If you’re in the real estate industry, you’ll know one thing: the competition is fierce. Whether your agency operates in British Columbia or throughout Canada, attracting sellers, buyers, and renters is an ongoing struggle.
Digital marketing is key to your success, and there are plenty of strategies for connecting with your target audience. However, local SEO is something that can make or break a realtor.
While it has the same purpose as traditional SEO, local optimization requires a different process altogether, and some agencies struggle to reap its rewards.
In this extensive guide, you’ll learn about local SEO for realtors and get some great tips that will offer results.
Local SEO: Why it’s a no-brainer
Most real estate agents operate in specific areas, so you’re not targeting a large demographic but a local audience looking to sell, buy or rent a property.
Using traditional SEO in cases like these means you’ll spend a lot of money on a strategy without seeing measurable results. Why? Because traditional optimization doesn’t factor in geographic audiences or local citations.
Optimizing your website for a local audience gives you the ability to build a presence in your desired location(s) and utilize your budget effectively.
Let’s take a look at some local search statistics:
- Almost half of Google searches are local (LocalIQ).
- 97% of users surveyed said they’d searched online for a local business (Safari).
- 50% of people who use local search visit the business’s physical location within one day (Search Engine Land).
- 57% of all local searches are on a tablet or mobile device (Forbes).
As you can see, local SEO for realtors isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Our top local SEO tips for real estate websites
While different from national and international optimization, local SEO is relatively simple if you understand the techniques involved. It’s a long-term process, and results often take time, but most realtors would agree the results justify their investment.
Are you ready to learn some top local SEO tips?
1: Never forget the audit
You wouldn’t set off on a long journey without checking your car; the same is true with a website audit. If you don’t know where you are, you won’t understand where you’re going.
Audits help you evaluate your local presence and highlight areas for improvement, including
keyword opportunities and competitor benchmarking. While they can be intensive, audits enable you to fix technical errors, ensuring nothing holds your website back.
Top Tip: Some digital marketing agencies will also offer free website audits, which means you don’t have to lift a finger.
2: Optimize for a local audience
Proper website optimization relies on combining a range of techniques to align with ranking factors. They include:
- Title tags and meta descriptions
- SEO-focused URLs
- Core Web Vitals
- Link placement
- Redirects
- Canonicals
Keyword research is a fundamental component of local SEO for real estate, as it ensures your content aligns with user intent. For example, if someone is searching for properties in Victoria, BC, you need to create content that confirms you offer properties in the area.
Voice search
Remember voice search, as local users are more likely to use it for mobile searches. As these searches are more conversational, thinking about the questions your target audience might ask can help you optimize your content.
Common voice search queries include:
- Find realtors near me
- Show me apartments in Victoria
- Tell me the features of (particular property)
- What’s the average house price for (street)
Top Tip: Consider the questions you’d naturally ask and how they differ from the queries you type into search engines.
3: Responsive website design is non-negotiable
All websites should have responsive designs, but it’s imperative for local businesses. Most local searches occur on a mobile, and having a website solely designed for desktops will inevitably hurt your ranking potential.
According to Sweor, over 57% of mobile users will leave a site immediately if it isn’t responsive, which means your agency could take a huge hit.
Users want to access information quickly, and real estate websites can be at risk of offering a poor experience if they lack speed.
Top Tip: Investing in professional website design means you can have peace of mind that your online platform turns casual browsers into prospective clients.
4: Keep it smart with real estate backlinks
Backlinks are one of Google’s most important ranking factors, highlighting your website’s authority and confirming it has helpful content. Quality over quantity is key here because you’ll get punished for spammy and irrelevant backlinks.
The great news is that local backlink building is much easier than national or international outreach.
Whether through press releases, sponsoring community events or building citations, obtaining geographically relevant links will transform your local presence.
Top Tip: Unsure of where to start? Ahrefs has a great local link-building guide that helps you identify opportunities.
5: It’s not just about Google Business Profile
OK, Google Business Profile is a must for real estate company SEO, as it ensures you can appear during local searches and puts you on the map (literally). However, there are numerous directories to explore, each offering unique benefits.
As a real estate agency, you should focus on directories that are relevant to your industry and location, including:
Remember, these are just some of the available directories; local publications can also help you connect with potential clients.
Top Tip: When creating directory placements, remember NAP (name, address and phone number) consistency. Using the same format helps search engines identify your business.
6: Be social
Real estate social media marketing won’t directly impact your local presence, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a vital component of your digital strategy. Creative real estate social media posts can attract more followers and help you establish your brand.
When your audience likes your content, they’ll want to share it or click through to your website, which gives you more qualified leads.
Remember, Instagram is a great place to display high-quality visuals, while Facebook suits a generalized audience. Building a LinkedIn presence can also be valuable if you’re in commercial real estate.
Top Tip: Choose your social media accounts wisely, and don’t spread yourself too thin. Focusing on two or three accounts means maintaining a consistent posting schedule.
7: Create helpful content
What sets one real estate agency apart from others? Its content. Think about it; would you rather use a website with general property descriptions or one that tells you everything you need to know?
Content is so much more than keywords today, and making information accessible promotes a positive user experience.
When creating property descriptions, remember to cover the following:
- Information about the property
- Explore the neighborhood
- List schools and transportation options
- Cover crime
- Highlight nightlife and amenities
- Reveal the cost of living
Video content is also important, as it lets prospective buyers get a clear picture of the property and neighbourhood.
Spending time on your content means you have a good chance of standing tall against your competitors.
Top Tip: Look at what your competitors are doing and ask yourself one question: What can we do better?
The bottom line
Local SEO is an ongoing process that yields long-term results. While you might not see progress initially, regular input will future-proof your real estate website.
Following the tips in this post gives you a solid foundation to build upon, and if you need some help along the way, we’re one of Victoria’s top digital marketing agencies.
Please feel free to enquire about our SEO services today. We look forward to helping you reach your goals.
