As we live in a highly digital and tech-driven world, we have become aware of the importance of SEO for every business. When it comes to SEO, there are four different types: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO and local SEO. This post will focus on local SEO for real estate by providing actionable tips on improving it to rank higher in local searches. To do that, you first need to understand the concept of local SEO. Keep reading to learn more.

First of all, what you need to do is conduct an SEO audit and optimise your website and listings for local searches. Next, you should ensure your website’s accessibility to both users and search engines. You also need to work on improving the page experience to boost engagement. Moreover, we shouldn’t forget to work on building our social media presence as well. Social media are an essential aspect of an online presence.

1. Conduct an SEO audit

Before you start building your SEO strategy, you should figure out where you are. An SEO audit essentially checks which pages are doing well and which aren’t. Even though conducting an SEO audit takes time, it is a quintessential step that will lead you to progress eventually. It provides you with the information you need to create a plausible SEO strategy. An SEO audit can figure out whether your site ranks locally, whether you’re getting enough traffic and whether you’re generating leads or converting clients. Regarding critical areas in an SEO audit, you should focus on the site and page structure, content, links and usability. An SEO audit will be a good base for the next steps needed to rank higher in local searches. 

2. Optimise your website and listings for local searches

After you have finished the audit, it’s time to use those insights to optimise your website and listings for local searches. You should be systematic about it as in that way; you won’t miss anything. Start by fixing things you’ve seen your competitors do. After that, you can move to optimise your website and listings. The first step would be creating a website and claiming your listings. Chances are that you already own a functional website, but if you don’t, it’s high time you created it. It needs to be user-friendly, easy to navigate and intuitive. 

Moreover, you should add business listings on Yelp, Google Business Profile, Facebook, and other local directories. The aim of optimizing your website for local searches is to have people searching for the best real estate agents in Mooloolaba find you if you are located in that area and offer real estate services. This is part of optimising keyword usage for ranking higher in local searches.

3. Ensure your website’s accessibility to users and search engines

Your website’s accessibility is a factor that affects how it ranks in SERP. Remember that your website needs to be accessible both to users and search engines. Even if you have the nicest-looking website, it won’t matter if it’s not accessible. There are a few aspects to keep in mind to ensure greater accessibility. They include site security, XML sitemaps, reducing crawl errors and improving page speed. 

4. Work on improving page experience

It’s not sufficient to just have a website. You need to work on improving the page experience for higher engagement. It is seen as a positive signal that your website sends to search engines and users, saying that your site is worthy of being ranked higher. Usually, it also implies more clicks and more significant user interaction. What you can do to improve your page experience is improving core web vitals, optimise it for mobile uses and limit popups. Make sure to add filters regarding the existence of a master bedroom, other bedrooms and bathrooms, whether there is a yard or a garden, whether it’s fully equipped, and so on. This will help customers be more specific in their search and narrow it down. 

5. Build your social media presence

What’s also important is building your social media presence. You should create pages on relevant social media channels and be active. You should engage with potential users by sharing insightful and relevant content and by offering practical advice. Also, you can enhance your social proof by including reviews and testimonials on your website. Moreover, you can include video reviews and interviews with local business owners. These things help build trust with potential clients and help you rank higher in search engines. 

A good and valid SEO strategy will help you rank higher over time. It implies constantly working on it.