Guest Post: Social Search Optimization in the Real Estate World

A few decades ago, the Internet was dubbed the Information Highway, but things have changed over the years. Although people everywhere still use the Internet to obtain information, the Internet has turned into a place where people shop, book flights, search for homes, or make reservations for a weekend getaway. More importantly, business professionals use the Internet to market their business through Internet marketing strategies called social search optimization (SSO) and search engine optimization (SEO).

Social search optimization employs basically the same techniques as search engine optimization. Both search engine optimization strategies provide you with more visibility on the major search engines.

Put simply, search engine optimization is the process of gaining network traffic from organic (or free) listings on the major search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, and Yahoo). On the other hand, social search optimization is the process of optimizing social media using keywords in bio’s and descriptions.

As the name implies, SSO uses the major search engines in order to optimize searches. In other words, the main goal of social search optimization is to keep your name, brand, or product on the “top of the list” of a search results page. For example, when a potential customer uses Google to search for a keyword like “real estate,” then you want your business name to appear at the very top of the Google search results page, thus increasing your visibility and web presence as a realtor.

When people talk about social media, they usually mention websites like Twitter or Facebook, however they think of these sites mainly for social purposes. For example, they post pictures on Facebook in order to announce the birth of a new baby in the family or to acknowledge a wedding anniversary.

Although many people use Facebook and Twitter for social reasons, they may be missing out on a more important aspect, mainly that the social sites can be used to promote a business—whether it’s real estate, legal services, or clothing sales.

Social Media Provides a Great Way to Promote Your Business

Whether you’re a realtor, or a business executive looking to promote your business online, social media websites like Facebook, Google Plus, LinkedIn, and Twitter provide a great way to market your business. For example, you can create a profile on Facebook that establishes you as a professional realtor. You can also mention a few of the homes you’ve listed on the MLS. In addition, you can list your business address, credentials, awards, and more. Lastly, you can provide links from any of the social media sites to your main website. For example, you can enter a keyword like foreclosure, and when users click that word, they are directed to your main real estate website. All in all, social media sites provide a great avenue for marketing your business online.  

Karin Gage works for Summit Sotheby’s International Realty in Park City, Utah. She has been working in the Park City and Deer Valley real estate markets for over 20 years. She prides herself on staying up to date on online marketing trends that help her and her peers be successful.