The internet has provided convenience for every kind of human activity, and yes, this includes searching for a home. In fact, research has shown that 53% of buyers start looking for their potential home through a search engine.

With this in mind, it’s important for estate agents to take advantage of this fact and make the most of their opportunities. That being said, they should invest in real estate SEO so that they can drive traffic to their website and generate leads.

 

1. Make use of local keyword phrases 

People usually begin their search this way: “Rochdale estate agent.”

Since this is the case, your website should be optimised for the term to increase its chances of being listed in search results for that particular phrase. As an estate agent, you might also do business elsewhere, but its important to begin with your immediate area of responsibility then expand from there. You will have a better chance being more specific rather than go for the bigger area.

2. Publish blog posts about homes you want to sell 

Create content about what makes the home a good place for a customer to buy. List down its features and highlight its vicinity (including nearby parks, schools, etc).

Since online viewers cannot physically see the house, it’s best to provide them with the best description possible to entice them to consider the property you are selling.

There are no restrictions when it comes to the length of your content because it should be as long as needed be to be understood. So, it’s fine if you can sum up all your points in just 200 words, that’s absolutely fine.

If you need to write longer content, make sure to break up the data into subsections and make use of bullets, etc to make reading a lot easier.

3. Make use of photos and videos 

There’s absolutely no excuse not to use photos and videos in this age of digital domination. Since a person browsing online cannot see the house physically, it’s your responsibility to show it to them through a combination of words and visuals.

If you know a photographer who can take quality photos at lower prices, hire them to take photos of the property. Have them photograph everything from how the house looks in a wide shot to how the inside looks like. Think about it as giving a potential homebuyer a virtual tour of the property.

Other than pictures, video also helps. There are free services such as Instagram and Vine that can capture short videos which you can immediately post online to show potential buyers.

4. Take advantage of the mobile revolution 

Most people these days search using their mobile devices, and it’s best if your site is equipped for mobile viewing. This means that you should invest in responsive design so that you only need one copy of your website, and it automatically adjusts depending on what screen it is being loaded on – a tablet, a smartphone, a desktop, etc.

Having a responsive site simply means that your site will adapt to make sure that your audience can digest information without any hassles, no matter what device they are using.

5. Make use of directories 

The power of SEO lies in being found, and apart from having your own space on the web, it also helps to have a presence in other relevant places too. Estate agent directories get a lot of traffic, and it really helps for you to target the ones that are of high quality and receive high quality traffic too.

6. Get the most out of social media 

Maintain an active presence on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc. Share useful information on your social channels. Post pictures of your properties. Share links from your property website or blog. You can also interact with fellow estate agents and engage potential clients in conversation.

Remember, the property world is all about building relationships, and social media provides you with the platform to do just that.