In my Rank & Rent Guide, I showed you how to find really profitable local keywords to build websites based around, and eventually go on to rent them for $1000/month and up.
The example keyword I used in the guide, I actually built a website for and told you guys I would update you on my blog.
Well the first update since I've released the guide is now ready, so I shot a video for you! Please watch to see the proof for yourself. We're on Page 1
If you want to see a REALLY interesting test...
Google the keyword from the video for yourself and see what position the site is now in. Feel free to check out what I've done with the site as well. Once you are done that, come back here and leave a comment on where you saw it ranking. Also leave what country/city you are in, and what version of Google you used to perform the search (ie. google.com, google.ca, google.co.uk etc.)
2022 Update
It's hard to believe I wrote this post in Oct 2015 and just under 10 years later, the site is still ranking #1 for it's main keyword and now a whole bunch of other ones as well.
To this day, the Rank & Rent model remains my favorite model of SEO, and I created an entire course around it, which is bundled with all the software my partner and I have developed together in the last 7 years.
It’s all about finding a keyword with high search volume and low competition.
Built a similar site in the San Diego area. Would love a link from your PHX site. Is that a possibility?
Herc,
Just has a look at your keyword again – pool resurfacing phoenix – and it is #1 on Google.co.zw
Sitting right under the maps 🙂
CR
… and it’ still ranking today (#1-3 depending on day). It gladdens my heart to see the longevity of PBN links even on an EMD. Huge congratulations.
Hey Herc, is the Rank and Rent system still working now in Feb 2017?
I noticed that “poolresurfacingphoenix.com” is #1 in google, but that it’s for rent.
Is that because there are so many advertisers for this keyword?
Did the site ever get rented?
I’m new to SEO and ready to try this. 🙂
Thanks for the great info!
I have never ranked a site locally without citations and local directories. Your guide has helped my new project. I have done some social signals and a Press release which has boosted my TF and CF. So far I have also acquired 4 homepage PBN links.
The site has been up for about a month and I started building out links and promotion about 3 weeks ago. I am getting danced all over the place on main keyword and also on secondary keywords.
When I check locally main keyword has went from as high as 86 so far. Has disappeared a few times. Secondary keyword ranks between 96 up to 76. This is my local search results when I search from the US ( I am ranking a Canadian site) My main keyword and secondary keywords are as high as 21.
My keyword competition on the main keyword is 211,000 without using quotes in the search 2460 with using quotes. There are some yelp and other directories on the first page of the results at Google. I guess I shoud drip in more PBN homepage links, since you are using 10 and so far I have 4?
May be I’m a bit late in reading your rank and rent method but while searching on Google.com with Keyword “poolresurfacingphoenix.com”, your site seems to be on both on Number 1 and 2. Awesome dude.
Keep it up!
Today #1 Irvine, CA. Good Stuff Herc THANKS!
Just dropping you a line, Herc. Really enjoyed the guide A -> Z. So, what’s the cost of the 10 PBN links for someone who is renting links from you vs I suppose how much it’ll get rented out for.
It’d be interesting to see the process behind how you end up renting it out.
G’stuff. Thought I’d leave a comment 😉
Hey, HercMagnus I really appreciate your work. I have done research about niche and keywords which are definitely going to pay me $1000/month after ranking site going to implement your strategy but i have a question what about ranking on google map listing they get high CTR and also leads for client, it good to just rank on just google SERP not on google map/business listing
#2 on Google.com for http://poolresurfacingphoenix.com/service/ in Northern California.
This is awesome!
I’m in Edmonton, AB and using Google.ca.
I see your site at #1 and #2 for your kw.
I’m in New Jersey and your site is ranked first in google under the pack.
Fabulous!!
Any update on renting this one out? Just curious (although I know you’ve been crazy busy)…
Hello Herc,
Your site is on position #1 in http://www.google.de.
My location is Hamburg in Germany.
I wonder if you can answer the following:
1. I like the design of poolresurfacingphoenix.com. Who did the job and for how much? I would like to hire her or him to.
2. You know that Kelly Felix teaches to have the keyword in the url, description, title and H1 headline for good SEO. You have the keyword only in the url and title. Is this on purpose or just by accident? Do you recommend to have the keyword in all the spots (YYYY Market Samurai)?
Many thanks and best regards,
Jörg
Hi Herc, I tried contacting you a few times via your website contact form and on FB but cannot seem to get through. I started my first test after reading your PDF guide and wanted to see what you would recommend for PBN links. Was planning to purchase through you but as I said, I can’t get in touch.
Thanks Gary!
Hey Herc,
Seriously amazing stuff! 10 PBN’s! I am blown away at the impact of that comment alone. Spending hundreds of hours on social, bookmark, directories (yeah I know), this is giving me a glimpse of the potential time I can save. And provide much better service!
FYI – You ranked #2 for the term on google.com in the Flint, Michigan area. #1 was a Yelp page. Great job!
A recent study showed that the new 3 pack gets about 25% of clicks, with paid ads getting 25% and organic still getting 50% of all clicks.
If you rank in the 3 pack and top in organic you still get access to 75% of clicks, so no worries!
(Can’t remember the study URL, but it’s legit)…
Love it Herc, thanks for all the transparency… Brilliant stuff!
Hi Herc,
I’ve been following your progress on this resurfacing site for a couple months now and have started some sites of my own. Thanks for the PDF outlining your methods.
I’m not seeing your main domain in the rankings at the moment, just the poolresurfacingphoenix.com/service/ page. Have the rankings taken a temporary dip?
Yep I’d still go for it, and research him/her to see what they are doing right, and do it better. Majestic, SEMRush etc to see their backlinks.
No I never put on location filter for local sites. If someone is looking the server, they’re looking no matter where they are from 🙂
Another question – what if you find a niche where the top result is well optimized but not many others are. I’d imagine it’s still worth shooting for the second spot and renting that out.
Hi Herc, great info! Thanks a ton for making it available.
On the keyword research – do you usually use the location filter to get a more accurate idea on how many of those searches are taking place in that geographic area? Seems like it would give you a better idea on actual lead generation potential. Or do you assume that even if people are performing those searches outside the geographic area they’re still important?
Hi Herc,
Your guide gave me the “ah ha” moment! thank you so much.
Most affiliate marketers feel that SEO is a waste of time and slow as compared to paid traffic..
what are your opinions on that?
Besides building links through PBN, are there any paid traffic methods you use as well?
thanks
jerm
Hi Herc,
How much would you sell the site for if they were interested in buying it?
thanks,
Kelly
All it took is 10 PBN links and no other link building? What is the estimated cost of these links?
Hi Herc,
Very Kuwel intro on your vid. Can you tell us what your using or who you had create it?
Also really like your blog overall. I’ve got a real good understanding of the basics of SEO and some about Monetization. Looking forward to spending a lot of time on your blog. Thanks for all the value and insight.
Thanks,
Kel
Actually Tony no, all I did was the PBN links 🙂 I never use Social or PR or anything else until I need it. Often with local rankings it’s only PBN links that are needed in order to rank.
People are far more willing to trust natural rankings than Paid Advertising so that takes care of that situation.
Then for the Google Maps situation, it’s not always the case that Maps are listed before organic. In fact if you do a good enough job with SEO you can rank above local maps, and I’ve done it many times. So it’s not really something that should stop you from moving forward.
Other than the 10 PBN post, what other type of link building did you use? Any press release or social signals?
Hi Herc, thanks for the guide. When doing a Google search the top results are usually 2/3 Google ads which are followed by the large image of the Google map. Then under the map are several businesses listed along with the contact details. This means even if we rank #1 in the organic listing our domain is listed “below the fold”. What impact does this have on the amount of traffic to the domain? Can you give some example numbers from your previous sites?
I would ask myself how profitable “ballet toronto” is as a keyword. When someone is searching for that, are they looking to buy a service, or find some schools, or find tickets to the ballet. It’s kind of generic. I would stick to something like “Ballet Schools Toronto” if you want to sell a service because it’s very specific and a ballet company would get good leads from that search. Also ask yourself, how much does it cost to join a “Ballet School”? Maybe $50/month? I don’t really know. It’s good that it could be recurring income for your rental client, but the price point is a little low. I think this one needs more research.
Hey Ballz, yes they are monthly rentals for the links. I also offer a few permanent home page links as well on this page. Yes if you remove links eventually rankings will drop. This is an ideal situation especially when renting links for clients. If they don’t pay you, you don’t rank them 😉
Hi Herc,
Awesome bonus stuff in RJ. This method has inspired me a lot and am looking forward to use rank and rent for ballettoronto.com. It has average monthly searches of 2,400. I need your suggestions on what number and strength of backlinks do I need for this site to rank in first page?
Thanks one more question, for PBN links most are rented i noticed. Do we have to keep paying the monthly to have those links permanent and if we stop will the google ranking drop?
Nope. I just let them know that if they don’t make payment, the call tracking get’s turned off! I control the site completely. If they want full control, they have to buy out the site.
when you rent out your sites do you have them sign some sort of agreement?
#12, Newport Beach California.
So I got a Youtube question and I thought I would include it here as part of my Q&A.
“hey thanks Herc , my question is how much PBN that you added to the site to rank in the first page ?”
Here’s an image that represents the links I’ve built to the domain so far.
Yes I’ve seen both an inner page ranking as well as the home page. I noticed my titles were adding “pool resurfacing phoenix” to all page titles as that is the Title of my blog, but I removed that and re-submitted to Google so that the main page would be the one to rank for the main keyword. Once I did that, I saw the immediate change.
Awesome. So it looks like it hasn’t fully settled on Page 1 yet, but I’m definitely seeing it there 🙂
From google.co.in its at #9 and intrestingly an inner page(/services) is ranking not the HP
Very cool Herc! I just did a search on google.com and you’re site is coming up on top of second page (#12) here in Palm Coast, FL.