SEO Tips to Drive Organic Traffic to Houston Real Estate Site

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Houston's housing market is thriving. Don't just take our word for it.
As reported in the Community Impact Newspaper, Richard Miranda, chairman of Houston Association of Realtors, said, "The Houston housing market continues to show strength as we enter the fall season, which is traditionally the time of year the market slows." Indicating that realtors must continue their marketing efforts.
The best way to promote your real estate site is using SEO because 44% of buyers first search online for their housing queries. So, let's dive in.

10 SEO Tips to Promote Your Houston Real Estate Site

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1. Search for Area Specific Keywords

A strong SEO strategy depends on keywords. Therefore, for real estate, area-specific keywords are beneficial and perform better.
Let's say you have multiple listings in Houston's family-friendly neighborhood of Kingwood. Creating blog content around your Kingwood listings would show up in local SEO searches as well as broader searches such as 'Houston family homes.'
To find appropriate keywords, use the free keyword tool by WordStream. Input the location and industry along with a keyword to find the best keyword phrases.
Using the example above, we typed 'Kingwood listing' into WordStream's tool, and it curated eight keyword results; here are some suggested keywords:

• Kingwood homes for sale,
• Kingwood homes for sale with pool,
• Kingwood New homes.

Implementing these keywords into your website's listing/blogs will get more organic traffic.

2. Audit Your Site

Find out where your real estate website stands with an SEO audit.
This process gives you insight into:

• Which pages are ranking well on search engines?
• Whether particular Houston-specific keywords require more content.
• Who is your demographic - is it young families, working individuals, etc.
• Are all your pages indexed?

Once you've conducted this audit and corrected these issues, your website will slowly rank higher and gain more leads that hopefully convert into customers.
If you don't want to hire an SEO specialist for this audit, you can use Google Search Console and Google Analytics, two easy-to-use SEO platforms that can assist you. Whether you want to inspect a URL or investigate indexing issues, you can do it with these SEO platforms.
You can also use third party tools like SEMRush to audit your website. Here is a screenshot of a website audit.

3. Optimize For Mobile

According to Statista, from 2017 to 2021, mobile searches have been increasing, and currently, 54.8% of global web traffic comes from mobiles.
Therefore, you must optimize your real estate website for mobile. Whether you're putting up Nassau Bay listings or content about the best Houston neighborhoods to live in, users must be able to view it on their hand-held devices.
Additionally, back in 2018, Google announced mobile-first indexing, meaning that it would index mobile-optimized websites and give them a slight boost in ranking.
To optimize for mobile, have your developers work on:

• Hosting speed
• Responsive design
• Page Speed
• Site Navigation etc.

Test your optimized site using the 'Device Mode' option in Google Chrome Developer - see how responsive your design is using its simulated mobile device feature.

4. Add More Video Content

According to Optinmonster, 84% of people say they've been convinced to buy a product/service by watching a video. The same article states that 87% of video marketers say video has increased traffic to their website. These two reasons alone should entice you to add more video content to your website.
But here's one more - virtual walk-throughs.
Open houses are still the best way to convert leads into sales because prospective buyers can visualize themselves in the house. That's where video content, specifically virtual tours, live stream videos, short walk-through videos, etc., comes in handy.
Video content ranks higher on search engines, and they attract potential buyers who want to get a better feel for the listing before visiting it.
For eg. Take a look at the videos created by Hubspot.

5. Create a Social Media Presence

Social Media doesn't directly impact your website rankings, but it does appear in brand names searches, and a strong social media presence garners brand authority, awareness, and trust.
Think of your social media platforms as an avenue to share your content - from blogs to listings to walk-throughs videos. Social media is also an excellent way to reach out and connect with clients to create lasting relationships.
There is a lot of competition on social media platforms, so when publishing content for your Houston-based agency, use local hashtags specific to your demographic and content. Additionally, geotag your posts so they show up in local searches.
For eg. You can check our Pinterest page here

6. Include Structured Data Markup

Google has changed the way results show up; it's no longer just a list of websites ranked from relevant to least relevant. Nowadays, search-specific results appear in a snippet or widget format above or next to the ranking list.
For example, a search for things to do in Houston' brings up an eye-catching widget with information about the district, zip code, restaurants, things to do, etc. - this is thanks to structured data markup or schema.
Implement schema into your real estate site by adding contact details: opening hours, contact details, etc. Secondly, markup your individual property listings as well.
That way, each will show up as a separate snippet to the relevant search query. If you're not an expert on technical SEO, we suggest hiring someone to do this critical step for your website.

7. Maintain Consistent NAP Details

Ensure that your NAP details (name, address, phone number) remain consistent on all your web pages. If you've changed offices or phone numbers, you must update your NAP.
NAP is used for local listings, directories, and citations that help with company visibility. Also, from a user perspective, they need to call/visit your office, so make sure that your contact details are correct and consistent.
For eg. Greenwood king properties is having the same NAP details in Google My business & in their Har profile.

Additionally, use your state, city, and town names in all your website's content, from title tags, meta descriptions to blog content. This, along with local schema, will make your site more index-friendly for search engine bots.
Extra tip - create an XML sitemap for all your Houston listings to take advantage of the power of technical SEO. Sitemaps help bots understand and index a page's content, therefore including it in more SERPs.
You can use XML sitemaps to generate your sitemap.

8. Perform In-depth Competitor Analysis

When it comes to website rankings and traffic, it's about overtaking your competitors. To do this, research what your competitors are doing and implement some of those strategies into your SEO efforts.
For example, after conducting competitor analysis, you could find that their blogs about Houston's school district perform better than your working-professionals listings. Simple insights like this can indicate where you need to improve your SEO and content strategy.
Luckily, you don't have to make one of your agents do the research; use SEO tools like SEMrush, BuzzSumo, Ahrefs, etc., to gain critical insights into their strategy. These tools produce reports on:

• their pages with most views,
• Traffic sources
• Content gap,
• Demographic information
• Keyword performance, etc.

Here is a screenshot of competitor analysis done on SEMRush.com

9. Publish Local Blog Content

One of the biggest mistakes a real estate website can make is not having local blog content. Houston real estate agencies should curate blog content based on user search intent.
Get specific about what will entice potential buyers who want to live in Houston. Your blogs must be relevant, informational, and engage with your buyers at various points of their customer life cycle.
Here are some local blog topics for a Houston real estate agency:

• Top 10 plumbers in Midtown
• Best farmers markets around Downtown Houston
• Top parks for kids and parents living in Montrose
• Apartments vs. homes for single parents living in Houston

For eg. Check this real estate news section from Houston properties.
Hiring a digital marketing agency will help you with blog and content curation. Plus, using SEO best practices, these blogs will drive more organic traffic to your website.

10. Embed Mortgage Calculator Tool

Buying homes and mortgages go hand in hand, which is why when users come to your website, they should have access to a calculator to find out their mortgage.
According to a real estate SEO article on conductor.com, 'This type of helpful content (mortgage calculator) is in high demand, with the highest search volume in the entire vertical (with four dedicated calculators in the top ten alone).'
Installing this tool on your website will attract organic traffic from all areas, not just Houston. Plus, it's a useful tool for your existing buyers who want to calculate the mortgage based on one of your listings.
Hire a developer to make a special personalized calculator for your site or opt for Mlcalc.com's free mortgage calculator widget that can be copy-pasted into your page's code.
Take a look at this attractive mortgage calculator design from Bankrate.

Three Bonus Tips

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I. Gain High-quality Links With Citations

• Zillow is the most widely used US-based real estate marketplace company that allows users to browse millions of listings and compare properties to find their dream space.
• Realtor is a real estate listings website where buyers can find properties to own or rent, get property records, research mortgages, take virtual tours, and more.
• Trulia is a subsidiary of Zillow. An American real estate marketplace platform for listings and rental properties with a strong focus on neighborhood and school information.
• Redfin, this Seattle-based real estate brokerage company, allows users to search for listings, tour homes, and offers using their local agents.
• Homes.com, this residential-specific real estate portal, connects buyers, renters, and owners with services and tools to find, rent or sell their homes.
• Point2homes - Find homes or commercial spaces to rent or own with this Canada-founded real estate listings company. They also offer real estate tools and adverts for professionals.
• Movoto, where users can search for properties or connect with an agent to find their dream space. Using AI technology, Movoto helps support clients on their buying journey.
• Century21 was founded in 1971 and is an American real estate agent franchise with offices in 86 countries. Here, users can find properties and agents for all their needs worldwide.
• Remax, short for Real Estate Maximum, is a company with a network of 8000+ franchisee-owned offices worldwide. Find a listing, sell properties or connect to an agent - It's all possible at ReMax
• Har.com is a Texas-based, award-winning residential property search website. Har has the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on Texas properties. Find, sell or rent properties in the Texas area using HAR's database.

II. Gain Links from Houston Real Estate Directories

Here Are Some Houston Based Real Estate Directories to Consider

• Har.com - This Texas-based real estate listing company currently has over 162K+ properties for sale and lease. Plus, they have 55k realtors and agencies associated with them.
• Real Estate Agent - Since 2003, this company has been connecting agents with homeowners and buyers. Find an agent, sell a home, or find a property listing using this platform's comprehensive directory.
• Houston Real Estate Council - HREC is an organization that overlooks policies, real estate investment, and development in Houston. Apart from being change-makers, members get listed in their exclusive real estate agency/agent directory.
• Houston Lgbt Chamber - The Houston LGBT Chamber is dedicated to promoting and supporting economic opportunities for the LGTBQ+ community - this includes the real estate industry. Plus, they have an agency/agent directory.
• Bigger Pockets - Focuses on real estate investing and connects newbies, agents, and buyers to the investing world. Their platform has an agent/agency directory.
• Texas Real Estate - is a state-level association that advocates for realtors and property rights, and more. Being a member gives you many perks, including being part of an exclusive Texas-centric directory.

III. Create a Blog Content Strategy

Here Are Some of the Top Houston-based Real Estate Blogs to Follow

• Houston Properties has sold over $1 billion of Houston homes and knows the ins and out of the industry. This expertise reflects in their blogs that help people on their buying/renting journey.
• The Loken Group - The award-winning team of specialists supports and serves real estate buyers, sellers, and investors. Their blogs include relevant topics for agencies, agents, and clients.
• Signature Real Estate - This locally-owned agency has a blog that touches on many Houston community-specific topics. Their focus is on quality vs. quantity content, and their curated blog reflects that sentiment.
• Fine Homes Houston is part of the Zoller Group, an agency with over 17 years of experience working in Houston. Their active blog has content for homeowners, fellow realtors, renters, etc.
• Heights Blog - Houston Heights is a popular neighborhood in Houston and has a blog. Here, users can find any event, community update, or information about this area.
• Midtown Houston - Midtown Houston's blog comprises content specific to this thriving and vibrant neighborhood. They constantly update this with events, information, community features, etc.
• Houston Chronicle - Founded in 1901, Houston Chronicle is one of the largest newspapers in the U.S. They have a real estate section that is full of trusted content related to the industry.

Key Takeaways for Real Estate SEO

Search engine optimization is a must for any company, especially those wanting to grow its online presence. Even Houston's real estate, a competitive industry, can grow and make strides with the right local SEO strategy. Starting with the ten tips, we discussed, your real estate agency can cut through the noise and gain traffic organically.
Grow and become a significant player among your peers by hiring a digital marketing agency, who can implement a real estate SEO strategy keeping in mind your property listings, buyer reviews, website optimization, competitors, and company goals.
Bookmark this page and keep coming back for more SEO-related content!