Have you built an online presence? Do you have a website that tenants can visit and check for available properties? No landlord should ignore SEO these days. Now that people use their digital devices to look for houses to rent, SEO must be at the top of your list of digital marketing strategies.

Imagine what it would mean if, after prospective tenants type in certain keywords, they find you high above the first page of Google. That’s right - more sales. Showing up successfully in search engines requires more than just keyword optimization (though it matters). It requires careful planning and execution of up-to-date methods.

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What is SEO? What is Real Estate SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. People new to online business are aware that SEO is important in the online marketing world. They just don’t understand what it means and how exactly it can help them. SEO encompasses techniques that boost your visibility. When you’re visible, it’s easier to take people to your website and generate sales.

Real estate SEO is simply the use of SEO strategies specific to real estate. They slightly vary from typical SEO, though the basic principles are essentially the same.

1. Get listed in online directories.

Since your goal is to capture the attention of as many tenants as possible, make sure you list your property in real estate agent directories or listing sites. These websites have a lot of visitors. Being there increases your chances of driving traffic to your site as well.

Consider the following online real estate directories:

• Zillow
• Owners.com
• Oodle
• Zumper
• Regrid.us
• Homes.com

Update your listings. Add your business name, clear and high-quality property photos, and an updated address and phone number.

2. Choose a domain name that reflects your rental property business.

Picking a domain name takes time as you need to be sure of it. What’s the perfect domain name for your website? Your domain name of choice should reflect your identity on the web. Keep it short, memorable, and easy to spell out. If you plan to use keywords in your domain, include your city (for rental properties in one city). A domain name extension of .com would be the most appropriate.

3. Research and optimize for local keywords.

Keyword research in real estate SEO should aim at local terms. As a landlord who markets rentals in a specific location, you need to target those locations. At the same time, research what potential tenants usually type into search engines.

There are useful keyword research tools that will get you started. Great options include Google Keyword Planner, Moz Keyword Explorer, and KWFinder. Target low-competition keywords with a good search volume.

4. Engage visitors with compelling blog content.

The reason why you need keywords is that they serve as the foundation for useful blog content. Your blog section should contain posts that relate to your rental business. Tackle topics that your target audience finds valuable and can apply during their rental period.

For example, you could write about:

• How to be a good roommate
• Ways to reduce waste
• Creative apartment storage solutions
• The best places to shop in your city
• Natural cleaning products for apartments

Tenants find these topics meaningful, and following your blog tips will surely make their stay worthwhile and enjoyable.

5. Build good backlinks.

Link building. It’s an important skill in SEO. Links are like votes. The more quality links that point to your apartment rental website, the more chances for it to rank. A good backlink comes from other websites with high domain authority scores (DA). You can easily check a site’s DA using Moz’s Open Site Explorer tool.

How to get good backlinks? Write guest posts on other sites. Don’t overlook sites that lack a “write for us” section. It pays to email the site owner and ask for a guest post opportunity. Writing useful and compelling blog content also attracts links.

6. Be active on social media.

Though social media is not SEO, it works closely with SEO. The efforts you spend into sharing your blog posts and listings on Facebook and other platforms attract prospective tenants to your website. Social media is also a potential to acquire more natural links. It boosts brand awareness and enhances branded searches.

SEO is here to stay. If you’re not using it now, hopefully, this article has offered you points to seriously think about.

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