How To Become A Real Estate SEO Expert

Do you want to unlock the secrets of boosting your website’s online presence? The secret lies in search engine optimization (SEO), but to be a true expert, you need more than just the basic knowledge. A seasoned SEO professional has a unique set of skills and understanding of the field that allows them to place high on search engine results pages and generate high quality leads.

In this blog, we'll explore the skills of a real estate SEO expert and along the way, pick up some knowledge that will help you level up your SEO ability. Let’s begin!

Carly Carey Real Estate Group's SEO-optimized website.

 

Real Estate SEO Expertise

True real estate SEO experts have developed most, if not all, of the following skill sets:

• SEO Fundamentals: Every SEO professional needs a solid understanding of basic SEO principles and practices, which includes keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO, and off-page optimization. This also covers knowing how to optimize for real estate-specific keywords and content, image optimization, understanding meta tags, site structure, URLs, headings, and more.

• Real Estate Industry Knowledge: Real estate SEO experts need to be familiar with the real estate industry, including its unique characteristics, trends, and terminology. This includes understanding different target audiences, property types, location-specific SEO, and how to optimize for local search. Understanding the target audience includes familiarity with the journey of most real estate clients, what they search for and what influences their buying or selling decisions. 

Google's autocomplete feature and "People also ask" section.

• Content Creation: SEO experts know how to balance creating original, informative, engaging, clear, and comprehensive content for real estate websites. This means having knowledge of different content types and styles, such as blog posts, articles, property descriptions, and area pages.

• Website Design and Development: SEO experts are also familiar with website design and development principles, which involves site structure, user experience (UX) design, mobile responsiveness, accessibility, and site speed optimization. These factors play a crucial role in your site’s SEO performance.

Carly Carey Real Estate Group's perfect score on Google's PageSpeed Insights.

• Analytics and Reporting: Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console can be used to track and measure SEO performance. Regularly generate reports to measure the effectiveness of SEO strategies and make adjustments if needed.

Sample query results on Search Console.

• Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Top experts make an effort to stay updated with the latest SEO trends, algorithm updates, and industry changes. They tend to be thought leaders, constantly pushing the field forward, and not afraid to try new things. Check out how we’re exploring the role of AI in SEO and how to rank on AI results in one of our REW Forum posts.

Looking For An SEO Expert?

While the above section should give you a pretty good idea about what a real estate SEO expert can do or knows, you may still be wondering how to spot one, especially if you're looking to get their services. Well here are a few more things you can look for:

• Real Estate Experience: A true expert in real estate SEO has a long-track record of dealing with top clients in the real estate industry. They should also be familiar with many different facets of the real estate business, like brokerage size, niches, international trends, branding, and paid advertising. In short, they are familiar with the unique challenges and opportunities in the real estate market and can tailor their SEO strategies accordingly.

• A Proven Track Record: Following from the point above, a true real estate SEO expert will have a proven track record of success in improving the search engine rankings and online visibility of real estate websites. They should be able to demonstrate their success through testimonials and analytics data. Real Estate Webmasters has recently collaborated with the renowned Chris Colgan on an SEO project and you can check his testimonial here.

• Leadership and Adaptability: SEO is a constantly evolving field, and a true expert in real estate SEO doesn't just keep up with the latest trends, they set and define them. Look for evidence that an SEO expert has authority in their field, which could come in the form of industry awards or being invited to speak at prestigious events. 

Here are some more characteristics to look for in a real estate SEO expert:

• They give you the hard truth - Be suspicious of anyone who promises the world. SEO takes time and patience, and results are not immediate like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. 

• Good communication - Any real estate SEO company should be willing and available to get on a call and consult with you personally. This is especially important in the initial stages as they learn about your business and goals.

• They give you homework - An SEO expert can't do everything for you. If they tell you they can, think twice. A good SEO service will include a comprehensive strategy for lead acquisition and follow-up, social media activity, brand consistency, and backlink outreach. These will all require effort and input on your part.
  

Expertise in real estate SEO takes years to develop, which is why it’s worth considering getting help from an SEO expert if you don’t have the skills yet to boost your site ranking. Real Estate Webmasters have spent years with countless clients to become the best there is in real estate SEO, so feel free to contact us if you’d like to explore a collaboration. 

A 5-star review from a Real Estate Webmasters' client.

What Can You Do Today?

While it may take awhile before you can become an SEO expert, it doesn’t mean you cannot do anything today to start building your skills. You can begin by researching your target audience and taking note of the keywords and phrases they use when they search for properties. This will help you optimize your website content later on.

You can opt to optimize one of your site pages first. Don’t overwhelm yourself and take it one page at a time. Review your content and make sure you’re using keywords, and check if your contents are relevant, updated, and helpful. If you haven’t yet, create an account on Google Analytics and Search Console so you can start tracking your traffic and page performance.

Last but not the least, make a commitment to set aside time daily or weekly to learn about SEO. You can go to our Resources page to read informative articles, watch educational videos on REW Academy, and join the REW Forum to stay updated with the latest SEO happenings. You can also subscribe to digital newsletters from reputable SEO sites.

The REW Academy page and SEO & PPC section on the Resources page.

Learn More on the REW Forum

If you want to begin your journey in becoming a real estate SEO expert, the REW Forum is a great place to start! The forum has a dedicated section for SEO where you can find a lot of best practices, insights, and latest trends. You can also connect with other real estate professionals who have varying levels of SEO expertise.

Register now and join the conversation!