Dreams Vs. Actions When it Comes to Real Estate SEO in 2022

Did you reach your real estate SEO goals in '21?

Some food for thought: The dreams you have are very different from the actions that will get you there.

This statement is one we're feeling as the new year brings forth all of the usual churn and restlessness in our world. January and September are the typical months in which we see an uptick in both new clients and cancellations. It's the new year for many business owners and while some of us are traditionalists, who wait until January 1 to make our moves, there are just as many more who consider September 1 as the official clean slate.

Whatever the month,  the messaging stays the same on our end.

Stay the course. Don't be distracted by others. And whatever you do, DON'T. STOP. NOW. 

Earlier in the month, we provided our highly motivated MWP customers with a first-quarter road map for real estate marketing in 2022. A list of simple tasks and actions that can make a big impact on a customer's search engine rankings. Making a slight adjustment to your routine can have a lasting impact on those dreams of hitting the first page of results. That's why we're including this list below and we encourage you to reach out to us if you're making SEO your priority in 2022.

Have we mentioned how much we want you to pay attention to Google Business? 

I know we have, but how many of you are? Still hung up on Instagram? Well, in 2022 we want most of the focus for our customers to be on Google Business. The platform directly correlates to website search traffic.  Having your account settings configured properly will be key in '22.  It's very important to log in to your GB account and ensure that your profile is up to date and is as complete as possible. Especially important, is your map location. Please make sure that you have claimed your business. Google Business settings should be periodically reviewed and kept current including engagement on your reviews. 

Our MWP customers see posts regularly syndicated to their Google accounts, which promotes healthy engagement and activity that makes Google smile.

Make time right now to review (and ruthlessly edit) your digital footprint 

At the top of the year, it’s always a good idea to review your digital footprint. We talk about this often, because it's often one of the biggest items that REALTORS® and BROKERS overlook. 

Reviewing your digital footprint is simply visiting the various social media accounts and subscription services that you have to make sure that they’re still relevant. We want everything out there to add value to your marketing visibility. 

As a rule, we want all external links on any and all of these platforms to link directly to your website.

The more direct and specific the link the better, eg: if you are mentioning a new listing on Facebook, please include a direct link in the same post to view the listing on your website.

When reviewing your digital footprint ensure the following:

1. Update your passwords. This is really painful but also very important given the Malware threats that exist today.  We have seen some crazy situations lately so we encourage you to update your passwords often, keep them secure and make them hard. 
2. Update your bios or profiles to include a link to your homepage
3. Make sure that your profiles are up to date with the correct information, address, phone, updated logos, etc. This is a good time to update header graphics as well and show the world you're fresh and ready! 

Use the gift of REALTOR.ca to your advantage!

Backlinking is the stuff SEO is made of. It's not complicated, but there is a method to follow for the madness to work. The best thing you can do for your website visibility to shine is to have an outbound link on a big-time traffic generator. We mean high-profile websites. Websites with stellar DA. Since you have access to one of the biggest traffic generating websites online today in REALTOR.ca. Let’s use this to our advantage! When you post a listing and it goes live on REALTOR.ca you need to make sure that you are also adding your new listing to the new 'View Listing' tab that CREA is providing. 

See below for an example, it will show up under your website link on your listing when added correctly.

Tell your story in long-form with a syndicated press release

PR is old school and from my experience, old school works like a charm. Use this vintage technique to your advantage. You can bet, most of your competitors will not do this. One, they won't be able to come up with a viable topic that they're comfortable with, and Two, they won't be able to find distribution. We can help with alllllll of this and it will be the biggest advantage you can give yourself. So, go on, don't be shy, and let's sell your story to the press for added results.

Everyone has that one local news/classified directory listings website

It's not just us that have been subjected to this local phenom, right? We all have that one local website where proliferating opinions and local reporting culminate. Well, chances are that this little homegrown gem generates a hefty DA (Domain Authority) and produces a fair share of traffic. That's precisely why it would be worth posting your property listings on their classifieds platform to create backlinks. If you can get your website link posted here regularly -  the $25 or so per month it costs will pay off traffic-wise in return. In this particular case, you will want to post a link to your featured listings page for best results. If they don't allow a link field then you will have to post it in the body text.

Make the local classifieds part of your new listing routine now! Start today and post a link to the properties you currently have listed for sale. 

And Finally, let's end with Google and the mecca of review platforms, Google Reviews

We are encouraging you to consider using Google Reviews as your preferred review software in 2022. The other ones don't provide you with any benefit. In fact, you provide them benefits when you link back to their website. Remember, you want to be selective with the marketing services you engage and promote in 2022. And you need to be doubly selective with the backlinks you include on your own website! Keeping tight watch and control over your digital footprint is imperative to success.

Put yourself first and ask everyone involved - is this good for my visibility?

The main reason you absolutely need to switch to Google Reviews is that it benefits your search rankings. Towards the end of 2021, we began embedding Google Reviews directly into some customers' websites. The results have been well received and include the ability for customers to easily leave a review when they visit your website, as well as increasing visibility by displaying your reviews. 

For an example of a recently embedded Google Review widget please visit the link below: https://morrisonrealestategroup.ca/#google-review

That's it? That's it. 

And that's right, it's a short list. We'll say it again, The dreams you have are very different from the actions that will get you there. The above list is small in the scope of things you can do, the results are anything but. If you did even one of these items and incorporated it into your routine, you would see positive results almost immediately.

Talk to us about becoming a very valued, MWP at EstateVue in '22!