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Is ranking on the first page of Google on your list of marketing goals in 2021? If not, it should be!
Getting your real estate website at the top of search engine results can mean doubling — if not tripling — your website traffic and your leads. Here are eight tried-and-true tips to improve your website’s ranking.
1. Fill your website with helpful content
Chances are, every marketing webinar or seminar you’ve sat in on in the past 10 years has told you to start blogging, that “content is king” and that a blog is the fastest way to get noticed by Google. In the year 2021, this advice still stands.
Blogging can be an extremely powerful SEO tool. But don’t just limit your content creation to your blog page. Create pages on your website centered around subdivisions in your area, school districts, neighborhood guides and advice on moving to the area.
This will help signal to Google that your website’s content is diverse and not limited to a blog.
2. Answer ‘people also ask’ questions
You know the section. It shows up on the first page of your Google results and features a dropdown of common questions about the topics for which you are searching.
Do some test searches for real estate in your area, and check out what questions Google is listing in the “people also ask” section. Then, write a blog post specifically answering that question.
Promote the post on social media and in your email newsletters to build authority for that page. Keep a close eye on that section. Before you know it, your website might be the one that’s featured.
3. Update your Google page, and update it again
When was the last time you logged in to your Google My Business account? If you are like most, you set up your Google business profile and never went back.
However, consistently updating your Google business profile makes your business more likely to be featured in the Google “three-pack,” (those three businesses that are featured on the first page of Google when you search for a service).
The best ways to update your Google business profile is by adding new photos or utilizing the “posts” section to promote new listings, team members or content on your website. Pro tip: Update your profile at least two to three times each month to send the signal to Google that you are in it to win it.
4. Diversify your content
It’s not just your website that can rank on Google. Have you noticed how videos often show up on the first page of search results? This is another chance for you to get your content at the top of search results.
Start creating videos about topics you know people in your market are searching for. Post those videos to YouTube, and be sure to write titles that use your target keywords. Pro tip: Always use YouTube. Google owns YouTube so it prioritizes videos posted on YouTube over any other video-sharing website.
5. Utilize Pinterest for businesses
Although you might think of Pinterest as just a place for recipes and DIY projects, think again. Many people use Pinterest to research new areas and trips they want to take or to get a sense of a new place.
And with so many people thinking about relocating to new areas these days, Pinterest has become the perfect place for you to connect with those potential movers.
Create beautiful pins that feature your blog posts about moving to the area, your city’s neighborhoods and subdivisions, lists of things to do in the area and more. Post them to your Pinterest business account with links back to your website. Pro tip: Use Canva, a free graphic design website that’ll quickly help you create beautiful pins and graphics.
6. Build your links
When deciding how prominent your website should be in search results, Google looks at the number of websites that point back to yours. Building links back to your website has been a standard SEO practice for a very long time, but you want to do it carefully.
Reach out to local resources such as your chamber of commerce, local news stations, magazines or other local publications and offer to provide articles about topics like who is moving to the area or what new residents should know about your city.
If they want to use your articles on their website, just make sure they include a link back to yours when they post it. This builds your authority in Google’s eyes and pushes you further up the search rankings.
7. Get reviews
Although reviews aren’t the only factor Google takes into account when deciding where to place a business in search results, they are a big one!
Start by adding links to your Google page’s review section in your email signature, on the footer of your website, on your newsletters, social media pages and anywhere else you can think of.
When you close on a property, ask your happy clients if they would be willing to share their experience with a review. Pro tip: If they’ve written a review for you elsewhere, send them an email with that review and a link to your Google page, and ask them kindly to just copy and paste it.
8. Become an active forum user
Have you ever looked for an answer to a question on Quora or gone down a Reddit rabbit hole? These popular question-and-answer websites are an untapped resource for becoming a local expert in your area and building your credibility on Google.
Browse these sites for topics and pages related to your city or area. Follow along in the discussions, and offer your expert advice and insight. If you cite housing prices or market statistics, add a link back to your website. Just be sure to only add links where it seems appropriate. These communities don’t tolerate blatant self-promotion.
Getting your website to rank on Google is like putting together pieces of a puzzle. All of your efforts across these different channels come together to build your website’s authority. As your rankings start to improve, you will see your efforts pay off with increased website traffic and ultimately more leads for your business.
Kate Hulbert is the marketing director at Bozeman Real Estate Group in Bozeman, Montana. Follow her on Instagram or Facebook.
