Local SEO for real estate: attract sellers and buyers from Google

In real estate, almost everything starts with a local search: "flat valuation Lyon", "estate agent Boulogne", "house for sale near me". Being visible on these queries means winning seller instructions — the scarcest resource in the business — before your competitors.

Here is the action plan we apply to a real estate agency's local SEO.

1. Google Business Profile: your first shop window

For local searches, your Google Business Profile often appears before websites, alongside the map. It has to be flawless:

• the exact primary category ("Real estate agency") and relevant secondary categories;
• address, phone number and opening hours strictly identical to those on your website;
• real photos of the agency and the team, updated regularly;
• frequent posts: properties sold, local market news, advice.

2. Regular client reviews… and replies

Reviews influence both local rankings and the seller's decision. The goal is not to collect many at once, but to build a steady flow: ask for them systematically at signing, with a direct link.

Reply to every review, positive or negative, with a personal answer: it signals professionalism to Google and to future clients alike.

3. One page per neighbourhood or town

This is the most powerful lever — and the most often misused. A "Real estate agency in [neighbourhood]" page must not be a copy of the homepage with only the name changed: Google spots these duplicate pages and ignores them.

A good local page adds real value:

• a presentation of the area (atmosphere, transport, schools, shops);
• the types of property and market trends the agency observes;
• properties currently for sale and a few recent sales;
• a call to action towards a valuation.

Five rich local pages are better than fifty empty ones.

4. An optimised valuation page

"Valuation" is the sellers' query. The matching page must be fast, reassuring (method, timeframe, free of charge) and offer a short form. Every extra field lowers the conversion rate: ask for the essentials and clarify the rest during the call.

5. Structured data

Schema.org markup (type RealEstateAgent) helps Google understand who you are, where you are and what you offer: name, address, area served, opening hours, reviews. It is invisible to visitors but valuable for local SEO.

6. Consistent information across the web

Name, address and phone number must be identical on your website, your Google profile, property portals and directories. Inconsistencies blur local signals and cost you rankings.

7. Speed and mobile

Most property searches happen on a smartphone, often on the move. Slow pages or heavy photos drive visitors away — and hurt rankings. Compress images, lighten listing pages and check your Core Web Vitals.

Tomorrow: getting cited by AI

Buyers increasingly ask ChatGPT or Perplexity their questions ("which neighbourhood should a family choose in Nantes?"). Precise, well-structured local content increases your chances of being cited in these answers: that is the principle of GEO, which we build into our SEO work.

In practice

Local SEO is a long-term effort: the first effects show on your Google profile within a few weeks, then build up over several months for your website pages.

Want to be found by sellers in your area? Discover our SEO & GEO service, or book a call for a free initial review.