Real estate websites’ Google™ revolution

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — The holy grail for real estate websites used to be a listing in the top ten results of a relevant Google™ search. But while search engine exposure remains important, web design, content, business applications and traditional marketing are equally important when it comes to turning website visits into leads into revenue. That's true more than ever, a la mode's Web Marketing Strategies seminar for real estate agents teaches.

When Google™ revised the way it ranks websites back in November, real estate agents and others immediately began searching for the new magic words to place strategically into their website code to make theirs appear in the search giant's top ten. This is approaching the problem from the wrong end, the a la mode seminar teaches – websites that are nothing but online ads don't turn visits into leads into commissions. Your website needs to "do something" – both for the visitor and for the practicing agent.

It is widely believed that Google's™ November update was made in order to filter out "artificially" optimized websites – ones that use programming tricks to coax Google™ and other search engines into displaying them near the top of a search.

"Search engine optimization" is important, Krodel said – if you make your website relevant to the services you want to provide, it should be found by search engines. "But artificially ‘stuffing' your website with metatags and keywords and having sites link to you that aren't related to your website or market won't make your website more relevant. And now, after Google's™ latest update, this sort of programming sleight-of-hand doesn't make it score artificially high rankings, either," he said.

a la mode's Agent XSites are websites that do something – they fit into an agent's overall marketing plan, let him or her do productive business via the World Wide Web, and, yes, generate solid leads. Thousands of agents have already discovered how easy XSites are to set up, customize, and do business with. As part of its Agent XSites rollout, a la mode is conducting a number of free Web Marketing Seminars that will teach web marketing agents how to make their websites relevant to their prospective customers, and bring in leads.

"Web marketing is only part of a Realtor's® overall marketing – but it can be the most important, and easily the most productive, part," Krodel concluded.

###

About a la mode

Founded in 1985, a la mode develops desktop tools, mobile tools, web sites for real estate professionals, mortgage brokers, and appraisers. a la mode's flagship product, WinTOTAL form-filling software for appraisers leads the residential appraisal industry. a la mode's Mercury Network, a vendor management platform for lenders, provides the most experienced local appraisers in an HVCC-compliant, easy-to-use loan ordering and management application. a la mode's mission-critical products are used by hundreds of thousands of appraisers, agents, inspectors, and lending professionals to complete the nation's real estate transactions. The company's state-of-the-art offices are located in Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, and Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.alamode.com.