessment checklist to see if your website is making the grade and or if you could use some improvement. Scoring is based on a 1 through 10 system—1 being extremely poorly represented and 10 is extremely well represented. Be honest and objective.

WEBSITE GRADING CHART

URL (short, simple, intuitive) _____/10
Download Time (size of home page) _____/10
Look and Feel (readability) _____/10
Require User to Download Additional Software _____/10
Homepage on One Screen (above the fold) _____/10
Unique Selling Point (USP) or Value Proposition_____/10
Ability to Take Action (Key action points provided)_____/10
Feeling of Wanting More (depth of site)_____/10
Contact Details_____/10
Credential Validation (certifications, associations etc.)_____/10
Statement from Management_____/10
Useful Information_____/10
Level of Interaction_____/10
Use of Valuable Graphics_____/10
Use of Valuable Animation_____/10
Reviews, Testimonials, and Certifications_____/10
Content Presented in Digestible Quantities_____/10
Up-to-Date Information_____/10
Available in Multiple Languages_____/10
Accessibility for the Disabled_____/10
Disclaimers & Terms of Use_____/10
Easily Usable Site Structure/Content_____/10
Useful Title Tags_____/10
Description Meta Tags_____/10
Site Directory/Site Map_____/10
ALT Tags_____/10
Partner & Affiliate Links _____/10

TOTAL____/270

SCORING:

240 points or more: Excellent work; are you one of my clients?

200-240 points: Great effort, but more work is required to drive traffic and sales

100-200 points: Seek Professional Help

Less than 100 Points: Critical Warning—Get Help Fast

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Driving Web Traffic, Part 2

Published
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NDG
on December 11, 2008
in advertising, marketing and real estate marketing
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DOES YOUR WEBSITE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO DRIVE TRAFFIC? Part 2

With the website being the most fundamental marketing tool, and the hub of all information, here are some additional basic but critical factors to consider for your sales website:

CONTACT DETAILS
Providing immediate contact details such as email addresses and telephone numbers on the home page will give the site an open feel and add a personal touch, thus increasing user confidence and instilling credibility.

CREDENTIAL VALIDATION/TESTIMONIALS
Providing the kinds of information that establishes credibility and consumer confidence, such as awards, is a useful way to build trust with the consumer. Providing independent comments on positive experiences (applicable to the product or company) will have an even greater impact—instilling confidence in your brand and qualitatively boosting the consumer’s perception of the quality of your product and company.

STATEMENT FROM MANAGEMENT
This content will share the vision and values of the people who envisioned and are building the community. This information provides credibility and legitimacy for the property.

UP-TO-DATE
All content published on the website should be recent and up-to-date.

DISCLAIMERS & TERMS OF USE
It is very important to supply the appropriate disclaimers, terms of use, privacy policy, and other legal terms.

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