Hyper-Local: What it Means and How it Can Help You Beat the National Giants of Online Real Estate

The term “hyper-local” may not be part of your vocabulary - yet - but it should be. As it pertains to real estate, hyper-local means categorizing highly targeted, specific search criteria for listings. Not only does it mean you arrange listings separated by specific geographical area, but also by niche criteria characteristics. Utilizing the principle of hyper-locality on your real estate website is what will set you apart from - and in fact, outpace - the national titans of internet real estate marketing like Zillow and Trulia. (Read through until the end to find out how!)

What exactly is a “hyper-local” real estate website?

Targeted Specific Areas + Niche Searches

When buyers are looking for a property, the more categorized the listings the better. This means breaking the data up into easier to digest slices of the market for your website visitors. A page displaying “Miami Homes for Sale” will easily turn off many visitors because that segment of the MLS is simply too large.

You need to have a unique landing page for each city - further broken down to display easy one-click searches for every neighborhood and condo building in that city. THIS is hyper-local. This way you can capture the largest portion of buyers by giving them what they want.

Many late-stage buyers know that they are only interested in a handful of particular neighborhoods. To capture the hottest leads - the ones that already know what they want - you need to have hyper-local geographic searches. Having easy access to a one-click search that displays only listings that are relevant to them increases their engagement and your ability to convert the lead.

It is important to understand, however, that it is not just about the geographical breakdown if you want to maximize your growth potential. Even more potent for real estate marketing and lead conversion is having highly specific niche searches for every area that you farm.

What is a niche search? Basically, this means having a specialty search created for specific real estate search criteria. This can be anything from “pet-friendly condos” and “waterfront homes” to “remodeled properties” and ”homes with a pool”. These search criteria represent very targeted buyers who tend to be highly motivated. These are the buyers you want to reach - they know what they want and they are actively seeking relevant listings that meet their criteria. Presenting hyper-local niche searches to this buyer pool produces high conversion rates as a result.

Hyper-Local for SEO Enhancement

Search engine optimization is key if you are looking to generate real estate business in the long-term. Utilizing hyper-local data on your website portal generates thousands of long-tail keywords that hugely enhance your online visibility and boost your search engine rankings for keywords that buyers are actually searching for. It has been proven time and again that long-tail keywords are what you need to generate more high quality leads to convert more business. The most efficient and effective way to maximize your long-tail keyword marketing game is through the use of hyper-local data.

Utilize Hyper-Local to Beat the National Portals

Local real estate agents often fear the national online portals like Zillow and Trulia, thinking that they cannot compete with such a huge national brand. When you have a hyper-local real estate website, however, they cannot compete with you. Qualified buyers and sellers want an expert in their respective market to provide the best service and find the most relevant listings. They want a local agent with in-depth knowledge of their area and market trends to get them the best deal. When your website portal delivers a hyper-local experience, you highlight your market expertise in a way that a faceless national website simply cannot. They are a generic national chain. You are a local agent who is knowledgeable in the details that your buyers want. With the right tools and technology, you have the local edge and can win more business than these giants by providing the most valuable user experience.

The secret to generating more leads that have high conversion potential is creating a hyper-local real estate experience on your online portal. Give your website visitors the most relevant listings in the most efficient presentation and watch your business grow.