SEO for Realtors: Importance and Strategies to Stand Out in a Competitive Market.

As a Realtor, having a strong online presence is critical to your success. With an estimated 90% of home buyers starting their search online (According to the NAR), it’s important that your website is easily discoverable. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. By utilizing SEO techniques, you can attract more qualified leads to your website, ultimately leading to more conversions and sales. As a realtor, you can’t afford to ignore the importance of SEO in today’s digital age. It’s time to embrace it and make it work for you.

The Competitive Edge: Basic Advantages of SEO for Realtors

Let’s dive into the world of SEO and see how it can give you a significant edge over your competitors.

• Increased Visibility: The higher your website ranks on search engine results, the more people will see your listings. It’s that simple. SEO helps to ensure that when someone searches for properties or real estate specific informaiton in your area, your name pops up before your competitors giving you the ultimate advantage.
• Targeted Traffic: SEO lets you target specific search terms related to real estate in your area. This means the traffic you receive is not just substantial, but also relevant to your target client.
• Long-Term Results: Unlike paid ads, which disappear as soon as you stop paying, SEO offers sustainable results. Once you’ve established a high rank, you can maintain it with consistent and smart effort.
• Cost-Effective: With the cost of Adwords for Realtors being top-tier pricey, SEO offers a more cost-effective strategy. It targets users who are actively looking for your services, making it more efficient than traditional outbound strategies.

Best Practices for Realtors: Your SEO Starting Strategy

Let’s break down the key practices you need to implement today.

• Target Optimal Keywords: Keywords are the cornerstone of SEO. They are what users type into search engines when looking for a property. There are two types: short-tail (e.g., ‘homes for sale’) and long-tail (e.g., ‘three-bedroom houses for sale in Miami’). Long-tail keywords, although less common, are more specific and can drive highly targeted and intentional traffic to your site. Leadin to a higher conversion rate on that specific traffic. 
• Answer the Public’s Questions: Tools like AlsoAsked or Answer The Public can help you understand what potential clients are searching for. By structuring your content to answer these questions, you are not only providing valuable information but also improving your site’s SEO. Use this in line with your Keywords and you are starting to develop a content strategy!
• Prioritize Local SEO: As a realtor, your business is inherently local. By optimizing your website for local search, you can attract more clients from your area. This includes claiming your Google Business Profile, ensuring your site features on local directories and using local keywords. Getting to the top of a “Realtor near me” type of search could equate to a huge boom for your business!
• Capture Google Featured Snippets: Featured snippets are selected search results that appear at the top of Google’s search results. They provide quick answers to users’ questions right on the search page, which can significantly increase your website’s visibility.
• Optimize for Mobile: More than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly to provide a good user experience and rank higher on search results. Just basic SEO stuff here. Make sure your site works! 

In today’s digital landscape, SEO has moved from being a luxury to a must-have for real estate agents. While other paid tactics like Adwords undoubtedly hold value and should be incorporated into your marketing tactics, the sustainable, targeted outcomes that SEO offers are incomparable.

So, are you prepared to elevate your business? Use this link to arrange a consultation with us at Instrats. Let’s converse about your SEO strategy and how you can secure that vital edge over your rivals.