As you may well be aware, search engine ranking is dynamic. The major search engines are always changing their methods of ranking so I’ve asked a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist, Kerstin Hutchinson of Total Impact Marketing to tell us what the major search engines are looking for now. The information she provided will give you the inside scoop on what you need to do to increase your search engine results.

Recent Changes in Google and MSN

Kerstin found that over the past 12 months, Google and MSN have undergone algorithm changes that may have affected your rankings. Here’s what she found:

Google – the most important search engine for which to have good rankings – has implemented several changes since spring 2007 and even more in early fall.

The spring changes involved discrediting several linking techniques that have become hot trends with webmasters, those that dabble in SEO and even some SEO companies whose linking practices are questionable. Linking refers to a website that provides a link to your site as well as any links you provide to other sites. Inbound links to your site help build your popularity, which then increases the chance of ranking well in the search engines if your site has been optimized.

1.    The first change was to discredit reciprocal linking. Reciprocal linking occurs when one website trades a link with another website so they each link to one another. Sites with excessive reciprocal linking lost all benefits to their popularity or page rank. So, get rid of your links to sites that aren’t compatible with your business. For example, a link to a mortgage lender site is good but a link to a tire repair company is not.

2.    The second change was to discredit Link Rings. Not to be confused with link farms or linking networks, Link Rings is a new trend some webmasters and SEO companies started when they found out that a one-way inbound link to a website was the best link to have.

How it works? A Link Ring essentially has site A provide an inbound link to site B; site B provides an inbound link to site C; and site C links back to site A. Google caught on to this trend, and believing it was a way of cheating the system, stopped the Link Ring sites from getting any benefit from such links.

3.    Google’s last change in the fall was to discredit known paid links. A paid link is any inbound link to a site from another site that it paid for. There are many paid directories that have been de-listed in Google; therefore, anyone with inbound links from these directories have lost the popularity it brought to their site.

It is important to note that any site that has employed any of these linking strategies has seen a drop in their overall rankings in the search engines.

The Trust Factor Trend

Google seems to be moving toward a “trust factor” trend that includes any one of these three features:

•    A site with an older domain name doing much better than that of a new domain name. This is something already well known within the industry but is being seen much more often now.

•    A site that displays their phone number and full address and doesn’t hide behind a contact form.

•    Good unique, professional content – not just lots of content for the sake of having content. Many sites have added thousands of pages of cheaply written content by those that don’t speak English as a first language. They are full of grammatical and spelling errors but are optimized for certain keywords. Sites with such content have been dropping in their rankings as opposed to other sites that contain less, but more professional, unique content.

Did you know that 80% of consumers search for local businesses on the search engines before contacting them? MSN noticed this and saw it as an opportunity to increase its 10% search engine market share. They decided to improve the results it returned for local searches in an attempt to appeal to those searching locally by providing better local results.

But fear not, for this is not likely to affect the real estate industry since the local search results for real estate professionals are already very good. The real estate industry as a whole is very competitive and many agents are already optimizing their sites for good rankings.

What Hasn’t Changed?

What has not changed with the search engines is the need for a search engine-friendly website and for professional search engine optimization services. Consider this: when is the last time you used the Yellow Pages to locate a business locally? Instead, your first reaction was probably to search Google, Yahoo or MSN, right? As you can imagine, having first-page rankings in the search engines is just as important, if not more so, than a Yellow Pages listing was 5-10 years ago.

Look at Your Web Design Company’s Results

To achieve good SEO, you need a search engine-friendly website. Many specialty web design sites (such as those designed specifically for real estate professionals) will claim they build search engine friendly websites, but you shouldn’t take their word for it. Look at their SEO portfolio and make sure they list clients that have good rankings in the search engines. Also, be sure the company’s SEO ranking portfolio is relevant. If they’re touting a number one search engine ranking for a real estate agent in Timbuktu, you should be saying to yourself, “So what?” Think about the competition they actually have and how easy that number one ranking would be to achieve … even without any SEO! Instead, you’d be better off looking for SEO specialists that have high rankings for sites that are highly competitive such as those in huge markets such as California and Washington, D.C.

One word of advice: if they don’t have a prominent SEO portfolio on their site, consider this a warning. Make sure you address this when talking with them.

Do This for Your SEO Company as well                                     

When hiring someone (or a company) to perform your SEO work, be sure to research their portfolio as well. They can certainly sound like they know what they are doing but nothing speaks louder than what they have been able to achieve for others. Ensure that they proudly display that their SEO methods are ethical or “white hat” (meaning they will not employ any questionable tactics that can leave your site punished or banned from the search engines causing irreparable damage to your website and your online presence). When you consider that poor SEO techniques can be harmful to your rankings, you want to be sure that your SEO specialist applies the current trends in order to increase your rankings.

By implementing these new SEO methods, you should be able to increase your ranking in the major search engines. This is especially important when you consider that over 80% of buyers in the market head to the Internet first. Don’t pass up your chance to get better rankings; find a reputable SEO company to optimize your site.

Evy Williams is our VA QUICK TIPS columnist. She specializes in designing marketing materials to sell homes through her company, BrochuresByDesign.com. She holds a Master’s degree in Administration and is a certified Master Virtual Assistant, Military Spouse Virtual Assistant, Professional Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Real Estate Support Specialist and is EthicsChecked. Contact her at Evy@BrochuresByDesign.com

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As I’m sure you know, a website is your lifeline to the outside world. Your website is an excellent way to market to the masses and it’s especially important for real estate professionals to reach potential clients online. With over 80% of all home buyers searching the Internet first when looking for a new home (or looking for help in selling their home), it makes sense to have a well designed and optimized website to reach them.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a computer geek to figure out how to develop a new website. Jodi Diehl, owner of Sunfrog Services, specializes in web design and has graciously provided information on selecting a web designer, the first step to getting online in order to maximize your exposure.

How to select a website designer:

1. Ask for references / portfolio

An established web designer will have a portfolio (most often on their website) showing previous websites he/she has developed. You should take the time to review their portfolio as well as ask for references from previous clients. You want to be sure the person you select to create your website knows their stuff and won’t be “learning on the job” on your dime.

2. Discuss software

There are numerous HTML editing software programs available nowadays. While all get the job done, the code on the backend isn’t always pretty. Dirty HTML code on your website can have an adverse affect on your search engine rankings. Ask your potential contractor which software they use to develop websites. You will want someone that either (1) develops code by hand – manually writing the HTML statements or (2) uses a high-quality program like Dreamweaver (http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/) or GoLive (http://www.adobe.com/products/golive/).

3. Evaluate awareness / knowledge

A website is more than just graphics and text. It is built from HTML code that should be clean and accurate according to current coding standards.

• HTML code

You should ask your potential designer if they validate their work once complete to ensure the final website meets current guidelines. The most popular tool for website validation is at W3C - http://validator.w3.org/.

• Style sheets

Ask your designer if they use CSS to handle layout. A good website will include a style sheet (CSS) to determine how your text, graphics and other items will be displayed within your site. The old method of manually assigning an attribute to each item is no longer good coding practice. Style sheets can be validated through W3C at - http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/.

4. Determine attentiveness

During your initial conversation(s), does this designer listen to your statements or are they quick to say “yeah – I can do that”? You want someone that is going to take the time to understand you, your business and your target audience. Your website must appeal to your web visitors, be easy to navigate, spider well in the search engines and accurately reflect your company’s image. Your selected designer should make you feel they “get” your ideas and instill a confidence that your website will accomplish your goals.

5. Consider investment versus return

The old adage “you get what you pay for” is one that applies to the online world as well. Your website is the virtual showroom window to your business. Cutting corners by hiring a less expensive designer may mean you sacrifice quality. Spending a little more to ensure you have a reputable designer is a worthwhile investment compared to having a mediocre website that suffers in the search engines and does not capture the attention of your visitors.

By implementing these tips you should be able to find the right designer for you. This will make the job of putting together a website much easier and less taxing. Good luck and don’t forget an important step in the website process, Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Next month we’ll have updated information on what the search engines are looking for so you can increase your exposure with Google, Yahoo, MSN and others.

Evy Williams is our VA QUICK TIPS columnist. She specializes in designing marketing materials to sell homes through her company, BrochuresByDesign.com. She holds a Master’s degree in Administration and is a certified Master Virtual Assistant, Military Spouse Virtual Assistant, Professional Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Real Estate Support Specialist and is EthicsChecked. Contact her at Evy@BrochuresByDesign.com

You may contact Sunfrog Services at:

SunFrogServices.com
931 North SR 434, Suite 1201-158
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
Phone: 866-740-8181
Fax: 866-740-9191
Email: info@sunfrogservices.com

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Building and maintaining a successful business takes a lot of work, as we all know. But it doesn’t have to be all-consuming. With the help of the right assistant you can start enjoying the fruits of your labors.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find an Executive Level Management Assistant or Executive Virtual Assistant (EVA) that was already trained and ready to hit the ground running? One that was available only when you needed her without having to pay for her downtime (unproductive time), vacation time or taxes? Sounds like an ideal situation for you, an independent business owner, doesn’t it? You’re in luck. There are many EVAs out there who specialize in helping to manage their clients’ everyday business affairs. They are specifically trained to help you grow and maintain your business.

Several of these specialists provided some expert tips to help you with your business management needs. For instance, Lisa Morgan with Virtuoso Business Solutions says this, “Whether you’re ready to build a virtual team of support or you already have a couple of Virtual Assistants and providers working with you, you might find that managing the work can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Bringing on an EVA to coordinate all the pieces for you might be the solution you’re looking for. Many EVAs have a management background with project management skills, and will work with the agent to take an aerial view of your business, identify the services that need to contracted out, either submit an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the service or contact someone within their vast network, interview them, and coordinate the contracting of their services. Once a team is in place, your EVA can serve as your point person to make sure processes are being developed and things are running smoothly within your team.

If you’re thinking of starting a sizable project, for example, developing your brand, website, blog, or targeted marketing campaign, your EVA will serve as your project manager, consulting with you on the project specifications, creating a project plan, submitting bid proposals to vendors and contracting with them, serving as liaison between the vendor and the agent to make sure the project is flowing smoothly, answering questions they may have, and coordinating the project to completion.

REALTORS® are often bombarded with product solicitations from real estate product vendors via email, phone calls and at seminars and conventions. It’s so easy to become overwhelmed with questions as to whether this or that product works, and everyone’s looking for the “magic bullet” that will make their businesses thrive and their lives easier. What happens is that the agent winds up spending their hard-earned dollars trying out all the new products, only to leave them “on the shelves” - untouched and unused – which equals money lost. Forward those emails, refer those calls, and send all those marketing materials to your EVA. She will review the information, and if she is not already very familiar with the product, she’ll tap into her large network of Virtual Assistants and other sources to find out whether it’s been useful to other agents, and then help the client determine whether it will be of benefit to them. If it’s not, and a similar product is out there that will be beneficial to the agent’s business in streamlining processes or helping to grow their business, the EVA will provide recommendations to the agent so he or she can make an informed decision.”

Kristi Pavlik of Adonai Business Solutions shares this bit of advice, “The main tip I would like to share is to make sure your VAs document everything they do for you – we call these Process Documents or PDs. PDs are literally step-by-step instructions for how something gets done.

Creating PDs has many benefits including making sure the client and the VA are on the same page for how things are to be performed. Another is for back-up purposes. If the VA is going to be out of the office for any length of time, he/she can give the PD to someone else to get those tasks done, and done correctly. Again, another benefit is if the VA/Client relationship should come to an end, the client can then give the next assistant the PD and save both parties a lot of time.

My company provides strategic planning, strategic marketing, process documentation and VA Team management services.

Strategic Planning: For businesses that know where they want to go, but need help with putting the systems into place to get them there. We look at what current office procedures are in place, if any, discontinue the ones that are not working, and make suggestions for new ways of doing things that will benefit the company as a whole.

Strategic Marketing: Working with clients to establish their branding elements, target markets, marketing plans, drip campaigns and custom marketing pieces.

Process Documentation: Standard Operations Procedures, Office Manuals, The Office Bible, whatever the term you use, it all means the same thing – a step-by-step process for how any, and all, tasks are being performed. We create “how-to” manuals for any size business.

VA Management: For businesses that have several Virtual Assistants working with them or for those that really have no idea where to find the best VAs for the tasks at hand, we can help. By acting as your EVA, we can ensure that routine tasks are being completed as desired, and find the best avenue for completing individual projects.”

Kandra Hamric of Assistant For Real Estate advises her clients by saying, “As a professional real estate agent you are aware of the need to focus on your core competency. Perhaps it’s time to entrust your business to the capable hands of an EVA.

The key points to consider when interviewing potential candidates are:

Coaching Credentials: With verifiable business coaching credentials, your EVA will apply motivational and accountability aspects to your business relationship.

Management Experience: Keeping you and your team organized is the primary goal of your Virtual Assistant team. With the proper management experience, your EVA will oversee all administrative aspects of your business, including managing specialized Virtual Assistants.

Reputation in the VA Industry: It is important to look into the reputation of any Virtual Assistant you are considering. As we all move further into the Internet environment, your VA’s reputation can either enhance your own reputation or, depending upon their business practices, tarnish it.

Education & Training Background: How educated your VA is can determine his/her overall and long-term value to you and your business. Looking into the level of education and training a VA has attained can clue you in on their dedication and commitment to their career.”

Crystal Curran of REVAVille wants to emphasize the importance of communication between an EVA and their clients, especially in the early stages of the working relationship. She says, “I ask all my EVA clients to make this process a priority and schedule a weekly consultation at the same time each week for our success. This is imperative in the beginning, however as systems are put into place; we may decide consultations are necessary only on a bi-weekly or even monthly basis. This is something that is entirely personalized according to the agent’s/broker’s needs.

In keeping with organization for client and VA team, I have a portal that each agent and team has access to. All documentation is uploaded there; write boards are created for developing verbiage for any need; to-do’s and milestones are implemented to keep track of important tasks and drop-dead dates. All team members are encouraged to utilize this portal so agent/broker can keep updated on progress being made as they see fit. This cuts down on missing emails or one team member not knowing about a process along with easy access to members who need to obtain certain marketing items (graphics for web, logos and the like) that are required in several team areas. (Sensitive documents between agent and EVA can be marked high security. Each member can have different security levels).”

She then explains her EVA process in detail:

Strategic Planning (Information Gathering Stage)

• Ask for a list of all programs/services they are (or are not) utilizing. Including but not limited to:
  • Lead generation/maintenance: What they are using for follow up and what success they are/are not having
  • Contact Management: What program and if they are utilizing it to its fullest capabilities or a glorified address list
• • Getting rid of duplicate programs ( i.e. I have often seen where a client may have five different follow up programs and, because of confusion, they are not utilizing any one of them)
  • Suggestion of programs that will better suit their objectives more cost effectively
  • Streamlining the programs suggested
  • Evaluation of contact management use:
    • Taking a look at how they are utilizing Top Producer, On Line Agent, Sharper Agent or even Outlook. Development of categories, follow up, tracking, automated lists in use, templates, campaigns
    • Creation of document  in PDF form evaluating how to improve and systematize contact management
    • Specific Consultation regarding contact management evaluation and how to improve follow up and organization
  • Evaluation of website(s)
    • First we take their most important site (if they have several) and go through a point-by-point analysis of where they need more impact. This includes:
      • 30-point evaluation in PDF form of website including points on targeting/branding, design, content, interactivity between prospect and agent, navigation, ease of use and promotion and tracking along with recommendations of how to improve the site. (I do offer this service for agents who are considering makeovers on their site but are not sure if they are ready for an EVA).
      • Specific consultation regarding what website evaluation is saying and development of priorities to enhance site.

Process Documentation / Implementation

Develop documentation on all systems created. Includes:

• Leads
  • Flow chart that includes:
    • Where leads come from - where or what program they go into - who touches them and when agent is notified of hot lead
  • Outline and document each team members duties and how done
  • Document proper way to utilize each program used.
  • Contact management
  • Develop document for each team member that includes:
  • Process of how all contacts are handled and how they are input
    • Walk-ins
    • Past clients
    • Leads are taken care of above
  • Website
    • Document planning strategies
    • Website priorities developed and documented
    • Develop “how to’s” for other VAs or team members for site
  • Office
    • Office policies and procedures
    • Development of job duty criteria (for assistant and VAs if required)

Develop “Team”

• Evaluation of existing employees if required
• Hiring specialized VAs for tasks
• Establishing direct contact with assistants and other VAs or employees as required
• Training of VAs in certain processes (again, if required)
• Making sure we all stay on track by developing to-do lists, milestones etc, as well as discussing in upcoming weekly consultations.

Maintenance

• Weekly, bi-monthly or monthly consultations to brainstorm/modify processes
• Keeping other members of team on track with drop dead dates, to do’s and implementation of daily processes
• Quality control on all systems
• Hiring other VAs as needed”

It’s important to remember that you and your EVA are business partners. It behooves your assistant to help you succeed in business. After all, there’s no point in using her services if you’re not making money, right? A good EVA will try to come up with creative ways to build and maintain your business. The right EVA can be the best ingredient to your recipe for success.

Evy Williams is our VA QUICK TIPS columnist. She specializes in designing marketing materials to sell homes through her company, BrochuresByDesign.com. She holds a Master’s degree in Administration and is a certified Master Virtual Assistant, Military Spouse Virtual Assistant, Professional Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Real Estate Support Specialist and is EthicsChecked. Contact her at Evy@BrochuresByDesign.com

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