PCMS Consulting has released a study that examines how 50 of the largest real estate brokerage companies — based on RealTrends data — are using search-engine optimization.
The study, by SEO consultant Randi Thornton, evaluated traffic ranking, search terms, Google page rank, number of pages indexed by Google, meta descriptions, page titles, and Web site validation errors.
The study found that about six out of 50 Web sites studied achieved a top SEO ranking on Google, and GMAC Real Estate’s Web site for company-owned operations incorporated the highest number of keywords terms that rank highest on Google.
"Keywords must be your Web site’s foundation," according to the study, which also found that NRT LLC (Realogy Corp’s company-owned operations) scored high for top Google keyword terms ranked.
Web sites for Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Crye-Leike Realtors, John L. Scott Real Estate, Hanna Holdings Inc., Long & Foster Cos. Inc., Northwood Realty Services, Prudential Georgia Realty, and Ebby Halliday, Realtors, also had comparatively high numbers of top keyword terms ranked among the study group of Web sites.
PCMS maintains that many companies are neglecting SEO strategies, which can boost online traffic. SEO is one of the services PCMS offers to real estate companies.
Thornton said in a statement that the study is intended to help real estate professionals who champion SEO convince decision makers within their company to reallocate money that’s now spent on traditional marketing to promoting their Web sites.
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