Over the last few years, the real estate industry has been undergoing a significant digital transformation. With the ever-increasing dominance of property portals and the evolving behavior of homebuyers, it’s imperative for real estate businesses to prioritise Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to maintain visibility, control and profitability (Business Insider).
Why Shouldn’t You Rely Only On Property Portals
Property portals across the world like Zillow, Rightmove, Green Acres, Idealista, and Realtor.com (the list is endless) have long been go-to platforms for listing properties. However, this dependence comes with several drawbacks:
- Escalating Costs: Agents often face rising fees without guaranteed returns. In Australia, for instance, advertising costs on dominant portals can reach up to $4,000 for inner-city listings (The Guardian).
- Limited Control: Listings on these platforms are subject to the portal’s algorithms and policies, which can affect visibility and lead generation.
- Brand Dilution: Clients often associate their experience with the portal rather than the individual agent or agency, weakening brand recognition, something especially important in real estate given the strong nature for referrals.
The Rise of Exclusive Listings and Market Fragmentation
A growing trend among brokerages is the promotion of exclusive or “pocket” listings, properties marketed privately before being listed on public portals. Compass, the largest U.S. brokerage by sales, advocates a three-phase marketing strategy that begins with internal listings, moves to Compass.com exposure, and then broader internet publication (Business Insider).
This shift challenges the open-access model of property portals and can lead to a fragmented market, making it harder for buyers to find comprehensive listings in one place.
SEO Helps to Regain Control and Enhance Direct Visibility
Implementing a strong SEO strategy offers numerous benefits:
- Increased Visibility: With 93% of online experiences beginning with a search engine and 75% of users never scrolling past the first page, ranking high in search results is crucial (Optimind Technology Solutions).
- Higher Quality Leads: SEO attracts users actively searching for real estate services, leading to more qualified leads. A recent internal study found that organic targeted traffic delivered 29% higher engagement rates from visitors when compared to the same traffic derived via a paid source (SEM).
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Unlike paid ads, organic traffic through SEO doesn’t rely on a live ad budget, thus, offering long-term benefits.
- Enhanced Brand Authority: A well-optimised website positions your agency as a trusted authority in the real estate market.
The Importance of Local SEO for Real Estate
Local SEO is paramount for real estate agents aiming to attract clients in specific geographic areas. Strategies include:
- Optimising Google My Business: Ensuring your business appears in local searches and on Google Maps.
- Creating Localised Content: Publishing blog posts about local market trends, neighbourhoods and community events.
- Building Local Backlinks: Partnering with local businesses and organisations to earn backlinks, boosting your site’s authority.
Embracing Technological Advancements
SEO has come a long way from being just about throwing keywords onto a website.
- Voice Search Optimisation: With the rise of voice-activated devices, optimising for conversational queries is essential.
- Mobile Optimisation: Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of users search for properties on their smartphones.
- Schema Markup: Implementing structured data helps search engines understand your content, enhancing visibility in search results.
Conclusion
In an era where digital presence dictates success, SEO for real estate businesses is now more important than ever. By reducing reliance on third-party portals, enhancing online visibility, and adapting to technological advancements, agents and agencies can secure a competitive edge in the evolving market landscape.
If you’re keen to learn more about SEO and want to implement some best practices, request our free guide to Real Estate SEO here. It’s packed with actionable tips to help you attract more qualified leads, build your brand, and reduce reliance on third-party portals.
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