Let me ask you: When someone searches for "real estate agents" in your city on Google, does your face and contact info pop up on the map?
If not, you’re missing out on a goldmine opportunity to connect with potential buyers and sellers searching for an agent in your area.
As we head into 2024, waves of new prospective clients will soon be scouring the internet for a real estate professional to help them buy or sell a home.
The question is, will you show up when they search? Or will all those precious leads go to your competitors instead?I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen to you!
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to create or optimize your Google My Business listing to capture more organic leads and grow your business.
Curious what secrets I’m going to reveal? Read on!
Chapter 1: What is Google My Business and Why do you need it?
Imagine an online business directory listing that sits at the very top of Google every time someone searches for real estate agents in your city.
A listing that displays your headshot, contact details, glowing 5-star reviews from happy clients, and listings of incredible homes you’ve sold.That place of honor is exactly what Google My Business provides - prime real estate on the world’s most popular search engine for zero dollars.
But it gets even better...
Google My Business also supplies a dashboard stuffed with insightful analytics. You’ll discover valuable intel like:
How people found your business
Where your website traffic is coming from
How many calls you received from your listing
Who viewed your profile and when
These are all precious nuggets of information you can use to fine-tune your marketing and capture even more leads!
Why You Needed to Set Up Your GMB Profile Yesterday
And if that wasn’t enough, Google My Business enables you to easily update your profile and interact with potential clients in real-time.
You can respond to reviews, answer questions, and post photos or updates about current listings.
This kind of public engagement breeds trust and familiarity with prospects before they even contact you!With all these mouthwatering lead generation advantages, can you see why you need Google My Business in your real estate toolkit?
It’s free!
It promotes trust and authority.
It captures highly qualified, ready-to-buy leads.
It provides market intelligence to sharpen your marketing.
Frankly, NOT having a Google My Business profile at this point is self-sabotage.
You’re essentially invisible to the buyers and sellers hunting for an agent in your area.
Meet rAIya:
The pioneering 24/7 AI real estate assistant that actively converts leads 365 days a year.
Chapter 2: Impact on Local SEO and Visibility
Now you know what an incredibly powerful (and free!) lead generation tool Google My Business can be. But the benefits extend far beyond connecting directly with potential clients.
Optimizing your GMB profile also provides a gigantic boost to your local SEO, sending your website traffic and rankings soaring.
What is Local SEO?
You see, Google wants to connect searchers with the best local businesses.
So when you thoroughly complete your GMB listing, you're feeding Google exactly what it craves - details about your real estate services tailored to home buyers and sellers in your area.
In return, Google happily displays your business front and center to local searchers.Your personalized company knowledge panel pops up prominently in the sidebar, while your address and map location claim prime real estate at the top of search results.
It's the ultimate royal treatment!
And with 70% of mobile searches resulting in some form of action, that premium visibility translates to more leads and sales.
Get Your Real Estate Business on the Google Map
With a complete Google My Business profile, your smiling face and 5-star reviews will shine bright while less prepared competitors fade into the background.
Talk about an incredible opportunity handed to you on a silver platter!
How to optimize your GMB profile in 3 simple steps:
Sign up for a free Google business account
Verify your business identity
Completely fill out your profile with engaging photos, service options, attributes, etc.
Then watch the leads roll in on autopilot!
Google loves showing off businesses that fully utilize My Business. So you'll earn greater visibility as you add more profile content.
>>Want MORE spots at the TOP of Google search results? Check out our detailed guide on how you can leverage Google LSA for your real estate business!
Chapter 3: How to Optimize Your GMB Profile
Now you understand the immense power Google My Business wields in pushing your real estate business to the top of local search results.
But simply having a profile isn't enough. Optimization is key for lead generation supremacy.
Let me share four proven GMB profile optimization strategies to maximize your visibility, authority, and conversions:
Perfect Your Name, Address and Phone Number
Audit all listings to ensure 100% consistency across platforms like your website and Facebook
Services like Whitespark offer citation cleanup to consolidate listings
Encourage Verified Reviews
Generate 5-star Google reviews to establish trust and social proof
Ask happy buyers and sellers to leave detailed reviews with service keywords
Google will confirm you consistently delight customers
Foster Engagement
Promptly reply to questions, reviews, messages on your GMB page
Follow up with happy clients and resolve any negative feedback
Build trust through open communication
Frequently Post Relevant Content
Share market updates, events, listings, tips 3X per week
Highlight expertise over competitors
Promote appealing listings to drive calls
Increased activity improves visibility
The key is keeping your profile fully optimized with accurate details, stellar reviews, responsive engagement, and consistent fresh content.
This consolidates your online presence and drives more inbound leads.
Climb to the Top of Organic Search Results With GMB
Trying to optimize your GMB presence alone can get overwhelming fast. Google's rules change constantly, and beginner mistakes can tank your rankings.
Work with a personal consultant specializing in ranking and converting local agents on Google. Leave the heavy lifting to the experts!
With us by your side, we'll flawlessly:
☑️ Set up your profile
☑️ Create conversion-focused content
☑️ Monitor and respond to all inquiries and reviews
Our done-for-you GMB management frees up your schedule while amplifying your visibility and leads.
It's a win/win!
About the Author
Aaron “Kiwi” Franklin
Head of Growth
Aaron "Kiwi" Franklin is the Head of Growth at Ylopo and an innovative technologist and serial entrepreneur who has over 25 years of experience creating digital solutions for major brands and pioneering companies at the intersection of technology and real estate. His depth of expertise stems from leading development of the first website for Apple to founding a global community of over 1,000 elite athletes. Connect with me