How to boost Google Business Profile for real estate agents

Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business, is a powerful asset for real estate agents. Renters, buyers, and landlords typically take to mobile devices to find the best real estate agents in the area.And with a 92.63% search engine market share, it’s Google’s local search results they usually turn to for answers. Building strong foundations on your Google Business Profile can place your real estate business at the top of the pack for these searches. And all it takes is a basic understanding of the key ranking factors and the right local SEO tools. 

What is Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free platform that allows real estate businesses to manage their local presence. When people search for real estate agents in your area via Google, one of the first things they'll see is the top-ranking GBPs. Essentially, your GBP serves as a digital estate agency window, providing essential information about your business. Real estate agents can present their services, showcase properties, and directly engage with potential clients via GBP.

Google Business Profiles for real estate agents in Rockford, Illinois

Google Business Profile empowers real estate agents to attract local interest in their property services without the advertising investment. If done right, you’ll soon become the go-to real estate agent in your area and leave your rivals out in the cold.

Why is Google Business Profile so valuable for real estate agents?

A well-optimized GBP can significantly benefit real estate agents looking to expand their reach.By ranking well in local search, you’ll catch the eye of potential clients and establish market credibility. Features like reviews, messaging, and Q&A enable better client interaction, allowing you to address queries promptly and establish rapport.

A Google Business Profile for a real estate agent in Rockford

Search engine results pages are digital real estate you need to be “buying up” with consistent local marketing. Sleeping on your GBP leaves room for competitors to take the lead and cash in on high-value prospects.

How to optimize Google Business Profile for real estate agents, step-by-step

Real estate consultants and agents can benefit from optimizing their Google Business Profiles. And it doesn’t take a marketing degree to do it properly. First, claim your profile or create a new one if one doesn't already exist. To create a Google Business Profile from scratch, visit the GBP homepage and follow the steps to set  up your profile.

A mockup of the first screen to set up your Google Business Profile

Once your real estate agency’s Google Business Profile is up and running, it’s time to optimize it. Ensure your profile contains accurate and up-to-date information, including:
 

• Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP)
• Website URL
• Operating hours
• A brief yet informative description of your real estate services
   

Use your full address, including suite number, and move the pin to the exact location if it isn’t accurate. If you don’t have a location that clients can visit, include your service areas. Next, choose the best business category for your real estate agency. Look at what your direct competitors are using before you decide. You can add more secondary categories from the list:

• Commercial real estate agency
• Industrial real estate agency
• Real estate agency
• Real estate agent
• Real estate rental agency
• Real estate developer
• Real estate auctioneer

Add high-resolution images and videos showcasing your properties, office, team, and past successful deals. Visual content helps attract potential clients and gives them a glimpse of what you offer. Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on your profile. Respond promptly and professionally to both positive and negative reviews to show you listen to client feedback.

Take advantage of additional features such as posts, which allow you to share updates, events, and property listings.
 Use messaging to communicate with clients efficiently. You can also preempt a lot of queries in the Q&A section by adding your own frequently asked questions.

Include your social media links so clients can check out more of your content and engage with you on their preferred channels. Regularly monitor your profile's performance using Google Business Profile insights. Analyze clicks, calls, direction requests, and keyword searches to make data-driven adjustments.

More local SEO tips for real estate agents

Real estate agents need more than GBP listings (or GMB listings, as we called them before) to succeed in local search.

Take a holistic approach to better position your services and attract more potential buyers to open houses. Include location-based keywords in your website content, such as neighborhoods, city and town names, as well as local landmarks. Use long-tail keywords with specific property types and buyer/seller intent (e.g. "luxury homes for sale in [neighborhood]" or "best real estate agent in [city]"). A blog is a good way to target more informational-based keywords and capture clients at an earlier stage in their real estate journey.

 A blog for a New York real estate agent

Develop dedicated landing pages on your website for different neighborhoods or areas you specialize in. Optimize these pages with relevant keywords, local information, and property listings to cater to local search intent. Register your business in local directories and listing sites specific to the real estate industry and your region. Ensure consistency in your business name, address, and phone number across all listings. Implement schema markup on your website to give search engines specific details about your properties. Also, mark up your real estate agency’s essential details. This helps search engines display richer snippets in search results. Most local searches happen on mobile devices, so your site must be responsive and provide a seamless user experience.
 

Engage with local communities on social media platforms. Join local groups, participate in discussions, and share valuable insights about the real estate market in your area. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor the performance of your local SEO efforts. Track local keywords, website traffic, and conversions originating from local searches.