Does Your Real Estate Blog Need a Side of Widget?

By NikNik · May 20, 2008 · 16 Comments 

Are you looking for a value add for your real estate blog or Website? Many widgets promise the world (MORE READERS), but sadly many fall short of maximizing their intended goal. When it comes to adding valuable content and tools to your blog, try a widget that compliments your niche. Just don’t try them all.
 
Many agents rightly focus on a niche or specific target market when it comes to blogging. So, why not add a widget that provides local content, events, and even property listings. Hyperlocal aside, even adding a news widget with a larger content scope (say, nationwide) adds value to readers who check both local and national market info.
 
When thinking about adding a widget to your blog, you may want to ask yourself:  (1) Does this widget provide helpful information? and (2) Does this widget foster interaction and build your network?

Some options for you:

Property Search
Give consumers a home search tool they will come back for Read more

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5 Secrets to Better Search with Google

By Reggie · May 11, 2008 · 5 Comments 

“Google it”…that’s what we do when we need more information? Whether we’re looking for directions or real estate property; Google is often the first place we start.  But are you searching effectively? I love having the power to find exactly what I need-when I need it! So I thought I would pass along a few of my favorite search tips.

1. Site Search
Having a tough time finding what you are looking for on a particular site? If they don’t have a search you can use Google. Try searching for a keyword only on that domain. See example:

Use this format: Phrase or Keyword site:domain

Here is an example search:

Paperless site:MyTechOpinion.com

[Hint: If you are still having trouble finding the phase you searched on a particular site? Try using Google Cached version. It will highlight your search phrase or keyword.]

2. File Types

Outside of standard web documents, Google searches many other popular file formats. To restrict your next Google search to a specific file type, try this format. Start by searching your brand or name. You may find other people talking about your business in PDF, PS, PPT, etc..?

Use this format: “Search Phrase” filetype:extension

Here is an example search:

“Marketing Tips” filetype:pdf

Here are the file formats Google provides. Try running your search against:

• Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf)
• Adobe PostScript (ps)
• Lotus 1-2-3 (wk1, wk2, wk3, wk4, wk5, wki, wks, wku)
• Lotus WordPro (lwp)
• MacWrite (mw)
• Microsoft Excel (xls)
• Microsoft PowerPoint (ppt)
• Microsoft Word (doc)
• Microsoft Works (wks, wps, wdb)
• Microsoft Write (wri)
• Rich Text Format (rtf)
• Shockwave Flash (swf)
• Text (ans, txt)

3. Search by Number
Waiting for your new sign rider to be delivered? Do you have a tracking number? Let’s head to Google. Yes, Google will let us Read more

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Save Money On Your Technology Purchases

By Chad A. Johnson · April 13, 2008 · 7 Comments 

I am what you might call a “bargain hopper”. It gives me great pleasure in knowing that I purchased something at the lowest possible price.

The slowing of the real estate market and the economy as a whole has made everyone a bit more frugal and willing to go to a bit more effort to find a great deal.

Allow me to show you a few tricks to saving money while still keeping on top of the latest real estate technology.

Discounts on Computers 

First of all, never pay full price on a computer. In fact, don’t even settle for a sale price. A simple Google search and a bit of good timing can save you so much more money.

When making an online purchase, have you seen Read more

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RealBird Integrates with Street View API

By Reggie · March 29, 2008 · 10 Comments 

Zoltan of RealBird clued me in to Google’s release of their new Street View API Thursday.  Meaning developers can now integrate street view maps with ease. You can bet this API’s popularity will surely explode in real estate websites as buyers will appreciate the convenience of previewing neighborhoods from remote locations.   

Realbird has already begun taking advantage. You may remember we talked about manually embedding these maps. Well not anymore, Zoltan has integrated the new API in with RealBird’s Listing Websites.  

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Three KPIs for Real Estate Websites

By G. Dewald · March 26, 2008 · 9 Comments 

This article is going to be about web data analysis. If those three little words send you running in terror then now might be a good time to close the browser and slowly back away from your computer. If you’re interested in seeing what you can do with some of those web charts and numbers that you’ve set up to auto-email to yourself, then read on. I promise to make it fun and exciting.

Is a KPI like CSI?

I should probably start with something about web metrics. Web metrics are those bits of data like “pageviews” or “unique visitors” or “bounce rate.” Most analytics packages, like Google Analytics, VisiStat and so on have hundreds of these little data chunks.

We don’t all have time to look at all the reports. And many of the reports don’t contain information on which we can act. So one strategy of getting value from the analytics package without spending our day gazing fondly over medium/source performance charts, is to identify a handful of really important metrics.

And that’s pretty much what a KPI is: a really important metric. More completely, a KPI (just an acronym for “key performance indicator”), is a metric that is directly relevant to Read more

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Mobile Agent Tip: Sync Microsoft Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar

By Reggie · March 7, 2008 · Leave a Comment 

Many real estate agents love the simplicity of Microsoft Outlook. Yet real estate is very much an active, fast moving business. It’s likely that when you need your calendar most is when you are in the field. Does this sound familiar? If so you’re in luck, introducing Google’s new Calendar Sync Tool. Now sync your primary calendar’s events between Microsoft Outlook’s Calendar and Google’s Calendar. Then use your Blackberry, iPhone, Treo to access.

Download the Google Calendar Sync

1. Click the download link above and then click “Save File.”
2. Click “OK”.
3. Read through the Google Calendar Sync Terms of Service, and click “I Agree.”
4. Continue to follow through the Installation Options and click “Install” to finish. 

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Have you been Blogged?

By NikNik · February 8, 2008 · 1 Comment 

With over 100 million blogs on the Internet, how do you discern which ones make it to your Google Reader. Blogged.com is “better blog” directory and organizer. The authors and editors of Blogged scour the Internet and blog submissions to identify “better blogs” for different content areas and award each a score. Editor reviews are provided by professional editors who evaluate a blog based on the following criteria: Frequency of Updates, Relevance of Content, Site Design, and Writing Style. The closer you are to 10, the better the blog you have. Use keywords to search for blogs and see if your blog made the cut!

MyTechOpinion was contacted by Blogged recently because they had given us an excellent score of 9.7! When searching for “real estate” we are currently the top rated blog. For business, we rank in the top 6 just under Seth Godin and SEO of the Sea. And for technology, we are #7 right under the Google Blog!!!! Thanks Blogged….MyTechOpinion greatly appreciates your opinion!

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Mapping Done The Right Way in Your Next Single Property Site

By Reggie · January 30, 2008 · 2 Comments 

According to the Internet vs. Traditional Buyers Survey conducted by California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.), mapping technology continues to be one of the highest-rated features used by Internet buyers. Yet when I look around, many real estate Websites are either not leveraging maps at all or using old mapping interfaces to display homes and community info. Now don’t get me wrong, I do understand that this technology can be expensive to deploy. But as a real estate agent you do have options. Why not include the latest mapping on your next single property Website? Check out these two killer features from RealBird and MyMarketWare.

RealBird
Is Google street view available in your area? If so you are going to enjoy the directions from Zoltan over at RealBird. He recently posted on a very simple way to manually embed Google’s street view into your next listing publisher design. This view will give home searchers an up close view of local streets and neighborhoods as if they were driving down the street. Potential buyers can visualize their drive to the freeway or downtown without leaving their chair.

MyMarketWare
Our own NikNik offers MarketSites to real estate agents utilizing the latest in satellite imagery called pictometry. These visually pleasing aerial photos come from Microsoft Live and the give your web audience a surprisingly clear view of the neighborhood. Click your mouse on the satellite image and drag to explore new areas. Zoom in to 20 meters for an extreme and detailed close up. Take a look at backyard conditions, as well as distances to schools and park–you can do it all.

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Marketing Your Real Estate Blog

By Reggie · January 18, 2008 · 2 Comments 

Recently I was invited to the Inman Connect in New York to speak on a panel about “Marketing Your Real Estate Blog”. As you may know this can be a tricky topic. Please enjoy this video:

Remember that marketing your real estate blog will come in many forms. Here are a few more ideas:

1. Start with properly formatted HTML
2. Create remarkable and link worthy content
3. Syndicate original content: Ezine Articles, GoArticles
4. Social Bookmarks: StumbleUpon, Digg and Del.icio.us
5. Participate in communities: ActiveRain, Zolve, RealTown, Trulia Voices, etc
6. Guest post on popular blogs
7. Analytics Software: Google Analytics, Clicky, CrazyEgg
8. Conduct interviews with opinion leaders
9. Widgets: MyBlogLog, WidgetBox

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8 ways analytics software will help build a broader audience

By Reggie · January 13, 2008 · 5 Comments 

1. Unique Visitor Tracking: Visitors are a good way of tracking your website or blog traffic. So Unique Visitors are a great way of monitoring new traffic. You will be looking for your monthly number of unique visitors to trend upwards month after month.

 

2. Referring URL’s: I absolutely love this feature of analytics software. In my opinion Clicky is the best at giving me complete URL’s for referring pages. This data is extremely useful when tracking marketing campaigns for your listings, blog interviews, carnivals and lots more. You can see a specific number of unique visitors that came from a particular page or domain.

 

3. Searches & Keywords: Knowing what your website / blog visitors are searching to find you is very useful. Think of viewing your visitors search terms as understanding their goal in coming to your website. Gold mine! You’ll understand the content that is working so you can write more in that area.Also use the searched terms provided by your analytics software to track the effectiveness of your optimization strategies. Say your primary search term is “Dublin Ca Real Estate.” Analytics software will help you identify whether or not any searchers are finding you with those search terms. If you see they are not, you can increase your keyword density around those words.

 

4. Outgoing Clicks or Exit: Understanding where your visitors are leaving your site is important. Did they leave because they were uninterested, confused, or just because they didn’t want to proceed the way you were offering? Based off your exit page stats you can make adjustments to slow abandonment rates. For example you may learn that users are getting to your IDX MLS search but you require sign-in. The website visitors are leaving your search tool, looking for another site without registration. A simple fix may be to move the registration, and give more information upfront.

 

5. Screen Resolution, Browser etc: When first developing your website / blog you probably didn’t know a lot about your potential readers screen resolution. So you had to build your layout based on what little information you had available. However with analytics software you can track your visitors screen resolution. How many visitors have resolution lower than your site width can fit? If it’s a big segment you may want to redesign to stop unneeded scrolling.

 

6. Filter Viewers: As you take a closer look at particular characteristics of your visitors, you may have the need to segment your results. This is where Filters come in. Filter only users of a particular Web browser, Country, or even referrer domain. Maybe you want to filter out a specific IP address of your work? By eliminating those visits you gain a deeper understanding of your true visitor count.

 

7. Bounce Rate: If the bounce rate is high, you may need to tailor that page better…maybe redisplay the content. You may also look at the referrer URL and compare bounce rates. Are some traffic sources higher quality? If so, you can focus on gaining more traffic from those referrers.

 

8. Site Overlay: Google, CrazyEgg and a few others provide the ability to overlay your metrics on your website / blog to see exactly where users are clicking. Wouldn’t it be powerful to understand how Digg users are interacting with your site compared to StumbleUpon users? How about Google search traffic, how do they interact with your site compared to Yahoo search traffic?

 

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Are you missing hidden opportunities to grow your real estate blog readership?

By Reggie · January 12, 2008 · 4 Comments 

If you’ve started blogging for your real estate business, it’s likely the major reason was to grow your online presence or lower your monthly communication costs with potential clients. Both are very important byproducts of blogging. However soon after you start publishing posts the question comes up, “How can I get more visitors to my blog? And how do I retain more of my current traffic?”

Although there are many strategies for attracting new readers to your real estate blog, one basic strategy is to closely follow your website analytics software. If you don’t already use one…start now! I use three different analytics packages: Google Analytics, Clicky Web Analytics and CrazyEgg. Google Analytics is free up to 5 million page views a month. Clicky and CrazyEgg both have a limited free version and a few tiers of paid plans.

However before you jump in to your metrics and get overwhelmed, start by asking yourself a few key business questions about your real estate website or blog that you would like answered. The questions could be:

1. How do I convert more visitors with my IDX MLS tool?
2. How do I gain more subscribers to my Buyer or Seller eBooks?
3. How do I get more visitors to search local communities on my blog?
4. How do I get more visitors to subscribe to my RSS feed?

Once you’ve come up with the questions, you can analyze your data to help find the answers. This method should prevent you from being overwhelmed by the aggregate data and make better use of your time.

Next I will explore specific ways analytics software can help build a broader audience for your real estate blog.

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Does Google have the perfect Gadget for your Real Estate blog?

By Reggie · January 3, 2008 · 3 Comments 

Over the Holidays I took some time to look closely at Google’s new Gadgets for your blog. I was very surprised to see how many gadgets were out there. These Gadgets are the same offered on the popular iGoogle. I immediately thought about the real estate agent looking to add a bit of flare to their blog by providing relevant data to their geographic area. Many of the Google gadgets allow the blog owner to customize results by zip code.If you are more interested in using Gadgets for your own self promotion, you could always develop your own.

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