When you want to rank first on Google, quickly, without waiting for SEO campaigns to take shape, PPC is the answer. Small-scale localised ad groups or national brand awareness campaigns both assist in bringing your agency to the top of the first page of Google, where in Yorkshire, over 4,900 searches respond to user queries looking for an estate agent.
With our partners Roar, a digital marketing agency focussed on data and location-based marketing, we've been monitoring a range of property search results across 4,000 towns, counties, and postcodes throughout the UK every month over the past few years. We track which businesses appear in a large number of location-based search results, such as "estate agency in Leeds," "value my house York," or "how much is my house worth in Harrogate?"
This programme has enabled us to build a comprehensive picture over the years, so we can understand how different estate agencies across the country are found on Google. We can also dive deeper into specific regions, such as Yorkshire.
At the national level, Rightmove and Zoopla maintain a dominant organic presence, largely due to their online-centric nature, which allows them to be visible in virtually any location across the UK. Your Move stands out as the agency with the broadest exposure on Google, benefiting from a strong organic presence supported by map listings. On The Market and Yopa also feature prominently, although they rely somewhat more on paid search exposure. Beyond these, well-known chains with extensive branch networks, such as Hamptons, are also highly visible at the national level, as expected.
Let's take a closer look at West Yorkshire as an example, to see how different types of agencies perform at a deeper level.
In West Yorkshire, the paid search landscape for estate agents is highly competitive. Haart leads the field, covering 22 searches across 21 locations with an impressive average position of 1.5th, showcasing a strong investment in paid search to dominate the local market.
Leaders and Haybrook also perform well, each covering 17 searches with average positions of 2nd and 1st, respectively, ensuring they remain prominent in search results. EweMove maintains moderate visibility, covering 6 searches with solid average position between 2nd and 3rd.
Smaller agencies like X1 sales and lettings manage to hold their own, covering 5 searches across 5 locations, with respectable average positions. Auction House and Move House show strong niche focus, maintaining high rankings despite covering fewer searches.
Overall, West Yorkshire's paid search market is characterised by a mix of large and niche agencies, all leveraging paid search strategies to secure key online visibility and compete effectively in the local property market.
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Mastering the basics of PPC is essential, and we've covered these foundational practices in detail in other posts. Once you’ve nailed down the essentials like keyword research, writing engaging ad copy, and setting up well-targeted campaigns, the next step is to fine-tune your paid media strategy to draw in more qualified leads. This involves optimising your ads for specific, high-intent keywords that align closely with your services and what potential clients are searching for.
For instance, by bidding on a term like "estate agents in Leeds," you can attract significant and relevant traffic when done correctly. Success in this area comes from well-organised campaigns, customised landing pages, and dynamic ads that appeal directly to local property buyers and sellers.
Simultaneously, it’s vital to continuously monitor and refine crucial PPC components like Quality Score, ad extensions, and budget management, while also boosting your digital presence with remarketing and display ads. These efforts help demonstrate to Google that your ads are not only pertinent but also offer a superior user experience, which can lead to better ad positioning and lower cost-per-click.
In short, PPC campaigns should be optimised regularly to remain competitive and responsive to market shifts. This can be a challenging task, and knowing where to begin might feel overwhelming. It’s often advisable to collaborate with a digital marketing agency to develop and evolve your PPC strategy, particularly when launching new campaigns or refreshing your website.
Websites with strong integration with PPC tools, like those offered by Homeflow, ensure that your campaigns are effectively targeted and capable of capturing leads efficiently. As you update your site, your PPC strategy can be seamlessly adjusted to reflect new content and services. If your campaigns are already up and running, making regular, incremental tweaks to improve targeting and ad performance is a sound approach.
AI, particularly generative tools like ChatGPT, are revolutionising the search landscape and shifting how users seek out information. Many people now turn to these platforms for quick, direct answers rather than relying on traditional search engines, which could potentially diminish the effectiveness of classic search ranking strategies
To optimise for AI-driven platforms, it’s increasingly crucial to focus on producing high-quality, contextually rich content that aligns with AI algorithms and natural language processing models.
For instance, if you were to ask ChatGPT, "Who is the best estate agent in Leeds?" you might receive different suggestions each time, reflecting the dynamic nature of AI-generated search results. This variability highlights the need for businesses to stay current with AI developments to maintain their competitive edge.
Google’s AI initiative, Gemini, is set to further enhance search by offering more nuanced and context-aware results that better understand user intent, leading to highly personalised responses. This shift could result in more precise and relevant search outcomes, reducing the need for users to sift through multiple pages of results.
As AI technology continues to advance, businesses will need to adapt their digital marketing strategies to ensure they remain visible and relevant in this rapidly evolving search landscape. By staying informed and responsive to AI trends, businesses can better position themselves to succeed in the future of digital marketing.
1. Request a Company Report: Analyse your firm's performance, identifying strong and weak areas within your company intelligence report. You can also see how your competitors are performing in your area too. (You can request analysis on your agency with the form below).
2. Check Your Domain Authority and SEO: Use tools to see where you stand and how easy it will be to improve your ranking.
3. Optimise PPC ads: Target your popular searches
4. Consult with Experts: Book a free consultation with Homeflow to analyse your paid and organic rankings and provide actionable insights to improve your digital marketing strategy. Whether that’s an updated website, performance marketing techniques or a custom strategy based on your specific needs.
By following these steps, you can enhance your visibility, attract more clients, and stay ahead of the competition in Yorkshire.
