What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization encompasses the improvement of organic (free) search engine results. SEO strategy includes connecting with others, giving users a great experience and boosting your search engine rankings. This article shares 3 easy steps anyone can take to use SEO to build business and drive traffic.
Link it
According to Google, link building is one of the top 3 ranking factors. Links are most effective when popular pages (e.g. cnn.com) link to your website and when the links come from local, topic specific websites. For example, your ranking will improve much more if a trusted website in the Arizona apartment industry links to your site rather than a banking website that does the same. Here are a few simple steps that will enhance your link signals:
-
Get links from local apartment directories
-
Write an article for the local news or for a blog and provide a link to your site
-
Provide an interesting story about your business to the local news
-
Build a company blog. Others can easily link to your site by sharing/linking your posts
-
Social Media channels are growing in importance. Efficiently manage your profiles to make it easier for others to share/like your posts.
Search engines catch on to fishy behavior like linking your site with spam websites or buying links and they will consequently banish your ranking to Timbuktu. Having a few links with some great websites is a lot better than many links on some poor websites.
Make it Mobile
In a Forbes article, Navneet Kaushal, CEO of PageTraffic, said that mobile optimization is taking the “front and center stage” in SEO. 94% of people in the USA with smartphones search for local information on their phones rather than using a desktop device. Therefore, if your website is not mobile-friendly, the vast majority of your visitors will quickly leave it in search of one that serves them better.
Not sure if your website is mobile-friendly? Take Google’s free test to find out!
Make it Local
The most important ranking factor that Google has identified is the quality of your website’s content. Therefore, creating content that is accurate, complete and local will yield you the greatest rewards. Here are a few key moves you need to make to boost your local ranking:
-
Local key words. If you’re advertising apartments in tempe, using local key words like the city, neighborhood, ASU, or other important local features will surely help to improve your ranking.
-
Accuracy of info. Make sure your property information is accurately listed on the major apartment listing/directory websites. Make sure to provide these directories with plentiful information about your property. This will cause search engines to recognize you as a trusted site and subsequently raise your rank.
-
Google Reviews. The quantity of google reviews about your community will also influence your search engine rank. Find ways to make it easy for satisfied renters to make a positive Google Review!
-
Google My Business. Claiming your free Google listing will do wonders for your property. Be sure to add high quality, up-to-date photos and as much helpful property information as possible.
-
AdWords and Third Party Sites. If you google a generic search such as “apartments gilbert az” chances are most, if not all, of the first page search results will either be ads or third party listing sites. Take advantage of the opportunity to advertise or claim your listing on these sites to make it more likely for others to see your apartment community!
Additional Resources
Be sure to attend the AMA’s September event “Lunch & Learn – Marketing and SEO” to learn additional tactics to drive traffic to your website!
Not yet a member?
Kick start your multifamily career into overdrive by creating your FREE Multihousing Friends account today!
Multihousing Friends
We're here to help! Stay tuned for official announcements, articles and other great content!