[Photo by Naomi Hébert on Unsplash]
Our world has gone digital. Has your agency?
In a red-hot real estate market, realtors and agencies have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the digital age and enhance their online presence.
With buyers desperate to find available properties and sellers looking to sell fast, a realtor who can connect with customers online will have a major advantage over the competition.
If your real estate online presence is less-than-stellar, you might be missing out on a huge chunk of business. Here are seven tips to get you started on enhancing your real estate company's digital presence:
1. Optimize Your Website Presence
The very first place potential customers will look for you is online.
Sure, social media is critical for connecting with customers, but if your website is outdated, hard to navigate, or difficult to find, you could be losing business.
How is your website looking? Is it mobile-friendly? Is it easy to navigate? Can potential customers find what they're looking for without difficulty? If not, it might be time for an update.
A great idea is complete an audit of your website. Go through it as if you're a customer trying to find information. If anything is difficult to find or understand, make a note of it and update accordingly.
You want potential customers to have a positive experience on your website, so it's essential to make sure everything is up-to-date and user-friendly.
SEO Tip For Realtors: Make sure your website is IDX-compliant! This means that it's set up to display MLS listings, which are essential for customers looking to buy a home.
2. Invest In Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization is a process by which you can improve your website's ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). The higher your ranking, the more likely potential customers are to find you.
And when we say "invest," we don't necessarily mean financially. While there are agencies you can hire to help with your SEO, there are also many DIY tips and tricks you can implement yourself.
A few things you can do to improve your SEO include:
Researching and using relevant keywords throughout your website content
Optimizing your website for mobile devices
Improving site speed and performance
Creating quality backlinks
If you're not sure where to start, there are plenty of resources available online, including blog posts and helpful guides. Once you start implementing some basic SEO techniques, you should start to see your website ranking improve.
SEO Tip For Realtors: Do you have any partnerships with local companies? Why not offer to link back to their website from yours (and vice versa)? This is an easy way to create quality backlinks and improve your SEO.
3. Invest In Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Your potential customers are out there in the online space - so why not go to them?
With PPC advertising, you can place ads on search engines and other websites, targeting potential customers who are already interested in what you have to offer.
When someone clicks on your ad, you pay a fee to the advertising platform. The great thing about PPC is that you only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad, so you're not wasting money on ads that no one sees.
SEO Tip For Realtors: Do you have a unique property that you want to make sure potential buyers see? Using PPC advertising, you can create ads specifically for that property and target individuals who might be interested in it.
Not sure how to get started with PPC advertising? Google Ads is a great place to start. They offer a variety of resources to help you create and manage your ads, including tutorials, guides, and customer support.
4. Create Compelling Content
One of the best ways to reel in potential customers is by providing them with helpful, relevant, and engaging content.
If you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, potential customers will be more likely to trust you and do business with you.
Not sure what kind of content to create? A few ideas include:
Blog posts
Videos
Infographics
eBooks
Whitepapers
Social media posts
The sky's the limit when it comes to content creation - get creative and think about what would be most helpful for your target audience.
Once you have some ideas, start creating!
SEO Tip For Realtors: Why not create a blog post series about the home-buying process? You can walk potential buyers through each step, from finding a real estate agent to getting a mortgage. This is a great way to provide helpful information and establish yourself as an expert.
5. Use Social Media Strategically
You likely have a presence on at least one social media platform, but are you using it to its full potential?
Social media is a great way to connect with potential and current customers and promote your brand.
When creating or updating your social media profile, make sure to:
Include a link to your website
Use relevant keywords
Post engaging content (See step 4!)
If you're not active on social media, now is the time to start.
Not sure which platform to choose? Take a look at your target audience and see where they are most active. You can also experiment with different platforms and see what works best for you.
SEO Tip For Realtors: Social media is a great way to show off your properties and reach a wider audience.
Posting high-quality photos and videos is a great way to grab potential buyers' attention. Just make sure to include all the relevant information, such as price, square footage, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, etc.
6. Implement Google My Business
Did you know that you can list your business on Google for free? With Google My Business (GMB), you can create a listing for your business that appears in search results and on Google Maps.
Creating a GMB listing is quick and easy, and it can really help to improve your digital presence. Make sure to include:
Accurate and up-to-date information
Relevant keywords
High-quality photos
Encourage customers to leave reviews
By claiming your GMB listing and keeping it up-to-date, you can help potential customers find your business and learn more about what you have to offer.
SEO Tip For Realtors: If you haven't already claimed your GMB listing, now is the time to do it!
Make sure to include plenty of information about your business, such as your services, contact information, and office hours. You can also use GMB to post updates and announcements, such as new listings or open houses.
7. Monitor Your Online Reputation
Did you know your online reputation can make or break your chances of success?
In today's digital world, potential customers are likely to do a bit of research before doing business with you. If they see negative reviews or comments, they may take their business elsewhere.
That's why it's so important to keep an eye on what people are saying about you online. Your reputation is like your digital footprint - it follows you wherever you go.
There are a few different ways to monitor your online reputation, such as:
Searching for your name or business on Google
Checking review sites, such as Yelp or Google Reviews
Setting up Google Alerts to monitor mentions of your name or business
If you do come across any negative reviews, take the time to respond. Thank the customer for their feedback and see if there's anything you can do to improve their experience.
Be honest and transparent in your response - potential customers will be able to see that you're taking the time to address their concerns.
SEO Tip For Realtors: Buyers and sellers are more than willing to share their positive experiences with you. Ask them to leave a review on your Google Business page or wherever they found you.
If they had a great experience, they would be more than happy to do it!
Enhance Your Digital Presence Today
As a realtor in today's digital world, it's more important than ever to have a strong online presence.
By following these 7 tips, you can enhance your company's digital presence and stay ahead of the competition. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
Want to learn more about how you can boost your real estate agency web presence quickly? Contact Pipe & Pen Writing Services today to learn more!