Link Exchange: Free, Easy, and Effective
Jennifer Hoppenrath, Z57 REALTOR® Resource
As a real estate professional, you already know that one of the most effective ways to get your name recognized is by word-of-mouth. You're used to talking to friends and family, past clients, your florist, neighbors, local committees, and perhaps even your babysitter about assisting in their real estate needs. What many people don't realize is how simple and beneficial it is to apply this same practice to the Internet.
Linking other websites to yours means that you score big with search engines, for free. This is because most search engines consider website popularity into their rankings. The more popular your website, meaning the websites linking to you, the higher up in the search results you score. This is great news for REALTORS® looking to market online on a budget.
When approaching business's and acquaintances with your message, ask if they have a website. If they do, ask if they would be willing to exchange links to your website. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement that most businesses will gladly agree to. It allows you to capitalize on each other's marketing dollars and increases placement in search engines for both of your business'.
Where to Begin
If you are a Z-News newsletter subscriber, you can access our FREE link exchange directory. In addition, many community websites, such as the Chamber of Commerce, will list you for free. Some other good places to check are local online newspapers, tourism websites, and neighborhood guides. It's a good idea to use a search engine to help you find websites like these in your area.
A good directory site is www.realestateabc.com/propages/linksites.htm.
Some other good starting places are:
- http://www.chamberofcommerce.com
- http://www.officialcitysites.org
- http://www.newspapers.com
Online Co-Marketing Campaigns
The concept behind online co-marketing campaigns is similar to that of reciprocal linking, except it takes the added step of actually positioning you and the participating business in a complimentary manner. A good example might be teaming up with a local eatery to distribute free dinner coupons to all those who sign-up for an open house with you. (Be sure to get email addresses of all those who participate!) These coupons can be handed out in person or available online as well for a total Internet solution.
With a little time, not money, you can begin to effectively increase your website traffic in no time.