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What Real Estate Agents Need to Know About Google Core Updates and Google Algorithms
Google regularly updates its search algorithms to improve search results for users. These updates can impact the visibility of websites in search results. While some updates are minor tweaks, others are major algorithm changes that significantly alter how sites are ranked. Real estate agents need to stay up-to-date on Google algorithm changes to ensure their websites and online content remain optimized for high rankings and traffic. Today, in this article from a series of specialized articles on real estate SEO, we will discuss this issue. What Are Google Core Updates? Google routinely releases broad algorithm updates, known as core updates, to improve its search results. These updates tweak how Google's ranking systems evaluate websites and web pages. The goal is to better match what people are searching for on the internet. Core updates can impact search rankings across the web, including real estate websites and listings. Your site and content may go up or down in rankings after an update. How Core Updates Impact Real Estate Website Rankings Google releases core updates a few times per year to improve its search algorithms. These updates can cause major fluctuations in site rankings as Google reassesses the quality and relevance of pages. Your real estate website may gain or lose positions, impacting traffic and lead volume. Preparing for Google Core Algorithm Updates To prepare for potential impacts from a core update, focus on optimizing your content and online properties. Double-check that all content on your website is high quality, accurate, and helpful for users. Google values content that provides real value to searchers, so prioritize giving website visitors useful information over overly self-promotional content. It's a good idea to monitor your search analytics and traffic closely after a core update rolls out. Check your search rankings and traffic to see if there are any major changes. If your rankings or traffic drop significantly after an update, it may indicate an issue with your website or content that needs to be addressed. Don't make major changes right away, but evaluate potential issues and develop a plan to resolve them. While core updates can be worrying, focusing on providing high-quality content and services, keeping your website optimized, and closely monitoring the impacts can help minimize negative effects. FAQs on Google Core Updates for Real Estate Agents Why Do Google Core Updates Matter to Real Estate Agents? Google is the dominant search engine, with over 70% of the search market share. Ranking prominently in Google search results is critical for real estate agents to drive traffic to their website and generate new leads. A Google Core update can significantly impact search rankings, either improving or reducing your position in results pages. Your website may gain or lose a large volume of traffic, impacting your lead generation. What Can I Do If My Rankings Drop After an Update? Double-check that your website is still mobile-friendly and contains no technical issues. Fix any problems immediately. Review your content and do an audit of page quality. Look for any content that seems low value, thin, or keyword-stuffed, and improve or remove it. Continue monitoring your keywords and ranking. It can take time for changes to fully roll out after an update. Where Can I Learn More About Core Updates? There are lots of resources about it, but the best and most trustworthy resource is Google Search Central. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna

What Buyers REALLY Want to See on Your Real Estate Website
What are prospective home buyers looking for when they come to your real estate website? NAR's 2024 Generational Trends Report sheds some light on the matter. The annual survey asked buyers who use the internet which website features they find most useful. Today, we're going to dive into what the research shows. You can use this information when researching new website vendors or evaluating how your current site measures up. Let's dive in! Below are website features that buyers rate as "very useful" during their home search process, ranked from most to least important. Most important More than half of home buyers rated these two features as very useful: Photos - Unsurprisingly, photos are the most desired website feature. Ensure all photos that you upload to the MLS or add to your website are high quality, high definition images. While we recommend hiring a professional for your listing photos, if you're a determined DIYer, check out these tips. (And, if nothing else, step away from the smartphone!) Detailed property information - Buying a home is a big deal, and buyers want to know as much information as they can before making a decision. Fill out every applicable MLS field when adding your latest listing, and don't be afraid to add more info about your listing to your website. Need inspiration for writing property descriptions? See 4 Real Estate Listing Description Examples that Increase Sales, or read ChatGPT Hacks for Real Estate Agents to learn how to leverage AI to craft property descriptions. Important More than 30% of home buyers said the following website features are very useful: Floor plans - The floor plan is having a moment, and many MLSs are offering apps that capture floor plans, like CubiCasa, for free to their members. Additionally, many virtual tour providers include a floor plan in their standard offerings. If you're looking for a floor plan vendor, check out our Product Directory. Agent contact information - We're amused that only 43% of survey respondents said this was very important. To you, the agent, it is 100% important! So make sure that, at minimum, your name, email and phone number are prominently displayed on your website so you never miss a lead. Virtual tours - Today's virtual tours, which are typically 3D walkthroughs of a home, can help buyers with decision making, whether that's the decision to tour a home at all or to decide if it's the right property for their needs. Many virtual tour solutions also offer extra marketing tools you many not know about, and most also include photos and floor plans from one scan, so you get more bang for buck. You can find a virtual tour provider in our Company Directory. Neighborhood info - We love when we come across agent websites with beautiful neighborhood pages. Create a page on your site for each neighborhood you serve and be sure to include information about nearby attractions and schools. Be sure to include a call-to-action to contact you for more information about homes for sale in the area. Less important More than 20% of home buyers rated the following website features are very useful: Recently sold properties - It's one thing to get a listing; it's another thing to close a transaction. Show off homes you've recently sold so buyers can understand your track record of success. If your listings sold faster than the average DOM for your area or for over asking, mention that! Additionally, most MLSs now provide sold data in their IDX feeds, so you can use that to offer recently sold information about your entire local market on your site. Interactive maps - Many IDX website vendors include map search functionality. If you're not sure if yours does, check with your site provider and ask how to turn it on. Videos - While only 21% of buyers said videos were very useful to them on a website, that doesn't mean you should stop producing them! They're still extremely valuable on social media to help drive traffic to your website, and you can highlight the best on your site. Need help creating compelling videos? RPR's Market Trends ScriptWriter can write video scripts for you. Upcoming open houses - Okay, so technically only 19% of buyers overall said information about upcoming open houses were very valuable. But that may be thanks to the oldest generation, which represents only 16% of buyers, bringing down the average. Younger generations care more about this info, with 31% of prime-age (34-43 years old) buyers expressing interest. So don't be shy about adding open house announcements to your website! Take it or leave it The final three real estate website features all ranked under 10% overall: Virtual open houses - A lifesaver during the height of the pandemic, this feature is less important to home buyers now. Virtual listing appointments - See above. Real estate news and articles - Dedicated agent bloggers may be disappointed to see this, but this ranking shouldn't dissuade you from posting. While buyers may not show up explicitly for your blog, consistent content creation still works wonders for SEO and attracting leads. So if you love it, keep going! Next steps Read more articles about real estate websites and Internet Data Exchange (IDX) Explore Website, IDX, and Virtual Office Website (VOW) solutions in our Product

Streamlining Success: How Simple Tech and .realtor Websites Revolutionize Your Real Estate Business
In the fast-paced world of real estate, time is money, and every moment counts. Meet Josh Jerman, a seasoned REALTOR® who knows firsthand the demands of the industry. Josh's success story isn't just about closing deals; it's about leveraging technology to enhance efficiency without compromising client relationships. Josh recognized the need for a professional online presence but didn't want to sacrifice precious hours tinkering with complex tech solutions. That's when he discovered the power of simplicity with a .realtor™ domain. With this innovative platform, even a novice like Josh could swiftly set up a sleek website, freeing up valuable time to focus on what truly matters: his clients. Check out his website: www.joshjerman.realtor. The beauty of embracing a .realtor™ domain lies in its simplicity. No need for extensive coding knowledge or long setup. Within a few hours, Josh had a professional website up and running, ready to showcase his expertise and listings to potential clients. But it's not just about having a website; it's about choosing the right one. In today's digital age, a strong online presence is non-negotiable for real estate professionals. However, not all websites are created equal. Josh understood the importance of building trust with consumers and connecting with the REALTOR® community. A .realtor™ domain offers more than just a web address. It's a badge of credibility, signaling to clients that Josh is a trusted professional in the industry. Moreover, it serves as a gateway to a community of like-minded professionals, opening doors to valuable networking opportunities and increased referrals. In Josh's journey, the .realtor™ domain proved to be more than just a tech solution — it was a game-changer. By simplifying the process of creating a professional website, it allowed him to devote more time to what he does best: serving his clients with dedication and expertise while seeing his leads and referrals increase at the same time. In conclusion, in a world where time is of the essence and first impressions matter, embracing simple yet powerful tech solutions like a .realtor™ domain and website can make all the difference. It's not just about keeping up with the times; it's about staying ahead of the curve and unlocking new levels of success in the competitive realm of real estate. See success like Josh when you secure your free .realtor™ website at www.get.realtor today! Related reading Friday Freebie: Get a .realtor Website Domain for 1 YEAR Lead Gen for Every Career Stage: How to Scale Your Website with Your Business Elevate Your Visibility Online With a Lasting Digital