How Real Estate Agents Win Business Using Local SEO

The ultimate goal of your real estate marketing strategy? Being easily found by potential customers.

This sounds well and good, but how can you compete with other agents in your market that are vying for the same group of people?

The answer: by improving your local search engine optimization (SEO) so you come to the attention of people starting their real estate journey with an online search.

 

What is local SEO?

Search engines assume that people are interested in finding results near them (called local intent). Local SEO is a combinations of strategies to make sure your business shows up when someone in your area is using a search engine like Google.

 

Local SEO in action

Local SEO uses the searcher’s geographic location to tailor the results they’ll see. This makes sense when you think about it. If you’re searching for ice cream in Saint Paul, you’re probably not too interested in a bespoke ice cream experience in Houston.

Local SEO is based on this logic. It uses geographic location and keywords to give you localized results that are most relevant to you.

 

Why is local SEO important for real estate?

Increase in “near me” searches

“Real estate agent near me” is one of the top 30 real estate-related search terms in the United States – and it’s been increasing over time. Local real estate search terms have grown over 300% since 2017.

 

Buyers and sellers begin their real estate searches online

Year after year, NAR’s research consistently tells us that the majority of your clients are starting their searches online. Combined with the increase in local real estate search terms, it’s a no-brainer: taking a local-first approach to your marketing sets you up for lead generation at the most critical time of your client’s purchase journey:

At the top of the sales funnel.

If you focus on performing well on local search terms and are at the top of that search page when buyers and sellers are just starting to wonder, “hmmm, what if we were able to find something closer to family”, you’re now in the running for their business.

Clients engage in certain behaviors at each stage of their real estate journey. By using this to rise to their awareness near the start of their journey, your can put yourself in a position to represent these clients.

 

Buyers and sellers contact only one agent

NAR’s data tells us that 73% of buyers and 82% of sellers contact only one(!!!) agent. In this situation:

Your ability to come to a potential client’s attention might be the only deciding factor in whether you’re going to be the real estate agent representing them or not.

Using a local search strategy to get on people’s radar right away allows you to be the one agent they get in touch with.

 

You diversify your inbound leads

Local SEO is an important strategy to make sure your leads are coming from a variety of sources.

It doesn’t replace relationship marketing through your sphere of influence, networking, paid advertising, or any other lead generation strategies you’re currently working.

Instead, it makes your real estate book of business stronger with more opportunities for clients to find you. It adds another entry point for leads, preventing an over-reliance on any single source of new clients.

 

What are some local SEO best practices I can use?

To show up in organic search results, there are a few strategies you can use. These include local link building, monitoring review signals, and proactively managing your online presence. While this might sound complicated, there are just 5 focus areas to get yourself showing on local rankings.

 

1. Get yourself listed: create a business profile on Google

Using Google’s Business Profile Manager, claim and verify your real estate brokerage as a local business.This will put you on the map (literally) in local search SEO rankings.

Once you’re verified, your real estate business will show up as a specific location on Google Maps and will get suggested to individuals performing searches in that area.‍

 

2. Fill out your GMB profile.

The more information in your Google business profile listing, the better you’ll rank with your target audience. When you’re initially setting up you’ll be asked for the following business information:

  • Business Name
  • Business Category
  • Physical location: Address and/or service area
  • Hours of Operation
  • Website
  • Phone number
  • Photos of your business
  • 750 character description

While some of these are optional, businesses with more information on their profiles get better organic traffic on Google search. This is also your opportunity to speak directly to the buyers and sellers you’re targeting.‍

 

3. Publish hyper-localized content

It’s not enough to rely on your business listing alone. You need to create a strong relationship between you and your service areas to show up in local search results.

Publish social media content, blog posts, and website mentions that talk about the specific neighborhoods you work in, your city, and other local business.

A free keyword research tool like Moz’s keyword explorer can help guide you to the right local keywords to include in your posts.

By demonstrating your connection to your community (with actual backlinks to your website) you help the search algorithms find and prioritize you in local results.‍

 

4. Get reviews from past clients

Let’s say I live in Brentwood, Los Angeles, and am searching for a real estate agent. How does the algorithm decide to rank all of the different agents in the area?

Ratings, ratings, ratings.

It will show me agents and brokers with a higher total number of reviews and higher star ratings first. If two brokerages are identical in the number of reviews and ratings, it will prioritize the one that is open at the time of my search.

The more positive reviews you have from clients, the better you’ll perform. So part of your local SEO efforts will need to include review management, where you proactively ask clients for reviews, and respond to any negative feedback quickly and professionally.

 

5. Create GMB Posts

Google My Business posts are attached to your business profile. They’re available once you have been verified. This is your opportunity to expand the types of searches you will show up in. GMB post types include:

  • Products: use this section to publish homes for sale by your brokerage.
  • Offers: publicize your services using offers. Doing free comparative market analyses (CMAs) for sellers? Put it here!
  • What’s new: use this area to talk about new offerings, new staff, or new partnerships.
  • Events: these will display to anyone searching for events in your area. Add your open houses, drop-in office hours, first time home buyer seminars, and other events.

 

Local SEO Checklist

Download your checklist here. Save these tasks as a workflow in your real estate CRM to make sure you never miss an opportunity to increase your visibility.

 

How much does local SEO cost?

Setting up your GMB profile is completely free (except for the cost of your time, of course). It helps you optimize your organic performance in local searches. Paid ads will still display before your business.

If you want to catapult your business to the top, you’ll need to use local services ads. These are paid Google advertisements. Google will vet your real estate license, and conduct a background check if required by your state.

Local ads display before all others in search results.

Once you are verified, the cost is totally up to you. More competitive areas will cost more money, but you set your own monthly spend.

 

How do I go from SEO to qualified lead?

Congratulations! You’ve followed these steps and have been found online. Now what?

 

Use smart call to actions on your website

First, you need to figure out what action you want your potential client to take. If you want to get them booked in for a consult ASAP, you can make sure your scheduling app, forms, and contact information are front and center.

You also need to give your future client a reason to click through or fill out that form. Use language on your website that explains why they should take the next step with you. For example, if you’re targeting first time home buyers, your call to action could look something like this:

Example of an effective call to action. Decide what action you want potential clients to take on your website, and encourage it.

 

Answer common questions

What are common questions you answer when you’re qualifying leads or talking to new clients?

Chances are, these are not unique. Look for patterns in your client meetings, and address them on your website.

Now you’re connecting with people at the top of the sales funnel and demonstrating knowledge about their top concerns. This increases their odds of getting in touch. Your odds of being the one [agent] just got better.

 

Connect your lead capture forms to your real estate CRM

After all of your hard work getting on your clients’ radar with local SEO solutions, you don’t want them to fall through the cracks.

Connect your lead capture forms to your real estate CRM. Set up a system to highlight and prioritize new additions to your real estate database.

When you log in any new leads should be prominent and easy to find, so you can take it from there with your sales magic.

 

Final thoughts

A local strategy is a marketing cornerstone for any real estate agent looking to get in front of the right people at the right time.

By creating a strong digital link between you and your local area using social media profiles, online reviews, and local SEO tools, you can generate leads from organic search results.

This is a great way to diversify your inbound lead sources and grow your business.

Looking to improve your real estate business?

With smart automation, AI assist, and intuitive management of your day to day, EmpowrCRM is your essential wealth-building partner.

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