That’s right, Realtors, I’m going to share with you ten quick and easy ways to get your website to the top of Google’s search results.
It’s not a trick. I’ve done this over and over again. Let me explain.
Agents frequently ask me, “how do I get to be the first agent that shows up on a Google search?” My answer is: “You’re asking the wrong question”.
The question should be, “what can I get to the top of Google’s search results for?”
If you’ve ever searched Google for something super generic, like “Vancouver real estate,” you’ll see tens of millions of results. Straight from the source, “about 24,300,000 results” said Google, as I was writing this post.
If you had ever hoped to have your name at the top of such a wildly overpopulated search term, please…keep reading. I’m aiming to change your mind with a new thought process.
As a Realtor, if you want to show up on Google for a search term other than your name, target something narrow.
That means targeting your website toward a geographic zone such as an MLS sub area or neighbourhood, or targeting a niche like a buyer demographic or property type. Target something specific that people search for, but something that isn’t generic.
Here are the ten steps involved in creating a real estate website that will climb to the top of Google:
#1 DETERMINE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE. Think outside the box. Squelch the urge to have your website be generic, or be everything to everybody.
>> This is just a quick mindset adjustment of understanding the process and benefits of having a “niche” website.
#2 Decide what search term(s) your audience is using.
>> Brainstorm. Search Google. Get narrow. Check out the competition. Pick something.
#3 Ensure that you can get the data feed of listings for that specific target.
>> Look for a real estate website provider whose data links up to your real estate board. The best case scenario for that is a company whose sites and data have the ability to create pages with specific search results.
#4 Search for (and buy) a “keyword” domain.
>> Use a domain name that uses the search term or a keyword you identified in #2. Buy something descriptive that uses the keywords you want your site to target.
>> Domains should cost you less than $15 per year. If you’re paying more than that, shop elsewhere.
#5 Invest some time setting up the website.
>> Invest some time setting up the website. Relevant content, that data feed of available listings (see #3), nice images. Don’t forget to ask website visitors to contact you!
#6 Enable Google Analytics.
>> With this, you can see how many people are visiting your site, and other useful information about your website visitors’ behaviour.
#7 Do a little bit of Search Engine Optimization.
>> Don’t be afraid, this isn’t actually hard, but you just have to do “something” rather than “nothing.
#8 SUBMIT YOUR GOOGLE SITEMAPS.
>> It’s a one-time process, but absolutely necessary for success.
#9 Invest some time into weekly website maintenance.
>> Ian Watt likes to say, “if you don’t spend time on your website, neither will anyone else”. Website maintenance doesn’t have to be complicated or overly involved, but it does have to be done.
#10 Evaluate & Repeat.
>> Once you have the first targeted website under your belt, and are reaping the benefits, imagine how much more quickly and efficiently you can get another “niche” site set up.