Want more buyers and sellers from Google without relying on Zillow or Redfin?

Or more leads for listings that support your cold-calling and door-knocking efforts?

Then, become skilled at real estate SEO.

SEO is about ranking your site in search engine results pages (SERPs). This will attract qualified buyers and sellers to your agency.

Just look at Campion & Company, a small real estate agency in Boston. They outrank Zillow for high-value property searches like “Burrage Mansion.”

And that’s just one keyword.

This agency ranks for 19K different search terms on Google—all driving potential buyers directly to their listings.

All thanks to SEO.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to conduct keyword research for high-intent terms, create lead-generating content, and dominate the local SERPs.

But first, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of SEO.

Why Is SEO Important for Real Estate Sites?

Real estate SEO helps your listings show up in search results when people look for homes online.

This includes Google Maps when people search for things like “realtor” in your area.

Why does this matter?

According to a study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 100% of Americans who bought a house in 2024 used the internet to search for a home.

And more than half (52%) of recent buyers found the home they ultimately purchased online.

SEO lets you reach these buyers when they’re actively looking to buy.

But it’s also a cost-effective way of capturing online demand.

For example, the cost-per-click of a Google ad for the keyphrase “real estate companies in West Palm Beach Florida” is $5.67.

But SEO can get your business to appear directly under those ads without spending a dime.

This puts you in direct control of lead generation. Which means no more relying on expensive ads or third-party directory sites.

Sounds ideal, right?

Now that you’ve seen what real estate SEO can do for your business, let’s start with the most important first step:

Conducting a quick technical audit to see if Google can actually find your website.

(Because if it can’t, other SEO strategies don’t matter.)

Step 1: Make Sure Google Can Find Your Property Listings

The best way to check if Google knows your site exists?

The Index Coverage report in Google Search Console.

This will tell you which pages from your site are in Google’s index, which aren’t, and why.

Some red flags to watch out for:

• Your indexed pages WAY outnumber your actual pages (this usually means Google’s finding pages it shouldn’t)
• Google’s only indexed a fraction of your pages (meaning potential clients can’t find most of your listings and services)
• Important pages show up under “Error,’” “Valid with warnings,” or “Excluded”

Not sure why Google isn’t indexing your pages?

The “Why pages aren’t indexed” report is your friend here.

It’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong—like a redirect error or improper canonical tags—and how to fix it.

If you have unindexed pages, you can manually request indexing.

This is super helpful for new listings you want to appear ASAP.

Step 2: Find Keywords That Drive Leads

To increase leads, you need to show up on Google for the terms homebuyers search for in your area.

But it’ll take a strategic plan to beat the big real estate directory sites.

For example, here’s what the search results look like for “Raleigh homes.”

Directory sites dominate the SERPs, including Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin.

This means the chances of ranking on the SERP for that keyword are slim.

But there’s a way around this—long-tail keywords.

Research Valuable Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are highly specific terms that get fewer searches per month and have less competition. These keywords also tend to be longer.

The lower difficulty of these terms makes them easier to rank for on your property pages than broad terms like “raleigh homes.”

The key is finding long-tail keywords that have decent search volume and low difficulty.

Here’s how:

First, make a list of all the neighborhoods where you have property listings.

Then, use a keyword tool like Semrush’s Keyword Magic to research terms.

Enter a neighborhood into the search bar and click “Search.”

The tool will return a list of keywords and important metrics for each one.

This includes:

• Search volume: The average number of monthly searches for a specific keyword in Google
• Keyword difficulty (KD): A score from 0-100 that estimates how hard it would be to rank on the first page of Google for that keyword
• Search intent: The primary purpose or goal behind a user’s search query—informational (learn), commercial (compare/buy), navigational (find site), or transactional (take action)

While the list will typically include some long-tail keywords already, you can add filters to narrow it even further.

Here’s how:

Select the “KD %” filter and type “0-50” in the custom range.

Then, click the “Intent” filter and select “Transactional” and “Commercial.”

Filtering this list for “Commercial” and “Transactional” will limit the list to terms people search when they’re looking to buy a home.

Now, you have a list of long-tail keywords you can use to optimize your property page.

For example, “boylan heights raleigh homes for sale” receives 40 searches a month and has a keyword difficulty score of 3, meaning it should be super easy to rank for.

It also has transactional intent, which tells you these searchers are ready to buy.

Even better?

The SERP for this keyword is a mix of directory sites and local realtors, so you know you’ve got a shot at ranking.

Now that you’ve got your target keywords, it’s time to use them strategically on your property pages.

Step 3: Optimize Your Property Pages for Conversions

Landing qualified leads starts with on-page optimization.

Your title tags, meta descriptions, and page structure tell Google and potential buyers exactly what they’ll find on your site.

Getting these elements right puts you in control of your lead generation.

Optimize Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

These on-page elements tell searchers and search engines what each page on your site is about.

They can also help you get more clicks from the SERPs.

A title tag is the clickable blue text that appears in Google search results.

It should be 50 to 60 characters total since long title tags may be truncated or rewritten by Google.

And it needs to feature your target keyword.

Otherwise, Google might struggle to understand what the page is about—and what searches to rank it for.

Not sure how to write a title tag? Take inspiration from the big directory sites.

Many follow the exact same pattern—”[Place name] Real Estate & Homes For Sale”:

This format is popular because it hits both variations of the typical search people will use to find homes for sale in an area:

• [Place name] houses for sale
• [Place name] real estate

A meta description is a snippet of text that appears under the title tag in the SERPs.

This on-page element tells searchers what the page is about and entices them to click through to read your content.

While meta descriptions don’t directly impact where a page ranks in Google, it’s still helpful to include your target keyword in them.

Doing this reinforces what the page is about when readers are scanning the search results.

And can drive more clicks to your site.

Keep your meta description under 155 characters to prevent it from getting cut off.

Add Page Headings

A H1 tag is the headline or title of a webpage.

It should describe the page’s contents and include the main keyword.

It doesn’t have to be the exact keyphrase—you can use a variation of your target keyword in your H1 like We Know Boise Real Estate did.

H2s are the main subheadings that go underneath your H1 to organize your content and make it easy for readers to find what they’re looking for.

Include the location name in some of your page’s H2’s as well:

This makes it crystal clear to search engines exactly what this page is about, which increases your chances of ranking.

Just ensure your page headings read naturally and avoid keyword stuffing.

Include Internal Links

Internal linking connects your location pages together, helping you rank higher in search results.

It also keeps website visitors engaged longer as they explore other pages on your site.

For example, We Know Boise’s Barber Valley page includes hyperlinks to every other neighborhood in East Boise:

When you click a neighborhood, it takes you to a dedicated page on We Know Boise’s site for that location.

This lets Google understand the relationship between these pages on your site.

Which will help you rank for your target keywords—and ultimately land more leads.

Create Detailed Listing Pages That Convert Browsers into Buyers

The more information you provide on your property pages, the more likely visitors are to book a viewing.

It also helps with lead qualification, as they’ll know upfront if the listing is likely to be a fit.

Include:

• A detailed description of the property
• A description of the local amenities
• High-quality images of the entire property
• A map showing the property’s location

Look at the big directory sites for inspiration when creating your listings.

For example, Trulia includes high-quality images and essential information like address and price prominently at the top of the listing.

They follow this up with a “Local Information” section that includes a map, description of the area, and information on local restaurants, shopping, and schools.

Next, comes the “Home Highlights” at a glance, such as the HOA fee, price per square foot, and how long the property has been listed.

Then, an expandable drop-down menu with even more details like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and more:

Trulia also showcases what locals say about the area to give prospective buyers an inside look into the area:

Notably, they also include an interactive mortgage calculator set to the home’s listed price.

Doing something similar will help you get more leads from your property pages.

Step 4: Dominate Local Search Results with Your Google Business Profile

Search “[your location] real estate agents” in Google.

The top organic result is almost certain to be a Google Local Pack—a SERP feature that appears for location-specific searches—featuring three local realtors:

It goes without saying that you should prioritize landing in one of those three spots through your real estate SEO strategy.

This is especially vital for a local realtor since the rest of the organic results are likely to be dominated by directory sites:

Here’s how to optimize your site to appear in the Local Pack for your area:

Create a Google Business Profile

First things first: Create a Google Business Profile (if you haven’t already).

Here’s how:

1. Sign into a Google account (if you’re not already logged into one)
2. Head to the Google Business Profile Manager and click the “Manage now” button
3. Enter your business name, category, location, and contact information
4. Verify your business by the method offered to you by Google (usually by a phone call or a postcard sent to your business’s address)

Fill Out and Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Once your Google Business Profile is verified, fill it out with as much information as possible—including all the areas you have listings:

Add plenty of high-quality photos of your team, current listings, and properties sold.

Do this regularly to show Google you’re a legitimate business worthy of ranking at the top of the Local Pack.

Plus, it’ll help sell your company to potential clients—and agents who might be looking for a new agency.

You also have the option of writing a brief description of your business, which will appear under the heading “From [your business’s name]’:

Include target keywords in this section.

Things like:

• [Your area] real estate
• [Your area] homes for sale
• [Your area] real estate agent
• [Your area] realtor

Encourage and Respond to Customer Reviews

It’s good practice to ask all your customers to leave you a review on Google.

After all, 35% of people say a real estate agent’s reputation is the most important factor when they’re choosing a realtor to sell their home, according to NAR’s study.

Plus, the more positive reviews you receive on Google, the more likely you are to appear in the Local Pack for relevant searches.

Your business’s overall rating and review highlights will appear on your Google Business listing:

As a best practice, respond to every review you receive on Google.

This includes the positive ones:

And the not-so-positive ones:

This will show potential clients that you care what people have to say about your business and respond to their feedback.

It’s also another signal to Google that you’re a well-run business that deserves to sit at the top of its local results.

Get as Many NAP Citations as You Can

NAP (name, address, and phone number) citations are a huge deal when it comes to local SEO.

The more websites that list your company’s NAP correctly, the more confident Google is that those details are correct—and that you’re a legitimate business worth sending searchers to.

But manually adding and updating citations isn’t a good use of anyone’s time.

Instead, use a tool like Semrush’s Listing Management, which automates the process.

By connecting your Google Business Profile, the tool will automatically distribute your details to vital directories for your industry.

Search your business to find out how many correct NAP citations it has online:

The tool will show you where your NAP details are listed incorrectly—or not at all to help you improve and expand your presence.

Use Google Posts to Advertise Property Listings

Google Posts are updates that appear at the bottom of your Google Business Profile.

They’re the perfect place for you to advertise your latest listings.

Plus, Google is less likely to display your Business Profile at the top of local search results if it’s inactive. Which means making a Google Post about each of your new listings will help you rank in the Local Pack.

Create a Google Post by clicking “Add update” in your dashboard:

Step 5: Start a Blog to Establish Your Agency as an Industry Leader

Rank for more keywords and strengthen your site’s authority by creating a blog.

Write High-Quality Blog Content

Blog content can drive highly relevant traffic to your site.

The key is finding topics homebuyers are actively searching for online.

Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool is great for this purpose.

Here’s how it works:

Search for your service area in the tool, such as “Cambridge MA.”

You’ll see an Overview report with keyword data.

Click “View all keywords” under the “Questions” report.

Now, you’ll see a list of questions people ask Google about this area.

Including the search volume for each term, intent, and keyword difficulty.

Review the list to find questions that would make great blog post topics.

Ensure they’re relevant and aim for low difficulty and moderate search volume.

For example, “What is there to do in cambridge ma” gets 320 searches per month and has a low keyword difficulty score of 20.

This means it should be fairly easy to rank for, which is especially important if you have a new site or one that lacks authority.

Create Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood guides are a tried-and-true way to rank in the SERPs. (Note: these can work well as site pages or blog content.)

For example, Trulia created a neighborhood guide for every neighborhood where they have listings.

That subfolder drives 611.2K visits to the Trulia site each month.

And it has 11K backlinks:

These pages work.

And your content marketing strategy should revolve around them.

But how can you compete with Trulia, Zillow, and Redfin’s neighborhood pages?

With high-quality, comprehensive content that highlights your local expertise.

For example, New Orleans real estate agency Crescent City Living has a neighborhood guide that outranks all the directory sites for “Seventh Ward New Orleans”:

How’d they do it?

Well, compare Crescent City Living’s guide to Trulia’s, and you’ll see significant differences:

Crescent Living’s page was clearly written by someone who knows the area.

It describes Seventh Ward’s colorful Creole cottages and beloved Marching 100 band.

Trulia’s page, on the other hand, is a programmatically generated list of stats.

Which site would you trust to give you the best information about the neighborhood?

Step 6: Track Your Success with Key Performance Metrics

There are literally hundreds of SEO metrics you could track.

And while you’ll want to keep an eye on traffic, rankings, time on page, and more, inquiries and leads are what really matter.

Use Google Analytics (GA4) to see how many site visitors complete a “Key event” on your site.

This could be filling out a form or requesting a property viewing.

Ready to Launch Your Real Estate SEO Strategy?

Optimizing your real estate site can bring in leads year-round.

It can also help you compete with the likes of Zillow and Redfin in the SERPs.

While understanding SEO is half the battle, having the right tools makes implementation faster and more effective.

Check out our guide to the 5 Best Local SEO Tools to secure your spot in Google’s Map Pack and outrank local realtors.