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If you've been working in real estate for more than a minute, you know that generating qualified leads is one of the hardest challenges for agents. All you want to do is get to that closing stage, but the process of capturing qualified online leads can make that closing table feel far away.
There are actions you can take, however, to better meet that challenge.
Ready to place yourself ahead of your competition? Let's dive in!
Utilize SEO Keywords
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If you want to be successful in real estate, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) must be an essential part of your business strategy. SEO is an important tool for brand awareness, building relationships, and positioning yourself as a trustworthy expert in your field. It also increases the visibility of your website, which drives traffic and creates opportunities to convert prospects into clients.
When it comes to people searching the internet, you want to make sure that your business is one of the first options that come up.
Keywords Play a Crucial Role
SEO keywords are queries users type into a search engine, like Google. They represent opportunities for you to appear in results when your website's content is relevant to that query.
Three Categories to Keep in Mind
- Primary keywords: The search phrase a webpage is targeting. This is the primary topic of the page. For example, a page showcasing recent listings in your area could target the primary keywords 'homes for sale in [city]".
- Secondary keywords: Synonyms or long-tail variants (specific, usually longer, terms) of the primary keywords. Search results are similar to those of the primary keywords, since users are usually looking for similar answers. Basically, they complement each other. Your secondary keywords might be "homes for sale in [city] under $500,000 with 3 bedrooms".
- Semantic keywords: Terms conceptually related to the main topic of your webpage. For example, semantic keywords, like "open house" or "price reduction", might be related to your primary keywords "homes for sale in [city]".
Search engines scan your content for these keywords to decide if it’s relevant to a specific query.
Learning how to use keywords for SEO is important, because we live in an ever increasing online world. People looking for homes, real estate agents, and more are using search engines to find them.
This might seem like A LOT, but never fear! There are plenty of free tools to help you make this as easy as possible.
One option is Google Ad's Keyword Planner. This can help you identify the right keywords, along with geographic modifiers, so customers find your business first. These keywords will bring high quality clicks (or leads) right to you that you can then act on quickly.
Other free tools you might consider are Moz Keyword Explorer, Ryan Robinson's Free Keyword Research Tool, Neil Patel's Ubersuggest, and Semrush.
Next up, content! While SEO sets up your content where audiences can find it, content marketing assures that what they find is valuable and engaging.
Create Engaging Content
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Content is any information that lives on the internet and can be consumed on the internet. A blog is one of the best-known methods for creating a regular stream of SEO content, but text-based posts are not your only options. Here are a few to include in your strategy:
Content Types to Include in Your Strategy
- Guide: A long piece of content, generally on a single webpage, that explains a concept in detail, like home inspections, the home selling process, the final walkthrough, etc. This could also be a post on your blog!
- Video: Create a YouTube channel and consider making a "welcome to the city" video, an "about me" video, an "expert q & a" video, even an additional video version of your blog post or guide. And include a text transcript to optimize your video for search engines. Videos are terrific for grabbing attention!
- Infographic: Large-format images that contain a lot of data on a single subject. These can can rack up a lot of page views and links. Local housing market updates are a great fit for this style of content!
- Testimonial: A page featuring testimonials is great for SEO! Testimonials help you gain trust and credibility with prospects. They also provide fresh, relevant content for your website, improving your ranking on search engines.
When creating and running online ads that promote your content, engaging copy is crucial to high performance. This means you should include SEO keywords that are also on your website, relevant to your business and get a high volume of Google searches.
Focus on what makes you stand out from the competition. Using copy that comes from positive reviews touting things like “expert on local neighborhoods” or “quick response time,” and quotes or slogans that are unique to your business are a great way to be more noticeable in such a competitive industry.
Update Your Website
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Considering the competitive nature of the real estate industry and the great benefits that can come from incorporating SEO and content marketing into your business strategy, having a strong digital presence is essential. That includes your website.
Don't have one? Build one ASAP. A website is the centralized hub for your personal brand. It displays key information about you and your business, highlights your latest listings and wins, and offers valuable content, like blog posts, guides, and testimonials.
In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2024 Member Profile, 72% of REALTORS® have a website. You don't want to lose out on opportunities your competitors are getting with theirs.
But I have a page on my broker's website. Isn't that enough? Unfortunately, no. Although maintaining a presence on your broker’s website is good for your team, it’s not going to drive your personal brand and business.
Whether you're building a website from scratch or optimizing one that hasn't been updated in forever, there are several things you should focus on:
Must-Have Elements for a Strong Website
- Simple navigation: Make it easy for prospects to stick around on your website by making sure common features are accessible, like an about page, contact page, listings, guides, and blog.
- Advanced search options: Expand simple search – buy/rent, house/condo – with an advanced search that lets prospects filter by property features and amenities, outdoor spaces, lot size, budget, beds/baths, and more to narrow down results into a manageable shortlist of properties.
- Interactive maps: Help prospects see the big picture by linking your listings to Google Maps. This will give them a true understanding of the location, including schools, local businesses, transportation options, and more.
- Contact form: There should always be a prompt for web visitors to contact you, either through a form or a chat option. It's an easy, no-pressure way for prospects to get in touch. Even better if it's found throughout your website. If provided on the actual property listing, for example, a contact form lets you know the home a prospect is interested in without requiring the visitor to fill in a field. The simpler the form, the better the engagement.
- Mobile compatibility and responsive design: The days when people only accessed the internet on desktop computers at home are long, long gone. A potential client could be viewing your website on any device—smartphone, laptop and tablet. It's crucial to make the user experience enjoyable, intuitive and seamless on all of them.
- High quality photos and detailed property information: Make sure you're showing both your brand and your listings in the best light. Listings should have the highest possible quality photos available to view. The specifications and descriptions should be detailed and complete. And don't forget about your headshot! This is your brand.
- Recent testimonials: Let your clients be your advocates. Testimonials from satisfied clients speak loudly. In fact, they could be the deciding factor for a prospect searching for a real estate agent. Display them on a dedicated page to keep visitors on your website. You don't want them to have to leave and go searching for you on Zillow.
Phew! That's a lot to think about, isn't it? Web design is not easy, but don't be discouraged. There are plenty of resources out there.
DIY with website builders, like WordPress, Wix or Squarespace.
Or consider reaching out to a website designer with a proven track record in the real estate industry.
There You Have It!
Digital marketing and real estate are two dynamic and ever-evolving industries that are constantly experiencing growth and transformation.
As an agent, adapting to the latest developments is important. Do this, and you can leverage cutting-edge strategies to enhance your business, engage with your target audience more effectively, and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
We’re writing more blog posts than ever to help agents like you achieve lasting success with both digital and print marketing. Check them out here — and be sure to bookmark the page to see what’s coming next!