How to Use Virtual Tours To Elevate Real Estate Sales
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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 I and many other writers have discussed in previous articles, virtual tours help real estate agents sell more properties, but that is not the case.
But we found a neat little hack you can do with your real estate content to get free exposure and more eyeballs on your listings to get more sales. This is all through a process called “geotagging.”
Never heard of this term? Do not worry; let’s learn how to implement it in your content.
What is geotagging?
Geotagging is a technical term for search engine optimization used to rank local content higher on search engines using the exact coordinates of a real estate listing and the type of real estate property. Many business owners implement this strategy to get them higher on local searches; let’s walk through an example.
John Smith owns a bakery in Philadelphia, and while he has a great virtual tour, video and photos, he’s looking for that extra edge against his competition. He finds the process of geotagging, goes to a free site like geoimgr.com, finds the coordinates (longitude and latitude) of Philadelphia, adds it to Geo Imgr and then adds in his niche key phrase for what people are searching for his type business , such as “bakeries near me” or “bakeries in Philadelphia.”
So you essentially tell Google what you do “niche” in your area’s coordinates, so Google positions you as such because you’ve organized your content and marked it as such; this is a brilliant way to get higher rankings on local searches. In 2023 you will need 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 real estate listings?
What do brick and mortar businesses and real estate listings have in common? They are both pieces of real estate, so this process works just as well with real estate listings as it does with small businesses like John Smith’s bakery.
No one does that as a real estate agent. They are only focused on having good content, although it is essential to get to the next level; They should also geotag all their photos and videos! This is what hotshot brokers do to increase exposure on 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: Philadelphia’s coordinates are (39.9526° N and 75.1652° W).
- Enter the coordinates in Geoimgr.
- Enter your type of real estate in Geoimgr “single family home in Rittenhouse (insert your neighborhood)” or “multifamily home south of Philadelphia.”
- Click the “EXIF Tag” button, and you’ve optimized your real estate listing content!
Related: How is Virtual Reality Impacting Real Estate?
Where do I post my optimized content once I have it?
As you normally would, you would post to the multiple listing service, which links to all the big name listings like Zillow, Realtor, Loopnet, Redfin, etc. farm. Since most people search on Google anyway, Google will still give you the benefits of geotagging. The best part of using geoimgr is that you can upgrade your account to get more content optimized for more lists as you become more successful as time goes on.
Don’t have the time? Fortunately, this process takes less than 10-15 minutes to complete. Learn how to do this process first, then give it 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 geotagging is the secret sauce to selling your listings faster and for more money.
Use this strategy to start your 2023 and find success in your real estate endeavors.
