How To Optimise Property Listings For Search Engines

When a potential buyer or tenant searches for a property online, they’re typically using a search engine like Google or a property portal like Rightmove, Zoopla, or OnTheMarket. If your listings aren’t properly optimised, they may struggle to appear at the top of search results, meaning fewer views, fewer enquiries, and ultimately, fewer sales.

Applying good search engine optimisation (SEO) practice to the creation of property listings is about creating well-structured, engaging, and information-rich listings. The end result shouldn’t just be about visibility in search though. You need to ensure that once your listings are seen, they’re clicked on and – most importantly of all – get you enquiries and bookings. 

In this guide I want to dive into exactly how to optimise property listings, covering everything from keyword use and content structuring to multimedia enhancements and engagement techniques.

Optimising the Property Listing Title

The title of your property listing is one of the most important ranking factors on Google and property portals alike. It needs to be concise, descriptive, and keyword-rich while still reading naturally.

A weak title like:

“Stunning Two-Bedroom Property”

…doesn’t provide enough useful information for either buyers or search engines. Instead, a more detailed and optimised title might read:

“Modern Two-Bed Flat for Sale in Manchester | Balcony & Parking | Close to City Centre”

This title works better because it:

• Includes primary search terms that buyers use (“two-bed flat for sale in Manchester”).
• Features additional selling points that might influence a decision (“balcony & parking”).
• Uses a structured format that is easy to read at a glance.

Try to anticipate what buyers are searching for and build a title that answers those needs. The best approach is to include:

✔ Property type (e.g., two-bed flat, detached house)
✔ Location (specific town, area, or neighbourhood)
✔ Key features (garden, parking, near transport links)

Each word in the title should be purposeful—avoid wasting space on generic flowery adjectives like “stunning” or “beautiful” unless you have room to spare. Generally speaking, this kind of emotive prose should be saved for your property descriptions. 

Writing an SEO-Optimised Property Description

Your property description is where you can provide both search engines and potential buyers with detailed, valuable information about the property. A well-optimised description isn’t just about using the right keywords—it’s about structuring the content properly, making it easy to read, and ensuring it contains all the information buyers need to make a decision.

How to Structure a Property Description for SEO and Readability

A strong property description should follow a logical structure, starting with the most important information and working down to finer details. A good format to follow is:

1. Opening statement – A concise summary of the property, including key details like number of bedrooms, location, and standout features.

“A spacious and modern two-bedroom apartment for sale in central Manchester, featuring an open-plan living area, private balcony, and secure underground parking. Located within walking distance of Deansgate and Oxford Road Station.”

2. Key features – Highlight the most important aspects of the property in a scannable format.

• Two spacious double bedrooms
• Private balcony with city views
• Open-plan living and kitchen area
• Modern bathroom with walk-in shower
• Secure underground parking
• Walking distance to shops, restaurants, and transport links

3. Additional property details – Provide extra context about the home’s benefits, layout, or unique features.

“The property benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light, with contemporary wood flooring throughout. The kitchen is fully fitted with integrated appliances, and the building features a 24-hour concierge service.”

4. Location and lifestyle benefits – Describe the neighbourhood, nearby amenities, and transport links.

“Situated in the heart of Manchester, this apartment is perfect for professionals and first-time buyers looking for a vibrant city lifestyle. Deansgate’s bars and restaurants are just a short walk away, while Oxford Road Station provides direct access to national rail links.”

By structuring descriptions in a way that is easy to scan, potential buyers can quickly identify key selling points, while search engines can better understand the context of the listing.

5. Tell a story – My colleague Joe Cox, recently wrote a fascinating piece on this blog looking at the psychology of selling houses. In it, he talked about the power of storytelling and it would be remiss of me not to mention it here. 

As much as search engines and people like as much accurate detail as possible, you also need to appeal to an individual’s emotions. Buying a house is a hugely emotional decision after all, so whilst it’s important to give people details and hit those keywords, you also need to tell a story by using emotional or evocative language, helping any would-be buyer imagine themselves living in the property. 

Using Keywords Naturally and Effectively

For search engines to rank a listing, it needs to include relevant search terms. However, keyword use should always be natural and strategic—stuffing a description with repetitive phrases (what used to be known as ‘keyword stuffing’) just doesn’t fool search engines anymore. More to the point it won’t just read poorly; it could actually harm your rankings.

Where to Use Keywords in a Property Listing

• Title – Include the property type and location in the title (e.g., “3-Bed House for Sale in Bristol”).
• Opening Paragraph – Use a primary keyword early on, ideally within the first sentence.
• Body Text – Sprinkle variations of the main search terms throughout the description.
• Bullet Points – List property features with relevant terms (e.g., “open-plan kitchen,” “modern en-suite”).
• Image Alt Text – Optimise image descriptions with relevant keywords (e.g., “Spacious living room in a two-bedroom London flat”).

A balanced approach to keywords ensures that your listing is readable, engaging, and optimised without feeling forced.

Enhancing Listings with High-Quality Multimedia

SEO isn’t just about text—images and videos also play a huge role in both search rankings and user engagement. Listings with professional photography and virtual tours tend to rank higher and generate more enquiries than those with low-quality images.

How to Optimise Images for SEO

• Use descriptive filenames – Instead of IMG1234.jpg, name files properly (e.g., two-bedroom-apartment-manchester.jpg).
• Add alt text – This helps Google understand image content (e.g., “modern kitchen with integrated appliances in Manchester flat”).
• Compress images – Reduce file size to prevent slow loading speeds (using tools like TinyPNG), whilst keeping the resolution high enough for a clear sharp image. File size is dependent on how many images on page, but as a rule don’t top 1MB. Here’s a good guide to ideal website image sizes.

Video content, such as virtual tours or narrated walkthroughs, can further improve engagement and ranking potential. If possible, upload property videos to YouTube and embed them in listings, as YouTube videos often appear in Google search results.

Keeping Listings Fresh and Updated

Search engines favour regularly updated content. If a property listing remains unchanged for months, it may start to drop in rankings. To keep a listing performing well, consider:

• Refreshing descriptions with new details or updates.
• Uploading new images if better ones become available.
• Adding recent local market insights to highlight demand in the area.

A simple update every few weeks can signal to search engines that the listing is still relevant, improving its ranking potential.

Enhancing Listings on Property Portals

While property portals like Rightmove, Zoopla, and OnTheMarket use their own internal ranking algorithms, many of the same SEO principles apply. The way you structure and optimise your listings on these platforms can have a big impact on visibility, engagement, and enquiries.

Many agents make the mistake of copying and pasting the same text across multiple platforms, but portals favour unique, well-written content. Instead of using a generic description, focus on highlighting key selling points in a compelling way, naturally incorporating location-based keywords that match what buyers and renters are searching for.

Multimedia also plays a crucial role. High-quality images help grab attention in crowded search results, while virtual tours and video walkthroughs increase dwell time on a listing, a factor some portals may use to determine ranking. Listings with more engagement and longer view times are more likely to be promoted higher.

Another important factor is listing updates. Some property portals prioritise recently refreshed listings, so making small tweaks—such as updating the description, changing the lead image, or adding a new feature highlight—can help maintain visibility.

Finally, engagement signals matter. Encourage prospective buyers to favourite, share, or interact with listings where possible. If a property receives a high number of views, enquiries, or engagement actions, it signals to the portal’s algorithm that it’s a popular listing, increasing its chances of appearing in relevant searches.

By treating each property portal as a unique platform rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, estate agents can maximise visibility, attract more clicks, and generate higher-quality leads.

Key Takeaways

Optimising property listings for search engines is about more than just adding a few keywords. It requires a strategic approach—writing engaging, structured descriptions, ensuring titles are clear and informative, using high-quality images, and keeping listings fresh and up to date.

By following the techniques outlined in this guide, estate agents can significantly improve their visibility online, generate more enquiries, and ultimately sell properties faster. With so much competition in the market, ensuring that your listings are search-friendly and user-friendly is one of the most effective ways to stand out.

If your property listings aren’t getting the kind of online traffic and bookings you’d like, then why not drop us a call or a message. We have worked with a lot of estate agents over the years, helping to turn their search presence around. Book a discovery call today.