Engaging brokerage clients through SEO and content creation

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In today’s real estate market, the dominance of national companies like Zillow and Homes.com makes it challenging for regional brokerages to rank for broad keyword terms like “homes for sale in [City].”

To compete effectively, it’s essential to shift the focus toward content creation that educates, informs and entertains potential clients before they even know where they will be moving or searching for a home.

The strategy will become even more powerful when replicated into other major markets that have highly competitive education and large companies with an international presence, including ideally New York City; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; and San Francisco.

How creating unique content for a real estate website helps increase organic search traffic, total impressions and average keyword position 

Challenges

1. Broad keywords saturation: National real estate companies hold dominant positions for broad keyword terms.
2. Limited regional reach: Regional brokerages have a smaller market footprint compared to national companies.
3. Uncertainty of relocation needs: Engaging future clients who aren’t yet certain where they will move can be difficult.

Where is your next buyer from?

Your next client is probably not even from the area, so create a content strategy that will focus on what information someone moving into the area may research before they start looking for real estate.

Solution: Unique and engaging content strategy

To capture an audience early, the strategy will focus on two key areas: education and companies/jobs. By providing valuable insights related to schools and business opportunities, we can build brand awareness and trust, engaging future clients well before they decide on a specific location.

As the unique content starts to rank with the search engines, it will also help boost the real estate-specific content that can help attract a wider audience.

Section 1: Education-focused content

Objective: Attract families by offering valuable information on educational options, particularly for those prioritizing good school districts.

Content themes:

1. School district guides:

• Create comprehensive guides detailing various school districts, including rankings, special programs, and facilities
• Highlight lists like “Top 5 School Districts in [City/Suburb] for Families” 
• The School district guides will be linked to a saved search that contains the homes for sale within the attendance boundaries of those schools

2. Gifted and honors programs:

• Write about specific schools known for their gifted and honors programs
• Showcase success stories and highlight the admissions process for specialized programs

3. Bilingual education and language immersion schools:

• Offer guides on bilingual programs available across districts, focusing on Spanish, French, German or other immersion schools
• Interview parents or school administrators to provide insights into these unique programs

4. Extracurricular activities and sports:

• Create articles detailing schools with standout extracurriculars and athletic programs
• Testing prep
• Types of testing to help prepare the parents and caregivers

Content types and formats:

Blog posts and articles:

• Detailed guides, parent testimonials, school program comparisons

Videos and webinars:

• Virtual tours of top schools, Q&A sessions with school principals

Infographics:

• Visual comparison of school districts and educational programs

SEO keywords and queries:

• “Best school districts in [City]”
• “Gifted programs in [City]”
• “Top bilingual schools in [City]”

Section 2: Companies and jobs-focused content

Objective: Engage potential clients by offering valuable insights into job markets and business opportunities in different cities. This will also increase exposure to large companies that may use our relocation services to help buy/sell.

Content Themes:

1. Job market insights:

• Create market overviews highlighting top industries, employment trends and growth opportunities
• Develop city-specific guides like “Job Market Insights for [City]” or “Top Employers in [City]”

2. Relocation guides:

• Provide detailed relocation guides including housing, job market insights and living costs
• Incorporate specific employer programs and incentives

3. Top companies lists:

• Develop comprehensive lists of the top companies in various markets (e.g., “Top 10 Tech Companies Hiring in [City]”)
• Interview recruiters or HR representatives for exclusive advice

4. Spouse/significant other employment opportunities:

• Create guides for spouses relocating with their partners, including job-search strategies and companies with dual-career programs

Content types and formats:

Blog posts and articles:

• Job market trends, company profiles, relocation strategies

Videos and podcasts:

• Interviews with recruiters, webinars on job search strategies

Infographics:

• Visual insights into job growth trends, salary comparisons across industries

SEO keywords and queries:

• “Job market insights in [City]”
• “Top companies in [City]”
• “Relocating to [City] for work”

Implementation plan

1. Content calendar:

• Develop a 12-month calendar, balancing educational and job-focused content (all linked to real estate content)
• Schedule blog posts, videos, and infographics at regular intervals

2. Keyword research and optimization:

• Identify long-tail keywords for each theme
• Optimize content for search queries related to schools, job markets, and companies
• It’s important to remember that we are NOT keyword chasers

3. Distribution and promotion:

• Share content on social media platforms, real estate forums and LinkedIn
• Partner with local school districts, businesses and relocation services to distribute content
• Use email marketing to target families and professionals

4. Engagement metrics:

• Monitor engagement metrics like time on page, bounce rate and click-through rates
• Track lead generation through landing pages and downloadable guides

5. Continuous improvement: 

• Regularly analyze metrics to refine and adjust content strategy
• Gather feedback through surveys and comments to tailor future content

While national real estate companies dominate broad keyword searches, a regional brokerage can capture an audience by offering unique, engaging, and highly specific content focused on education and job markets. By becoming a trusted resource for families and professionals, the brokerage can build brand awareness, create lasting relationships, and ultimately convert future clients.