The Google SEO Starter Guide - Tips To Know about SEO
With all the SEO experts out there, the one thing that I have learned over the years is to be sure and research things in detail that are important to you or to the success and marketing of your business. You just can't believe everything you read out there these days. We all know that SEO changes, and NO ONE except the employees of the Search Engine companies and their programmers and engineers know the truth and technical aspects of how it all really works.
However, this is some important stuff that can "make" or "break" a Blog. I may not know or have all the answers, but I consider myself an honest and sincerely dedicated individual/resource who will find the right or correct answers and stop at nothing to try and help other members. (not because it's my job either, I really enjoy what I get to do for ActiveRain and for the members here)
So regarding SEO, this comes from the experts over at Google. I trust their opinions. This is no secret, (except to some) it's been out there since November 22nd of last year, but I thought it might be a good time to share this since many of my recent posts have been discussing post titles, SEO, hyper-links, title & Alt-tags, stickiness, long tails and short tails, and all the rest of that techno-babble stuff.
It's the stuff most people never want to hear about but will eventually need have to learn.
Keep in mind that while SEO is important and a critical piece of the Blogging Puzzle, it is just another tool in the Big Picture. Landing at the top of the Search Engine pages is exciting and very beneficial but getting the traffic and the leads, then converting them to clients and developing long term relationships is the most important part of capitalizing on any of your social networking or media marketing efforts.
Other Blog Improvement Ideas, Tips, and Suggestions:
"Learn More. Get More. Do More. Be More."
Absolutely fantastic Brad. I LOVE how you have pulled all this together and taken off with it. You are a dream employee!! I consider it a privilege to work with you but even more of a privilege to know you and count you as a friend!!
Thanks Bob - the feeling is mutual my friend. :-)
Blogging without an SEO plan in mind are just randon rants and thoughts. Now, with an intensed focus, that generates business. Thanks for sharing this. I read this last year and thought it was an exceptional piece.
I am constantly trying to improve my SEO but there is so much information out there. Thank you for this starter guide, Brad.
Thank you for all the information..I feel like I need to take a week off of work..and just read all this stuff..and learn how to blog.
great info here, I saved the seo guide and plan to forward it to some of my associates.
Brad Your assistance has been invaluable - we have revised our format and priority in content - it is working like a charm. Karen
Brad -- as always you are like a volcano where hot lava is continuously flowing. Thanks for the great tips. I need to sit down and apply a much as I can without losing sight of the need for personal communications. Interessting that folks I don't talk to very often, I am now in touch with constantly via Facebook!
Online is the way to go.
Thanks for the secrets as I've been working hard at implementing most of the things I've been reading and learning.
Thanks, Brad, some of these things have been a bit confusing til now!
Funny thought and observation...
If you look at the URL or Web Address for the guide below, at first thought, you'd think it was something that was to be kept secret or hidden in the bowels of the Internet forever! lol~ :-)
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fwebmasters%2Fdocs%2Fsearch-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf&ei=w7hsSvmeCJPQtgPO_cCWBQ&usg=AFQjCNEMj8KHxhxQz9cMLoMxMDiLdrAbJw&sig2=bylpLKJUPtknIEIEI2F7Xw
Brad~ I ditto what Bob said..this series that you are providing ROCKS...I am reading and re-reading and bookmarking of course. Thanks for being such a great contributor to the success of all our businesses! (P.S. Can I give you a IRL hug next week in SF..?)
RT Laura Monroe. Thanks, Brad. And wasnt' that sweet of Bob. Man, you are loved!
I try to keep up with google webmaster stuff - from the mouth of the... errr, beast??? so to speak. I need to go back an look at it again though there are always some nuggets I find at a later reading. Thanks a million for this. ~Rita
Brad - You have been to topic of discusion for the last few weeks in our technology class. Keep up the good work, we all need your help.
Brad you rule as the internet guru for all of us playing in the ARain. I am printing this out so I can read it during dinner (the wife is away) and then put into practice anything I am not already doing. I am also going to pass this onto the agents I am already mentoring to.
I'm bookmarking this because when I opened the 22 page doc I thought, OK, I can't finish this in the next few minutes. Thanks for always giving us great info.
Brad, I am trying SO hard to learn and follow this advice that you give us. i know with the Hyper Local I am amazed how high it's coming up from using your advice. Thank you!!!
Good stuff, Brad. I downloaded it to study.
Hope others do too.
Glad you and Bob love each other so much. :)
Thanks for the guide, Brad. You guys at AR certainly work hard trying to keep all of us informed.
Thanks Brad, I bookmarked this and will ready it when I have a clearer head.
I definitely need to take another look at my SEO and your tips have always been extremely useful for me! You have helped me a lot so I know your enthusiasm and generosity is not "because it's your job"!! Someone called me today and we discussed if Activerain has made a difference for me - didn't have to hesitate - hands down - almost everything I know and do is because of my participation here and posts such as this. Thanks so much.
Brad, I think you are my most frequently bookmarked person! Thanks again for putting it all together for us-- you are VERY much appreciated!
Brad, you are such a great resource. My to do list is getting a workout.
Brad, I don't think anyone can ever come close to providing so much packed and crucial info as easy to understand and with as much heart as you do! thank you!
The starter guide is a must read. Here is a cool tool to see how the SEO efforts are paying off in a Google and Bing combined search.
Good info Brad. Great to know about. thanks for sharing
While the study and research of SEO may seem a daunting and overwhelming task, applying some simple techniques and tools can make all the difference in your SEO success. I have tried to simplify the process in my past few posts and am happy to report that many are already experiencing a difference. Thanks for all the great comments and the "mass" amounts of emails I have received these past couple weeks.
This has been a very rewarding series for many of you which makes it very rewarding for me as well. I have one final post on its way in this series, I hope it will connect all the dots and give you all the puzzle pieces needed to help build your masterpiece Blog posts. Wishing you all the greatest Blogging Success here in the rain. Thanks again. :-))
Brad, thanks for sharing your insight. I'm bookmarking this blog.
Brad, once again, thanks for providing this information. All my searches on SEO and I swear I've never seen this guide. I just got tons of books reserved at the library regarding SEO and websites for real estate. One more tool in the toolbox. You can never have too many!
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Thanks Brad, you are always taking us to another level..appreciate it.
Good stuff! I will pass along to my staff.
Thanks Brad
Brad- This series is terrific, but now that we have a handle on Google SEO, what do we do about the emerging popularity of BING?
Searching "Westport Real Estate", I consistently toggle between #1 and #4 positions on page 1 of Google. Using BING, my ranking falls to #61.
Similarly, for "Westport Real Estate Agent", I'm #2 on Google and #37 on BING.
Any insights into how to improve BING rankings?
I bookmarked this too because it needs a re-read....probably more than once! It is an invaluable source of information for someone who is just getting started. Thank you SO MUCH!!
Brad - One of the things I love about your blogs is that I can navigate from one blog to the next. It's seamless & easy to find my way back if I need to do so.
All your blogs are great. This one was particularly helpful for me.
THANKS, BRAD, MY STUDIES CONTINUE...THANKS FOR INCLUDING ALL THE LINKS.
Thanks Brad... great reminder to go back and check the source! It is important. Often we get so busy, keep moving forward and forget on occasion to stop, look back, and see if we've dropped anything by accident.
Rene - excellent summary and comment. I agree that we can easily become busy and complacent. It's great to be surrounded by Industry Professionals that remind us of what's important and how to achieve our desired goals. Thanks. :-)
Brad, you've officially driven me into overload - but in a good, good way. With the information in this series, I think Frank and I will have enough information to make some very educated decisions and changes to our website and my blog. Your heart shines through in every post. Thanks so much for this series - hey, were you Bob's inspiration for the new series??? :)
Sharon
Sharon - it's usually the other way around, Bob inspires me to write many of the posts I do. He's the brains and genius here. :-)
Hi Brad, Great post and suggestion on reading the SEO starter guide from Google. I just spent the last 4 hours or so going through it and making changes to my website. I look forward to going through the other blog improvement ideas you have listed.
Konnie - I'll be on the East Coast at the end of this month! :-) Hope to meet and see you at the MLS TECH FAIR.
Jim - Making changes, edits, and updates is something we all have to get used to doing. As we learn, we adapt, and part of adapting means creating and implementing changes. Glad you found this information useful, thanks for taking the time to comment. :-))
Brad, I like your comment about SEO being nice, but there's a point to this. We were talking about this very thing. I said we're building a paramid and there has to be a point at the top. There's a point to this. Thanks,
Thanks Brad! What a wealth of information and a very well written blog. I'm pouring over all your postings now.
SEO is nice, but so are those trips to the bank to make deposits! :-)
Jeff - grab a cup o coffee and feel free to hang out as long as you like. I hope you'll find more information on my blog that will help you cut some corners and reduce the learning curve here on the network. AR offers lots of tools, and the members here provide priceless information, knowledge, and experience.
Reading through the Google SEO PDF so I can get better at this stuff! Thanks!
Blog-N-Roll Brad...
Just cuzz I didn't comment doesn't mean I'm not here. Or does it? :)
Sorry my friend. I'm training a brand new Blogger and you're doing most of the work :)
TLW...ROAR!
More great information gathered together that I need to go through more thoroughly and really try to understand.
Hey Brad - Thanks for the tips. My website is in dire need of some optimization. This will help a bunch. Thanks again.
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