I love your logo!!!  This is an interesting tip. It is so amazing what works and what doesn't and who makes the rules

This is good stuff, for a guy that has been living and breathing SEO for the last year or so it is important to keep our eyes on the small items just as much as the larger ones.

Take care!

RJH

Hi, Marc,

Good post, and some good information.  I didn't know about the alphabetical order tag idea.  And I like your logo, too!  When do you have time to do all this research?  I need to spend some time learning the tech stuff.

Joeann - Thank you!  There is so much difficulty in deciphering this.  When I do read something I try to take it one step further and research the info.

Robert - Totally agree, because all of the small stuff makes up the larger picture.

Jan - I make the time because it is so important to me and my business.  It's a matter of survival and wanting to be noticed and ranks by the engines - that's why we are on the internet.  Otherwise, much of what we do would be for naught.

Marc -I noticed that in this post you are using tags that do not relate to the content of the post. Are these tags only for AR searches, or are they important for Google as well? I thought they were, and that if the key words don't jive with the page content Google somehow penalizes you. Am I right?

Faina - I have read the same and need to look into that more.  But, if you notice, the two links are for central florida real estate...  So, therefore, I think there is some relevance and will actually change a couple of the tags now, for even more relevance.

Marc-great info...key words, phrases and title are so important.  

Midori - Thank you!  It's funny, when I had my first website that I put together with Publisher back in '00, I was listed on the first page in Google at the 3rd position.  But I gave my site to my present webmaster and well I guess the internet exploded and now we have all these supposed theories to get your rank up.  That's why I spend so much time trying to understand the underlying ways of such. 

Marc, it finally makes sense!  I was wondering why my site was buried on Google.  Looks like I need to alter my title from "RayandPaul.com:  Home of the original pie eating, chainsaw juggling, fire breathing, leather pant wearing Scottsdale Arizona Realtor!"  Damn.  I worked on that for days! 

Marc- this post is very useful, I just sent my web provider 15 keywords that I want them to add. They didn't even have my name in the key words.

Paul - It takes time, but I'm sure that it'll work for you.  But on a serious note, why are you wasting the space reiterating your website url.  Instead of having that there, I would spell out Paradise Valley at the least.

Mark - No offense, buy why do you think your name is an important keyword?  How many people do you know who will search for Kissimmee real estate by typing in your name for the search criteria.  Also, your title is too long, it is being cut off in the web browser.

Marc, THis is great info.  I know we are always trying to write for SEO.  Thanks for the post

I have looked at all sorts of web sites and number ones and still can't figure it out.  Most of the top spots are homegain or realtor.com or the heavy hitters who can afford the expensive sites.  On the other hand I have seen simple searches from our MLS land on the front page.  Go figure.

Matt - Thanks.  Yes, we do try to write for SEO, but sometimes I find that it is overdone.  There has to be a balance between those, otherwise the site may lose it's ability to produce in the long run.

Gene - That is the problem with SEO, sometimes there appears to be no ryhme or reason behind the rankings. 

Thanks for the tips!

Foster - Glad I could be of assistance!

Marc, I read this twice. Once yesterday and once today. I'm clueless about the whole SEO. I stopped trying to decipher the methods.

Andrew - You're probably better off, because as I've said before - sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to this. 

Marc, I like the way you put your posts together - elegant. Thanks for another tip on keywords. I don't think we will ever be done, because it is always evolving - so to speak. Thanks for sharing!

Jeanean - Thank you and you are absolutely correct.  That is what is so frustrating with SEO that it is constantly changing.  One day it's one way and the next day someone may decide it's different.  Go figure, but we are the mercy of the search engines to say the least.

How to keep up?  It's tough to figure out how to make all of this work.  But I keep on learning!

Josette - That's all we can do! 

Well the alphabetical tag thing is an easy fix.  And I'm guilty of wanting to put a whole post in title.  I'll have to work on these.  Thanks!

Christopher - Been there myself and have had to re-evaluate what I'm doing. 

Marc, I never knew about the alphabetical order. I will remember that. I do put tags in that will lead to me. I try to always use my market area and my blog title of my outside blog. Thanks for some more insight and I love your logo and slogans :)

Usually when I bother to think about keywords, I'm only trying to amuse myself.  :o)  I really should try to do better!!

Jo - Thanks.  Supposedly your tags should be relevant to the page, article, etc. that they are on.  I don't put my name in tags, because I don't expect someone to search with name as the criteria.  Yet, I've been known to put my city tags on a post that had nothing to do with them.  I don't know if it will hurt in the long run.  I only suspect that if they don't like the tags on that article, that they will just ignore it.  Don't know really, but...

Sarah - You may be better off than the rest of us who are trying to figure this out, especially since it is so ever-changing.