Top Producer Blog

[Northern_IL]

I have a blog through my Top Producer account that I post to from time to time. I've noticed that my blog posts are not getting indexed with Google. The only page that is indexed is that main blog page.
I e-mailed Top Producer support about this and here's their response:


"I can definitely understand your concern with SEO and your blog. The major search engines will only index the primary page of your blog, but the primary page is precisely what gives you an advantage with SEO. Often times a blog page containing multiple posts will not have one unified topic that can be indexed. This is why most times blogs will only show up in blog search engines and not as often in the major search engines (technical blogs are an exception). The advantage of having a blog on a real estate website is that your content is always changing. This is what Google especially is looking for; unique new content."


I'm looking for some other opinions on this. I agree with their response because of the fresh content.
I disagree with them because my blog gets zero unique views. ZERO. I feel like every time I post in their blog that it's a waste of my time. At least when I add content pages to my site I get some get long tail SERP's.

Can I get some opinions?

Thank you in advance

[ericbadgley]

To start you should have a link to your blog on your index page. I had trouble finding your blog, I had to go to your site map. Your blog is three pages away from the index page. That isn't helping you. I also look at your blog entrys. The last blog you wrote did not have a specific title about the blog, it is still called jeffs blog. If there is an option to put title, keywords and desctription when you post, make sure you fill them out with the keywords. This is very important if you want your blog to be found on the web and get indexed. If your site doesn't have this option. I would consider a company that specializes in Real Estate website and seo. Not contact management.

Also consider getting started a blog at REW and AR, if you havn't already and link them back to each other.

[Bigtoe]

You want to have all of your posts cached by google. Your site does not look like it will allow this. You need a new service provider, one that will let you have a blog that works.

[ericbramlett]

I disagree with them because my blog gets zero unique views.

I think you answered your own question. Whoever responded to you sounds like they have a working knowledge of SEO terminology & just justified how their site (probably accidentally) is structured. You want your whole site/blog crawled - a basic Wordpress blog will do this.

IMHO, you're correct in your thinking that your original content is better posted on your own website than on the TP blog.

[BrandonSternfield]

When it comes to Top Producer, and SEO, the two are like oil and water, they really just don't mix.

This is why you can find me on a few different blogs, but I didn't even start a TP one.

My firm sadly uses them for our real estate site, and I'm insanely happy with our ranking on the big G for it, seeing as how much I had to fight with TP to let me get access to certain things.

If you are in the position, I'd recommend switching off them. TP is good for new web masters, who have no idea about building websites. If you know what SEO stands for, you shouldn't be on TP For one thing... you can't touch the header on any pages, not even the template. That angers me.

[webmaster]

Their answer is complete BS - it's like Eric said, they are using "SEO lingo" to try to justify a VERY poor product. This person does not understand SEO or what is good or bad for SEO at all.

#1 - constantly changing content does not help you rank whatsoever
#2 - constantly adding new unique content (Which is a good thing) is only good if that content (And all the content that came before it) can be spidered and given the proper credit in search engines.

No unique titles, no mod_rewritten URL's, no spiderability hmmmm - I say spend your time posting at blogs like AR or REW Blogs that will actually give you some credit for your efforts - or better yet - get a new blog provider

"I can definitely understand your concern with SEO and your blog. The major search engines will only index the primary page of your blog, but the primary page is precisely what gives you an advantage with SEO. Often times a blog page containing multiple posts will not have one unified topic that can be indexed. This is why most times blogs will only show up in blog search engines and not as often in the major search engines (technical blogs are an exception). The advantage of having a blog on a real estate website is that your content is always changing. This is what Google especially is looking for; unique new content."

[Northern_IL]

Thanks everyone!!!

I will indeed be blogging in other areas from now on. I wouldn't call myself an expert in SEO by all means and I understand completely when Brandon expresses his frustration about being unable to touch the header tags....I too fought with them about this. I can't utilize all of the Google Webmater tools because of this.
However, I am happy with the overall service TP has giving me on the website end of things. Granted they don't do anything to help optimize your site but never the less, I'm very happy with the way the site is integrated with my contact manager. It's sweet.

I appreciate all of the comments.

[ericbadgley]

I kind of feel sorry for this poor sap, he is brain washed into believing that top producer has great websites.

[webmaster]

Ironically - TP provides a utility that allows any website to integrate seamlessly with TP

[Discover Davis Homes]

Jeff

I am a TP user and had REW integrate contact info directly from my site to TP. Before I had the REW site, I used a TP contact form that also pulled the info directly into TP. As Morgan stated above, TP makes it very easy to integrate from other websites. I'm positive if I could figure it out, you would have no problems using it if you decided to go with another provider.