Why Real Estate Agencies Need Local SEO

Not counting groceries, most customer journeys begin with a Google search. Real estate agencies find themselves in one of the most competitive industries on earth, leading to customers doing comprehensive research before contacting anyone. With more options available, the more information potential clients needs.

We have talked with the certified real estate SEO agency, Onmark about what challenges real estate agents face online and what they have to do to succeed in the future.

Google is not just Google

Back in 2012, SEO was easy. You placed a few keywords here and there, updated your google title and description, and then you pointed a lot of links to that page. Google has become a lot more complex than that over the years, and the techniques that used to work in 2012, doesn’t do it anymore.

In 2022, Google is looking for relevancy to and authority on subjects. They have also updated the search results pages to suit the search intention better. If you are looking for a guide on how to do something, you are likely to get a list of guides and a section with frequently asked questions.

If you search for a service, you will find a list of local companies and a map. Google is not just Google – sometimes it’s valuable to rank number 1 for a keyword; other times, it’s more beneficial to be listed as a local company.

Why local SEO is essential for real estate agencies

A typical SEO mistake is to target high search volume keywords with little or no relevancy to their company. An example of this is real estate companies trying to rank number 1 for “real estate agents” in the nation while only operating in one state, county, or city.

Knowing that this search will trigger the local pack from Google, this will be expensive and have little to no positive impact on revenue. However, appearing on the map less than 5 miles away and being listed as one of the top 3 most recommended real estate agencies can have a tangible impact on earnings.

You can also have a good effect from being ranked number 1 for “real estate agents + city,” appearing in local listings, local publications and providing comprehensive guides to people researching the quality of local real estate agents.

Is it possible to outrank big brands?

Even though it might be intimidating to go up against large companies, sometimes it’s a good idea for smaller businesses. If you have the right marketing plan in place and ensure that your company stands out from the crowd, you can rank high for several keywords. Smaller companies with fewer employees don’t have to cater to as many customers. Instead, they can focus on quality.

An excellent example of this is the furniture store Wayfair competing with IKEA in Boston, Massachusetts. After creating useful, highly detailed, and well-researched content, Wayfair ended up ranking number one for several popular keywords.

Structure your content around questions

If you want to give local SEO a go, Onmark recommends keeping it simple.

— Register a Google Business profile and create content around questions. Make sure to mention the location you target a few times in headings. This will help you get started.

Structuring your content around questions is a straightforward tactic, but it can significantly impact your traffic. Most consumers are reluctant to contact the first business they find online and wait for a response.

To draw more people in, you should think of questions relevant to potential clients and make sure that they are answered.

By creating engaging content, you will help people solve their problems and provide a way for _them to contact your company.