FYI - GoGuides.org will not accept individual real-estate agent sites

[EmpressChang]

I have been trying to get certain real estate sites (agent and main company sites) listed for many months. I have been sending letters over the past 7 or so months asking why none of them where getting listed and asking where I was going wrong so I could revise the submissions.
:confused:

I thankfully received a reply from Bruce Stone. I am so glad he wrote to let me know what was going on. I wanted to thank Bruce for answering; now I understand what was going on!
:cheers:

Here is his reply:

>> The problem you are having is the sites are being removed by the spam committee or topic editors. We do not accept individual real-estate agent sites. We have found that larger agencies can and will monopolize a topic. We will gladly accept the agencies main web site with links to the individual real-estate agents webpage. It's unfortunate to have to do this but some businesses are extremely abusive to gain category exposure and we have very strict policies on spamming. <<

I just wanted to state that I think it is a bit unfair not to include Agent sites, but I am trying to understand. It is too bad it had to come down to a decision like that. I have several clients that are individual realtors for larger companies like Coldwell Banker, RE/MAX, ERA, Whalers Realty, Dolphin Realty, etc. that spend quite a bit of money on their own personal web sites to get better exposure for themselves. They have to post their affiliation to the larger company and I guess in this case are penalized for it.

Oh well.... just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening. :load:

p.s. Of all of the agency main web sites I have submitted (about 7 in total) Not a 1 has been accepted.

[ihelpyou]

Yes, that is very tough. Frankly, I don't agree with it but I understand it. Seems there should be something better to do with an agent than say "sorry".

We are seeing many directories go this route. It's a shame as I know of a couple of agents myself who cannot do much on the internet. Myself, I will not take an agent as a client because of it.

[Trafficdeveloper]

I agree it's unfortunate. Why should everyone pay the price for some unscrupulous agency actions.

But Doug, I have both agencies and individual agents as clients, and find that both are successful. Are there other reasons why you won't take on individual agents? You mentioned other directories who won't take individual agent sites, but what else?

I haven't noticed too many problems marketing individual agent sites. Maybe it depends on the agents geographical market?

Just curious,

Chris

[skipfactor]

That's unfair. I guess the spam committee doesn't know much about real estate.

My wife's old firm required agents to build and market their own sites and did not mention their agents on their main website, much less provide a link.

Banning an entire crucial category that must generate a lot of search terms degrades the integrity of their directory and jepordizes the directory's future IMHO. If I'm looking for a new home, I'm searching for a decent agent, not an agency that's going to pass me off to low-producer.

Oddly, I'd never heard of goguides.org until I saw it in my logs and I assumed it was from DMOZ since I didn't submit to goguides.

I guess I'm waiting to be eliminated by the spam committee. C'mon go-dudes, that's not using your noggin.

[witchblade]

I have to agree, I'd rather see the individuals listed than the faceless agency as a large. I work with several realtors, but my best client actually shows up on Google before the RE/MAX office he's affiliated with. They do such a poor job of marketing the agency site that searching for it by name doesn't find it in the top 30. Why not give the individuals who work their butts off on marketing the advantage for a change.

[rbravo]

skipfactor sez: That's unfair. I guess the spam committee doesn't know much about real estate.

I'm not on the Spam Committee, but I think that collectively we know more than a thing or two about real estate. My mother happens to be in the biz.

If by chance a GoGuides editor came across an agent site that was not part of a larger site and whose property listings were not part of a larger site (i.e. part of their database) then I believe we could make an exception to list such a site, since the idea is that sites listed in GoGuides must provide unique content. Agent sites for real estate businesses usually use a common database thus providing duplicate information.

It's easy for the outsider to criticize our listing policies, but our policies serve to benefit the very businesses that also criticize us. If we allow Widget Realty to list their main site and those of their 120 agents for Metropolis, USA and we also let ABC Realty list their main site and those of their 100 agents for the same city, then how is the poor independent agent going to compete and be found with only one site but possibly having a better selection of properties? And that is true for any business. We do not accept authorized distributors or merchants for the same reason; i.e., we give the little guy the same opportunity as the big guy. If their product or service is good it should be reflected in their site and their description, not by the quantity of sites they can submit.

Don't you agree?

[ihelpyou]

Welcome to the forums rbravo! :hi:

I can't say I disagree with you there. If the editors do look at the content and see that the site is simply using the same damn content/database of the main, then no, that agent should NOT be listed at all. I certainly agree.

There is NO reason why an agent or ANY site for that matter, cannot have their very own content pages.

If they are an agent, surely they are knowledgeable about the real estate they are selling, and can surely write words?

[EmpressChang]

A lot of the Realtors® use the same database because it is the IDX Solution for their area.

IDX is the NAR (National Association of Realtors) mandated way of putting searchable MLS/listings database information on a web site.

I can understand having other content available. All the real estate web sites I submitted to GoGuides had their own content as well as the NAR mandated way of adding the searchable listings database information for their area.

IMO - I think it is wrong to penalize when the Realtors® are only using what the Nation Association of Realtors® wants Realtors® to use...

I must agree with witchblade & skipfactor... I don't want the Agency site... I want to find a good agent to help me with my property purchase.

IMO - GoGiudes is downgrading their search results by excluding agent sites.

[Chad1971]

>> The problem you are having is the sites are being removed by the spam committee or topic editors. We do not accept individual real-estate agent sites. We have found that larger agencies can and will monopolize a topic. We will gladly accept the agencies main web site with links to the individual real-estate agents webpage. It's unfortunate to have to do this but some businesses are extremely abusive to gain category exposure and we have very strict policies on spamming. <<

Are you referring to individual pages within a main company's website? My site is one which I have built and maintain myself?

Other comments...
Atleast in the Charlotte region, all personal Realtor sites ARE using original content apart from the company they work for.
As far as using the same database of listings, Our local Realtor guidelines will only allow us to LINK to the page on our company's site which has the home search on it...or we can link to our local regional Realtor association's main website We cannot frame a home search within our own personal site as long as we are working UNDER a Broker(company). We're talking about a LINK here. A common link can't possibly construed as using non-original content.

Shouldn't the goal of search engine's be to give the surfer the results that they are looking for?

That's what I'm facing with a recent google change. Typing in "Charlotte, NC real estate" is only bringing up directory type websites(with the exception of 1 or 2) in the first 3 pages or so. Surfers don't want to be directed to a directory where, from there, they see a list or 50+ Realtors.
PS Up until a couple weeks ago, my site and several others had been in the top 10 for months on many different search terms(in google)

Geez, I hope for all of our sakes, other engines and directories think with common sense and start giving surfers what they are really looking for.