Comments on: Dichotomy of the Real Estate Blog – Do You Please the Readers or Search Engines?

By: Wayne Pruner

Wayne Pruner — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:57:10 +0000

Thanks for the info. It is so hard for me to write good content and then have it found so it can be read. I’ll have to improve in both areas.

By: David

David — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:55:20 +0000

Great insight! #3 is really one that i’ll think about more now. Thanks!

By: Jim Cronin

Jim Cronin — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:09:21 +0000

Karen (and any others interested in a Title Remix),
Send me the working title and short 1 sentence description of the article and I’d be happy to take a stab at writing a title that covers all the bases.
Jim

By: Karen Rice

Karen Rice — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:19:36 +0000

I don’t think I’ve ever commented on this blog before but I read it often. Finding the balance between compelling to readers and juicy for Google is so tough – so tough in fact that sometimes I just can’t blog at all. So many tips – keep keywords in your title, but make your title interesting, but use long tail key words as the first four words of your title, but make people want to click it…or whatever else is good for SEO. I have a perfectly great topic to write on but can’t come up with a sexy enough title that’s keyword relevant and that will compel people to actually read it.
Anyway – maybe I’m getting TOO hung up on the Google aspect…part of me says “what’s the point if it doesn’t come up in Google?” and the other says “But what’s the point if people won’t read it?”
Oy…

By: Deborah Burns

Deborah Burns — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:45:27 +0000

Back and forth, back and forth…balance, it’s tricky. I write first for readers, then check to see if I have enough for Google to find me, then back again to see how it looks to readers and so on. It’s not so much a fight, rather teetering…getting the balance right.
Thank you explaining and mapping title, heading, subheading and links, I understand this a little better now. And “Stemming” that was something I had never thought of.

By: Elizabeth Weintraub

Elizabeth Weintraub — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:38:10 +0000

There is definitely an art to writing SEO. It needs to sound natural and flow. I see so many blogs that are cramped full of keywords, stuffed to the gills with links that make you feel like you’re walking through a Las Vegas casino — many with capital letters screaming click here; it’s pretty clear that lots of bloggers are trying but have no idea what they are doing. I say read it back to yourself out loud. If it sounds funny, don’t post it.
Timely and sharp article, Jim!

By: Brad Rachielles

Brad Rachielles — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:24:47 +0000

Good Post. Folowing this will do a lot to keep the dogs at bay.

By: Monika

Monika — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:45:21 +0000

Very informative. I’m still learning it all and really appreciate your post.
Thanks

By: Jim Cronin

Jim Cronin — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:10:53 +0000

Kevin W – That analogy is awesome.
Charles W – Your 2 cents bought my agreement with your opinion.
Tim O – Thanks for bringing detail to the concern. I have amended the section with a Warning. Right On!

By: Charles Woodall - Dothan Real Estate

Charles Woodall - Dothan Real Estate — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:10:40 +0000

Great post Jim! And great analogy Kevin!
I wouldn’t worry too much about your competitors websites and search engine placement. If they have clearly built a website for SEO, their readers will see through that, just like they do the keyword padding that goes on. I am willing to wager that the vast majority of consumers will skip right past those sites until they find yours. A site that is rich in local content and transparent is going to win with today’s online consumer every time.
My two cents.