The LinkedIn insight tag, a snippet of JavaScript code you add to your website, is intended to be used by LinkedIn advertisers to track conversions. In addition, it gives you access to Website Demographics, a free reporting tool that provides information about the people who visit your site.

While account-based marketing (ABM) integrations rely on IP information and third-party data to understand who visitors are, LinkedIn is more accurate in identifying users because it relies on its own user data. This means LinkedIn can provide more information at a higher accuracy rate than most ABM systems can.

The best thing about the Website Demographics tool is that it’s free. You need to have a LinkedIn ads account but you don’t have to actually run any ads to gain access to the insights.

With this tool, you can get insights for your website as a whole or specific pages (which is helpful if you have multiple products and various types of consumers).

RevStaffing would be glad to help you add this to your website and google analytics.

Need help trying to juggle all of those admin tasks and transactions? REVStaffing can gladly assist you with those tasks! Let REVStaffing help you to achieve your goals and increase your potential! Complete a complimentary needs analysis survey, send us an email, or call 855.REVS.VA1 today!

How Ranking for Keywords Has Changed

Optimizing your blog post to rank high in search engines used to be straightforward: pick your keyword and make sure you use it in the title and a few more times in the article. If you picked the right keyword (and if your blog was well-established and referenced), you were most likely to rank somewhere in top 10.

Keyword research has quietly changed over the past few years. First, search engines like Google have become much more sophisticated when it comes to understanding what “high-quality content” is. It’s not only about how well your article is optimized: it’s also how in-depth, useful, and comprehensive it is.

Second, the competition is growing: most bloggers know the basics of search engine optimization these days. It’s harder to stand out and get ranked.

Here’s how you can get ahead of your competitors.

#1: Include More Keywords

The days when you wrote one blog post per keyword are gone. Google (as well as your audience) now looks for more in-depth long-form content that features a varied vocabulary including synonyms, related phrases, and concepts.

The following tools will help you expand your keyword lists:

Seed Keywords helps you crowdsource your friends and followers into suggesting related keywords for you. The tool creates shareable mini-surveys for your followers to help you brainstorm more ways to search for your topic.

Soovle will generate keyword suggestions from multiple sources (Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube, Yahoo, Answers.com, and Bing), giving you a good overview of how people search for your keyword on different platforms.

Another tool that does the same (but supports fewer sources) is the Google Keyword Suggest Tool. It generates suggestions from Google, Bing, YouTube, and Amazon and it digs very deep, so you’ll get hundreds of phrases to work with.

If you’re looking to optimize your existing blog posts, use Serpstat to go through your site, pick the most powerful pages, and suggest a list of “missing keywords.” Essentially, these are words your competitors are ranking high for, but you’re not.

Connection Strength refers to the number of competitors that rank for the keyword that you don’t have on your page.

Now all you need to do is go back to your articles and optimize them for those missing keywords to increase your ranking.

An easy way to optimize existing content for new keywords is to add new sections (with subheadings) targeting those new words. This helps content get more comprehensive over time, which naturally results in more social media shares and backlinks.

#2: Refer to Notable People, Places, and Brands

One of the biggest changes in search engine optimization is Google’s focus on understanding entities. “Entities” are related notable people, places, organizations, brands, etc., which associate in some way with your keyword.

For the easiest way to demonstrate how entities help in ranking your content, read this awesome case study by Bill Slawski. Bill took a well-optimized piece and rewrote it the following way: first by making it much longer, and second by including notable events and people. The result was astounding. The article started to drive referral traffic from people linking to it, and return visits. And yes, better search rankings too!

Google pays special attention to entities when trying to understand how concise and useful your content is. Google has had years to learn to understand entities, concepts, and their relationships.

Google pays close attention to entities and how they relate to your content.

Google’s Knowledge Graph is an entity graph. Search for any notable name you’re aware of to see how Google structures and relates entities.

To research related entities, use your own common sense. Chances are you already know a lot about your content’s topic. Next, search Google. In some cases, Google suggests related concepts while you’re still typing your query.

Google uses entities to verify how concise and useful your content is.

Run content that ranks well through an entity extractor. Pick a few in-depth articles on your topics and run the content through AlchemyAPI (alternative tools: TextRazor and Open Calais). AlchemyAPI extracts entities from the content using color-coding to markup sentiment.

Run several long-form articles on your topic through AlchemyAPI and you’ll have a solid list of related entities.

#3: Answer Niche Questions

Another area Google focuses heavily on days is measuring the ability of content to answer popular niche questions. You might have noticed Google’s “quick answer boxes” each time you type a question

Is your content answering popular niche questions?

It’s important to make question research part of your keyword research each time you’re writing a blog post.

The aforementioned Serpstat does question-focused keyword research, too. There’s no visualization, but it returns unique results, which are free.

This is a whole list of content ideas for you to use!

Answer The Public is a cool tool for content inspiration and question-focused keyword research. Type any word into Answer The Public to see a visualization of various types of questions people ask using that word.

The question modifiers are: which, who, what, when, why, how, are, and where.

Answer The Public is great for content inspiration.

Another trick is to research niche questions using Twitter Advanced Search. The search won’t deliver as many content-worthy results, it will help you research and use natural language (which is something Google is focusing on as well, especially for mobile search).

To find questions on Twitter, search any keyword with a question mark placed one space away, like this: “keyword?” This filters Twitter search results to those containing a question.

You can search Twitter for updates containing questions.

You can use Cyfe to monitor and archive the Twitter search results.

Cyfe searchable Twitter search archives can provide inspiration when you’re stuck.

Conclusion

Keyword research has evolved, and it’s definitely more complicated. At the same time, though, it’s also more diverse. It encourages you to create in-depth content and works wonders for inspiration.

What do you think? Are there any unique keyword research tools you’d like to share?

Need help staying in contact with all the leads that will soon be coming your way? REVStaffing can gladly assist you with those tasks! Let REVStaffing help you to achieve your goals and increase your potential! Complete a complimentary needs analysis survey, send us an email, or call 855.REVS.VA1 today!

Regular readers of our REVStaffing blog know that we focus a lot of time and energy on getting our clients successfully ramped up and firmly positioned in their use of social media. And while the needs differ from one client to the next, but the bottom line is always the same: We work hard to make you THE local expert.

If you’ve been holding off on getting started with social media, here’s our advice: Don’t wait any longer. Social media isn’t going away – it’s getting bigger. And it can be one of YOUR greatest marketing assets as you head into 2019…if you make it work for you.

The best part? Social media is, for the most part, free. Yes, there are fees associated with some things…and there are things for which you’ll probably want to pay a small monthly fee (like a public Active Rain account). But you don’t have to pay to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, and they’ve been proven time and time again to be among the best (free) marketing tools at your disposal.

There are a lot of myths surrounding the use of social media. These include the idea that social media is overwhelming, and you have to spend hours and hours every week keeping things up to date. Or you may have heard that it’s a waste of time, and doesn’t really generate results. A lot of people think that there’s no way of gauging your success.

We get it. Myths are generated when people are uncomfortable with something, and need excuses for not dispelling their discomfort by learning about the thing they fear. REVStaffing wants you to know that there’s nothing to fear in the prudent use of social media! The savvy and timely use of social media isn’t hard, especially with REVStaffing’s crew in your corner. You are in total control of when, where and how you use it. We do it all for you, and you reap the rewards.

Whether you’re already a REVStaffing client or considering becoming one, you know that we’re dedicated to helping you to grow and nurture your successful business. We encourage you to fill out our free needs analysis; we’ll be happy to discuss ALL of your unique business needs! And be sure to visit our website, and “like” us on Facebook.

Bookmark this page to return for regular updates. If you need assistance in the meantime, please contact us by email at info@revstaffing.com or phone at 855-738-7821, X700.

Recently, the I’d Rather Be Writing blog addressed the subject. They quoted Scott Abel, who put it perfectly: “In order to develop an active and engaged audience, you have to publish as much interesting and informative content as possible — as often as possible!” Scott noted the incredibly short shelf-lives of tweets and blog posts. The fact is, you have to keep publishing all the time:

“… Add to the mix the sheer volume of information on socially-enabled sites around the digital globe, and you’ll soon realize the best strategy for getting noticed is to publish as often as possible, 24 hours a day, especially if you are trying to reach a global audience.”

So how do you decide? First, you need to understand the difference in terms. A content creator is someone who identifies their audience’s needs, then moves to meet those needs by creating original and highly relevant content. This can be a listing blog, or it can be an informative narrative blog. When you create useful and valuable content, that content is not only absorbed and appreciated, but shared and re-shared – driving your readers right back to you.

A content curator is someone who sifts through the Web to find and deliver the most relevant content for their intended audience. A thoughtful content curator is more than just a broadcaster of information. In our marketplace, a content curator can regularly broadcast status updates – information about their market that’s useful and informative to their target audience.

The idea is to position yourself as a trusted resource online. Start by formulating a content strategy. Whether you are creating or curating, you can be sure that the content you share is valuable and useful to your intended audience.

When it’s time to choose your mode of operation, take your time and be open to the possibilities. Our social media specialists at REVStaffing can show you how you can expertly balance created content with curated content. Remember, the more you share ANY valuable content about your market, the faster your reputation as your market’s trusted adviser will grow.

REVStaffing‘s virtual assistants are professional users of a vast array of CRM tools. If you’re not yet a client, give us a call for a free needs analysis; we’ll be happy to discuss your unique social media needs! Be sure to visit our website, and “like” us on Facebook..

If you need assistance in the meantime, please contact us by email at info@revstaffing.com or phone at 855-738-7821, extension 700.

What do you think LinkedIn is for? Is it just for people who are trying to find a new job? Should you only visit it if you want to recruit somebody? Or is it one of the best ways to grow your real estate business? If you chose the third option, you are correct. In fact, HubSpot, reports that LinkedIn is three times more effective at generating business leads than Facebook or Twitter. And since leads result in more sales and more money in your pocket, it is clear that LinkedIn cannot be ignored.

Here are 10 ways real estate pros can effectively use LinkedIn to increase their online exposure.

Remember, It’s Not Facebook
First, you should realize that LinkedIn is not like your other social networking sites. LinkedIn is all about business, and you better keep things professional. So no sharing that funny meme your Aunt Linda showed you, and no posting pictures of what you are eating for dinner or your funny cat. There are plenty of other sites for that.

Make Sure Your Profile and Company Page Are Complete
Since you are a real estate practitioner and independent contractor, you have your own professional brand, thus, you should have both a personal profile and a Company Page. Each one should be filled out completely. Not only should every detail be included—like your website, links to your other social media profiles, any awards or certifications you have, and past companies you have worked for—but it should be displayed in a way that is easy to read and engaging.

Include Keywords
Just like you do with your website and blogs, your profile and Company Page should be keyword rich. When people want to find a “real estate agent in Massachusetts,” for example, you want to make sure you show up.

Share Plenty of Content
When you are deciding which content to share on LinkedIn, always have the goal of helping others, but make sure the type of information varies. On one day, post an informative article on a new development in real estate, and on the next, share an opinionated blog post about what agents are doing wrong. Make sure you’re not just sharing your own content. Those who are successful in social media understand that it can’t always be about YOU.

Publish Directly on LinkedIn
Not only should you be sharing loads of information, you should also be writing your own. One thing that makes LinkedIn unique is that it allows you to publish your content for all of LinkedIn to see. They are referred to as long-form posts, and you definitely need to be taking advantage of them. Not only does it make you look more credible when you have them on your profile, but they are searchable both on and off LinkedIn. People do not have to be in your network to view them, and they are able to connect with you directly from the post. This is an invaluable tool for growing your network and establishing your expertise in the real estate industry.

Study Your Analytics
LinkedIn is very generous in the amount of information they provide to you. They tell you exactly which of your posts received interactions and which ones didn’t. You should study these analytics thoroughly so that you can capitalize on what people like and avoid the stuff they don’t.

Connect with Everyone
There has never been, and never will be, a rule that you are only allowed to connect with people that you know on LinkedIn. You should do searches for locals in your area, other agents, home appraisers, mortgage brokers, and anyone else you want. The thing is, there is no such thing as too big of a network. You never know where each connection will lead you. Over the years, I have seen some really shortsighted agents who say, if they don’t know them then they won’t connect. This might be prudent thinking on Facebook, but not on LinkedIn!

Capitalize on LinkedIn Real Estate Groups
One of the hidden gems on LinkedIn is the group feature. They are the difference between agents who really drive traffic back to their website and those who don’t. However, there is a proper way to use them.

You should look for groups within your industry—or groups that contain your target niche or market—that have enough members to get you exposure, but not so many that you get lost in the shuffle. Aim for between 1,000 and 5,000 members. You can also join a few of the larger groups for when you are sharing something of a more general nature.

When you interact within the groups, remember that you are there to add value. You should respond to others’ questions, give your opinions, share advice, and ask questions that make people think. You should not post links to your site unless it is something of value.

Don’t try to be active on too many groups at once, or you will not be able to provide anything useful to any of them. Instead, choose three or four that you really think could boost your exposure and make sure to check-in with them several times per week. Some excellent real estate groups to take a look at joining are The National Association of REALTORS®, Real Estate Professionals Group, and Real Estate Professional Referral Group.

Once you are part of a conversation, don’t leave it unfinished. Always go back to see if anyone has responded to what you said.

After you have established yourself within the group, you can start asking your own questions and solicit feedback. If you ask one that garners a lot of attention, you will even be featured as a top contributor within the group, increasing your visibility tenfold.

Start Your Own Group
If you are really ambitious, it could be time to found your own group. This puts you in the driver’s seat, and, if done correctly, can really catapult your recognition in the real estate industry. In order to set the precedent, you should set up an auto-email that goes out to all new members welcoming them to the group and setting the ground rules (like no soliciting). You can also let them know that you will be sending out weekly or monthly emails with industry resources and tricks of the trade.

Help Others
Finally, you should take a few minutes each day to endorse and recommend other people. They will appreciate the gesture and may even return the favor.

If you need help with your LinkedIn and other social media marketing let REVStaffing help you to achieve your goals and increase your potential! Complete a complimentary needs analysis survey, send us an email, or call 855.REVS.VA1 today!

Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn!

The show doesn’t stop once you click Finish and Post in your Facebook Live broadcast. While your video post can reach far and wide on Facebook, you can push that reach even further after the video has wrapped up.

Upload Your Live Video to YouTube or Vimeo
Once you’ve downloaded your Facebook Live video, you can upload your video to other video hosting sites or channels to reach a wider audience. If you upload it to YouTube, you can even use YouTube’s simple video editing tools to trim your video down to the moment(s) you want to keep and share. Don’t forget to use YouTube’s features to add a branded watermark, action cards, a description, and tags.

Share Your Live Video with Newsletter Subscribers
If your email newsletter could use a shot in the arm, add your Facebook Live video into your next issue.

Video and media consistently boost email marketing performance.

Personify Leadership shot partner interviews at an international conference and later used the Facebook Live videos to inform newsletter subscribers. The company was able to increase credibility by highlighting their key partnerships.

Embed Your Live Video in Your Website or Blog
To see the options to embed, edit, and even schedule an expiration date for your Facebook Live video, go back the Post Details pop-up window and click the Post tab.

Click on the Post tab.

After clicking the Post tab, click on the image of the video to access video options (including downloading the video file).

Then you’ll click on Options so you can view the options for your video post. You can click Embed to copy the code to add an iFrame of the video to your website or blog.

To get an embed code for your Facebook Live video, follow these additional steps to grab an iFrame code for your website or blog.

Facebook Live videos offer excellent repurposing opportunities that you can quickly plug into other social media marketing channels. Live videos are ready and waiting to expand your reach and grow your audience even more.

Let REVStaffing help you to achieve your goals and increase your potential! Complete a complimentary needs analysis survey, send us an email, or call 855.REVS.VA1 today!

*Courtesy of www.socialmediaexaminer.com

Are you using Facebook Live? Do you want more mileage out of your broadcasts?

Reusing your Facebook Live video can help improve your impact and visibility.

In this article, you’ll discover how to download your Facebook Live videos on other social media platforms.

Download from Your Facebook Profile
Facebook Live lets you broadcast a live-stream video from your phone. If you’ve live-streamed a great video you’d like to keep, follow these steps to download the video file from your Facebook:

First, log into Facebook.com and go to your profile.

Next, locate the Videos tab below your profile’s cover photo (along the bottom of the image or in the More drop-down).

Now, click on Videos to see a list of videos you’ve posted to your profile.

Your Facebook profile page is where you can see how your profile appears to other users. Find your videos in the tabs along the bottom of your cover photo.

Next, click on the thumbnail of the Facebook Live video. After the video opens, click on Options (along the bottom of the video) to reveal the menu to download it.

Options for your Facebook Live video include downloading as SD (standard definition) or HD (high definition).

Once you click the Download option, your stand-alone video will open. Right-click on the video and select Save Video As to save the video as an MP4 file to your computer.

Download from Your Facebook Page
If your Facebook page is lively, the steps below are your best route to download your Facebook Live video from your page. Note: You must be an authorized manager on the page to access the options below. Let’s get started!

Once you complete a Facebook Live video from your page, you have a few optimization options to increase the reach and purpose of your post. (The options below are presently only available for Facebook Live videos streamed from a Facebook page.)

First, log into the Facebook page you used for your Facebook Live post. Next, click on the Publishing Tools tab along the top.

Look at the tabs along the top of your Facebook page to select Publishing Tools.

In the left-hand column of tabs, Click on Videos to see a list of your page’s posted videos. Find and click on the Facebook Live video you wish to download.

Look for the Video Details pop-up window. Along the bottom, you’ll see any posts related to your video. Click on the post link to uncover additional optimization and download options for your video.

While the Video Details window provides performance statistics for your Facebook Live video, you need to access the original post to download the video.

In the bottom-right corner of the Post Details pop-up window, find and click on the Edit Post button.

To optimize your Facebook Live video from the Basic tab, add titles, tags, and custom thumbnail images. From the Advanced Tab, you can also choose to allow or prevent your video from being embedded in an external website.

After you’ve shot and posted your Facebook Live video, go to the Edit Video box to optimize your broadcast for searches and viewers.

In addition, you can upload a Closed Captioning file to your video for access by the hearing-impaired.

Next, look for the gear icon above the top-right corner of your video’s image. Click the gear icon and select which version you want to download.

In addition to selecting download options for your Facebook Live video, don’t forget to optimize your video using the Basic, Captions, and Advanced tabs in the Edit Video box.

Let REVStaffing help you to achieve your goals and increase your potential! Complete a complimentary needs analysis survey, send us an email, or call 855.REVS.VA1 today!

*Courtesy of www.socialmediaexaminer.com

Do you want to add more video to your YouTube channel? Are you wondering how to develop a content plan for YouTube? By adding the right variety of video to your YouTube channel is ideal for driving conversions and engagement.

In this article, you’ll discover 5 types of YouTube video to add to your business channel.

Create a Featured Video to Tell Viewers What They’ll Find on Your YouTube Channel

Have you ever visited a business’s website to find there wasn’t an About Us page and you had trouble figuring out what they’re all about? Many people click away when they can’t figure out where to find that information. You don’t want that to happen on your site, nor on your YouTube channel.

Channel introduction videos are the best way to tell new visitors about your business and the content you’re sharing on YouTube. In your video, welcome users to your channel and let them know what you do. Unfortunately, plenty of businesses with otherwise amazing channels forget to use intro videos.

When you introduce your YouTube channel, keep the video short, between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Include content that’s as evergreen as possible so you don’t have to worry about updating the video constantly, although you should check every six months to make sure it’s still relevant.

For example, the Cartooning 4 Kids How to Draw channel introduces itself in just 35 seconds. The video highlights what the channel has to offer (tutorials, daily lessons, and contests). It also explains that you don’t need any drawing skills and you can find challenges to develop your skills if you like. The video then ends with a call to action.

You should include branding on your introduction video. For example, feature your logo in the corner or as the opening thumbnail. Keep the format and visual template of this video consistent with everything else on your channel.

Make Educational Videos to Explore Focused Topics
Educational videos, like tutorials, offer viewers immediate value. Tutorials can technically fit into this category, but educational content isn’t limited to how-to videos. For example, instead of making a video tutorial on “How to teach your dog to sit,” you could make a video that explains, “Why you should adopt a pet.”

Because educational videos are so information-dense, they must address one very specific topic and stay focused. Brevity is definitely an advantage with this type of video. Make the video long enough that it’s thorough, but not so long that it feels like a lecture. For more information, refer viewers to a blog post or lead magnet that’s designed to capture lead information.

Answering questions your customers have asked is a great way to generate an educational video your followers will want to see, as illustrated in the example below.

Shoot On-Location to Give Fans an Inside Look at Your Business
Behind-the-scenes content is extremely popular on social media sites including YouTube. This type of video thrives on the transparency and authenticity that today’s customers crave.

When creating behind-the-scenes YouTube videos, make sure you have a purpose for the video. You can show off the new office space or demonstrate how a product is made. With a specific, brief topic, you can tell an engaging story and share insight or “insider knowledge.” In this way, behind-the-scenes content can help you shape how customers see you and your products.

In a behind-the-scenes video, featuring charismatic employees can help build the face of your company. To build rapport with your audience, choose someone who’s comfortable on camera and is naturally likable.

Design a Promo Video to Support a Marketing Campaign Launch
Most businesses start or are involved with a campaign at some point, whether it’s a promotional campaign like a social contest or partnering with a nonprofit for a fundraiser. Campaign kickoff YouTube videos are an effective way to announce your campaign and introduce it to your audience.

Keep your kickoff video under 2 minutes. In that time, tell people why they need to care immediately and pique their interest. Videos are a great choice for evoking an emotional response. Whether you want to generate excitement or pull at the heartstrings, make sure everything in the video targets that feeling.

Final Thoughts
Your YouTube channel can offer a wealth of exposure, leads, and even conversions, but businesses need to use the platform differently than users. This means the types of videos you create and share must be different than the always-sought-after “viral video.” All businesses on YouTube should use a combination of these five types of videos for best results.

Need help staying in contact with all the leads that will soon be coming your way? REVStaffing can gladly assist you with those tasks!

Let REVStaffing help you to achieve your goals and increase your potential! Complete a complimentary needs analysis survey, send us an email, or call 855.REVS.VA1 today!

*Courtesy of www.socialmediaexaminer.com

Paige earned the #1 spot in 2014, and she is still #1 based on sales so far for 2015!

Paige is a client of REVStaffing, and relies on our resources for her real estate business that focuses on Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest, Conway, North Myrtle Beach, and other areas of Horry County, South Carolina.

She is no stranger to accolades in real estate.  Paige has won numerous real estate awards for her outstanding performance.

She loves her job and believes in a higher standard of professional service while giving back to the community.

Congratulations, Paige from all of us at REVStaffing!

Call REVStaffing today at 855-738-7821 or visit our website at www.revstaffing.com.

If you would like to discuss any possibly need you may have and would like REVStaffing’s assistance, click here to schedule an appointment.

Everyone agrees that increasing consumer protection is a desirable goal. Nevertheless, the unforeseen ripple effects from these changes could seriously disrupt how the closing process is conducted.

The most serious issues that will result from the new changes handed down by the CFPB: The new rules will require a new three-day waiting period when there are any changes in the TRID forms. The recommendation is to allow an extra 15 days to close your transactions. In other words, 30-day contracts will now require 45 days, and 60-day contracts will require 75 days.

A change of this magnitude is going to create unexpected ripple effects across the industry, not only for agents and clients, but for mortgage and title professionals, too. What can you do to be prepared?

First, make sure you attend a TRID training as soon as possible.

Second, if you’re a broker-owner, own a Mortgage Company, or Title Company, take steps to change your documentation to the new system as soon as it becomes available.

Third, associations and other companies that provide contracts to the industry must have the new forms ready to go well before Aug. 1, 2015. This also means that agents and brokers will have to be trained on these new forms, over and above what is required by TRID.

It could be a tough transition at first. What will be particularly thorny are transactions closing in late July. If they fail to close by Aug. 1, 2015, how will they be handled? Does entirely new documentation have to be drawn? How long will the delays be?

As we move closer to the August 1st date change, advise your clients that there will be unexpected delays in obtaining loan approval, potential changes in the documentation during the transaction, and a host of problems we probably can’t even begin to imagine. Start preparing now.

Call REVStaffing today at 855-738-7821 or visit our website at www.revstaffing.com.

If you would like to discuss any possibly need you may have and would like REVStaffing’s assistance, click here to schedule an appointment.

**Courtesy of inman.com and Bernice Ross