Multiple Blog Linking Infrastructure

[PrescottScott]

So I did a few blogs (very few), but now I want to know "what is the best SEO way to unify my goal, to drive traffic to my website?". Since I am a newbie, indulge my following free associations. Not saying I am right, just trying to figure it out:

activerain - wide but shallow, high SE authority, tons of users, dumb point system encourages comment bloat, good long tail like amazon (maybe?)

REW blog - deep expert domain, not as active (wide) as activerain, expert users, needs a search feature like REW forum, medium-high SE authority

prescottscott blog - narrow with new with no traffic, wants to be a good SE satellite, doesn't know how, should be a "pure" hyperlocal consumer blog?

Eric helped me tons with the REW blog, especially understanding categories and how they relate to SEs. I owe you dinner Eric, when you gonna be in AZ?

And I got some great ideas at the First Southwestern Blogging Conference (not just blogger, open to all) in Mesa, AZ last month. Apparently, this guy AZbrady, is really an expert at stringing blogs together to drive traffic to his website. Plus, they all like wordpress it seems, but said web based blogs were "ok" to learn on.

So then, what is the best SEO way to unify my goal, to drive traffic to my website? Link to article or blog is fine.

[TrimarkProperties]

Hm. I am just starting into the blog side (we've been focusing our attention on our main real estate site), but I'd say that I'm doing it for long tail. Like you, I'm on Active Rain and also started a blog on Vox.com.

I'm interested to see what other types of answers you get.

[PrescottScott]

I'm interested to see what other types of answers you get.

Very quiet so far. Maybe it is all too esoteric, not sure... I must admit that I am new to the forum, so I am still earning my wings.

It isn't enough to just drink the Kool-Aid, but one must also learn the secret handshake too I'll make it there someday...

[Ryan Ward]

ok. Here is my take. The REW blog outranks all others. My onsite blog is a close second, then AR for me. I have two offsite blogs. Like this Alpharetta real estate blog: wwwDOTalpharetta-real-estate-blog.com

I started it a few months ago and I am working on the SEO and it is coming along very well. This is a a domain I bought and I use FTP to install a WP blog. This allows for a great deal of customizing options. See this thread:

http://www.realestatewebmasters.com/thread16689.html

If you never link from your website to your blog, you can create one way links to your website, which are the best kind, I think...However, for these incoming links to matter, you will need to optimize your own personal blogs. In my opinion, in the long run, you are well served by complimenting your efforts with alternative sources that you control. Take nothing away from AR, REW and other blogs, but, I just think you need to have some ultimate control.

How's that?

[PrescottScott]

In my opinion, in the long run, you are well served by complimenting your efforts with alternative sources that you control. Take nothing away from AR, REW and other blogs, but, I just think you need to have some ultimate control.

That is exactly what I was wanting to know: as the owner of my own agency, and soon to be broker, I value the non-proprietary aspects of my business. I am being told the same thing about blogs outside the AR-REWsphere.

Christoph Schweiger has quite a rich wordpress environment. We met at the First Southwestern Blogging Conference, and he contacted me after seeing me on the "MyBlogLog" add-on he has installed. We chatted for about an hour on his built in IM feature, and, well, I was impressed.

I am grateful for your perspective and feel well on my way to understanding blogs, SEO, and quite possibly the secret handshake!

[OHMwebmaster]

Hi Prescott -

I agree with Ryan. You should (if you can) work on making the most of your own domain and blog, because the additional control you have over it will pay off.

For instance, having your own domain name that complements the real estate market you work in is a big boost in both SEO and brand awareness for consumers in your area.

With Wordpress there are ways to very simply optimize for SEO as well - and the more you know about html and even .php, the more you can do.

It would be hard to explain everything you could or should do with your blog right here, especially since your goals may differ slightly from what I do with mine, but I know for a fact that if you dig around a bit through Wordpress dot org (for a month or two, perhaps) you'll come out with a good understanding of what's possible.

Also, in my opinion, it would be best to point all the links you can towards your own unique-domain blog.

Start other blogs on REW or AR for the time being, but do it with the intent of building your own authority blog/website.

In time, if you offer good content, you'll receive inbound links from other sources as well, and you'll want those to be yours alone - you don't want to share those with REW or AR, from an SEO perspective.

Hope this helps, and good luck.