Reflect on the era when search engines like Altavista, Yahoo, and Excite dominated the digital landscape. If you recall those times, you’ll remember their search results often lacked relevance to the queries posed. The process of searching was more hit-or-miss, with users frequently encountering results that had little to do with their actual inquiries.

Then came the game-changing insight from Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Their eureka moment was inspired by the academic world, specifically the way academic papers are cited. They observed that papers with a higher number of citations (references or footnotes) were generally considered more credible and authoritative. It’s akin to picking up a non-fiction book with an extensive bibliography, signaling a well-researched work.

Page and Brin wondered: what if this principle of citations was applied to the internet? In this new model, websites with the most credible backlinks (hyperlinks from one site to another) would be deemed more authoritative and, therefore, rank higher in search results. This revolutionary idea laid the foundation for Google. With its inception, the search engine landscape was irrevocably altered, introducing a new era of internet search based on the principle of linked credibility.

The URL of your website is a vital factor in determining its online visibility. A well-crafted URL serves a dual purpose: it not only informs Google but also gives potential home shoppers a clear idea of what to expect on your page. Take, for example, a URL like:

https://www.foxessellfaster.com/blog/living-in-chesapeake-beach-md/.

This address instantly indicates to visitors that they will be reading a blog post about life in Chesapeake Beach, MD.

With your website now indexed and high-quality photos added to your subdivision pages, you’re likely to start noticing these images appearing in Google’s Image Search. While this visibility is excellent news, it does come with a potential downside. There’s a chance that other agents might want to use your images for their listings. To guard against this, watermarking your photos is a wise move. For example, if you search for “Virginia Run Centreville VA” on Google and look at the images, you’ll notice my photos clearly stand out, proudly displaying our team logo. This strategy not only safeguards your images but also acts as an effective branding tool. It subtly reinforces the dedication and effort your team invests in producing high-quality content, enhancing recognition and credibility.