{"id":879,"date":"2024-09-18T13:33:12","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T13:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/?p=879"},"modified":"2024-09-26T03:35:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T03:35:48","slug":"the-ultimate-real-estate-seo-guide-10-steps-to-better-ranking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/18\/the-ultimate-real-estate-seo-guide-10-steps-to-better-ranking\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Real Estate SEO Guide: 10 Steps to Better Ranking"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>While getting your content to rank on search engines is harder than it used to be, real estate SEO (search engine optimization) is still undeniably one of the most powerful marketing strategies to grow your business. By investing some time and effort and using basic SEO strategies that most realtors either don\u2019t understand or don\u2019t bother with, you will easily outrank your competition. Let\u2019s dive into this guide, which talks about what SEO is, its benefits, best practices, and ten steps on how to use SEO for real estate.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"What\">What Is Real Estate SEO?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"931\" height=\"806\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Google business results for &quot;San Luis Obispo real estate agent&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-102905 lazyload\" style=\"width:613px;height:auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/unnamed-2024-09-13T181049.343.png\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Real estate search engine optimization (SEO) is the strategy used to get your website ranking on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. With a strong real estate SEO strategy, your website will show up when potential leads search for real estate-related topics. This translates into more site visitors and\u2014as long as your website is optimized for lead generation\u2014higher quality leads who are ready to work with you.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Google &amp; Other Search Engines Rank Content in 2024<\/h3>\n<p>Google uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to \u201ccrawl\u201d websites (look at and evaluate them) and determine which pages should appear on the first page of search results. Since Google wants to deliver the best and most relevant results, they continually tweak their AI to make sure the most helpful results rise to the top.<\/p>\n<p>Here are just a few factors Google uses to evaluate and rank content in 2024:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Expertise or authority:<\/strong> This goes back to Google\u2019s E-E-A-T score (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness).&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relevance to the search query:<\/strong> One page on \u201cMinneapolis real estate\u201d is unlikely to rank for more specific searches like \u201capartments in Minneapolis.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content quality:<\/strong> Your content should be unique, accurate, and not just written by AI.<\/li>\n<li><strong>User experience:<\/strong> The site should be well-organized and easy to navigate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>User engagement:<\/strong> Google considers how long users stay on the site and whether they click on additional pages or exit immediately.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content freshness:<\/strong> Up-to-date content is valued more highly than dated content.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Meta tags and descriptions:<\/strong> Optimize your pages and blog posts to help Google understand the topic<\/li>\n<li><strong>Internal links:<\/strong> Linking to your own website pages helps the user experience and ultimately builds your authority.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Tools\">How Much Does Real Estate SEO Cost? (+Tools)<\/h2>\n<p>Like most <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-lead-generation-ideas\/\">great lead generation strategies<\/a>, it is possible to tackle real estate SEO with minimal upfront costs and a lot of dedication. By writing great content that puts the reader first, you\u2019ll slowly but surely build trust with your audience and with Google\u2014and there\u2019s very little financial investment.<\/p>\n<p>However, using this strategy will realistically take six months or more before you start seeing results. If you\u2019re serious about using SEO and getting the biggest results more quickly and efficiently, investing in even one strong tool or hiring a contractor will go a long way. Make sure you research all your options, considering how much work you want to spend time on.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a basic comparison of the potential tools and costs that go into real estate SEO:<\/p>\n<table id=\"tablepress-2011\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-2011\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">SEO Tool<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">What it does<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">Monthly Starting Price<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Bluehost<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Website hosting and SSL website protection<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">$2.95<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Easy Agent Pro<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Real estate website builder with built-in SEO optimization tools and templates<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">$179<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Ahrefs<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Keyword research, website audits, rank tracking, technical SEO<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">$129<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Semrush<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Keyword research, competitor analysis, website audits, PPC advertising tools<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">$139.95<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Google Analytics<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Tracking and monitoring of website traffic, acquisition, and user behavior in real time<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Free<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Google Search Console<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Monitoring of all organic search-related website performance data<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Free<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Google PageSpeed Insights<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Evaluation of your website speed and technical performance<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Free<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><!-- #tablepress-2011 from cache --><\/p>\n<p>Another option to consider is hiring SEO freelancers or companies. There is a massive variety in the type of SEO service you can hire out; it can be anything from a single page or website audit to a total revamp of your website\u2019s SEO and content.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Freelancers available from Fiverr.\" class=\"wp-image-102910 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/unnamed-2024-09-13T181053.357-1200x450-1.png\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">SEO freelancers from Fiverr (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fiverr.com\/search\/gigs?query=seo&amp;source=top-bar&amp;acmpl=1&amp;search_in=everywhere&amp;search-autocomplete-original-term=seo&amp;search-autocomplete-available=true&amp;search-autocomplete-type=suggest&amp;search-autocomplete-position=1&amp;ref_ctx_id=41bad3221d204ca9bebef01db0cf5e2f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fiverr<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Good-quality SEO experts can be extremely expensive\u2014the best may charge more than $5,000 per month! And beware of \u201caffordable\u201d SEO freelancers. Some use dishonest tactics that might help you rank on Google for a week or so but can also result in your site getting blacklisted from Google\u2019s search results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>That said, there are many simple, individual SEO tasks that you can and should outsource to freelancers on a site like Fiverr as the need arises:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Researching keywords<\/li>\n<li>Creating and optimizing you Google Business Profile<\/li>\n<li>Editing articles<\/li>\n<li>Reducing image sizes<\/li>\n<li>Submitting your pitches to HARO<\/li>\n<li>Doing basic link-building outreach<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"text-center\">\n    <a class=\"button  \">Visit Fiverr<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"How\">How Long Does It Take to See Results?<\/h2>\n<p>How long it takes to see results from SEO for real estate is like asking, \u201cHow long will it take until I can speak French?\u201d The answer ultimately depends on the kind of work you put in, the quality of your content, and how competitive your specific market is. The quality of your content, website, and backlink profile determines how quickly you can see results from your SEO efforts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Also, the competitiveness of your target keywords matters. For example, if you\u2019re trying to rank for an extremely general keyword like \u201cNew York City real estate,\u201d your chances of seeing significant results are very low. On the other hand, if you\u2019re aiming for long-tail keywords for a specific audience, like \u201cbest neighborhoods in Elmira, New York,\u201d you will see results much faster since there is significantly less competition.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Benefits\">Benefits of SEO for Real Estate<\/h2>\n<p>Do real estate agents actually <em>need<\/em> SEO? The long answer is that if you create online platforms and no one sees them, do you have an online presence? The short answer is yes! The benefits of SEO extend beyond your website to your <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-social-media-marketing\/\">real estate social media marketing<\/a> and, ultimately, your lead generation. Here are the benefits:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"icon-list d-flex flex-col list-unstyled ps-0 ms-0\">\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/goal.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tIncreased online visibility:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tRanking in search engines is easily the best way to generate website traffic and get the highest number of eyes on your content.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/goal.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tHigher quality leads:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tSEO attracts a targeted audience of local buyers and sellers more likely to start a real estate transaction.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/goal.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tAffordability:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tWhile there are upfront costs to optimizing your site for SEO, you can do a lot without spending thousands of dollars on ongoing content and advertising.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/goal.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tBuilds credibility:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tWhen users find you while searching online, they automatically view you as a real estate and marketing expert.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/goal.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tLong-term results:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tStrong website content can continue to rank in search engines for months and years instead of publishing content multiple times per day.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/goal.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tTranslates to all platforms:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tYou can promote website content on every <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-social-networks\/\">real estate social network<\/a>, as well as email and direct mail, making all of your marketing materials cohesive.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Steps\">10 Steps to Perfect Real Estate SEO<\/h2>\n<p>Ready to start your SEO journey? Here are the beginning steps to optimizing your website front-to-back for search engines and users.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step1\">Step 1: Run an SEO Audit on Your Website<\/h3>\n<p>If you already have a real estate website, this will be your first step. If you don\u2019t have a website yet, check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/best-real-estate-website-builders\/\">best real estate website builders<\/a> to get started. Start by setting your <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-agent-websites\/\">real estate website<\/a> up for success with an SEO audit. This will show you any technical issues that might cause Google to rank your content lower (or ignore it entirely). It\u2019s important to start with this step so that you don\u2019t spend weeks creating great content that isn\u2019t optimized.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Option 1\u2014Hire someone to do it: <\/strong>The easiest way to do an SEO audit is to hire someone to do it for you. It requires highly technical expertise, so I recommend looking into <a href=\"https:\/\/app.theclose.com\/goto\/fiverr-freelancers-homepage-real-estate-seo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored nofollow\">freelance SEO auditors on a site like Fiverr<\/a>, which should cost about $50. Choose from real estate SEO specialists based on their services, pricing, and previous reviews. An audit will include a report showing any issues that might be holding your site back from ranking on search engines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Option 2\u2014Do it yourself:<\/strong> If you want to start by doing a DIY website audit, you\u2019ll need to use the right <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-marketing-tools\">marketing tools<\/a>. If you don\u2019t have existing technical or SEO expertise, keep in mind that your audit will not be as thorough or easy to understand as a report from an expert in SEO for realtors. However, doing a simple audit at the beginning is better than nothing! Start with this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/blog\/seo-audit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in-depth guide from Semrush<\/a> on setting up and running your audit, and consider the following tools:<\/p>\n<table id=\"tablepress-2012\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-2012\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">SEO Site Audit Tool<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">What It\u2019s Used For<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">Pricing<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Semrush Site Audit Tool<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Runs detailed SEO audits for your website, tracks ranking on Google, performs competitor research<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">$140 per month<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Google PageSpeed Insights<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Tests how fast pages on your site load on desktop and mobile<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Free<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Google Search Console<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Determines if your site is indexed properly on Google<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Free<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><!-- #tablepress-2012 from cache --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step2\">Step 2: Fix Issues Found in Your SEO Audit<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"689\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"SEMrush audit report example\" class=\"wp-image-102916 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/unnamed-2024-09-13T181057.473-1200x689-1.png\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Example Semrush SEO audit report (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/kb\/540-site-audit-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Semrush<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now, you can start fixing any problems your audit uncovered. There might be some easy fixes, like deleting duplicate content or fixing broken links, or more complex issues, like upgrading your security protocol to HTTPS. Fix what you can and hire out for the rest. Here are a few common issues found in an SEO audit:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meta descriptions missing or not optimized for SEO<\/li>\n<li>Image alt text missing or not optimized for SEO<\/li>\n<li>Wrong image size and resolution<\/li>\n<li>Poor keyword usage<\/li>\n<li>Improper or missing heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Duplicate content<\/li>\n<li>Broken links<\/li>\n<li>Using HTTP protocol instead of HTTPS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The right SEO professional will help you understand which issues must be addressed, what they mean, and how they are fixed. If you do the audit yourself, you\u2019ll have to dig in to learn how to fix different issues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step3\">Step 3: Set Up Your Google Business Profile Account<\/h3>\n<p>After your website is set up for technical SEO, it\u2019s time to claim your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Business Profile account<\/a>. Whether you already have a website or are preparing to create one, this is arguably the most important step to establishing SEO for real estate sites. Your Google Business Profile is Google\u2019s tool for indexing local businesses for searches, particularly searches in Google Maps.<\/p>\n<p>When someone searches for a local service like real estate, Google automatically shows them results near their location. In 2024, Google Maps results are almost always at the top of search engine results pages (SERP), and these results only show realtors\u2019 Google Business profiles. For example, when I search \u201creal estate agent\u201d from a device in New York, Google puts a map of nearby real estate brokerages at the top of the SERP.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"491\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Google My Business account\" class=\"wp-image-35000 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Google-My-Business-account.png\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Of course, having a Google Business Profile doesn\u2019t guarantee you\u2019ll appear at the top of search results. However, without it, you might not ever show up!<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step4\">Step 4: Research Keywords You Want to Rank For<\/h3>\n<p>With your website and Google profile set up correctly, you can get into the real bread and butter of SEO for real estate agents. At this stage, you must thoroughly research the keywords your target audience is searching for. It\u2019s important to gather this data before you start creating website content so that you can craft it to appeal to their questions and concerns directly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few tips for researching and choosing <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-keywords\/\">real estate keywords<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use a strong keyword research tool like Ahrefs or Semrush.<\/li>\n<li>If you don\u2019t want to pay a monthly fee for SEO or keyword research, hire a freelancer on Fiverr to do research for you.<\/li>\n<li>Check the SERPs for your target keywords to see the current results. Are they articles or videos? How long are the articles?<\/li>\n<li>Use the \u201cPeople Also Ask\u201d section for even more content ideas. These are questions that Google\u2019s algorithm thinks are related to the main keyword. For example, here are the \u201cPeople Also Ask\u201d results for the keyword \u201cCondos in Miami.\u201d Each one of these questions would make a great blog post.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"940\" height=\"342\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"People Also Ask\" class=\"wp-image-35001 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/People-Also-Ask.png\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tc-callout-box\">\n<div class=\"tc-callout-box-sidebar\"><span class=\"image-tips\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/assets.theclose.com\/uploads\/2024\/02\/dyk.png\"><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tc-callout-box-inner\">\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> If you do keyword research before creating your website, try to work a few simple keywords into your <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-domain-names\/\">real estate domain name<\/a> and even social media titles. For example, if people are searching for \u201cWindy City realtor\u201d more than they\u2019re searching for \u201cChicago realtor,\u201d your domain name could be windycityrealtor.com or even [yourname]windycityrealtor.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step5\">Step 5: Create a Content Strategy with Clusters<\/h3>\n<p>Search engines consider your overall website when they rank individual pages. You might have the most well-optimized page on Miami real estate, but it won\u2019t rank well if the rest of your website is bare. You have to show Google that you are a subject matter expert. There\u2019s a reason that Google does this!&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To show Google that you are an expert and that your website deserves a spot in the SERPs, you need a variety of content and a well-organized website format. This is where content clusters come in. Content clusters are groups of articles organized from top-level subjects like \u201ccondos in Miami\u201d that then drill down to more specific related topics like \u201cCondos in Brickell\u201d or \u201cHow to qualify for a condo in Miami.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what a cluster map might look like for an agent who sells condos in Miami:<\/p>\n<table id=\"tablepress-2013\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-2013\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">Pillar<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">Subpillar<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">Cluster<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n<td rowspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\">Miami real estate<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Miami condos<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">\n<ul>\n<li>Neighborhoods to buy condos in Miami<\/li>\n<li>Most affordable condos in Miami<\/li>\n<li>How to get approved for a condo in Miami<\/li>\n<li>Waterfront condos in Miami<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n<td class=\"column-2\">Miami apartments<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n<td class=\"column-2\">Miami single-family homes<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><!-- #tablepress-2013 from cache --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step6\">Step 6: Craft Useful &amp; Compelling Content<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"767\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Google image search results for &quot;Empire Pass Deer Valley&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-102923 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/unnamed-2024-09-13T181104.501-1200x767-1.png\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Search results for Empire Pass Deer Valley (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parkcityluxuryrealestate.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Park City Luxury Real Estate<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve mapped out a cluster strategy, the next step is to create the content for your website. Some people think that SEO for real estate just means making endless blog posts, but that couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. Realtor SEO content includes website pages, real estate listings, written blog posts, images, and video content.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Park City Luxury Real Estate is the only real estate website in the Google Image results to rank for the keyword \u201cEmpire Pass Deer Valley.\u201d They beat out all other real estate competitors because they have a combination of written content and images optimized for this keyword.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step7\">Step 7: Increase Backlinks to Your Content&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1079\" height=\"930\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Connectively HARO queries for real estate\" class=\"wp-image-102924 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/unnamed-2024-09-13T181107.339.png\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Real estate queries (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/app.connectively.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Connectively<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Another way to show search engines that you are a valuable resource that should be ranked in searches is through backlinks. When another website links to any page of your website, that is a backlink, and it is a powerful tool for improving SEO for real estate investors, agents, and brokers.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few ways to get backlinks, but our best recommendation in 2024 is to use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connectively.us\/\">Connectively<\/a>, formerly HARO. Connectively is a forum for publications and journalists to find content creators and small businesses (like real estate agents!) to connect and collaborate. Sign up for the platform, and you\u2019ll get access to a huge variety of online publications for those looking for input on real estate-related topics. You answer their queries with a pitch; if they use your answer, they\u2019ll link back to your website.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tc-callout-box\">\n<div class=\"tc-callout-box-sidebar\"><span class=\"image-tips\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/assets.theclose.com\/uploads\/2024\/02\/dyk.png\"><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tc-callout-box-inner\">\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> Link quality counts more than quantity! Getting one link from a well-respected site like the New York Times or Inman is as powerful as getting 100 links from smaller websites or blogs. Plus, links from websites related to your pillar content are more valuable than general websites. For example, if you\u2019re writing about Miami condos, a link from the Miami Herald could be more valuable than one from the New York Post. Since you are writing about real estate, a link from Realtor Magazine or your state\u2019s Realtor Association would be even more valuable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step8\">Step 8: Regularly Update Your Content<\/h3>\n<p>In general, search engines rank new, up-to-date content higher. This is especially true in the realm of SEO services for real estate, where the real estate market is constantly changing. Of course, your website should have a large percentage of evergreen content, but you should still update it regularly.<\/p>\n<p>It may take some testing to find out how long it takes Google to rank your content and how long it is considered \u201cfresh,\u201d but here is a general calendar to follow:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pillar pages: update once per quarter<\/li>\n<li>Subpillar and cluster pages: update once or twice per year<\/li>\n<li>Time-sensitive content: update regularly (i.e., monthly or biweekly newsletter or market update)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step9\">Step 9: Monitor Your Traffic &amp; Analy<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"977\" height=\"671\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Google analytics dashboard example for realtors\" class=\"wp-image-102925 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/unnamed-2024-09-13T181110.651.png\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sample Google analytics report (Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inman.com\/next\/definitive-guide-to-google-analytics-for-real-estate-professionals-part-ii-the-overview-reports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Inman<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Analytics are a vital part of real estate SEO. If you aren\u2019t checking the data to see if your posts are indexed, getting ranked, and driving traffic, I call that a \u201cspray and pray\u201d strategy\u2014and I don\u2019t recommend it. It\u2019s essential to see where you are generating traffic and which pages are getting the highest rankings and clicks. This information will help you create more content and improve your lower-performing pages.<\/p>\n<p>Google Analytics is the best, most reliable source of gathering website data. Most <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/best-real-estate-website-builders\/\">real estate website builders<\/a> include reporting and analytics tools, and they are sometimes even easier to use. However, Google Analytics generally has the most accurate data, so it\u2019s essential to understand your traffic and user behavior on this platform.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Step10\">Step 10: Regularly Audit Your Website for SEO Issues&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<p>As you publish more website content and your traffic increases, make sure you continually monitor the site for technical SEO issues. Even if your content ranks well, keeping tabs on this for the absolute best results is important. For example, articles or videos you link to might change their URLs, leaving you with dead links. Or your articles might load slowly if you install a new plugin or forget to compress images. Scheduling biyearly or quarterly SEO audits can help you find these issues before they affect your ranking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Best\">Best Practices of Real Estate SEO<\/h2>\n<p>It can be challenging to learn SEO for real estate because there are so many factors to consider, and it can be highly technical. However, it\u2019s a challenge that can be overcome with determination and by following a few best practices. If you invest your time, energy, and finances into real estate SEO, the result can massively increase your business growth.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few basic SEO concepts and best practices to keep in mind:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"icon-list d-flex flex-col list-unstyled ps-0 ms-0\">\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/task.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tBuild authority (E-E-A-T):<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tGoogle will only rank websites that are topic matter experts. Build your EAT score (expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) by creating original content, collaborating with other respected websites, and maintaining a well-organized website.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/task.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tUse the right tools:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tFinding the right tools (or freelancers) for keyword research, optimization, and website analytics is essential for optimizing your content for search engines.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/task.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tWrite with structure:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tYour content should use <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/appearance\/structured-data\/intro-structured-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">structured data<\/a> like H1, H2, and H3 headings, numbered lists, bullet points, and keywords. Using Ahrefs, Semrush, or a website builder with SEO tools like Easy Agent Pro will help you create optimized content.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/task.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tKeep your website speed fast:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tA slow website will be devalued in the search engine\u2019s algorithm. Keep track of your website speed with Google\u2019s free PageSpeed Insights tool, and follow that report to improve your site\u2019s speed.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/task.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tKeep your website mobile-friendly:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tMost agents work on their website on a desktop, but more than <a href=\"https:\/\/explodingtopics.com\/blog\/mobile-internet-traffic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">60% of website traffic<\/a> is from mobile devices. If your site isn\u2019t mobile-friendly, users may not have the patience to stay and become one of your leads.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"icon-list-item mb-0 relative\">\n<p>\t\t<img class=\"icon-image absolute lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/task.webp\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"list-item-text\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"font-weight-bold\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tMake navigation simple:<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\tIt should be easy for users to understand how to view different pages on your site. Using menus and internal links will keep visitors on your website for longer, which builds your authority\u2014and, ultimately, your rankings\u2014in search engines.\t\t<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"FAQs\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center cursor-pointer pe-24 close-accordion-heading collapsed\">\n<h3 id=\"what-is-seo-schema-for-real-estate\" class=\"my-40\">What is SEO schema for real estate?<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><img alt=\"expand\/collapse\" class=\"ms-24 w-16 flex-shrink-0 rotate-180 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/chevron-down.svg\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"what-is-seo-schema-for-real-estate-content\" class=\"close-accordion-content collapsed mb-40\">\n<p>Schema is a technical tool you can add to your website that helps Google understand the structure and context of the webpage. It also optimizes your content so search engines can display it more accurately. For example, real estate listing schema makes it easier for Google to see and understand listing details like pricing, location, and property type.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"my-0\" \/>\n<div class=\"d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center cursor-pointer pe-24 close-accordion-heading collapsed\">\n<h3 id=\"what-are-the-stats-for-seo-in-real-estate\" class=\"my-40\">What are the stats for SEO in real estate?<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><img alt=\"expand\/collapse\" class=\"ms-24 w-16 flex-shrink-0 rotate-180 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/chevron-down.svg\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"what-are-the-stats-for-seo-in-real-estate-content\" class=\"close-accordion-content collapsed mb-40\">\n<p>Real estate SEO involves a lot of data, from website visitors and click-through rates to organic search impressions, rankings, and leads. A few statistics that show how important SEO is for real estate are that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/research-reports\/real-estate-in-a-digital-age\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">97% of home buyers<\/a> use the internet to search for properties. One study found that SEO leads have a high <a href=\"https:\/\/optinmonster.com\/blogging-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">close rate of 14.6%<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"my-0\" \/>\n<div class=\"d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center cursor-pointer pe-24 close-accordion-heading collapsed\">\n<h3 id=\"does-seo-work-for-realtors\" class=\"my-40\">Does SEO work for realtors?<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p><img alt=\"expand\/collapse\" class=\"ms-24 w-16 flex-shrink-0 rotate-180 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/wp-content\/themes\/theclose\/assets\/images\/icons\/chevron-down.svg\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"does-seo-work-for-realtors-content\" class=\"close-accordion-content collapsed mb-40\">\n<p>SEO for real estate absolutely works and can be incredibly effective for increasing traffic, building your brand, and generating new leads. It takes time, energy, and money to build a robust website and optimize your content for SEO, but the results can continue growing for years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"my-0\" \/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Bringing\">Bringing It All Together<\/h2>\n<p>Real estate SEO can be complex, but it is a compelling way to grow your business. By creating a well-organized website and high-quality content optimized for the right keywords, you can attract thousands of users to your website and generate leads ready to work with you. With the tips in this guide, you\u2019ll be able to start using SEO for real estate immediately.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\/real-estate-seo\/\">The Ultimate Real Estate SEO Guide: 10 Steps to Better Ranking<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/theclose.com\">The Close<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While getting your content to rank on search engines is harder than it used to be, real estate SEO (search engine optimization) is still undeniably one of the most powerful marketing strategies to grow your business. By investing some time and effort and using basic SEO strategies that most realtors either don\u2019t understand or don\u2019t bother with, you will easily outrank your competition. Let\u2019s dive into this guide, which talks about what SEO is, its benefits, best practices, and ten &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/18\/the-ultimate-real-estate-seo-guide-10-steps-to-better-ranking\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The Ultimate Real Estate SEO Guide: 10 Steps to Better Ranking&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":890,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions\/890"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ferraro-zugibe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}