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We are in the last month of 2022, and not only are we entering a new year, but we are entering a recession that is hurting real estate sales across the country. As many other authors and I have discussed in previous articles, virtual tours help real estate agents sell more properties, but that’s not up for debate.
But we found a nifty little hack you can do with your real estate content to get free exposure and more eyeballs on your listings to get more sales. All of this goes through a process called “geolocation”.
Never heard of this term before? Do not worry; let’s learn how to implement it in your content.
What is geolocation?
Geolocation is a technical search engine optimization term used to help rank local content higher on search engines based on the exact coordinates of a real estate listing and type of property. Many business owners implement this strategy to get them to rank higher in local searches; let’s walk through an example.
John Smith owns a bakery in Philadelphia, and while he has a great walkthrough, video, and photos, he’s looking for that extra edge over his competitors. He finds the geolocation process, goes to a free site such as geoimgr.com, finds the coordinates (longitude and latitude) of Philadelphia, adds them to Geo Imgr and then adds in his niche the keyword phrase of what people are looking for its business type, such as “nearby bakeries” or “bakeries in Philadelphia”.
So you’re basically telling Google what you do “niche” in your area coordinates, so Google positions you as such because you’ve organized your content and labeled it as such; it’s a great way to rank higher in local searches. In 2023 you will have to think outside the box – this is a great example of doing just that.
Related: How Real Estate Investors Can Prepare for 2023 in 4 Easy Steps
How does this apply to property listings?
What do physical businesses and real estate listings have in common? Both are real estate properties, so this process works just as well with real estate listings as it does with small businesses such as John Smith’s Bakery.
Nobody does that as a real estate agent. They only focus on getting great content, although it is essential to take it to the next level; they must also geotag all their photos and videos! This is what hotshot real estate agents do to increase the visibility of their listings.
So how do I optimize my content as a real estate agent?
It’s easier than you think, so don’t overthink it! Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to geotag your real estate content.
- Go to Geoimgr.com
- Take your current listing content (photos, videos, renders, 360 tours) and plug it into the groomer.
- Google your location coordinates, eg the coordinates for Philadelphia are (39.9526° N and 75.1652° W).
- Enter the coordinates in Geoimgr.
- Enter your property type in Geoimgr “single family home in Rittenhouse (insert your neighborhood)” or “south Philadelphia multifamily home”.
- Press the “EXIF Tag” button, and you have optimized the content of your real estate ad!
Related: What’s the impact of virtual reality on real estate?
Where do I publish my optimized content once I have it?
As you normally would, you’ll be posting to the multi-listing service, which posts to all the big name listings like Zillow, Realtor, Loopnet, Redfin, and more. Since most people search on Google anyway, Google will always give you the benefits of geolocation. The best part of using geoimgr is that you can upgrade your account to get more content optimized for more ads as you gain success over time.
You do not have the time ? Fortunately, this process takes less than 10-15 minutes. Learn how to do this process first, then hand it over to one of your teammates or interns to geotag your content for the foreseeable future.
Virtual tours are the best marketing tool for your listing, but geolocation is the secret sauce that helps your listings sell faster and for more money.
Use this strategy to start your 2023 and succeed in your real estate projects.
