There’s no escaping it; we are seeing unprecedented changes in the way estate agents receive phone calls and leads via organic search. The world of AI Search is upon us, and if you are an estate agent who relies on Google for leads and finds yourself in a panic, this post is for you.
I have spoken to numerous agents about this, both online and at several industry events I have attended recently, and the feeling I am getting from within the industry is one of concern. Many estate agents and letting agents I know or work with receive leads every week through local SEO. Luckily, in my opinion, this shift is a massive opportunity.
In this article, I will explain why it’s something to be excited about, what steps you can take to win the AI search race, and how to be recognised as the authoritative property expert within your community.
Does that sound good to you? Let’s go!
What Is AI Search and How Is It Different from Traditional Google Search?
I’m not sure about you, but I use ChatGPT on a daily basis. It’s just so much easier to find answers. Before AI Search, you would ask the question to Google, have to visit multiple websites until you saw one of your liking, and then scroll through the page until you got your answer. Even as I type this, it sounds medieval. 😂
A good example is when you’re looking for a recipe. These pages used to drive me up the wall! You need to scroll down to the bottom of the page until you find the ingredients and instructions. This was because bloggers would include sections about the history of the dish, where they first discovered it, the best kitchen equipment to use when cooking it, and so on. It was so painful, and it wasn’t that long ago when that was the norm.
Then, with the emergence of ChatGPT, you could get the exact answer to your problem in seconds. No fluff, no nonsense, just the answer you needed. Happy days for the user, but bad times for bloggers who relied on the traffic to generate an income from ads.
This change in how people can now get answers more efficiently using AI search scared the hell out of traditional search engines, such as Google and Bing. Search engines rely on traffic to generate revenue from advertising. If everyone moved away from their platforms, opting for instant answers from AI Search, also known as generative search tools, they’ll be in big trouble. So, they had to make changes fast.
Their answer to the problem? Google’s Search Generative Experience (Google SGE) and Bing Copilot.
How Local SEO Works Today for Estate Agents
When working on a client’s local SEO project, there are a few fundamentals that I work on within the first few weeks and months of taking them on as a client. These include:
- Optimising the Google Business Profile
- Structuring their website to include local pages and separate service pages
- Securing their business directory citations and local links
- Generate local content for their audience, and obviously, to help them rank better for local search results.
- Building a local Schema for the website and pages
- Auditing their website technical issues and fixing all high-priority tasks (site speed, broken links, duplicate meta tags, poor content)
There’s more to it than that, but if I can get the above done, I always have great foundations in place to help the client succeed.
Why am I telling you this? Because everything I have listed above is also a vital factor in ensuring your estate agency business is visible on AI Search, too. The list above is simply good practice for any website, making it easier for AI bots to crawl your pages and determine who you are and what you do.
The Coming Disruption – How AI Search Will Change Local SEO
With AI now on the scene and showing no signs of being a fleeting trend, estate agents need to embrace this change and take action to ensure they remain relevant. This means being optimised for both Google and Bing. In case you were unaware, ChatGPT obtains its results from Bing, so it’s essential to ensure your content is indexed and shared on both Bing and Google search engines.
Although many websites will struggle with the new age and a lack of traffic landing on their pages, for local businesses, such as estate agents, you don’t need people to land on your website. You are ultimately after phone calls, emails and footfall – all of which you can still get from AI-driven search.
You need to accept that there is now a greater focus on summarised answers with fewer links to websites.
I’ve already shared my SEO fundamentals with you in a section above. These remain true when seeking to be found in AI results. Another focus to remember is the increased importance of topical authority and structured data.
What do I mean by this?
Topic Authority: Building topic authority means consistently publishing in-depth, trustworthy content that signals to search engines you’re a reliable source on property and local market topics.
Structured Data: Structured data enables search engines to better understand your website by tagging key information, such as business details, reviews, and FAQs, allowing it to appear in rich results and AI-generated answers. This is achieved by adding Schema data to your website, and AI relies heavily on Schema when searching for the best answers for its readers.
The biggest fear we should all have is that reduced clicks to your website mean less traffic. Plus, with AI sourcing results from only a few brands, you need to ensure you master topical authority so that you are in their line of sight when answering someone’s query.
Zero-click searches are here, and we need to get ready before our competitors do.
What This Means for Estate Agents Competing Locally
AI search will prioritise websites and pages with high EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust). As an estate agent, you know the territory you cover. You need to ensure that you follow the checklist and produce quality content so that AI sees you as the best choice to recommend to the user.
For example, suppose you are a local, independent estate agent, and your competitors are all national. In that case, they will likely have a larger website, more backlinks, and listings in business directories. But guess what, your content and entire website is only about the town you cover and the surrounding villages! This puts you in a stronger position.
Let me explain.
All the backlinks the corporate estate agents have are directed to their national website. When it comes to local content on their website, 99% of the time, it’s generic content to suit readers across the UK, rather than separate content tailored to support each branch. Therefore, aside from the branch and local listings, these websites do not offer much additional content about the local area. Some might include area guides, which aren’t often that great, but other than that, there are no other pages to support local EEAT.
But for your website, let’s say you cover Woking, Surrey, there’s heaps of supporting content you can create! The town of Woking also includes Sheerwater, Maybury, Kingfield, Westfield, Mayford, Hook Heath, Horsell, and numerous other areas, but you get the idea. By having pages on your site that are hyper-local, search engines and AI will all understand that out of all the estate agency websites in and around Woking, you are the most specialised. Then, by creating individual service pages (as mentioned earlier) and establishing blogs that focus on your services, areas, and niche, you can develop topical authority in your territory, regardless of whether you are competing with national brands or not.
When it comes to backlinks, get 50 UK and local business directory listings (all identical with business name, address and details) and partner with local organisations, such as schools, charities and businesses. Through local PR, you can acquire numerous local backlinks to your website. None of the bigger websites in your area have ever bothered doing that, allowing you to own the EEAT in your area and get the visibility your business needs.
How Estate Agents Can Adapt Their SEO Strategy for the AI Search Era
Here’s the truth. AI-driven search has revolutionised how people discover local businesses online, and you must rethink your SEO strategies to remain visible and competitive in this evolving landscape. Below is my checklist to help you get started:
1. Prioritise Topical Authority Through Content
Estate agents should focus on building topical authority by regularly publishing in-depth, helpful content that answers the fundamental questions buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants are asking. Think beyond listings – create hyperlocal guides, market insights, and explainer articles on legal or procedural topics. AI search systems favour sources that demonstrate consistent expertise in a specific niche. Don’t pay £10 for an article and expect it to be unique, original and written by a human. For example, this article I’m writing now will take a minimum of two hours to write, grammar-check, and publish. You can’t rush content anymore.
2. Make Structured Data a Standard Practice
Structured data (schema markup) tells AI and search engines exactly what your content is about. Implement schemas for:
- LocalBusiness
- RealEstateAgent
- FAQPage
- Review
- Service
This increases your chances of appearing in rich snippets, AI-generated overviews, and OpenAI results, even if your website isn’t in the top 3 traditional organic results.
3. Double Down on Your Google Business Profile
While AI search may reduce the visibility of the local pack, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is still a key signal of credibility and location relevance. Make sure it’s up to date with:
- Accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
- High-quality photos and video tours
- Regular updates (posts, events, new listings)
- Detailed service descriptions
Encourage and respond to reviews consistently to build trust signals that AI can recognise and understand.
4. Answer Specific Local and Industry Questions
AI search is heavily driven by user intent and question-based queries. Create dedicated pages or sections that answer FAQs like:
- “What is the average rental yield in [Area]?”
- “When is the best time to sell a house in [City]?”
- “How do estate agent fees work in the UK?”
Use a conversational tone and structured formatting to make it easier for AI to pull your content into answers.
5. Optimise for Entities, Not Just Keywords
Search is moving toward entities (people, places, businesses, services) rather than just raw keywords. Mention related local businesses, neighbourhoods, schools, and landmarks to contextualise your content and increase relevance in AI’s semantic understanding.
6. Leverage Video, Images, and Rich Media
AI search experiences often pull from multiple media types. Use:
- Short educational videos on market trends
- Virtual tours and walkthroughs
- Infographics or charts explaining local data
These formats not only engage users but also provide AI systems with varied content to incorporate into dynamic search answers.
7. Track AI Search Impact and Evolve
Use tools like Google Search Console and SGE tracking platforms like SE Ranking to monitor changes in impressions and CTR. SEO in the AI era isn’t set-and-forget – your strategy needs to evolve as new search behaviours emerge.
- Invest in topic authority (long-form blog content)
- Focus on structured data (schema markup for local businesses)
- Strengthen GBP with reviews, updates, and services.
- Use AI tools to generate FAQs, local Q&A, and relevant property advice.
Local Content Ideas That Can Feed AI Search
Creating location-specific, question-driven, and evergreen content can help AI systems surface your website in conversational search results. Here are 15 ideas to get started:
Property Market Insights
- “Average House Prices in [Area] – What Buyers Can Expect in [Current Year]”
- “Is Now a Good Time to Sell a House in [Town]?”
- “Rental Yield Trends in [City]: What Landlords Need to Know”
Hyperlocal Community Content
- “Top 5 Neighbourhoods to Live in [City] for Families/Commuters”
- “Local Amenities Guide: Schools, Parks, and Shops in [Area]”
- “What £300K Buys You in [Town]: A Look at Local Property Options”
Search-Optimized FAQs
- “How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in [Area]?”
- “What Are Estate Agent Fees in [Town] and Are They Negotiable?”
- “What Paperwork Do I Need to Let My Property in [City]?”
Practical Guides
- “Moving House Checklist for [Area] Homeowners”
- “Step-by-Step Guide to Buying a Property in [Town]”
- “Landlord Compliance Checklist for Letting in [City]”
Content with Regular Update Potential
- “Monthly Housing Market Update for [Area]”
- “Recently Sold Properties in [Town] – What the Data Tells Us”
- “Upcoming Developments in [City] and How They’ll Impact House Prices”
Bonus Tips:
- Use structured data (e.g. FAQPage, Article, LocalBusiness schema) to enhance visibility in AI search.
- Include local keywords and entity mentions like nearby schools, transport links, or local councils.
- Use real photos, maps, or short videos where possible to create rich, AI-digestible content.
Final Thoughts – The Estate Agent’s Playbook for the AI SEO Future
The rise of AI-driven search isn’t a reason to panic – but it is a signal that now is the time to adapt.
For estate agents and letting agents, the fundamentals of visibility online are evolving. Instead of relying solely on traditional SEO tactics like keywords and backlinks, success in the AI search era will be driven by helpful, expert-led content, technical best practices, and clear digital trust signals.
As a leaving note, the best advice I can give you is this. To stay ahead, ensure you invest money or time in content that answers local, property-related questions your audience is ready to search for. Don’t rush this content. It needs to be personal, professional, unique, and informative. You can use AI to help structure the article and share tips, but it needs to be written by a human and not a piece of content that hundreds of agents have already posted on their sites.
Implement structured data and maintain a healthy, technically sound website. This enables AI to understand and surface your content.
Focus on building trust online through reviews, sharing real-world experiences, topical authority, backlinks, and transparent service and community information.
Above all, stay adaptable. Google’s AI features, such as Search Generative Experience (SGE), are still evolving, and the best-performing agents will be those who test, learn, and adjust their strategy based on how search behaviour changes.
The agents who treat SEO and AI Search Optimisation as an ongoing part of their digital marketing, not a one-time task, will thrive in this new era of intelligent search.
Need help? Find out about my Local SEO services and how we can help you.
