Real Estate Website Blunder #9: Links in Stupid Places
Here comes a small rant… Accept my apology in advance.
It’s about irrelevant links on real estate websites.
Maybe someone can fill me in on exactly who thinks this is a smart idea, because for the life of me, I can’t come up with one good reason… except that it’s a quick trick to improve your search engine rankings.
Unfortunately, you can confuse your visitors in the process.
And if there is one thing I am sure about, it is that confused prospects don’t buy.
Here’s what I am talking about:
I was surfing the wild world of real estate on the web today when I came across a certain real estate professional’s site that was littered with links to other, completely unrelated real estate websites.
I am not talking about your typical “links” page where your visitor knows they are going to find, you guessed it, links to other websites. The links I saw today were right smack dab in the middle of their sales copy.
My question is this:
What do you think is going through the mind of your visitor, who has landed on your site focused on getting information about buying a home in Louisville, KY when they see links to Seattle, WA real estate sites on your page?
Now understand that links are very important on the web. It’s how the internet is built after all and a smart linking strategy is one of the foundations of getting your website noticed online. Trust me, I know… It’s my business to know, both for the websites I develop and the real estate clients I consult.
So don’t think that I am “anti-link” – (Yes, I know that probably isn’t a word.) I am just against links in places that disrupt your visitor’s thought process.
Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow when you add an outgoing link. Just ask yourself: Is this link adding value to my site for my visitors or am I just adding it to improve my rankings?
Here’s an example:
If I were selling real estate in Chicago, which link would provide more value to my visitor:
- a link to a site about Oklahoma Real Estate
- a link to a Chicago-based mortgage broker
No contest right? (Hint… my visitors probably aren’t thinking of moving to Oklahoma.)
If your search engine optimization strategy includes posting irrelevant links, just put them on a “miscellaneous links” page or something. Your site will still benefit from the link and your sales conversions won’t suffer.
Here endeth my rant…
Thank you for your patience.
