🏡 The Real Estate Marketing Update - Edition 26

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Welcome back.

In this edition, you’ll learn how to earn the highly sought-after “zero position” in Google, our favorite tool for getting really good video and audio testimonials, and how a new real estate organization could shake up the industry.

If you're new here, don't worry. We've got you covered. Our previous editions are a treasure trove of tips, tools, and news. Check them out to stay ahead of the game.

Or, if you’re caught up, let’s jump right in.

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• One actionable tip that can immediately boost your lead generation

• One handy tool that can simplify your tech stack management

• One essential news story

…and become at least 1% better at generating the right type of leads.

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Don’t Skip This SEO Tip in Your Comparison Content if You Want to Grab That Coveted Featured Snippet

As a Realtor, you always look for ways to stand out in the crowded online marketplace. One powerful strategy that's often overlooked is leveraging comparison content to grab a featured snippet in Google's search results. These snippets, or "position zero," appear above the regular search results and can significantly increase your visibility and click-through rates. This article will explore how to create compelling comparison content and optimize it for featured snippets, giving your real estate business a competitive edge.

🔑 Pay attention to the highlighted section below, which is the key to making this tip work.

What Are Featured Snippets and Why Do They Matter?

Featured snippets are brief answers to search queries at the top of Google's search results page. They typically include a concise answer summary, page title, and URL.

For Realtors, securing a featured snippet can:

1. Increase visibility: Your content appears above regular search results.

2. Boost credibility: Featured snippets are often perceived as authoritative.

3. Drive more traffic: Users are likelier to click on featured snippets.

4. Improve voice search performance: Many voice assistants pull information from featured snippets.

Leveraging Comparison Content for Featured Snippets

Comparison content is particularly effective for grabbing featured snippets because it directly answers specific questions that potential clients often ask. For Realtors, this could involve comparing neighborhoods, types of properties, or even real estate concepts.

Here's how you can create and optimize comparison content to increase your chances of landing a featured snippet:

Step 1: Find Existing Comparison Content on Your Site

Start by identifying any comparison content you may already have on your website. Use Google's search operators to find pages with "vs" in the title tag:

1. Go to Google and type: site:yourdomain.com intitle:vs

2. Replace "yourdomain.com" with your actual website domain.

3. Review the results to see what comparison content you already have.

For example, if your domain is "johndoerealty.com," you'd search for:

site:johndoerealty.com intitle:vs

This might reveal pages like:

• "Buying vs. Renting in [Your City]"

• "Condo vs. House: Which is Right for You?"

• "[Neighborhood A] vs. [Neighborhood B]: A Comparison Guide"

If you still need to get comparison content, don't worry! This is an opportunity to create valuable new content for your site.

Step 2: Create or Optimize Your Comparison Content

Whether you're working with existing content or creating new pages, follow these guidelines to optimize for featured snippets:

1. Use a clear, question-based title: Instead of "Condo vs. House," use "Condo vs. House: Which is the Better Investment?"

2. Start with "The main difference": Immediately after your H1 heading, begin your content with "The main difference between [Option A] and [Option B] is..." For example: "The main difference between condos and houses is ownership structure. When you buy a condo, you own your unit and share ownership of common areas. With a house, you typically own the building and the land it sits on."

3. Keep it concise: Aim for a clear, direct answer in 40-60 words. This is the sweet spot for featured snippets.

4. Use structured data: Implement schema markup to help Google understand your content better. For comparisons, you might use the "ComparisonProductType" schema.

5. Include a comparison table: Create a simple HTML table comparing key features. Google often pulls these for featured snippets.

   
   Example:

   <table>
       <thead>
           <tr>
               <th>Feature</th>
               <th>Condo</th>
               <th>House</th>
           </tr>
       </thead>
       <tbody>
           <tr>
               <td>Ownership</td>
               <td>Unit only</td>
               <td>Building and land</td>
           </tr>
           <tr>
               <td>Maintenance</td>
               <td>Shared</td>
               <td>Full responsibility</td>
           </tr>
           <tr>
               <td>Privacy</td>
               <td>Less</td>
               <td>More</td>
           </tr>
           <tr>
               <td>Cost</td>
               <td>Generally lower</td>
               <td>Generally higher</td>
           </tr>
       </tbody>
   </table>

6. Add supporting content: After your concise answer and table, provide more detailed information. This helps both users and search engines understand the depth of your expertise.

Step 3: Expand Your Comparison Content Strategy

To maximize your chances of grabbing featured snippets, create a diverse range of comparison content. Here are some ideas specifically for Realtors:

1. Neighborhood comparisons: "[Neighborhood A] vs. [Neighborhood B]: Which is Best for Families?"

2. Property type comparisons: "Single-Family Homes vs. Townhouses: Pros and Cons for First-Time Buyers"

3. Real estate concepts: "Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages: Which Should You Choose?"

4. Local market comparisons: "[City A] vs. [City B]: Where Should You Invest in Real Estate?"

5. Lifestyle comparisons: "Urban vs. Suburban Living: Which Suits Your Lifestyle?"

6. Home features comparisons: "Open Concept vs. Traditional Layout: What's Best for Resale Value?"

Step 4: Promote and Update Your Content

Once you've created your comparison content:

1. Share it on social media and in your email newsletter.

2. Link to it from relevant pages on your website.

3. Monitor its performance using Google Search Console.

4. Regularly update the content to keep it fresh and accurate.

Step 5: Monitor and Adapt

Keep an eye on your search rankings and featured snippet performance:

1. Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to track your featured snippet rankings.

2. Pay attention to which comparisons are most successful in grabbing snippets.

3. Analyze the structure and content of your successful snippets and apply those insights to other pages.

Best Practices for Realtor Comparison Content

To increase your chances of landing featured snippets with your comparison content, keep these best practices in mind:

1. Be objective: Present balanced information about both options you're comparing.

2. Use local data: Incorporate specific statistics and information relevant to your real estate market.

3. Address common questions: Anticipate and answer questions your potential clients might have about the comparison.

4. Include visuals: Add charts, graphs, or infographics to illustrate key points.

5. Optimize for mobile: Ensure your content is easy to read and navigate on mobile devices.

6. Use headers effectively: Structure your content with clear H2 and H3 tags to make it easy for Google to understand and extract information.

Elevate Your Online Presence: Your Path to Featured Snippet Success

By creating high-quality comparison content and optimizing it for featured snippets, Realtors can significantly boost their visibility in search results. This strategy not only helps you stand out from the competition but also provides valuable information to potential clients, establishing you as a knowledgeable and trustworthy real estate professional.

Remember, the key to success is creating clear, concise, and structured content that directly answers the questions your target audience is asking. Start with "The main difference between..." and focus on providing immediate value to the reader. With persistence and attention to detail, you'll be well on your way to claiming those coveted featured snippets and driving more qualified traffic to your real estate website.

How are you stepping outside your comfort zone to become a more curious person and Realtor?

Maybe it’s just a matter of saying “yes” to that next invite that you’d usually turn down or dropping some of your Netflix time and replacing it with an online course on a topic your prospects keep asking about.

There are a few tools that help you collect and publish video testimonials.

We like Vocal Video for all of the reasons above, but also for this one, which no one else seems to be doing yet…

👍🏽 Turn audio responses into branded videos.

Getting someone to shoot a video of themselves can be a big ask. You can request an audio testimonial for these people, and Vocal Video will help you turn it into a nicely branded video.

Pretty nice, right?

Once you have even one back from a past client, you can and should leverage it across your marketing…

• Add it to your website

• Share it on social media

• Include in your email campaigns

• Link to it in your email signature

Go try it out and let us know what you think.

Which past clients can you use this tool with right now?

Make your shortlist, sign up for the service, and send them a link to submit their video or audio testimonial. Then share it with us, too!

Will Brokerages and Agents Join a New NAR?

For the past two years, we’ve been hearing about brokers and agents leaving NAR. Although this primarily means that brokerages will no longer require agents to be members of NAR, it’s still not something to brush off.

Which brings us to our question related to this edition’s trend…

If you leave or have left NAR, will you join a new Realtor Association?

Well, veteran agents Jason Haber and Mauricio Umansky seem to think so and are actually betting on it.

The two have recently launched the American Real Estate Association and are working to get real estate professionals signed up as members.

The new organization wants to provide agents with something built for agents, by agents, and the industry as a whole.

Part of their commitment is to establish a new, nationwide MLS that they’re calling the NLS (National Listing Service).

On top of these things, they want to put agent education at the forefront of membership.

Competition is always a good thing.

We want to know, though…

Does a new real estate organization and listing service seem appealing to you?

A lot of what AREA is saying sounds great, but they’ll have to execute it to attract members and especially to pull agents away from NAR. If you feel strongly about a new organization one way or another, then please share your opinions, as we’re all gauging the interest here.

Thanks for reading.

See you next week.

The Real Estate Marketing Update Team @ imFORZA