Backlinks are one of the cornerstones of search engine optimization (SEO), and without them, it will be hard to rank your website on Google.
You can create the best content for your site and put hours into each blog post and video, but that effort may be for nothing without other authoritative websites linking to it.
Every website owner knows backlinks are important, but finding high-quality links from reputable websites can be challenging, frustrating, and overwhelming all at the same time. It’s not every day that Zillow or Realtor.com link back to your site from their blog, which means you’ll need to explore other avenues for link building.
In this article, we will discuss why backlinks are important for anyone involved in real estate and some actionable tips you can use to start building high-quality backlinks for your website this year.
Why Are Backlinks Important in Real Estate?
Backlinks can make or break the success of your website. The most authoritative websites have millions of backlinks and regularly have reputable sources linking to their content, propping them higher in Google’s search results.
Take a look at the below photo of a screenshot in the SEO analysis tool Ahrefs. You’ll see that Bankrate has over 10 million active backlinks and received over 100 million backlinks all-time.
Bankrate is one of the most authoritative websites in the real estate and finance space, and their backlink profile helps them maintain their authority.
While you may never rise to the level of Bankrate, it’s important to see why backlinks are so valuable and why you should prioritize building them for your site.
Here are some additional reasons why backlinks are important in real estate:
Increased Website Traffic
Quality backlinks from authoritative real estate websites can drive organic traffic to your site. People clicking on these links are often genuinely interested in real estate, which can result in more qualified leads and potential clients visiting your website.
Enhanced Credibility and Trust
Backlinks from well-established and trustworthy real estate sources can boost your website’s credibility and trustworthiness.
When visitors see that your site is referenced by authoritative sources, they are more likely to trust your content and services which increases the likelihood of conversion.
Networking Opportunities
Building backlinks often involves reaching out to other real estate professionals or websites in your industry.
This outreach can lead to valuable networking opportunities, partnerships, and collaborations that can advance your business and lead to more revenue and sales.
Competitive Advantage
In the highly competitive real estate market, having a high-quality backlinks can set you apart from your competitors.
Websites with a strong backlink profile tend to perform better in search results, attract more clients, and establish themselves as industry leaders.
Types of Backlinks in Real Estate
Not all backlinks are created equal. In fact, there are several different types of backlinks you should know about before building them.
Editorial Backlinks
An editorial backlink, also known as a natural backlink or an earned backlink, is a hyperlink included in the content of a website or online publication. These are generally included because the content’s author or editor believes it adds value to the reader.
Editorial backlinks are placed within the content naturally where they make sense and provide additional information or context to the reader. They are not forced or inserted solely for the purpose of link-building.
Additionally, websites that provide editorial backlinks often come from authoritative sources like reputable news organizations, industry publications, educational institutions, or well-established websites.
Guest Post Backlinks
Guest post backlinks are hyperlinks included within a guest post or article published on someone else’s website or blog. These backlinks are used to link back to the website of the author they are representing.
Guest posting is common in the world of SEO and is considered a white-hat method of building backlinks.
Here’s how it typically works:
- Outreach: Guest posting usually starts with outreach from a person or company looking for backlinks to their website. They may propose writing an article for topics the website hasn’t covered yet on their site. Conversely, sometimes websites will request guest posts from industry leaders or influencers in hopes of attracting more eyeballs to their content.
- Guest Post: Once approved, the guest post is written by the person or company who includes one or more links pointing back to their website.
- Submission: The author submits the guest post to the owner or administrator of the target website for approval.
- Publication: If the website owners accept the post, they will publish it and their author’s website will register the backlink.
Social Media Backlinks
Social media backlinks (or just “social backlinks”) are links from social media posts to a website or web page. While social media backlinks don’t carry as much weight as editorial links or guest posts, they still have merit and can improve your website traffic and visibility.
When social media content with links is shared on social media and generates engagement, it signals to search engines that the content is valuable.
Additionally, social media backlinks can contribute to your website’s authority and credibility. When reputable social media accounts or influencers share your content, it can boost your perceived authority in your niche or industry.
9 Tips for Building Real Estate Backlinks
While building backlinks can be an effective way to grow your real estate business, it’s important to know how to get started.
Here are nine tips for generating real estate backlinks to improve your SEO:
1. Create High-Quality Content
Start by creating valuable and informative content on your real estate website. Content can include blog posts, articles, videos, and other resources that address common questions and concerns of potential clients.
High-quality content not only attracts backlinks but also engages your audience and establishes your authority in the field.
2. Start Guest Post Outreach
Look for opportunities to contribute guest posts to established real estate blogs and websites. When you write for others, make sure your content is relevant to their audience and includes a link back to your website in the author’s bio or within the content itself where appropriate.
» MORE: The Ultimate Guide to Guest Posting
3. Local Directories
Register your real estate business on local directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific directories like Zillow and Realtor.com.
Local directories help improve your online visibility and provide valuable backlinks that enhance your local SEO efforts.
4. Leverage Social Media
Share your real estate content on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Start engaging with your followers by sharing helpful tips, property listings, and market insights to build authority and credibility.
Encouraging your audience to share and engage with your content will increase the chances of your content being linked to by others in your industry.
5. Network with Other Professionals
Build relationships with professionals in related fields, such as mortgage brokers, appraisers, and home inspectors.
Networking can lead to referrals and collaboration opportunities where these professionals link to your website as a trusted resource.
6. Create Infographics
Infographics and other visual content is highly shareable and can attract backlinks. Create visually appealing infographics that showcase real estate market trends, neighborhood statistics, or home buying/selling guides.
We recommend sharing these infographics on your website and encouraging others to embed or share them on their sites as well.
7. Press Releases
Use press releases to announce significant milestones, achievements, or events related to your real estate business.
Then distribute these press releases through reputable distribution services and include links back to your website. This can attract attention from news outlets and other websites who may link back to you and your site.
8. Testimonials and Reviews
Request testimonials or reviews from satisfied clients and display them on your website.
While doing this, it’s a good idea to include a link back to the client’s website in good faith. This not only builds trust with potential clients but can also lead to reciprocal backlinks if those clients have websites.
9. Collaborate with Local Bloggers
Identify local bloggers or influencers who focus on real estate or home-related topics and reach out to them for potential collaboration opportunities.
They might be interested in featuring your services, properties, or insights on their blog which can potentially result in valuable backlinks.
Tools and Resources for Real Estate Link Building
Building backlinks in real estate is slightly different than link building in other industries. The best way to get high-quality backlinks in real estate is to network with agents and investors and leverage your relationships.
Here are some additional tools and resources you can use when looking to build real estate backlinks this year:
Ahrefs
Ahrefs (pronounced H-refs) is the gold standard for SEO tools and is highly recommended by many SEO experts. They have a website analyzer tool where you can look at the Domain Rating (DR) of each website before pursuing backlinks.
The reason Ahrefs is so valuable is because you generally want to pursue backlinks from established and authoritative websites. With Ahrefs, you can see how many backlinks a website has and the website’s strength to help decide if it’s worth pursuing a link from them.
You’ll also be able to see when the backlink registers on your site and how it affects your Domain Rating.
In addition to its Site Analyzer tool, you can use Ahrefs for keyword research to find the right keywords to target on your website to give you the best chance to rank on Google.
While Ahrefs is the gold standard of SEO tools, it’s also one of the most expensive. Here are the plans you have to choose from:
- Lite – $99 per month
- Standard – $199 per month
- Advanced – $399 per month
- Enterprise – $999 per month
» MORE: Get Started with Ahrefs and Get 2 Months Free
Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
Help a Reporter Out (or HARO) is a platform that connects journalists with experts and sources in various fields.
HARO operates as a two-way communication platform where reporters and bloggers post requests for information, quotes, and sources for their articles and experts with relevant knowledge can respond.
Once you’re registered as a source on HARO, you can choose which queries you receive based on your industry. Then you’ll periodically receive emails from HARO with dozens of potential requests to respond to.
You’ll need to respond to relevant queries quickly in hopes of having a reporter select your response. The reporter will ask you for additional insight on the topic and include a link back to your website.
Final Thoughts
While generating backlinks in real estate can be difficult, the time and energy spent will be well worth it.
However, we recommend creating high-quality content on your site and bringing in some website traffic before pursuing backlinks. You’ll want to establish authority on Google first, then add high-quality backlinks to elevate your search rankings.
Related: SEO Content Writing Services for Investors
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