Hyperlocal is the current battlefield for potential clients. It's being won by the agents that get what people really want when searching for real estate.
I try to do a session explaining this topic at each REBarCamp I attend. (By the way if you get a chance to attend one, I highly recommend it, they are FREE!) I'm passionate about the subject because I believe it's a way for agents with little to no marketing budget to win at the Google game.
Don't know what hyperlocal means? Imagine this: How many people search for "homes in Chicago?" Plenty right? But consider this, how many more search for phrases such as "homes in {insert small suburb city here}" or "homes in Whispering Woods subdivision?" Hyperlocal is not just a city but even as small as a subdivision.
The truth is unless you are Zillow, Trulia, or a major brokerage, over the long run you will not be the number one search term for "homes in Chicago." But as of right now it's fairly easy to win on the subdivision, small city, or zip code level. What's called in the industry Long Tail Search...
For our St. Louis affiliate, we helped create a site www.STLHomeData.com It now dominates many search terms involving each zip code for which there is a page.
A big reason I'm bringing this up is that apparently the big guys have seen this as something they need to move on.... This weekend Coldwell Banker launched their new "On Location" YouTube system. The idea? Have localized videos of communities and agents and dominate these smaller areas.
They realize that people want to see videos of what communities look like, they want to connect with agents in video format to learn more about them before picking up the phone, they want to get info on what they care about. Anyone can tell you what homes are for sale, how many beds and baths they have, and what the price is. Few brokerages / agents offer video walkthroughs of homes, a video of a drive through the subidivion, what a walk on the trail behind the home is like, etc.
So the key is get on the local bandwagon now. Start a hyperlocal blog that covers what's going on in the community - resteraunt openings and reviews, subdivision garage sales, big sales, coupons for local retailers, etc. Make a website like STLHomeData, offering answers to home related questions in that area. As you create quality content that people care about and use terms that create SEO for your topic, you'll begin to win the hyperlocal game. A great way you can do this is to use ActiveRain 's Features such as localism.com You can get to the neighborhood level there. Just consider what you think you'd want to know about in your subdivision or city and report it.
Blogging or website creation not for you? Start today at the easiest way to jump into the hyperlocal game: Trulia Voices and Zillow Advice Answer questions posted in your local markets.
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