9 Real Estate SEO Tips to Generate Leads

9 Real Estate SEO Tips to Generate Leads

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1. Beef up those keywords

When a person Googles something, the search engine scans the web for pages with the terms of their “keywords”. If your listings don’t include those keywords, you’re going to be passed over by viewers. 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 to the point. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself a couple times throughout your content and description. Keyword specificity and density are critical 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 and customization is key. 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 garner 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 original content. Websites that are updated everyday have a greater chance of seeing those keywords and bringing in potential clients. There’s no better place for new, original content than a blog. Besides keeping your customers up to date on new listings, it creates more keyword-rich pages to increase your rankings on those SERPs. Create blog posts on the hottest, new 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 with what you have to offer.

4. Make your site mobile friendly

These days, more and more people access the internet on their mobile devices rather than laptops or 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 adjust for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. 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. Companies are starting to use other platforms such as Instagram to attract potential clients. 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 greatly. Social media is also the best way to engage and even communicate 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, and so on, expanding your reach even more than before.

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 great tools 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 efficient mobile apps that make searching for homes convenient and easy for users. 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 the opportunity at hand.

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 great visuals. Post enticing photos on Facebook and Zillow. Post the kinds of photos that make people want to know more about this house. High-quality 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.