These days, it seems like everyone's selling their home.
"For Sale" signs are going up and coming down like they're on a trampoline. Zillow is constantly turning over listings.
Realtors are as busy as ever, making phone calls, hosting walk-throughs, closing deals without stopping. It's no wonder that everyone is taking advantage of the convenience of online listings.
But with all of the competition online, it can be hard to drive traffic to your site. After all, with so many home listings in your area, it's easy to get lost in search engine result pages (SERPs).
Being at the top of Google when people search for a new home is the key to getting those customers coming to you.
Tips for effective real estate SEO
Here are nine tips to boost your SEO and generate leads.
1. Beef up those keywords
When a person does a Google search, the search engine scours the Internet for web pages with the terms of their "keywords". And if your listings don't include those keywords, you're going to be passed over.
Think about what people are searching for. A person in Denver looking for a new home is far more likely to enter "three bedroom house for sale in Denver" than "beautiful home with three luxurious bedrooms for sale overlooking the city."
Be specific and concise. And don't be afraid to repeat yourself a couple times throughout your content and description.
Keyword specificity and density are essential for great real estate SEO. This will get you ranked higher on search result pages and drive traffic to your site.
2. Keep it local
Location is everything.
It's just as true for search engines as it is for real estate. If you aren't including place names in your keywords, you aren't going to attract any web searches.
Your readers might be able to figure out where you are, but if you aren't writing city names into your content, you're going to drop in the SERPs.
Hit as many variations as you can. "Houses in [City]," "Homes for sale in [City]," "[City] real estate," and so on.
Just don't forget to be specific with those keywords.
3. Keep a blog
Search engines love websites with consistently created content. Websites that are updated regularly have a higher chance of catching those keywords and bringing in traffic.
There's no better avenue for new content than a blog. Besides keeping your customers up to date on new listings, it creates more keyword-rich pages to raise your rankings on those SERPs.
Write blog posts on the hottest design trends in the industry. Highlight your most desirable listings. Write features on local schools, events, and landmarks.
This will keep customers engaged and even turn casual users into potential customers.
A blog will boost your real estate SEO and keep those clients engaged.
4. Make your site mobile friendly
More people access the internet on their mobile devices than their computers.
If your website isn't mobile friendly, you will lose traffic.
Search engines prefer web pages that are responsive. That is, websites that automatically resize for smartphones and tablets.
If you don't know how to do this, there's hope. Most hosting companies (and ours) offer services to help you make your site mobile friendly.
5. Get social (media)
Everybody's on Facebook. Is your agency? Are you?
Search engines love pages with social media activity. If your website is linked from social media pages, it's going to help your search rankings.
Social media is also the best way to engage with your clients. It allows you to broadcast your new listings to a wide audience. That audience can then share your listings with their friends, expanding your reach even more.
6. Get into online real estate directories
There's a reason online real estate directories like Zillow, Trulia, and Houzz are so popular.
They are easy to access and are a great aggregate for all of the information a buyer can want to know about a house.
Their online galleries make searching through photos a breeze. Plus, they have great mobile apps that make searching for homes convenient.
You might be cynical about these directories, but they have incredible web traffic. Imagine having access to that sort of user base.
Claiming listings on online directories and linking to your listings is a great way to boost your real estate SEO.
When a search engine sees a website they trust linking to another website, it boosts that site's trustworthiness rating. This boosts SEO rankings.
And besides, everyone else is already on there. Most home sales start with a search through one of these directories. Take advantage of it.
7. Show off those photos
You already know that real estate photos can make or break a listing.
But did you know that great photos help drive traffic to your online listings?
People love a good visual. Post enticing photos on Facebook and Zillow.
Post the kinds of photos that make people want to know more about this house. Good photos are key to getting users to click through to the listings on your website.
Post your listing pictures everywhere, and get that traffic flowing to your own website.
8. Introduce yourself with a great bio
Who are you? Do your clients know?
Customers want to work with a realtor that they can trust. They want someone who is knowledgeable and will work for their best interests.
A realtor who delivers these to their customers will build a good reputation for themselves. Word will get around. Other buyers will try to find information about that client.
And you can bet they will Google you.
If your bio on your agency's site doesn't catch any traffic, you might as well wave goodbye to those sales.
Spruce up your bio. Remember, your name is a keyword. Follow the same real estate SEO keyword rules as for your listings.
A good bio establishes legitimacy and trust, encouraging new customers to call you.
9. Keep at it
Real estate SEO is not a one-time fix.
You're going to need to consistently create new content. It can seem like a lot of work on top of your already busy schedule, but it's worth it.
Cross post every new listing across social media and online directories. Keep writing new keyword-rich blog posts, and it will pay off.
If you need help improving your real estate SEO and other channels of digital marketing, contact us today to build an online strategy that will work for you.
Owner and Chief Marketing Officer, Jason Hall, and his team specialize in creating brand awareness / traffic and lead generation / marketing funnel and conversion optimization, while utilizing the appropriate marketing channels available within your industry. With diverse clients throughout the world, Jason's team is well connected within many industries to assist with your marketing strategies. With no long term contracts and various levels of service, Jason's team will increase the quality of your online traffic, leads, and sales.
About the author...
Located in the heart of the Emerald Coast - Destin, FL, founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Jason Hall, and his team specialize in creating brand awareness / traffic and lead generation / marketing funnel and conversion optimization / and PR campaigns, while utilizing the appropriate marketing channels available within your industry.
With diverse clients throughout the world, Jason's team is well connected within many industries to assist with your marketing strategies. With no long term contracts and various levels of service, Jason's team will increase the quality of your online traffic, leads, and sales.
Request a digital marketing strategy session today and we'll show you what you've been missing!
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