Since real estate investment is a highly localized business, you’d want to rank in the top 3 spots on Google as it eventually leads to more enquiries, phone calls, and sign-ups. In the past, Google showed 7 results on near-me or location-specific queries or when people directly searched on Google Maps. However, today, it has truncated to 3, and the rest are visible only when you click ‘more results’. These top three results, also called Google 3-Pack, are the holy grail of Google Maps. Businesses that feature on the 3-Pack will likely be perceived as more relevant and credible, and users are more likely to purchase from them. Read on to learn how to get your business in the top spot.
When it started in 2005, Google Maps was a simple mapping service that allowed users to get directions for locations. Over time, it has integrated deeply into the search experience to include reviews, contact details, opening hours, and other relevant information about local businesses. Such is its impact that 88% of consumers who searched for a local business on their mobile will visit the place within 24 hours, and 28% of users will make a purchase.
Unlike Google’s general search engine algorithms, Google Maps and local algorithms work differently. According to Google, the latter depends on:
Google Maps is both a map and a search engine, which is particularly important for mobile searches. Around 46% of mobile searches are location-based, so listing your business on Google Maps makes it convenient for potential clients to find you. Homeowners need only to enter a near me (or location name) search, and they have all the details about your business, including phone number, address, opening hours, reviews, ratings, and directions to your office.
Given that Google Maps helps users find directions to local businesses, and local SEO is about making it easy for people to find local businesses, it’s a no-brainer that businesses listed on Google Maps have a better chance of appearing on local search results. Every local search result includes a map snippet along with the business listings – a well-optimized Google Maps profile improves your chances on this list.
Around 80% of mobile-based local searches convert. Naturally, Google Maps has huge potential for converting users into buyers. But more importantly, Google Maps allows users to call the business directly from the Map interface. This is a golden opportunity to drive foot traffic to your business. You can highlight specific aspects of your business – for instance, if it is also open on Sundays, you are a member of a local committee, etc. Visual content, such as photos of homes you’ve closed recently, before/after pictures of homes, etc., also helps convert clients.
Trust is an important factor in the real estate investment business. And what better way to build credibility than genuine reviews from past clients? Citations on Google Maps and other local directories, social media mentions, etc., help build credibility.
If you haven’t done it already, adding your business to Google Maps is the first step to optimizing the company on the platform. To do so:
The next step is to claim your Google Maps business listing. Now, you can add several other details, such as business hours, address, contact details, website address, services, images, etc. Ensure all the information is up to date and consistent with the information provided on your website. Inaccurate and outdated information can harm your credibility, thereby affecting online visibility. This includes information about your business name, address, contact details, website address, social media address, etc.
Verifying your business location is important to claiming your Google Maps listing. You do this by verifying the code Google sends by postcard, phone call, video call, or email.
As mentioned earlier, Google Maps is an integral part of local SEO. You can work on the latter by ensuring your business targets relevant customers. This can be done by including keywords, adding a description to your profile and images wherever possible, replying to positive and negative comments, updating your business hours, including special hours for weekends and holidays, etc. You can also add local keywords to your website, build local backlinks, etc.
NAP consistency is crucial to local SEO and local pack algorithms. To the uninitiated, NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. Ensure these details are consistent across directories, search engines, and apps. Inconsistent NAPs confuse users and dilute your authority across local rankings. It establishes your credibility and proves that you are an authoritative local business. Some common reasons NAP data can be inconsistent are typos or spelling errors, inconsistent use of abbreviations, missing suite or unit numbers, using different phone number formats, or including outdated addresses and phone numbers.
The About Us page is a huge opportunity to showcase your business and incorporate keywords. Use the full 750 characters with impactful content, relevant keywords, etc. But we suggest going easy on keywords—using too many of them may get your content editing request denied.
The secret to improving impressions and views is to keep users interested with photos and updates. Post at least once a week to keep potential homeowners in the loop about the different homes you close daily. There are plenty of low-cost tools like Publer that help automate these tasks.
Our core team are SEO experts who have dabbled in real estate investment for over a decade. When offering customized strategies for your cash home buyers business, we’re speaking from experience. We have been helping hundreds of real estate investors across the US for more than 10 years now.
Our business idea has helped clients become an authority in their market through customized and sustainable marketing services. We can help you build credibility and make it easy for them to convert potential homeowners to clients.
Our services go beyond initial setup; we create packages that help you rank consistently on Google Maps. We’ll also maintain your GMB profile, updating it regularly with images and other relevant information.
We can create geo-targeted content through blog posts, social media updates, and other information that helps you connect with your local audience and showcase your business best.
We provide transparent and complete reports of all campaigns related to your Google Map ranking services. This allows you to track ROI and investment in real-time.
We’ll offer detailed insights about your business, ensuring that it is supported by analytical reports. Our services are designed to be proactive, allowing you to identify opportunities and threats and take early advantage of them.
UTMs, or Urchin Tracking Modules, are codes that can be attached to a URL to generate Google Analytics data for your digital campaigns. They help track every click so you know where it’s coming from and measure how effectively your Google Business Profile can bring traffic to your website.
Reviews and ratings are the key to building credibility for your business. But these must be genuine and from real customers. You can try incentivizing clients, encouraging them to post a detailed review along with a pre-paid gift card or an add-on complementary service. Just 10 reviews can significantly impact your Google Maps rankings and boost local SEO rankings. And make sure you respond to every review, positive and negative. Answer negative reviews with a meaningful comment, offering solutions or a genuine apology.
Turn on the chat button on your Google Business Profile to allow potential clients to send messages at any time. You can also customize the chat with an automated message. It’s a small but significant engagement channel that opens the door for further customer interaction.
With a dedicated team of SEO professionals using industry-specific tactics, your real estate investment SEO is in the right hands. Partner will SEO To Real Estate Investors today to jumpstart your business.
