Like every industry, the real estate market is undergoing a technological revolution. How people search for and buy or rent new properties has radically changed as more real estate companies incorporate technology into their operations. This is especially true in real estate marketing. For example, organic real estate marketing, such as email marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, and SEO, focuses on step-by-step tactics to build a basis for the brand. This has allowed real estate businesses to connect with broader target markets and improve customer trust, increasing the chance of a sale. 3D interior visualizations have transformed real estate marketing by “drawing the attention of buyers, speeding up sales, and making real estate more attractive”. These trends are making a big impression on the real estate market, and as technology evolves, a new trend is also making a massive impact: semantic searches.
What is a Semantic Search?
A semantic search is different from the more conventional keyword search in that, rather than looking for exact matches, the search looks for results based on similarities. This semantic understanding means that even if two pieces of data aren’t identical but are contextually or semantically similar, they can be matched to provide a result. While different types of databases can perform a semantic search, the vector database is the one most closely associated with this application. Vector databases store data on vectors, which are sequences of numbers that naturally cluster in the database, allowing for the quick retrieval of information using a semantic search. By looking beyond keywords and instead considering the relationships between words and phrases, semantic searches provide more accurate and relevant results. As a result, more real estate companies are investing in data management systems that can perform this function.
How Semantic Searches Will Impact Real Estate?
AI Personalized Searches
AI applications are having a huge impact on the real estate market, and one key area it is improving is personalized searching, taking personalized searching to the next level. In 2023, Zillow launched its latest upgrade to its AI-powered search capabilities by using natural language technology. As per the press release: “users can search by factors such as commute time, affordability, schools, and nearby points of interest, bypassing traditional filters to achieve a more tailored search experience”. The semantic search function will use the information from these inputs to find the relevant results for the user, allowing them to find exact matches to their situation. This will allow them to find results that are suited to their needs and budget much faster.
Semantic Online Marketing
As we mentioned in the introduction, organic marketing has become a huge driver in the real estate industry, and semantic SEO is set to have an even bigger impact. A post on semantic SEO in real estate marketing details how “real estate businesses can significantly improve their search rankings, enhance user experience, and capture more qualified leads” as Semantic SEO helps align content with these multi-dimensional search queries, such as market trends, neighborhood features, and mortgage options. The article notes how content with comprehensive answers ensures visitors stay longer on the page, while also reducing bounce rates. Real estate companies that embrace semantic SEO will improve their presence on search engine result pages, which will have a positive impact on the amount of traffic on their site.
Sentiment Analysis and Consumer Trends
A key feature of semantic searches is the ability to perform sentiment analysis to discover impactful trends. Because semantic searches can find the contextual meaning behind queries, real estate companies can use them to find emerging patterns such as consumer buying and selling habits, popular real estate locations, emerging markets, and potential investments. They can also use it as an effective method to detect risks and market downturns ahead of their competitors. Sentiment analysis can also have an impact on the ability of real estate companies to connect with buyers, such as identifying the best keywords and phrases to elicit positive emotions and actions. This will allow real estate companies to adapt their marketing and pricing approach in line with consumer trends.
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into the real estate market, semantic searches will have a massive impact. Through personalized AI searches, online marketing, and taking advantage of sentiment analysis and trends, real estate companies that use semantic searches will become leaders in the real estate market.
