On the 436th episode of Mail-Right Show, Robert Newman and Jonathan Denwood invited Brandon Leibowitz to explore tips and tricks real estate agents must know to remain competitive in the ever-changing digital world. Brandon Leibowitz from Seooptimizers.com has been involved in digital marketing since 2007. After earning his degree in business marketing, he started helping a company with digital marketing, which helped him realize that having a website would be essential for everyone in the future. He explored various methods to drive traffic, such as social media, email marketing, paid ads, and SEO. He decided to focus on SEO because it offers free traffic. Over the years, Brandon worked at different advertising agencies as an SEO director. Now, he has his own company and fully concentrates on helping people tap the power of Google traffic. Robert Newman is the founder of InboundREM, a company specializing in SEO and inbound marketing services. Meanwhile, Jonathan Denwood co-founded Mail-Right.com, a company that creates attractive websites with built-in CRM functionality, landing pages, and a social media calendar, all bundled into one comprehensive package. This episode discusses how real estate agents can elevate their online visibility and drive more traffic toward success.
Real Estate Agents And Brokers Need To Understand About Seo Due To Several Factors
There are many things agents can do to enhance their online presence, mainly through a Google Business Profile. For local businesses, it’s crucial to establish a presence on Google Maps, which is managed through the Google Business Profile. This is especially beneficial for real estate agents who lack websites and rely instead on pages hosted by big corporate websites. These pages are not their own and offer limited control.
Agents should build and claim their websites to maintain full ownership and control, preferably on WordPress. Relying on third-party platforms limits what can be done with SEO, reducing the effectiveness of online strategies. However, for those without full control over their websites, a Google Business Profile provides an alternative way to manage their online presence, ensuring they can capture more real estate on the first page of Google search results and attract more traffic.
Second, content is crucial. Despite significant improvements, Google relies heavily on text, as they still face challenges with images and videos. Text is essential on every page of a website. Many are turning to AI for content creation, which Google has acknowledged, stating that it doesn’t matter who writes the content—whether AI or a human—as long as it is accurate, helpful, and beneficial. While AI-generated content isn’t perfect yet, it’s improving and can be a valuable tool for those who struggle to find the time to write content or keep their blogs updated. Consistently providing fresh content remains vital for Google’s search algorithms.
However, while AI can help generate ideas or create outlines, relying solely on it to write content is not recommended. AI should be viewed as a tool to assist rather than replace human effort. Although it can effectively suggest blog post topics or provide a basic structure, human writers are still preferred for producing content due to their accuracy.
In terms of case studies, implementing a new approach that allowed Google to find, read, and analyze the pages effectively—including examining title tags, descriptions, and header tags—significantly improved search engine rankings. Within two months, your site may show on the first page of Google search results, a process that typically takes much longer. This rapid improvement was facilitated by the site’s long-standing domain authority and accumulated backlinks, which established Google’s trust in the site despite previous readability issues. Achieving such results requires more than immediate efforts; building backlinks and earning Google’s trust takes months or even longer, depending on the keywords’ competitiveness.
Recently, a significant leak involving Ran Fishkin has captured the attention of the SEO community. Fishkin was contacted by someone who had obtained 2,000 documents believed to be API coding references directly from Google, mistakenly uploaded to GitLab. This leak has sparked widespread discussion because, for the first time, there may be actionable insights into what Google truly values in its ranking algorithms. These documents suggest that Google’s ranking factors differ from what has been publicly communicated over the years. The impact of this leak is substantial and is expected to remain relevant for a long time. It also reveals that some practices Google advises against may be influential ranking factors. This development raises doubts about the reliability of Google’s public statements and the guidance provided by its representatives. While Google may occasionally share information that aligns with its business interests—such as the importance of mobile-friendly websites for better user experience—many critical ranking criteria remain undisclosed. For instance, user engagement metrics, like the number of clicks a result receives on Google, seem to play a significant role in rankings despite Google’s reluctance to acknowledge this fully.
One topic people discussed is clicks, like how many people search on Google and click on your results, which had a big impact. The documents are cryptic, with terms like “domain authority” and “page rank” still being part of the algorithm. As a result, any advice from Google should be taken with caution, as it often reflects what benefits Google rather than what is best for website owners.
Before the leak, there was speculation that Google used Chromium, the open-source browser project, as a significant tracking and ranking factor across their algorithms. Although Google has often denied using Chrome in this way due to privacy concerns, the logic behind such use is compelling. Given that about 80% of the world uses Chromium-based browsers, it would make sense for Google to leverage this data. The leaked documents, which may have originated from Google, suggest that Chromium includes tracking metrics through lightweight APIs, such as Navboost, which monitors user behavior. These metrics likely include factors like clicks and the length of visits. The revelation that Google has a negative factor for exact match domain names has also shocked many in the industry.
Relevance Of Video For SEO
Video content is undeniably valuable and effective. Initially, it was emphasized that while Google mostly favors text-based content, it can read and transcribe videos, thanks to advancements in technology. Platforms like YouTube can automatically transcribe or subtitle videos, although accuracy is not always perfect. Despite this limitation, video remains a powerful medium because many prefer watching a video over reading a lengthy article. This preference is reflected in social media trends, where platforms like Instagram have shifted focus toward video content. For websites, incorporating videos can be advantageous. If a video is available, it should be featured prominently on the page, and its content should be transcribed and added to the text on the page. Additionally, including a supportive description in the video’s YouTube description can enhance the content’s accessibility and reach.
When creating a video, there are two main options for adding text. One option is to use automated transcription services like Rev, which generate text from the video’s audio. However, it is widely believed that Google may overlook these automated transcripts. Alternatively, directly incorporating closed captions into the video is more effective. Closed captions provide a detailed text version of the audio, making it easier for Google to understand the content of the video. By using closed captions within the video, substantial amounts of text are added, which, although not visible to viewers, significantly aids in accurately conveying the video’s content to search engines.
It is advisable to include timestamps and break the content into chapters for longer videos. Additionally, incorporating supporting text around the video can be beneficial, especially when addressing specific SEO-related topics. Rather than presenting the video as a standalone element on a webpage, it should be accompanied by contextual content.
Extending visitors’ time on a website is crucial, positively impacting search engine rankings. If a user quickly navigates away from a website after a short visit, search engines like Google interpret this as a sign that the site may not be relevant. Even if a site ranks highly, frequent quick exits can prompt search engines to reassess its position. If search engines observe that users stay longer on alternative sites, they may lower the ranking of the original site. Hence, ensuring content is engaging and keeps visitors on the page is essential for maintaining and improving search engine rankings.
User experience is crucial in how long visitors stay on a page. Incorporating a video can be an effective way to maintain engagement, especially compared to a large block of text that might deter users, particularly on mobile devices. For optimal SEO, it is recommended to prioritize content at the top of the page to ensure visitors can quickly skim through and grasp the value proposition and call to action. Placing a video or bullet points in this prime location can enhance readability and engagement, while additional text further down the page can provide supporting information for SEO purposes.
Many business owners need more comprehensive knowledge about SEO. While they may be familiar with keywords and make an effort to include them on their websites, they often need more understanding of backlinks. Some might even attempt to build backlinks by purchasing services from platforms like Fiverr, aiming for many links. Unfortunately, these links may come from low-quality sources such as foreign language sites, blog comments, or directories that offer little value. It is crucial to learn about SEO, including its benefits and the time required to see results. Many are unaware that achieving a high ranking in Google requires patience and trust-building rather than simply adding keywords. Without a clear understanding of SEO fundamentals, business owners may struggle to achieve their desired outcomes, especially when dealing with new products or inventions with limited search volume.
Ranking for keywords related to a product can be challenging, especially if those keywords do not precisely match what is being offered. SEO may not always be effective, particularly for niche markets, where competition with large corporate websites can be overwhelming. Competing with such giants may be financially unfeasible unless a substantial budget is available. Setting realistic expectations with clients is important, as well as acknowledging that SEO might not always be the best option. Instead, exploring alternative strategies, such as social media marketing or Google Ads, can provide more viable solutions. Since an online presence is crucial for reaching potential customers, identifying where clients are and how to engage them effectively is essential. Creative approaches may be necessary to uncover unexpected opportunities for visibility and engagement.
Will AI Change the Real Estate SEO In The Next 18 Months?
The increasing use of AI for content creation raises important considerations for ensuring the accuracy and value of the content produced. While AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can assist in generating initial ideas or outlines, relying solely on them to create entire blog posts or articles can lead to subpar results. Effective content creation involves more than just using AI to generate text; it requires careful editing and a deep understanding of the subject to produce accurate, helpful, and beneficial content.
Many have observed the trend of people leveraging AI to produce large volumes of content, especially for niche websites aimed at affiliate marketing. Such practices often involve generating numerous articles on topics with little genuine expertise, which can lead to poor-quality content. This type of content, produced without thorough editing or real subject knowledge, has faced significant scrutiny from search engines like Google. Websites that generate hundreds of pages daily, often using AI tools, are likely to attract negative attention from Google because of the unnatural volume of content and the lack of expertise.
The focus should be on producing high-quality content that enhances user experience rather than increasing the quantity of content. As AI content becomes more prevalent, it is essential to test and evaluate its effectiveness continuously. Relying on AI alone without proper oversight can lead to penalties from search engines, which constantly evolve to detect and counteract the exploitation of their systems.
Although AI can simplify content creation, it is crucial to ensure that the content is accurate, valuable, and well-edited. This approach aligns with best SEO and content strategy practices, helping maintain the content’s credibility and effectiveness in the long run.
Essential SEO Tips for Real Estate Agents
Getting a mentor sooner rather than later is highly beneficial for advancing in business or SEO. Mentorship provides valuable opportunities to discuss ideas with individuals slightly ahead in their careers, enabling them to learn from their experiences and avoid common pitfalls. For many, having multiple mentors can offer diverse perspectives and insights that significantly enhance career development.
Initially, there might be a delay in discovering the importance of mentorship or knowing how to find one. However, resources are available, such as SCORE.org, which offers free mentoring services. SCORE, a resource supported by the Small Business Administration (SBA), connects individuals with experienced mentors, including retired CEOs, eager to share their knowledge and contribute to the community. With the convenience of virtual meetings, finding a suitable mentor is easier than ever, regardless of location. Engaging with a mentor can be crucial to reaching the next level in one’s business journey and career advancement.
