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Blackwater SEO

Created by: Tom Richards, Licensed Real Estate Agent, Myrtle Beach, SC

Date: Dec 13, 2007, Number of Replies: 12

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Has anyone used Blackwater for search engine optimization? Would you mind sharing your results? Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Tom Richards

Century 21 Boling & Associates

7722 N Kings Hwy

Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

843-222-6845

www.myrtlebeachrelo.com

TRichards@century21boling.com

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Doug Doescher

Date: Dec 14, 2007

Has anyone used Blackwater for search engine optimization? Would you mind sharing your results? Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I haven't used Blackwater, but I did give Homes.com thousands of dollars to move my GOOGLE ranking from 85 to over 400. Costly mistake, but I have learned. I just hooked up with a small local guy who has proven results with other Realtors. I'll let you know in a few months

Doug Doescher

RE/MAX All Pro Realty

Port Orange, FL

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Kathleen Allardyce Vendor, Peachtree City, GA

Date: Dec 16, 2007

Tom,

I've got a number of clients using Blackwater, and they're very pleased with the results.

Kathleen

Real Estate Marketing -- Point2 Agent Partner

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Lilo Clacher Licensed Real Estate Agent, Cookeville, TN

Date: Dec 16, 2007

I've got a number of clients using Blackwater

I am using Blackwater since July. What a difference

I'm on first page on all major search engines, Yahoo and many search engines top placement.

Lilo Clacher

Realtor,e-PRO

Remax Proven Professionals

Cookeville, TN

mailto:LiloTNRealtor@att.net

www.LiloRealtor.com

24/7 Toll free 800-820-3510

Cell 931-397-1991

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Dirk Johnson Vendor, sterling, VA

Date: Dec 17, 2007

Hi Lilo,

It is good to see that applying some good SEO practice is resulting
in clients for you. It does work.

That is the thing that all agents need to take away from these SEO
discussions, especially ones in the smaller markets like yours. With
a bit of concerted SEO effort, it does not usually take much to
displace the "lead generation" sites (homegain, city-search,
homegain, trulio, etc) from the top of the results.

If the search results in Google for your market are dominated by the
led generation sites, then that indicates that few, if any, local
agents have done what it takes to displace them. They are effectively
surrendering their search traffic to the lead generation sites, who
then want to sell it. It is WIDE OPEN OPPORTUNITY.

This SEO work is not rocket science, nor is it based on "secret
sauce". It is all explained here:
http://www.domaindrivers.com/seobasics-realestate-main.htm

Anyone can do it, for relatively low cost, especially in small
markets.

I hope it helps.

Best regards,

Dirk Johnson
Partner - Operations
DomainDrivers LLC
djohnson@domaindrivers.com
703-406-4698
www.domaindrivers.com
We're an approved RealTalk/RealTown vendor:
http://DomainDrivers.InternetCrusade.com

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Jackie Cockreham Licensed Real Estate Agent, San Carlos, CA

Date: Dec 18, 2007

I don't want to get into the debate of Treo versus Blackberry

*****

I think we're missing the boat without looking at the Iphone also. Per the
news, it's now the #2 seller after Blackberry and that's only since its
release in June 06. I'm still operating on my Treo 650 but after 3 years,
it's getting a little long in the tooth. I love the graphics of the Iphone
and understand a newer version coming out in 08. If you like the touch
screen better than a keypad, this is a better option.

Jackie Cockreham
Re/max Today
1250 San Carlos Ave.
San Carlos, Ca. 94070
650-598-8162
www.jackiesworld.com
jackie@jackiesworld.com

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Steve Facella Licensed Real Estate Agent, Lake Worth, FL

Date: Jan 15

I have heard that there are SEO computer programs that you can buy and do the optomization yourself. Has anyone done this? If so what pitfalls did you encounter? I am going to continue to research this and will post what I find.

Steve Facella
Realtor/Associate
The Pier Group, A Real Estate Co. Inc

www.stevefacella.com

piergroupsteve@yahoo.com
561-635-8393

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Jim Lux

Date: Jan 15

Blackwater SEO
Steve Facella
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008, 7:39 AM PST

I have heard that there are SEO computer programs that you can buy and do the optimization yourself. Has anyone done this? If so what pitfalls did you encounter? I am going to continue to research this and will post what I find.

Steve Facella
Realtor/Associate
The Pier Group, Real Estate Co. Inc

www.stevefacella.com

piergroupsteve@yahoo.com
561-635-8393

I currently have “ADD WEB”, home version 8 (not the professional versions) and have used this and other programs for years but there is nothing better than a good SEO company that will honestly take the time to do the job right and also BLOG for you as a ghost writer (hard to find). I had been screwed in the past by Google’s pay per click program and two specific SEO companies that didn’t come close to their promises.

I have been using:

“Creative eMarketing Solutions”

Darren Barkett,

(828) 551-8918, Home/Office

Address:

Creative eMarketing Solutions

C/O Darren Barkett

3 Tipton Farm Rd.

Candler, NC 28715

E-Mail: barkett@creative-emarketingsolutions.com

www.creative-emarketing.com

He has increased my rankings dramatically and he does it within your web site html if available so if you do let him go you don’t drop down in the search engines overnight like you do with most SEO companies (he does it naturally).

Darren has been honest and has integrity and his price is reasonable (not cheap)..

If you use him include his BLOGGING it has helped my sites a lot!

Jim Lux

The LUX Team

TOLL FREE #: 1-888-LUX-Team (589-8326)

E-mail: JimLux@TheLUXTeam.com

Visit Our Web Sites:

www.RealEstateMetroDenver.com

http://www.RealEstateMetroDenver.net

http://www.BarbeeandJimLux.com

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Dirk Johnson Vendor, sterling, VA

Date: Jan 15

Steve Facella said:
"I have heard that there are SEO computer programs that you can buy
and do the optimization yourself. Has anyone done this? If so what
pitfalls did you encounter? I am going to continue to research this
and will post what I find."

Steve, you are probably referring to Web Position Gold or SEO Elite
and other such programs. They are more "tools" than anything else.
Some people use them.

Doing SEO editing work properly is not HARD or COMPLICATED. However
it is an intellectual exercise that takes some thinking and analysis.
I am a programmer, and I can't imagine any sort of program that would
do the actual thinking for you when it comes to SEO. And the
"thinking" is where this is at.

I can imagine a program that would prompt you with certain questions,
then produce pages that are based on the answers. But that is the old
garbage in = garbage out conundrum. Unless you know what to tell the
machine, it will create useless material. And if you know what to
tell it, you probably don't need it. Plus, there would be a learning
curve, just to use the tool. Why bother?

SEO work, once you have charted a course of action, is by and large,
clerical. You need a good knowledge of what to do in the first place.
I would just say that most site owners who do this work do not use an
SEO computer program, as there is actually little need for one, once
you know what needs to be done.

Best regards,

Dirk Johnson
Partner - Operations
DomainDrivers LLC
djohnson@domaindrivers.com
703-406-4698
www.domaindrivers.com
www.linkstrategy.com

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Cheryl Allin Vendor

Date: Jan 15

No SEO program is going to write your content for you. There are
programs that will run your site through some basic algorithms and
check your code to see if you use alt tags, etc. and you'll get some
very basic recommendations. Many also let you run ranking reports and
help you maintain your link directory, request links, etc. As Dirk
Johnson and other experts have said before, if you do it yourself - be
sure to do in depth research and know the subject so you can avoid
many pitfalls. Keyword research is vital - so you know what content
(if it were ranking well) would generate the highest return - then you
need to create content based on those keyword phrases and ensure that
your website code included those phrases in the meta title, meta
description, url string for that page, alt tags for images, H1
(Article heading) tags, etc. Then, you'd need to generate inbound
links to your content pages from other real estate related websites
(link exchange, directory submission, social networking) and ensure
that the links on those other sites made use of proper keyword 'anchor
text' (the words that make up the clickable portion of the link) - and
that anchor text should reflect the keyword phrase(s) of the page on
your site that's being linked to.

Super, basic quick explanation...

--
Regards,

Cheryl Allin
VirtuAllin Administrative Services
callin@virtuallin.com - (253) 565-3015
IVAA Certified Real Estate Support Specialist
Visit http://www.virtuallin.com Today!

Two of our clients spotlighted in ePOWER News April 25, 2006 -
http://www.epowernews.com/articles/art0605/06mai_0605.htm

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Suzanne Hathcock stephens Vendor, Battle Ground, WA

Date: Jan 15

> Steve Facella said:
> "I have heard that there are SEO computer programs that you can buy
> and do the optimization yourself. Has anyone done this? If so what
> pitfalls did you encounter? I am going to continue to research this
> and will post what I find."

Steve, just out of curiosity, I've tried a few of these programs and
found them, quite honestly, to be pretty lame.

One significant problem is that to be competent at SEO, a person needs
to stay on top of changing moods and policies at the search engines,
especially at Google, which constantly refines and tweaks its search
algorithms. There's no way any program can constantly adapt to these
changes. What's more, there's a wide variety of opinion among the so-
called experts about what works and what doesn't work, based on these
folks' experience: how could a program learn from experience like a
person can?

I've heard many good reports of excellence results from people who've
worked with companies like Blackwater, DomainDrivers, and
ComputerCamp.net. It takes a long time to learn to do the kind of work
they do, and it takes a long time to do the actual work. Personally, I
feel that professional SEO work is as essential to a successful real
estate Web site as professional design. I can convert your visitors to
leads, but I can't do it until AFTER they find your web site -- and
that's where good SEO work comes into play!

Suzanne

Suzanne Hathcock Stephens
Point2 Design Partner
http://www.SuzStephens.com
Phone/fax: 360-666-0881

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Mike Parker Information Technology, Newport Beach, CA

Date: Aug 30

Hello everyone, Here's a great booklet for you describing what we call "REAL SEO(C)". It's a 10 page PDF dowload and it shows you what you should expect form a professional SEO and Online Marketing Company.

As the pros can tell you, REAL SEO works; unfortunately, there are many folks claiming to have SEO that works, but if they can't show you what this booklet shows you, chances are they aren't for you.

SEO isn't black magic, REAL SEO is mathematics and hard work!n Please feel free to look over this booklet and to share it with your friends.

http://admin.compassinternetsystems.com/docs/REAL_SEO.pdf

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Randy Eagar Educator, Salt Lake City, UT

Date: Sep 6

Dirk said:
"Steve, you are probably referring to Web Position Gold or SEO Elite
and other such programs. They are more "tools" than anything else.
Some people use them."

CAUTION: I've used Web Position Gold for years and have loved it. However I've finally had it with them since they do not have a Vista version. I've had to tie up a separate computer with Windows XP just to run reports with Web Position Gold.

If you are running Vista, DO NOT get Web Position Gold. It will not work!

Randy Eagar, CRS
Webstarget by Computer Camp
SEO Strategy
www.Webstarget.com

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