As the entire business paradigm is moving toward the digital age, it is important for businesses to have a firm grasp of how to make themselves visible online. Real estate is no different as potential customers will often go online to either search for specific properties or find an agent.
Gone are the days when people used to open the Yellow Pages book to find a product or service. Today, people rely on the internet for almost everything and this has resulted in a dramatic shift in how businesses market themselves. If you don’t have a website or if your website is not optimized for search engines, then you are missing out on a lot of potential customers.
Local search engine optimization (SEO) for real estate can do wonders for your business if it is done correctly. If you’re new to local SEO and wondering what it is, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we will go over the top 10 key benefits of local SEO for real estate websites.
What Is Real Estate SEO?
Real estate SEO is the advanced method of boosting and optimizing your real estate website for Google SERPs with the sole vision of generating higher web traffic flow and improving your online targeted visibility.
The first step to real estate SEO is understanding how potential customers are searching for homes and real estate agents online. The second step is to make sure your website appears in those search results.
By optimizing your website for search engines, you are essentially increasing your chances of being found online by potential customers who are looking for what you have to offer.
SEO for real estate allows business owners and real estate agents to target their audience specifically and connect with them easily. Reaching the right audience is critical for any business and local SEO ensures that you are reaching people who are actually interested in what you have to offer.
Real estate is more of a local business where people are searching for properties and agents in specific areas. This is why local SEO is so important for real estate businesses. In local SEO, the marketing agency will help you optimize your website for specific keywords related to your business and location.
For example, if you are a real estate agent in Los Angeles, then you would want to optimize your website for keywords such as “Los Angeles real estate” or “real estate agent in Los Angeles.” By doing this, your website will appear higher in the search results when someone searches for those keywords.
Why is Local SEO Important for Real Estate Websites?
Local SEO can help real estate businesses in a number of ways. The most obvious benefit is that it will help you reach potential customers who are searching for properties or agents in your area. On this note, let’s look at the core benefits of SEO for real estate that your company will receive:
1. Boost in Business Credibility
In today’s digital world, potential customers will often research a business before they make a purchase. If your website appears in the top search results, it will give your business a boost in credibility as it shows that you are a well-established company. In real estate, credibility is very important as people are entrusting you with one of their biggest assets. With local SEO, you can make your real estate business more credible in the eyes of potential customers.
2. Better Lead Generation
If you want to generate leads, then you need to make sure that your website appears in the search results when potential customers are looking for properties or agents in your area. SEO will help you achieve this and generate quality leads that are more likely to convert into sales. Lead generation in this business domain can be challenging because of the competition, but if you invest in local SEO, it will give your business the boost it needs.
3. Improved Web Traffic
One of the main goals of SEO is to improve web traffic to your website. By appearing in the competitive search results, you will get more clicks to your website which can lead to increased web traffic levels. In real estate, web traffic is important as it can lead to more leads and sales.
4. Local SEO Supports Content Marketing
If you want to improve your content marketing efforts, then local SEO can help. By optimizing your website for specific keywords related to your business and location, you can make your content more visible to potential customers who are looking for what you have to offer. In addition, by appearing in the search results, you will also build trust with potential customers which can encourage them to take a look at your content.
5. Greater ROI
Investing in local SEO is a great way to improve your return on investment (ROI). This is because it is a very effective marketing strategy that can help you reach your target audience and generate more leads and sales. In addition, local SEO is a very cost-effective marketing strategy as it is much cheaper than traditional marketing methods such as print advertising.
6. Improved Customer Service
Another great benefit of local SEO is that it can help you improve your customer service. This is because when potential customers search for businesses in their area, they will often read online reviews before they make a purchase. If your website appears in the top search results, it will give potential customers the impression that you are a reliable and trustworthy business.
7. Boost in PPC Efforts
PPC and SEO are two different marketing strategies, but they can actually work well together. This is because when you invest in local SEO, it can help to improve your PPC campaigns. This is because your website will appear higher in the search results and this can lead to more clicks on your ad. In addition, by appearing in the search results, you will also build trust with potential customers which can encourage them to click on your ad.
8. Competitive Edge
If you want to stay ahead of the competition, then you need to invest in local SEO. This is because your competitors are also likely to be investing in SEO and if you don’t invest in it, then you will fall behind. Local SEO is a very effective marketing strategy that can help you reach your target audience and generate more leads and sales.
9. Improved Website Usability
Local SEO can also help to improve the usability of your website. This is because when potential customers search for businesses in their area, they will often read online reviews before they make a decision. When the on-page optimization is done right, it will make your website more user-friendly and this can encourage potential customers to stay on your website longer.
10. Mobile Reach
Mobile traffic has been increasing steadily over the past few years and now it accounts for a large percentage of web traffic. This is why it is crucial to ensure that your real estate website is optimized for mobile devices. Local SEO can help you reach mobile users who are searching for businesses in your area. In addition, by appearing in the search results, you will also build trust with potential customers which can encourage them to click on your website.
Moreover, the engagement rate is the number of people who take action after seeing your content. This could be anything from signing up for your newsletter to calling your business. Local SEO can help you improve your engagement rate as it will make your content more visible.
SEO for Real Estate: How To Pick the Right Agency
Now that we’ve experienced the benefits of SEO for real estate, it’s time to look at how you can ensure you’re picking the right agency.
Choose an Agency With Expertise in Real Estate SEO
The first and most important factor is to make sure the agency you’re considering specializes in real estate SEO. This is a specialist area and you need to make sure the agency has the knowledge and experience to help you. It’s important to pick a niche-specific agency as they will have a better understanding of the challenges you face and how to overcome them.
Check the Agency’s Track Record
When you’re looking at an agency, it’s important to check its track record. This means looking at their past clients and case studies. This will give you an idea of their experience and whether they’re a good fit for your business.
Make Sure the Agency Has a Good Reputation
It’s important to make sure the agency you pick has a good reputation. This means checking online reviews and testimonials. You should also ask for referrals from people you trust and moreover, check their Google Business profile to see what other people are saying about them.
Check Their Claims
When an agency makes claims, such as “we guarantee first page results,” it’s important to check whether they can back it up. Any agency that makes such claims should be able to provide evidence. This could be in the form of testimonials or case studies.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, local SEO is a very important marketing strategy for real estate businesses. It can help you reach your target audience and generate more leads and sales. In addition, it can also help you improve the usability of your website and build trust with potential customers. To ensure you’re picking the right agency, make sure you look for an agency with expertise in real estate SEO, a good track record and a good reputation.