As early as 2017, at least 99% of millennial homebuyers have been using the internet to search for their new home. Meanwhile, 89% of older generations have also relied on web searches for their next house purchase.
As such, the internet has become an important place for real estate professionals to generate leads and sales. However, simply having a real estate website today is no longer enough; one must rise above the online competition.
This is something real estate SEO can do.
Search engine optimization or SEO refers to a digital marketing strategy to optimize your site for credibility, visibility, and accessibility to potential customers. The goal of SEO is to help your web pages rank higher in online searches using keywords.
In this article, we’ll share ways you can use keywords to boost your website’s online presence and get you one step closer to becoming a real estate SEO expert.
Understand the Nature of Keywords
In a nutshell, SEO keywords are a word or set of words internet users type when they look for information online. You may use these keywords on your website pages to describe the content of your page. When users search for products, services, or information that you provide, your keywords will help search engines know that your website provides these pieces of content.
To come up with a strategic list of keywords, you need to perform keyword research using tools available online. Keyword research is a fundamental pillar of any SEO strategy and digital marketing. Here are a few examples:
- Real estate agent near me
- Best real estate in Colorado
- How to buy a new house
Keywords are not one-size-fits-all. Some real estate SEO keywords get searched more often than others. The benefit of performing keyword research is finding the correct search terms and utilizing them to help your site rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
There are three kinds of keyword markers in real estate SEO: general, local, and hyperlocal. These three are used to measure the user’s intent to purchase by moving from general to hyperlocal.
Example of General: house for sale
This keyword marker is a generic informational term. It gets searched a lot but is very difficult to rank for due to a high number of online sites or content pieces that use this keyword. It also has weak purchase intent and a low conversion rate due to its generic nature.
Example of Local: house for sale Denver
Search terms that include a location are keywords with the local marker. Like the general keywords, local search terms usually have a high search volume. However, the added location modifier indicates a stronger intent to purchase than the general keyword. This means users who searched for these terms are further along the buying process and have a higher potential to be converted.
Example of Hyperlocal: 3-bedroom house for sale Denver
Hyperlocal search terms are more specific strings of words than the general and local versions. These keyword markers may have lower search volumes, but users who search for them are more likely to buy due to their specific nature.
An effective real estate keyword strategy involves listing down terms that use generic, local, and hyperlocal markers. In digital marketing vocabulary, these keyword strings are also called long-tail keywords.
By understanding the nature of these keywords, you can determine whether they have strong intent and value. Choosing the right keywords in your site’s content will significantly affect your chances of ranking in an online search.
The more specific a keyword is, the more likely it will lead to a conversion.
List Down and Refine Your Keywords
Now that you understand the nature of SEO keywords, it’s time to choose and list the primary keywords you can use on your site. There are several ways to gather the right keywords.
- Brainstorming: You and your team can brainstorm on possible search terms that homebuyers might use to search for listings like yours. Prioritize long-tail keywords. The more specific a keyword is, the more likely it will lead to a conversion.
- Use Google’s Related Searches: If you have trouble coming up with more keywords, use one of your keywords and search it on Google. At the bottom of the page is a related search section where you can find other search terms you can use as inspiration.
- Use Keyword Research Tools: There are keyword tools available online that help marketers find the right keywords to use based on volume and ranking difficulty. Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, Ubersuggest and Google’s Keyword Planner provide relevant keyword ideas. These tools also help refine the keywords you already have.
Utilizing Your Keywords
Once you have a list of keywords, it’s time to integrate them into your website and content. Remember these two basic rules first:
- Keywords must be incorporated naturally into your content. It must be informative and compelling and must not sound awkward.
- Inserted keywords must be invisible to the average person. As much as possible, visitors of your site must not notice these keywords at a glance.
Following these two rules ensures that your website is credible and not just a real estate website trying to take advantage of keywords. Google’s algorithm can recognize a site that’s displaying keywords prominently to sell and can penalize your site.
Keyword Placements
Keywords can be used in various parts of your website. The following are the most effective.
Title and Meta Description
Keywords can be subtly added to title tags and meta descriptions. Just like users, Google reads from left to right and prioritizes the words at the beginning. Integrate your primary keywords at the front of the titles. If your keyword is a phrase, you can turn that as the title.
For meta descriptions, add the exact keyword you used on the title. When users type your keyword as their search term and find it in the title and description, they will likely click on your site.
URLs
Google once mentioned that keywords in URLs no longer matter. However, it is still best to use keywords in your site’s URLs, especially for new pages. Many SEO professionals believe that adding a keyword in a page URL and the title and meta description makes it a far more click-worthy search result.
Just make sure not to change any old URL simply to place a keyword on it. The algorithm may notice the change and could have an undesirable impact on your site’s ranking.
Images: File Name and ALT Text
Most SEO experts agree that adding your keywords to your website’s images is still a good idea. The keywords can be added using the image’s file name and the alt text. For example:
Keyword: houses for sale in Colorado
Image File Name: houses_for_sale_colorado.jpg
ALT: A list of houses for sale in Colorado
ALT descriptions exist to enable people to understand what the photo is if they cannot see it. Search engines also use it to make sense of the image. That’s why it’s helpful to add keywords in the ALT descriptions since it increases your chances of ranking.
However, do not forcibly add your keywords to the ALT description. Make sure to incorporate the keyword into a sentence or an explanation flawlessly. If the keyword doesn’t fit, simply provide a decent ALT description and move on.
Blog Content
Aside from regularly posting quality and helpful content, placing keywords on your blog posts can significantly help the site rank in search results.
Headings and subheadings are two of the places to put your keywords in a blog. Try naturally integrating your keyword phrases as the actual heading or a subheading. Google’s algorithm will use these keywords to identify what your content is about in each section.
It is often recommended that blog posts have 800 to 1000 words worth of helpful content. One percent of the content should be the keyword. For a 1000 word article, you should have mentioned the keyword at least ten times.
Inserting your keywords appropriately and having quality content will make your page look credible, increasing your site’s chances of ranking on SERPs.
Keywords are just one aspect of an SEO strategy. However, understanding how it works can already give your real estate website the advantage it needs to stand out from the highly competitive online market.
Proper keyword placement and quality content will not only help you rank higher but will also help potential clients end up on your website.
Dadri io Digital is a full-service online marketing agency helping businesses boost their online presence, market their brand, and provide SEO solutions.
Contact us today if you are looking for a team to help your real estate website rank higher or reach more customers. Our team would be happy to discuss how our real estate SEO services can make that possible.
