If you’re a real estate professional interested in increasing your online visibility to attract new clients, search engine optimization could be the key to your success. Figuring out the answer to the question “What is real estate SEO?” might help you stand out in your crowded industry like never before.
Research by the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) has revealed that almost half of all American homebuyers search for new houses online and decide which real estate agents and brokers to work with based on their results. If you aren’t taking SEO seriously enough, it may limit your ability to connect with prospective clients and advance your career.
So, what exactly is real estate SEO? How does it work? And, maybe most importantly, what are its biggest benefits if you’re an agent or broker? Get the answers below.
What Is Real Estate SEO?
Real estate search engine optimization, or real estate SEO for short, is a digital marketing practice that involves optimizing websites to make them more visible to Google and other search engines. It helps real estate professionals rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), allowing them to reach larger online audiences and providing a competitive edge over other local professionals.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half a million Americans work as real estate agents and brokers. The NAR reports that nearly 75% of agents and two-thirds of brokers have websites.
These statistics showcase how crucial it is for agents and brokers to set up sites for their businesses and use the latest SEO strategies. It’s incredibly challenging for many to distinguish themselves from competitors without making these strategies a significant part of their digital marketing plans.
How Does SEO Work?
Now that you know the answer to the question “What is real estate SEO?” let’s discuss how it works. This will give you a better idea of what to expect once you implement a strategy for your website.
This process relies on several elements to improve a website’s online visibility among search engines. Here are the most essential:
- Keyword optimization: Identifying keywords relevant to an agent or broker’s audience and incorporating them into their website
- On-page SEO optimization: Adding keywords to a site’s content, including its titles, headings, and meta descriptions
- Content marketing: Creating a wide range of different types of content, including service pages, blog articles, and property listings, and publishing them on a site
- Backlink building: Convincing other websites to add links to a site by employing a well-developed backlinks strategy
- Technical SEO: Optimizing a site’s technical aspects to make it simpler for search engines to crawl and index its various pages
These elements play a major role in boosting a real estate professional’s online presence. However, local SEO is perhaps the most critical aspect of any strategy.
It lets them target potential clients within certain geographic areas. This involves taking the following steps:
- Researching the keywords relevant to a targeted area and adding them to a site’s content
- Setting up location-specific pages on a site that cater to those in a particular city
- Earning backlinks on local sites related to the real estate industry
Those wishing to enhance their efforts further should also claim their free Google Business Profile and optimize it. This requires them to:
- Write business descriptions
- Post high-quality photos
- Respond to client reviews
- Keep contact information current
- Answer frequently asked questions
What Are the Benefits to SEO for Real Estate?
At this point, you can answer the question ”What is real estate SEO?” and even begin assembling a strategy that includes all the key elements for agents and brokers. However, you may still wonder, “How will it help me and my business?”
Thankfully, you won’t have trouble figuring out the many benefits of incorporating a search engine optimization strategy into your digital marketing initiatives. These are the leading reasons to consider investing in one for your business:
- Makes your site more appealing to Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and other search engines
- Increases your site’s organic traffic and creates more interest among potential clients
- Improves the chances of your site generating and converting more leads
- Builds up your brand awareness and puts your business on more people’s radars
- Gives you and your business more credibility within your community
It will also give your business a leg up on your competition, especially if they don’t make the same commitment to optimizing their respective websites as you do. Your site should rank higher than their sites on SERPs, enabling you to swoop in and get more leads than other professionals in your area.
Learn More About Implementing an Effective Real Estate SEO Strategy
Finding out the answer to the question “What is real estate SEO?” and discovering how it works and how it will benefit your business is only half the battle. You must also devise a well-thought-out strategy for your business and implement it effectively. Fill out this form to receive more information on getting the help you need to get the job done.
SEO FAQs
Have more questions? Discover the answers you need below!
How Many Real Estate Professionals Use SEO?
The exact number of real estate professionals who use SEO is currently unknown. However, some surveys have suggested that up to 70% utilize it in some form. This further highlights the importance of implementing a search engine optimization strategy for a business.
How Much Does Real Estate SEO Cost?
The cost of real estate SEO varies depending on many different factors. Everything from the specific services you request to the digital marketing specialist you hire to help with your efforts will impact your price.
How Long Does It Take for SEO To Work?
Real estate SEO typically takes three to six months to work. However, this timeframe may vary depending on your location, the competitiveness of your market, and the steps you take to optimize your site.