Real Estate Agent, Brokerage and Mortgage Blogs

Because I love TMZ and The Superficial and because I just thought it would be fun to have an occasional real estate technology gossip piece - so, here are a couple of SEO related real estate rumors making their ways across the blogosphere.

Is Trulia cloaking pages?

Trulia Caught Cloaking Red Handed

Eric Bramlett catches Trulia in what appears by all accounts to be a serious case of cloaking.  Cloaking is an age old shady technique that based on user agent (i.e. GoogleBot, YahooSlurp, (robots) IE, Firefox (people)) serves one set of content to the search engine and another set of content to people visiting the site through regular browsers.  In this case, Eric shows how Trulia is using a redirect and cloaking to direct Google to Trulia's own Seattle Real Estate landing pages when it crawls Seattle Weekly's real estate section. This could be one of the possible cataysts to Trulia's recent jump on the engines in many major markets.  Basically, Trulia is boosting pageviews through partner sites and the techniques they are using while not necessarily evil it may be against Google's TOS.

Conspiracy Theories on Trulia's SEO

Is trulia cloaking? Interesting Sphin story

YouTube Video of Trulia Cloaking

Trulia.com Uses Hidden Text

Trulia's Web-ranking strategies catch heat | Inman News

Read also: White Hat, Gray Hat and Black Hat SEO Explained

Read more »

For those of you that know me- you must know by now there are two things I hate. 

1. Blogrolls

Read also: Real Estate Blogs and Reciprocal Linking Penalties: Does Google hate your Link Love?

2. Commenting for backlinks (That being said, since many of you do this, here are some tips)

Read also: Why commenting for traffic and backlinks to your real estate blog is a waste of time

Read more »

Alright, I've been reluctant to post anything about PageRank sculpting but since I have received a bunch of questions about it recently, here goes:    This is a three part series in how to sculpt PageRank so you have greater authority in Google and can increase your search engine position.  The first lesson simply explores what PR sculpting is, the various methods you can use to achieve it and how to determine if you even need it.

What is PageRank Leak/Bleed?

PageRank bleed/leak is the theory that Page A will lose some of its Page Rank when it links to Page B. This happens whether the links are internal or external as far as concept and effects. Even when there is a direct link back there still is Page Rank bleed.

The theory is that any single page can only pass up to 85% of its total PR value to any page it is linking to.  The total value of the page given to any site it links to is calculated by dividing it's total value by the number of links on the page itself (links, meaning anything you can click that do not have the nofollow tag on them).  Yes, that means the combined value of internal and external links.

RESOURCE: Sculpting Your PageRank For Maximum SEO Impact

RESOURCE: The PageRank Formula

FOR EXAMPLE: If you received a link from a PR5 page that linked out to 100 other pages, you would calculate the total value of that one link to your site as:

(PR5 * .085)/100

RESOURCE: The original Bob Wakfer PageRank Calculation Table  (while now quite old now this document is well worth a read)

Read also: What is PageRank bleed

Just a note on my favorite topic-  are you beginning to see why you don't want to have a blogroll on your home page?  You will leak too much PageRank and it it will make it harder initially for you to build rank.  Basiclaly- a large blog roll dilutes your PR and makes more work for you.

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SEO tricks that can have your blog ranking better in 24 hours

Ever wonder why 70% of all RSS Pieces real estate blogs have first page search engine placement? 1. We have a great, feature rich blogging platform and 2. We advise our bloggers to use simple SEO techniques that work fast. These techniques are so simple you can begin implementing them in minutes and start seeing results within 24 hours. Don't believe me? Ask Cyndee Haydon, Mariana Wagner, Laurie Manny, Ines Garcia, Diane Aurit. Dennis Blackmore, etc. Heck, ask people we help that aren't our clients like Colleen Kulikowski. (That's right- we help people that aren't our clients- so, unlike other vendors- our HELP and advice is ALWAYS FREE and publicly available.  I, personally, host daily public webinars where I DO NOT PITCH my services.  I give you the help you need to make your website and/or blog a success. So, if you like what you find here... come and join one of the public webinars. I pormise you - you will learn something new and valuable.)

Read more »

RSS Pieces Will Remain Dark Today to Mourn Our Friend, Bear. For those of you that do not know, a dear friend and part of the RSS Pieces family unexpectedly passed away this past weekend. While many of you may not know the name Bear, you probably know Ann Cummings (New Hampshire Real Estate Blog) very well. Bear was Anns significant other and a well known figure in New Hampshire real estate.

John and I had the pleasure of having both Bear and Ann visit with us last autumn. The four of us and Laurie Manny spent a weekend at our home sitting by the pool, talking SEO, blogging, life and some other crazy and irreverent stuff that only 5 New Englanders could truly relate to. What was most evident during that weekend was how much Bear and Ann adored one another.

Whenever I saw that 603 number on my cell, I could always be sure it was Bear calling to ask me something about the blog or even just checking in with me that they were doing all the right things.  He even once called me up to tell me how worried he was about Ann that she was spending so much time buiding backlinks.   That was Bear, someone who always wanted the very best for Ann, always looking out for her.  And that is what I am sure he will continue to do.  Bear was funny, smart as heck and real joy to spend time with. We will miss him and always treasure the brief time we spent with him.

To Ann, there are no words to express how our hearts ache for you.  Please know you are in our prayers and feel so priviledged to have been able to know Bear.

For those of you that know Ann, please reach out to her as best you can to let her know she is in your thoughts and prayers.

Here is a post Midori Miller wrote last year about meeting Bear and Ann

Please visit Monika McGillicuddy's blog for service information and more information about Bear and Ann

Bear's Obituary

If you have other posts about Bear and Ann or want to share images, please place the links in the comments below and I will be sure to post them here as an online Memorial to our friend. 

No One Can Know

No one can know just what you've lost;
No one can understand the cost;
But when you feel your energy drain,
Please count on us to help ease your pain.

Let us help you cope with grief;
We hope with time you'll feel relief.
We can't replace the one who's gone,
But let our concern help you carry on.

By Karl and Joanna Fuchs