Stephen Baker is a writer who works for Business Week.
This evening I heard him on NPR talking about his Blog and his quest for page one in Google (I may be helping him with that!). He was talking about his exposure to the concept of SEO and the effort to "wrap his mind around it".
We have all been struggling with the concept...tags, keywords etc. Some understanding more than others. I personally have been reading and trying to absorb.... only reaching a general grasp. Mr. Baker presented the concept in an analogy that I was finally able to relate to what I personally am trying to achieve! Marketing, making myself visible, having my name show up when someone is looking for Real Estate....rising to the top of Google.
He explained that we are now in a different age. The age of Numerati. 
In the past to make ourselves "memorable" we did many things: wore a signature perfume, had a strong handshake, sought stellar recommendations or a distinctive paper or font in a resume. That was fine for the analog age....but we are now in the age of "Numerati" We are ranked by data and if the machines can't find us, our public can't.
Those of us who are investing our time and energy into creating and understanding Websites and Blogging are learning how to market ourselves for the new age of Marketing.
I guess you could say we're ahead of the curve!
Concord New Hampshire Realtor
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Joan Mirantz - Joni is a Realtor® with Keeler Family Realtors, a locally owned, Customer Service oriented Firm.
Joan Publishes a monthly Newsletter "Food For Thought" under the pen name Realtor Sherpa.
(Joan also answers to Miz Maven and Miss Joni.)
Joan works in Buyer and Seller Representation with concentrations in the Merrimack Valley Area and towns surrounding Concord NH - the Capital City.
"I love what I do, and it shows in how I do it"
Joan - I don't fully understand all the ins and outs but I believe and therefore I write.
Hi Judy...he at least articulated what the concept actually is...but I'm with you I still have to learn more about keywords etc!
This is why I love NPR... I always learn new, though provoking things like that while listening. I also hear that you have an exceptional network of Public Radio stations in New Hampshire. ;)
I think of all kinds of keywords until it's time to use them. Then I draw a blank!
I have promised myself that when this move is over and we are settled in I am goingi to really lock down and work on the SEO stuff. After all, I'll have a new website, a new company and a new world to conquer. :)
Very ahead of the curve Joan. Especially here in NH...anyone esle blogging in your office yet?
Jay and I have been blogging for two years yet only 2 other people in our company of over 300 agents blog.
Joan,
wow, that's a very interesting way to put it, and so very true. No longer are we recognized for who we, ourselves, are. It now comes down to a complicated formula that has very little to do with who we, personally, are and more to do with external things. It falls back to leveraging your brain first, however, those with a large marketing budget can get ahead of the pack by hiring SEO, website and blogging experts. I'm not so sure this is a good thing for the public since it is no longer based on a REALTOR's people skills or personal knowledge.
Jo
Yep! I didn't think of it as numerati but I did know you have to blog, then blog somemore and when you get thru with everything you have to say, you start formulating another article in your mind until you can get back to blogging! Great post!
So true Steve ....and yes, we have an exceptional NPR station here. Excellant programing!
Carol..why don't you keep a little notepad and write them down as you think of them?
That would be a perfect time...just start fresh!
Monika..I am still the only one! One of them signed up but didn't do anything with it!Oh well...their loss :-)
I agree with you Jo...but unfortunately we have no choice if we want to compete!
Whew....tiring isn't it Evelyn? But you are correct...the more we do the better our chances!
No matter how much I preach blogging I seem to really reach a very few.
Will I see you at the convention this week?
Hi...This may be a good article to quote in your Blogging presentation. Its on NHPR Marketplace!
No I wish I could go....no money!
I sure hope that optimizing our SOE is getting ahead of the curve. I, of course, am not at the top yet, but am working to get there. Things aren't as personal this way, not knowing who our readers are, but I think consumers like their anonymity, so this is how we need to conduct our business. I am sure the future of many businesses will be through the WWW.
It is such a challenge because you can't let us for a minute!
I think we all agree Troy or we wouldn't be here! Just keep plugging away and you'll be ahead of your competition! I have had consumer responses....it does work!
Sooooo true Jean...Blog.blog and then blog somemore!
I think the only way not to be considered a mere numerati -- is to write great content. With so many people trying to be #1 -- it is certainly a challenge to be recognized for who you are, rather than how you rank!
You have that right Joan...the competition is getting stiff...all the more reason to learn the keyword secrets!
I spend a ton of time trying to get my name out there. There are three things that I concentrate on most with regards to searchability on the net. They are a low Alexa rating, a low Compete rating, and a high Google page rank. There are a lot of tools out there to help with this. IMHO, Stumble Upon is one of the best to attract visitors to your website. We all know that not every visitor becomes a reader, but without attracting them, that possibility of them using our services is slim to none. Here is a link to a great post on several of these. Increase Web Sites Unique Visits and Its All About The CLICK These two links open in separate windows so they won't direct people away from your page. I hope you and your readers find them helpful.
Joan, here is another post I just came across in the greater blogosphere that deals with what I was talking about in my former comment. The issue of submitting your own posts or having someone else do it for you is a hot topic. Here is the link Why You Should Stumble and Digg Your Own Posts! It will open in a new window!
Joan, it's so amazing to see the response over page 1 google rank- we've been having much activity on searches for our "niche" (over55), and would have NONE of these visitors were it not for the site, and the education on SEO found (for me, anyway) right here!
Thanks Rich....I have so much to learn! When I get it...I get it. It's the first get it that's the problem!
I need to shut myself up for a day and just read and take notes..
Laurie I can see why that would be an excellant keyword for searches. I am trying to create a niche with the term Concord NH Realtor but there is a lot of competition.
It forces the shotgun approach to marketing instead of the riffle approach.
That is true Jean...but I would think ones chances of hiting the target are better with a shotgun!