If you have a question about a product or service, you may go online to search for the answer through Google. You’ll then be shown links to pages that the search engine believes may be relevant and useful to you, and you click through.
Perhaps you’ll then read the page and if it’s useful, you’ll look at other pages on the same website.
Even a cursory flick through could assure you that the company behind the site understands the topic you’re interested in and can offer the product, service or expertise that you’re after. At that point, you’ll get in touch or make a purchase.
Well, your prospects, such as investors who are thinking of purchasing buy-to-let property, are doing exactly the same; searching online for a trusted source of information to provide the answers to their questions.
As a broker, you’re ideally placed to provide the information that prospective buy-to-let investors need, so how can you get yourself in front of these people?
Firstly, it’s important to find out exactly what they’re looking for, so you appear prominently in the results when people are searching on Google.
We carried out research to identify the most searched-for questions among people interested in buy-to-let, and these are the results:
What is a buy-to-let mortgage and how does one work?
How much deposit is needed for a buy-to-let?
Are stamp duty rules different with buy-to-let mortgages?
How many buy-to-let mortgages can I have?
Is a buy-to-let property worth it?
Find out more: The best keywords for brokers
Once you know what people are searching for, you can create content that directly answers these questions. This could include:
The questions people are commonly asking online could make ideal blog titles, so you could publish articles with clear and simple answers. Ideally, the first paragraph should provide a basic answer, so it offers value even to people who don’t read the whole page. You can then elaborate and explore key themes in more depth in the following paragraphs.
At the same time, make sure your blog includes links to other relevant pages on your website, so visitors are encouraged to learn more about you, your organisation and your areas of expertise.
You should also include various calls to action - prompts that spell out what you would like them to do next, such as downloading a guide, filling in a form or getting in touch.
Once published on your website, you should try to actively point people towards the page. For instance, it should be optimised with the right keywords and well-constructed meta descriptions - tags that summarise for search engine users, what a particular page is about.
Highlight your latest blogs with links on the front page of your website and share them on your various social media channels.
Find out more: How To Write An Effective Blog Title
Find out more: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Checklist
Many questions being asked by aspiring buy-to-let investors lend themselves to extended discussions, in which case a podcast could be the ideal medium for you. Not only does it give you a chance to showcase your own knowledge, it also allows you to tap into your professional network and build your credibility and profile across your industry.
While podcasts will be hosted by providers such as Acast and Spotify, you can also link to them from your website on a dedicated landing page, which you can again optimise to improve its chances of being seen by people searching on Google.
Frequently asked questions, for example, could be the basis of a series of short videos on your website and social media channels, where you can provide concise, straightforward answers, and encourage viewers to get in touch if they want to find out more.
These don’t have to be complex and expensive productions, as you can simply speak into your smartphone camera from the comfort of your desk or in front of a simple backdrop. The low-budget approach can help you put a human face on your organisation, and connect with prospective leads in a different way.
Find out more: Using video to generate more leads
Creating visual representations of complex issues and processes can sometimes make them quicker and easier to understand.
Infographics are also highly shareable on social media and can be added to blog posts that cover the same topics.
Again, it’s important that these images and the landing pages they sit on are optimised for search engines, with well-chosen tags and keywords helping to make sure they get seen by people looking online.
Find out more: 5 tips on improving your search ranking on Google
Creating content based around what your target audience actually wants to know has countless benefits.
For example, it shows people that you understand their pain points and the challenges they face, and this method gets you seen in the place that they’re looking.
But it also helps you establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, with the knowledge, expertise and ability to help address the issues that they face.
That can, in turn, boost your overall brand visibility and recognition, and help you build a stronger pipeline of leads and greater loyalty among your existing client base.
Find out more: 10 things to improve your website performance
Find out more: Glossary of Marketing Terms