Google now allows you to edit (WIKI) the cloud information and geo coordinates that appear for your real estate company. It is important because you can add your URL if it isn't already present AND revise the geo coordinates if you've moved or they aren't correct to begin with.

How to edit your information:

Google your company then click on the "maps" link at the top of the page >> Click on the icon that represents your real estate company on the map.

You'll see an "edit" option in the cloud that appears. Click it to add/revise your URL. To change the geo coordinates, just DRAG the icon to a new location.

The finalized changes will then indicate that you were the last to revise the settings.

You'll need a free Google account to make these (or any) changes.

It remains to be seen what effect these new Google features will have on your traffic flow, but it is certainly a good idea to provide accurate geocoding for the directions-to function as well as giving anybody who clicks on your icon from maps.google.com another direct link to your site URL.

The upside is that you have nothing to lose, it's free and it takes little effort.

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LanGard MicroDevelopers Oregon Real Estate Agent and Company Directory

Hey, thanks for the information. Do you happen to know if the backlink gives your site any PR credit or is it just for people searching you on the map?

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Ryan Tollefsen
Prudential Jack White Vista Real Estate

Alaska Real Estate | Anchorage Real Estate | Alaska Market Snapshot

The feature is new. It remains to be seen it affects SERPs. But having the ability to place another direct link to your site in Google makes you instantly available to the millions of people using Google Maps to search by... And to the thousands of Google mashup applications installed on sites everywhere that display default GoogleMap search results.

That alone gives you powerful potential for additional traffic, which is what it's all about -- getting people to your site by every means possible.

Think about, for instance, those real estate agents whose web page is stuck in some back-water lagoon of a huge, cloned franchise site like Prudential or C21, etc., etc. Let's say a search for their personal name and company brings up -- of course -- the franchise site instead of their tiny piece of it.

Now they can change the link to go DIRECTLY to their pages from Google Maps instead of the parent site. Like www.bigcompany.com/personalpage instead of www.bigcompany.com/.

Another thing: Many of the searches on Google Maps have NO URL AT ALL listed for the result set. If any search for you or your company doesn't come up with a link to your site, plug yours in.

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LanGard MicroDevelopers Oregon Real Estate Agent and Company Directory

Wiki nofollows all of their outbound links, but having the location correct is HUGE. Nice tip!

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Ryan A. Martin - Windermere Real Estate / Whatcom Inc.

Your Bellingham real estate professional specializing in the listing and sales of Bellingham condos. Also check out my Anacortes real estate website for information about Fidalgo Island and Anacortes, WA

Not sure I understand, Ryan. WIKI is just jargon for: A method for the (qualified) public to change information freely on the Web. By qualified, I mean registered. I'm not talking about Wikipedia links here.

Google doesn't "nofollow" their outbound links...because they are Google! They invented the nofollow tag and have no reason to place it on results that show up in their own recommended search results. What for? To place higher in their own directory?

Basically, I've NEVER seen Google allow URL editing, anywhere -- or even editing of any type for that matter. Now you can do it in the maps.google section. Given the opportunity, why not see where it leads? It's the ONLY time I've seen Google allow live editing of important information that immediately impacts the content of a maps marker (which includes names, addresses and URLs).

Use your imagination: Let's say you're a broker with 10 agents working for you, none of whom have websites of their own, and one of them is named Joe Smith. A Google Maps search for "Joe Smith Bellingham Condos..." brings up your main site, just because you list him somewhere in your pages......but Joe is actually in Anacordes. So drag his marker to Anacordes and make his URL yours or his, whatever you like.

In any event, the location is updated to current status and either you get all the traffic or he does, depending upon how you update the URL. See the possibilities?

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LanGard MicroDevelopers Oregon Real Estate Agent and Company Directory

@Langard ~ I misunderstood. I thought that you were referring to Wikipedia in regard to the nofollows.

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Ryan A. Martin - Windermere Real Estate / Whatcom Inc.

Your Bellingham real estate professional specializing in the listing and sales of Bellingham condos. Also check out my Anacortes real estate website for information about Fidalgo Island and Anacortes, WA

great information, noticed link was already present for my site, but provides easy route to edit biz info in future

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Langard - That's a lot of work you put into this find...thank you very much. It pays to check our forum here at least a couple times a week. I need to look into using this for my local area. Thanks!

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Jerry Campbell, CRS, GRI
Muljat Group
Bellingham, WA 98225
Professional REALTOR for 15 years
BA WWU Management of Information Systems
Bellingham Real Estate | Bellingham Homes For Sale | Whatcom County Real Estate

Thanks for your responses. What intrigues me is the upside of this development. I'm using it in a number or ways.

Another scenario (different than those above I suggested) might be: Let's say your site comes up in organic Google results for "Dallas real estate..." and "Fort Worth real estate..." -- and the same in maps.google pointing to your home page.

With the Google editing feature, you can now point the prospective Fort Worth clients to an interior section of your site specifically designed to meet their personal interest.

Basically, Google is allowing you to customize your own links to your own site, depending upon what keywords are entered through the maps.google gateway.

While all this may seem insignificant and trivial to those who'd rather spend their time chasing elusive Google PR, I'm beginning to think that this seemingly small feature that Google just launched may have larger benefits than most can imagine.

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LanGard MicroDevelopers Oregon Real Estate Agent and Company Directory

Thanks Langard...

Will be doing some checking into it.

best

Eric

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Eric Blackwell
Technologist, SEO Specialist and Consultant

Louisville Real Estate

Southern Indiana Search Engine Marketing Blog

Real Estate Industry Watch - Real Estate Industry News Blog