How do you feel when the term “keyword research” is mentioned? Do you shake and break out into a cold sweat like a chicken getting ready to be decapitated, or are you confident and full of assurance like an eagle soaring? Chances are, the former is the more accurate response (albeit somewhat overly exaggerated, but what do you expect from me?!).
Keyword research and what goes along with it shouldn’t be taken lightly, I’ll be the first to admit. I say it with determined authority that it is THE MOST important aspect of your online presence and gaining the new clients you so desperately are vying for.
I mean, let’s face it, without keyword research, you may as well be writing about … fire hydrants. Yes, I did just say fire hydrants.
But, if you are determined to take on the project of deciding what keyword phrase(s) you will use to gain traffic and subsequent clients, there’s one thing you can learn from the birds: It’s better to peck than to gobble.
Pecking vs. gobbling
First, let’s start with “The Gobble.”
*Your City* Real Estate
*Your City* Homes For Sale
Great keyword phrases, no doubt. But not ones that are likely to EVER be found on Page One for (unless you’re there already and have been for the last 10 or so years).
This would be considered gobbling.
Your mouths are wide open expecting an enormous flood of seeds (or in a Realtor’s case, clients), but nothing’s happening. You’re beginning to choke. Gobbling is hazardous to your health!
The fact of the matter is, there are literally thousands of other keyword phrases that you can (and probably should) be working toward being found on Google’s first page of results.
Now, let’s talk about “The Pecking.”
Having the ability to truly focus and target the new clients you obtain through your online marketing is very attainable. There’s no need to be greedy, and in fact, you’ll most likely get higher-quality clients (i.e., ones that are READY TO BUY NOW) when your keyword phrases are more concentrated.
Simply put, pecking is so much more feasible (and digestible).
Think about it this way. Do you think someone is closer to buying a property if they are searching for “Your City” Real Estate or “Your Neighborhood” homes for sale? The focus is so much more pronounced with the latter of the two. But this is just one example of literally thousands — better known as long-tail keyword phrases.
So, Are Your Chopsticks Ready?
To make this work for your particular area, think about what make sense. First and foremost, talk to your broker and find out which areas are actually selling the fastest and for the best prices — isn’t THAT where you want to be positioned? You may WANT to dominate a specific subdivision, but if homes there are slow movers, it probably shouldn’t be your primary focus.
Questions to ask your broker:
1. Which area(s) have sold the fastest in the past six months?
2. Which of these area(s) have sold for the highest price in the past six months?
School districts may be a huge factor for what buyers take into consideration when moving to your area, so focus on those keyword phrases. Maybe golf communities are very popular for people who buy second homes in your town — concentrate on them. Do some homework and then do some more. Use tools such as Google Adwords to determine the best keyword phrases or hire someone well versed in SEO to determine that for you.
Of course, you’re then going to want to create custom landing pages on your blog for these specific niches, along with a pretty permalink, SEO title, tags and, well, that’s a whole ‘nother article!
The moral of this story is, don’t try to be greedy and go for the big guns; they’ve been taken a very long time ago. Market yourself in smaller geographies — they all add up to something.
