Increase your SEO: Keywords, Hashtags, and Best Practices

If you want your business to be found on the web, SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization is the key. That goes for your listings, your website, your blog, and even your social media accounts.

But what is SEO? How does it apply to real estate marketing? And how do you leverage it if you’re not well-versed in the practice?

This Guide can help you get started. Here’s what you need to know about basic SEO — and how to start using it in your real estate business:

1. Hone your keywords

Go to Google’s Keyword Planner, and hit “Discover Keywords.” From there, you can type in words and phrases related to your business — maybe your city, county, school district, or the type of real estate you specialize in — and get recommendations for highly searched keywords.

Once you have a good list of SEO keywords, start using these in all your online content. They should be worked into your website’s copy (plus its URL structure, meta description, and titles), your blog posts, your social media posts, and even your real estate listings and marketing websites. Just make sure you’re not using them willy-nilly. The content needs to be readable, high-quality, and informative. (Spammy, keyword-stuffed content will actually hurt your SEO rankings).

2. Find your hashtags

Hashtags are like keywords for social media. Users can click on them, and see hundreds, sometimes thousands, of posts related to that tag in just a matter of seconds. On TikTok, for example, videos with the tag #realestatemiami have racked up more than 3.2 million views. Hop on your favorite platforms and do some digging. You can also look at what tags competitors are using and leverage those as a starting point.

3. Be a content creator

The more content you create, the more opportunities there are to work in those SEO keywords — and for Google to notice you. So, make it a point to post new content at least a few times a week. This can include a new post on your real estate website blog, a reel or video on TikTok (with the right hashtags), or a post on Facebook or Twitter. 

4. Get in on others’ content

Becoming a respected authority on the keywords you’re targeting can help in your real estate SEO efforts, too. To show you’re an expert in your field, participate in industry conversations — on Twitter, on Facebook, and even in podcasts and YouTube videos. You can also get on platforms like Qwoted and HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to connect with potential news and publishing opportunities. 

Get More Help Generating Business

Real estate SEO isn’t the only way to drum up more business. Partnering with a good mortgage lender can help, too. Get in touch with an Embrace Home Loans office in your area to connect with an experienced LO today.