Building Online Visibility By Utilizing Local SEO For Real Estate Businesses

In the UAE, an estimated 9.46 million internet users accessed the web in January 2024, according to DataReportal. Compared to the country’s population of 9.51 million, this statistic highlights how huge a digital market can be, mandating targeted marketing efforts to reach potential customers.

Luckily, establishing a solid online presence in a market can be achieved using local SEO. This blog attempts to cover all you need to know, such as what, why, and how you can utilize local SEO for real estate businesses.

SEO, short for search engine optimization, is a process aiming to improve a website’s online visibility. This allows it to rank higher in search engine result pages, also known as SERPs, when searching for specific terms. SEO includes various tactics and actions that can be implemented in the website to suit users’ needs best.

Ok. So, What Is Local SEO?

The term local SEO refers to the same optimization process but with a small twist. This time, the strategies focus on tailoring the website to target a specific geographical area. Local SEO is crucial for businesses offering services in particular regions, which is what most real estate professionals look for. It allows them to reach individuals within a predetermined target location accurately.

Does Local SEO For Real Estate Really Work?

To answer the question briefly: it works when applied correctly. Being a leading digital marketing agency in Dubai, we have utilized local SEO for real estate agencies in the region. In general, we achieved significant results, especially when combined with other complementary means, such as conversion rate optimization.

What Is the Best Strategy for Local SEO?

While there’s no ‘One Ultimate Strategy’ to go with, there’s a set of proven ones that are utilized by experts in the field. These strategies include on-page SEO and off-page SEO practices with a focus on providing the best results and the highest ROI. To ensure the best results, real estate agents need to research, test, and then concentrate their efforts on ones that work the best for their target market.

As we have mentioned, human beings are becoming more reliant on the digital landscape to get matters done. Advancing in time only emphasizes how important digital marketing has become and how it’s gaining a larger share of the business world every day.

Utilizing local SEO for real estate promises to solve many challenges that emerged with such digital transformation, including:

1- Generating New Leads

During the past couple of decades, finding new customers using old-fashioned marketing methods has only become more difficult by the day. Local SEO, specifically, helps attract potential customers in targeted areas by increasing the business’ online visibility.

2- Networking with Colleagues

Building and maintaining professional relationships is essential in various fields of business, including real estate. Local SEO not only strengthens your online presence but also makes it easier for you to connect with other real estate investors, growing and maintaining a solid business network.

3- Adapting to Technological Changes

With the rapid evolution of the digital market, it is critical for local business owners to adapt to the continuous shifts and ever-changing user behaviors. Staying up-to-date with the latest local SEO practices ensures your website stays current, relevant, and accessible to your target market.

Standing out and establishing your presence in a competitive market such as real estate requires a lot more than sticking to old marketing trends.

The following section of our guide delves into a set of strategies that complement each other, promising the best results and the highest ROI for your business. These strategies focus on enhancing your online presence, attracting more local clients, and putting your business in a strong position to compete and succeed.

On-page Optimization Strategies

1- Researching Location-Specific Keywords

As you already know, keywords are the base for any robust on-page search engine optimization process. First, make sure you’ve spent enough time researching keywords with the highest search volume and lowest competition. Since we’re optimizing for a real estate business, we’ll target the business’ area of service.

Long-tail keywords– which refer to keywords containing more than two words– work best with local SEO for real estate businesses. “Condos for Sale in Dubai” is an example of a long-tail keyword that real estate agents in Dubai could use. Such keywords usually have low competition and high search volume, making them the ultimate key to online visibility.

You’ll have to research three different types of keywords for optimal results. The first is the primary keyword, which will be the main focus that users search for. The second is secondary keywords, which support the primary keyword and add search relevance. Last but not least are LSI keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing), which are contextual terms for semantic understanding. Online tools such as Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs help you with this by providing lists of keywords according to search volume and difficulty.

2- Relying on Valuable Content

Crafting high-quality content tailored to the local audience is essential for building trust and driving traffic. Blog posts about local events, real estate market trends, and neighborhood guides are great starting points. These pieces of content not only provide value to potential clients but also position your business as a trusted local expert in the real estate market.

Incorporate detailed descriptions, images, and videos that highlight the unique aspects of the neighborhoods you serve. By answering common questions and addressing concerns specific to the area, you’ll naturally attract consistent local traffic.

Pair your high-quality content with seasonal updates to keep your content fresh and informative. Such valuable content enhances your site’s authority and strengthens your local SEO efforts, helping your pages rank higher on search engines.

3- Optimizing Your Pages

For each page, include the primary keyword in your title tags, meta description, and headings across the page. Distribute your keywords evenly across the web page as you add secondary keywords and LSI keywords. Additionally, adding local keywords to your page’s slug helps boost your page on search engine result pages, also known as SERPs, in that location.

Alt tags are also a great place to include your primary keyword (ex: Condos for Sale in Dubai). Ensure your image file names follow a uniform naming pattern, describing what the picture is and including a keyword if possible. This helps search engines understand your page and its purpose better. Such strategies can boost your real estate business website’s rankings to the top results on SERPs.

Off-page Optimization Strategies

1- Optimizing Your Business Profile

Optimizing your business profile is the cornerstone of off-page SEO for real estate businesses. The Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business) is an essential tool for enhancing your local visibility. By setting up and maintaining an accurate and up-to-date Google profile, your business can appear on Google Maps and local search results.

Ensure your Google Business listing includes precise contact details, business hours, and high-quality images. Use location-specific keywords in your business description to improve your chances of ranking higher in local search results. Additionally, encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on your profile, as reviews play a critical role in establishing credibility and boosting local SEO rankings.

2- Acquiring High-quality Backlinks

High-quality backlinks are essential for building authority and improving your real estate website’s rankings. Links from credible sources such as housing blogs, industry publications, or local news websites signal search engines that your site is trustworthy.

Guest posting is one of the most effective ways to secure valuable backlinks. By contributing well-researched and user-oriented articles to established real estate platforms, you can earn links that enhance your site’s credibility.

Another key aspect is watching for broken links on your website. Such links harm both your SEO score and user experience, so identifying and replacing them with updated pages or redirects ensures your site remains functional and user-friendly.

3- Benefiting the Power of Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool that complements your SEO efforts while expanding your brand’s reach. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow you to connect with potential clients and build a loyal local following.

Running targeted Meta ads is another effective way to drive local traffic to your website. These ads allow you to zero in on your desired audience, such as potential buyers in specific neighborhoods. Additionally, regularly posting market updates, success stories, and client testimonials keeps your audience informed and engaged.