Ideally, real estate SEO service companies and agencies put your real estate business under the spotlight, amplifying your presence and making sure you’re the star of the show when buyers and sellers search for properties online (you get found).
Now you’re probably wondering, “Who are these behind-the-scenes maestros?”
They’re the “puppeteers” who pull the strings to elevate your real estate business on search engine results pages.
But, before you sign up with one, how do you choose the right “maestro”?
What secret ingredients must you watch out for to select a proper real estate SEO service company or agency for your real estate business?
This and more is my today’s article about. I will discuss…
- What real estate SEO service companies and agencies are
- How they can help you
- Five criteria to consider when selecting a real estate SEO service company or agency
- An overview of 11 criteria-matching real estate service companies and agencies
- How to measure the performance
What Are Real Estate SEO Service Companies and Agencies
Suppose you have a beautiful property to sell.
It is perfect and located in the ideal neighborhood. The price is right.
However, no one knows about it. So what good is it?
And this is where Real Estate SEO Service Companies come in. Provided they know what they are doing, they can do wonders for your visibility…
So, what exactly are these companies?
They specialize in optimizing your online presence so that your real estate listings appear higher in search engine results.
This means that when someone types in “homes for sale in [your area]” or “best real estate agent near me,” your name pops up at the top like magic.
But it’s not magic. It’s Search Engine Optimization or SEO.
Some of these service companies are masters of the art and science of SEO, understanding the nuances of search engine algorithms, keyword strategies, website optimization, content creation, local SEO, and so much more.
In a world where nearly everyone starts their home search online, SEO can be a game-changer.
So this almost answers the question about…
How Can Real Estate SEO Service Companies and Agencies Help You (Can They)?
Let’s use an example with John Doe, a hard-working real estate agent.
John knows his market well but needs help attracting clients.
His website is buried under search engine results pages, and his beautiful listings are hardly seen.
After John hired a Real Estate SEO Service Company, they researched and implemented a powerful keyword strategy, optimized his website for local searches, and created engaging content that attracted potential buyers and made Google fall in love with his site.
Within a few months, John’s website climbs to the first page of search engine results.
The result?
More visibility, more inquiries, more clients, more sales.
Well, this would be the ideal fantasy story if all real estate SEO service companies would perform at their best.
And a good one will analyze your real estate business, including your target audience, your market, and your competition, and craft a tailored SEO strategy that can work for you.
Now we are getting closer to the core of my article. What can you do to increase your chances of working with a real estate SEO service company or agency that will do a good job?
6 Criteria to Consider When Selecting a Real Estate SEO Service Company or Agency
There are five factors you want to consider when selecting a real estate SEO service company or agency to increase your chances of getting decent results similar to John Doe’s earlier ones.
What are these factors?
1) Experience in Real Estate SEO
This is a biggie. You want a company that knows SEO, sure, but more than that, you want one that understands real estate.
Real estate SEO has nuances – think local SEO, IDX integration, etc.
A company experienced in real estate SEO will know these intricacies and will be able to serve you better.
2) Case Studies and Client Testimonials
Always ask for case studies and client testimonials. Why? Because you want to get a sneak peek into their performance and understand their approach and results.
And you don’t just want to read these – analyze them. Are the clients similar to your business? What kind of results did they achieve? Is this what you are looking for?
3) Range of Services
SEO is like combining Woodoo with a giant puzzle with many pieces – keyword research, on-page and off-page SEO, content creation, local SEO, website optimization, and so on.
The Woodoo part is when you believe you may know aspects of Google’s algorithm that sometimes even Google doesn’t fully understand as it seems. (Google is the only entity that can really know what’s under its hood).
So, you want to make sure your SEO partner can handle all these aspects of being a bit in the dark.
4) Communication and Reporting
SEO is a long-term strategy, and you want a company that keeps you in the loop.
Ask about their communication and reporting process. How often will they update you?
What metrics will they report? Good communication is crucial to a successful partnership.
5) Customization
Your business is unique, and so should your SEO strategy.
Avoid companies that offer cookie-cutter solutions.
You need a company that will take time to understand your business, your competition, and your market and then create a tailored SEO strategy for you.
6) Pricing
This is a tricky one.
You don’t want to overspend, sure. But remember, quality services come at a price.
Be wary of companies offering dirt-cheap services.
At the same time, don’t assume that higher-priced services guarantee better results. Consider your budget, but also consider the value you’re getting.
Why Local SEO is a Crucial Service a Real Estate SEO Service Company or Agency Needs to Offer
I thought picking out one aspect of the service range from the above criteria would be important. It’s local SEO that is especially important to real estate.
Why is this?
Let’s imagine you run a bakery. When someone in your city searches for “best chocolate cake near me,” you’d want your bakery to be the first one they see.
And local SEO is the secret ingredient that makes this happen.
Now, replace “bakery” with “real estate business” and “chocolate cake” with “homes for sale.”
As you may well know, real estate is inherently local.
Most people aren’t just looking for a home; they’re looking for a home in a specific city, neighborhood, or even a particular street.
Or in the case of a potential seller, a real estate broker in a specific area.
So, optimizing your website for local searches is paramount.
Let’s consider a few more reasons why Local SEO is crucial:
1) Google My Business
This is your ticket to visibility on Google.
A complete, accurate, optimized Google My Business listing can significantly improve your visibility in local search results and Google Maps.
It gives potential clients a snapshot of your business – location, reviews, hours of operation, and more.
2) Online Reviews and Ratings
People trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
They’re powerful social proof and can influence a potential client’s decision.
Local SEO involves managing and optimizing these reviews to enhance your reputation and attract more clients.
3) Local Keywords
Incorporating location-specific keywords in your website content can make a significant difference.
These keywords help search engines understand where you operate and help match your site to relevant local searches.
4) Mobile Searches
Mobile searches often have local intent. In fact, 46% of all searches have a local intent (source).
Think “real estate agents near me” or “open houses today.”
So optimizing for local SEO means you’re also optimizing for mobile searches, which is crucial considering how many people use their phones to start their home search.
5) Competitive Edge
Many businesses, unfortunately, underestimate the power of Local SEO.
This allows you to gain a competitive edge in your local market.
So yes, Local SEO is like the secret sauce that can significantly boost your real estate business.
It can put your business on the map – quite literally – and make sure you’re the first potential clients see when they start their home search.
Therefore, any real estate SEO service company worth it should offer local SEO.
11 Criteria-Matching Real Estate SEO Service Companies and Agencies
When you search for real estate SEO service companies and agencies, you mostly find long lists with different website addresses labeled as real estate SEO service companies and agencies.
Still, when you look closer, it’s just generic marketing agencies offering local SEO services.
Therefore for the following overview table of 11 real estate SEO service companies and agencies, I only included the ones matching most of the most important earlier mentioned factors, such as experience in real estate SEO, existing real estate client testimonials, and local SEO services offered.
| Real Estate SEO Company/ Agency | Experience in Real Estate SEO | Real Estate Case Studies/ Client Testimonials | Local SEO Services Offered | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury Presence | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| thrive | ✅ | ✅ (only one) | ✅ | |
| Real Estate Webmasters | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Element 360 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | When I visited the website I noted a pretty low loading speed (not good as Google ranking signal) |
| seoreseller | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Victorious | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | |
| SAPID | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Lyfe | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| ardorseo | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Fuelist Digital | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Glorywebs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
How to Measure the Performance of Real Estate SEO Services
One thing is choosing the right real estate service company or agency, and another is measuring the performance of what will be offered to you.
You want to know if it’s working, right?
And how can you tell if your hard-earned money is getting you the desired results? Here’s where Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) come into play.
As discussed in the mentioned article, KPIs allow you to measure the success of SEO efforts and give you insight into your return on investment (ROI).
Let’s take a look at some of the most crucial ones:
1) Organic Traffic
This is the number of visitors coming to your website through search engines. Increasing organic traffic is a good sign that your SEO efforts are paying off.
2) Keyword Rankings
How do your target keywords rank in search engines?
Are they climbing up the ladder or slipping down?
Keep an eye on your keyword rankings, which can directly impact your visibility and traffic.
3) Local Visibility
With tools like Google My Business Insights, you can see how many people view your listing, request directions, call you, and more.
This can give you a good idea of your local SEO performance.
4) Bounce Rate
This is the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing just one page.
A high bounce rate could suggest that while people are finding your site, they aren’t finding it interesting or relevant enough to stay.
5) Lead Generation
Ultimately, SEO should help you generate more real estate leads.
Are you getting more inquiries, calls, form submissions, or property viewing requests? These are all leads that could potentially turn into sales.
6) Conversion Rate
This is the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, like filling out a contact form or signing up for a newsletter.
A higher conversion rate means more potential clients and, ultimately, more sales.
7) Sales and Revenue (ROI)
The ultimate goal of your SEO efforts is to increase sales and revenue. Tracking these lets you understand your ROI and see if what you pay a real estate SEO service company or agency is worthwhile or needs tweaking.
As I covered in my article about real estate content marketing (part of SEO today), SEO is a long game and a bit like gardening.
You plant, water, and nurture the seeds, but it takes time to see the flowers bloom.
This article has been reviewed by our editorial team. It has been approved for publication in accordance with our editorial policy.
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