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Are you a real estate agent struggling to get traffic to your website despite your best efforts? It’s a common problem in the real estate industry, as there’s so much digital competition these days, making it tough to make your mark in the real estate industry and ensure your website stands out from the crowd.
The issue? It could be many things, but many real estate website owners lack one key piece to the digital marketing puzzle: the right SEO keywords for real estate. By understanding and incorporating the right keywords in your website content, you can easily rank higher on search engines and attract more potential clients.
Whether starting from scratch with a new SEO strategy or working hard to optimize your current one, let’s look at the must-have SEO keywords for real estate and how they can benefit your website (plus other ways to optimize your website for better results!).
If you’ve spoken to a marketing professional or two in an effort to boost your real estate website traffic, you’ve likely heard the term “SEO keywords” thrown around in marketing conversations. But what are SEO keywords, and why are they important for boosting website traffic?
SEO stands for “search engine optimization,” which refers to increasing website traffic by boosting a website’s visibility in search engine results. The purpose of SEO keywords, then, is to optimize your website for search engines so that potential clients can easily find you when searching for relevant terms.
Essentially, SEO keywords are the specific terms or phrases people type into search engines when looking for something related to real estate. By integrating these terms into your website’s content, you can increase your website’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs), ultimately leading to more website traffic.
You’ll see different types of SEO keywords in most SEO strategies. However, when crafting a real estate SEO strategy, here are the top three types of keywords you’ll likely want to focus on.
Longtail keywords are phrases that contain three or more words. They’re more specific than shorter keywords and tend to have less competition, making them a great option for targeting specific niches or audiences. For example, “affordable homes for sale in downtown Los Angeles” is a longtail keyword that could drive more targeted traffic to your website.
As a real estate professional, it’s important to focus on location-based keywords that contain the name of the city or neighborhood you’re targeting. This can help you rank higher in local search results and attract potential clients in your area. For example, “new condos in downtown Portland” is useful if you’re trying to expand your business in the Portland area.
Transactional keywords indicate a user is ready to take action, such as “homes for sale” or “real estate agent near me.” These keywords are particularly valuable because they attract potential clients actively looking to make a transaction or hire a professional.
SEO keywords are a must-have if you’re in the real estate game and want to boost your website traffic. But how do you find the right ones?
It takes a combination of the right tools and know-how, and working with an expert SEO team can help you with the latter. Until you can schedule a call with our team (yep, we’re experts!), here are some tips on getting started with keyword research for real estate agents.
Many free and paid keyword research tools exist, including Google AdWords Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs. But simply plugging in a few real estate-related words isn’t going to cut it.
To make the most of these tools, you’ll want to think like a buyer first. What would someone looking to buy or sell a home search for online? Use variations of these terms to hone in on the best keywords.
Then, look for longtail keywords. These are more specific phrases (e.g., “3 bedroom house for sale in Chicago”) with lower search volumes and competition. They can help you rank higher in search results and attract more targeted traffic.
As mentioned above, don’t forget to consider local search terms, too. If you’re a real estate agent or brokerage focusing on a specific area, use location-specific keywords to attract potential clients.
One way to get inspiration for your SEO keywords is to look at what your competitors are doing. Use tools like SEMrush or SpyFu to see what keywords they’re ranking for and whether there are any gaps you can fill.
For example, if you notice that none of your competitors are targeting a particular neighborhood or type of property, you might want to focus on that to carve out your niche.
To get a better idea of the real estate keywords that will drive the most traffic and leads to your website, it’s worth digging deeper into some factors that influence real estate searches.
Keep an eye on local news and market trends to see which areas or types of properties are becoming more popular. For example, if a lot of new development is happening in a certain neighborhood, you might want to focus on keywords related to that area.
Additionally, consider what people buying or selling homes might be searching for. For example, a buyer might search for “home inspection checklist” or “title company near me,” while a seller might look for “home staging tips” or “real estate attorney fees.”
Finally, consider targeting your SEO keywords to specific niches within the real estate industry. For example, if you specialize in vacation rentals or commercial real estate, use those terms in your website content and metadata.
Before jumping into the must-have SEO keywords for real estate, let’s clarify that the exact keywords you need will depend on a thorough SEO audit. An SEO expert or an agency specializing in SEO services can audit your existing website to uncover keyword and content opportunities to help you reach your content goals.
That said, here are some general guidelines to get you started.
General real estate SEO keywords will be very broad terms like “homes for sale” or “property listings.” The former is a classic keyword that directly targets individuals actively searching for properties to purchase. Make sure to pair this keyword with location-specific keywords for even better results.
Including a keyword like “property listings” can help your website rank higher and potentially attract buyers actively searching for properties to purchase. Make sure to have a comprehensive and up-to-date listing of your available properties if you’re using a keyword like this, though, as the goal is to direct the user to relevant, useful, high-value content once they click.
Location-specific keywords used in a local SEO strategy are particularly important for local real estate agents who want to attract clients within their region. By focusing on a local audience, you’ll target only those who might actually convert and contact you for your services, thereby reducing your investment and (hopefully) targeting qualified leads.
“Real estate agent in [city/region],” for example, is a keyword that helps your website rank higher for individuals searching for real estate services within a particular city or region. Make sure to pair this keyword with other relevant keywords for better results.
For example, if relevant, you might want to get super longtail and use a keyword like “real estate agent in Phoenix for luxury homes.”
While you’re looking for these local keywords, though, consider search intent. Some local real estate keywords might apply to those looking to rent a home instead of purchasing one, so consider that when building your keyword list.
A keyword like “[city/region] homes for sale” might be more specific. The keyword targets individuals specifically searching for available properties within a certain location. Again, ensure your listings are up-to-date and comprehensive when directing anybody to your content.
Finally, transactional keywords are critical to your real estate SEO strategy. They’re specific words or phrases that aim to prompt a response or an action from your target audience. These keywords typically include terms like “buy,” “sell,” “lease,” and “rent,” and they can drive highly targeted traffic to your website.
By optimizing your content and website with transactional keywords, you’re directing potential clients to the exact services they need. The best part? You’re reaching them at the moment when they are ready to take action.
A good example might be “sell my property fast.” This keyword targets individuals who want to sell their property quickly. Highlighting your expertise in selling properties quickly can attract these potential clients.
Another great option could be “real estate investment opportunities in [city].” It targets individuals specifically looking to invest in real estate, and the search intent suggests that these people are ready to invest now (or at least pretty far down the customer journey and are close to wanting to convert!).
Do you have a decent list of real estate SEO keywords now? If so, now it’s time to optimize your website content with those keywords. Again, while it’s best to work with SEO experts to execute a real estate SEO strategy properly, here are some tips to help you get started.
Your website’s page titles and meta descriptions are the first things that search engines and users see when browsing the web. Therefore, ensuring they contain relevant keywords to improve visibility and attract more clicks is crucial.
When creating page titles, use simple, descriptive language to convey the essence of your page’s content. Incorporating keywords in your titles can help search engines understand your content’s intent and increase the chances of your website ranking higher in search results.
Meta descriptions briefly summarize your page’s content, making them an ideal place to add keywords. By including your focus keyword in your meta description, you can help search engines better understand the relevance of your content to users’ search queries and drive more traffic to your website.
One of the most effective ways to incorporate SEO keywords into your website is by publishing high-value content, such as articles, guides, or case studies. Well-written, informative content can help establish your brand as an industry expert and attract potential clients.
When creating a blog post or article, start by researching relevant keywords and phrases related to your topic. Use keyword research tools to identify high-ranking keywords with low competition and incorporate them naturally throughout your text.
Instead of creating fluff pieces, you should aim to provide informative, data-driven content that answers your viewers’ questions. Including local phrases like “homes for sale in [city name]” or “real estate agents in [location]” may help you target more qualified leads and improve your website’s ranking.
URLs with relevant keywords can help search engines understand your content better, and internal links can help users discover relevant content on your site. When creating URLs, use simple, descriptive language and incorporate relevant keywords where possible. Typically, it’s best to include the main keyword in your URL and keep it as short and sweet as possible.
Similarly, use anchor text that accurately describes the linked content and incorporates relevant keywords when creating internal links. Ensure those internal links direct visitors to other relevant content on your website to help establish your site as an authority in your niche.
Optimizing your website content with SEO keywords for real estate is essential in attracting more organic traffic to your real estate website. Regardless of your chosen strategy, use keywords naturally and focus on providing valuable, informative content to your audience.
Struggling to identify which keywords might work best for your brand? Having a hard time creating great content? We can help!
At Ascendance, our SEO team has a combined experience of well over 50 years. We’re passionate (and borderline obsessed) about helping businesses ascend to the top of search rankings.
Give us a call at 619-846-5963 or send us a message to chat about how we can help you boost your real estate website ranking.
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