Long Tail Keywords to Snag Focused Buyers
May 29, 2009
By: Geordy Rostad
Author's Website: http://www.rostadrealty.com/
After my meeting with Zillow, a more valuable meeting may have taken place downstairs after our final handshake with the generous Zillow staff. I had a discussion with Geordie Romer of Windermere about how dominating specific obscure neighborhoods could produce hotter leads than a normal generalized campaign. He told me something profound that inspired me to really step up my marketing campaign. He said that people searching on Google for more specific things are further along in the buying process. Basically, someone searching for “Seattle condos” may be serious or may just be a looky-loo but someone searching for “Millennium on Capital Hill” knows EXACTLY where they want to live, they are just waiting for the right deal to come up.
Content is king – If you have a blog, why not write a blog about some local condo buildings or neighborhoods you have intimate familiarity with? Spice it up with some keyword phrases that you think people would use to find that building. Add in some fun extras like Walkscore if applicable even. Perhaps you want to get REALLY serious about this one neighborhood or building. Start a new, separate blog that is focused only on this area. Get a URL that is peppered with keywords as well but don’t get too silly because more isn’t always better.
Buy your way to the top – If you don’t have the time, skills, content, etc to pump up your SEO to the top of your tier, why not buy your spot via google adwords. This is how the big boys play it but you don’t need the big budgets they have. Use the keyword sandbox to find your long tail keywords. Say that you want to sell in Beverly Hills. You may first think about buying the keyword, “Beverly Hills real estate”. That’s fine but you’ll pay an arm and a leg for it. There were almost 15,000 hits on that phrase in April. How about something like “Beverly Hills condos” though? That has under 3,000 hits. Better yet, snag a couple others like “Sunset blvd condos” etc. The more obscure the phrase, the easier it will be to dominate it with less money.
Don’t bait and switch – The best-picked adword campaign in the world cannot save you if you don’t have a way to close ‘em. Send them somewhere they would want to go. Otherwise, you’ll just get a bounce and that will do nothing but make you poor quicker. Don’t forget to track your results with google analytics.
Peyman Aleagha has even more ideas on how to use this strategy but I suggest starting small and tracking your efforts before you go nuts on this.
- Stumble it!
- Categories: Keyword Advertising
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Swansonager on May 29, 2009 2:40 pm
Re: “He said that people searching on Google for more specific things are further along in the buying process.”
I completely agree with this statement – very well said – and true, at least imho.
I’ve seen that in several niches in fact, jobs, real estate to name a few
Sam DeBord on May 29, 2009 4:12 pm
Nice post – this is the classic “ego terms” vs. “closer terms”. It takes a lot of time and money to get to the top of the rankings for “Kirkland Home”, and the person searching is as likely to be looking for furniture as your condo listing.
Geordy Rostad on May 29, 2009 4:52 pm
Good way to boil it down Sam. That’s exactly it. Is your goal to sell property or dominate the high profile keywords? I would rather sell properties myself.
Drew Meyers on May 29, 2009 10:00 pm
Sam -
Now that Geordy and Geordie have written here, you’re the only RE Pro to attend the zillow meeting that has not contributed here. When you going to cave and join the Geek Estate party?
American Dream Realty - Hawaii on May 30, 2009 9:46 am
I totally agree!!! The long tail terms do convert and the buyers are way more focused. If you get enough of them they can start adding up as well
Great post!!
Sam DeBord on May 30, 2009 10:31 am
Good point, Drew. It will take me some time to save up enough good material, the Geordy/Geordie crew set the bar high.
Mat Pellerin on May 30, 2009 12:44 pm
I love long tail!
For as long as I can remember my main site PhoenixHomes.com has been on the first page of Google for the KWP Phoenix Real Estate. And while that was no accident, I worked hard at it (sort of an ego KWP, lol), it sure taught me something about the long tail.
Ranking, PPC-ing, for such a broad KWP ends up getting you a lot of “bad” leads as I learn along the way. Disclaimer: While all leads are good leads, let me explain my point a bit.
Ranking for long tail KWP’s rocks! Anyone who takes the time to type into Google something like: Desert Ridge Homes For Sale In North Phoenix not only knows what they want, but almost always turn into a closed deal (if you respond quickly to your leads, give them what they asked for, treat them as you would like to be treated, etc.).
Excuse the “Great Post” comment, but it really is a good post and topic for all real estate agents.
BTW, I just found your blog and will bookmark for future reading.
Swansonager on June 2, 2009 9:01 am
Also, I picked up a copy of “The Search” written by John Battelle – It’s several years old, but WELL worth the read if you’ve not read it yet…
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