Google & Co.
Aled Ellis & Co Ltd and the search engines.
Ranking
From 2015 to 2022, when using the broad key search terms ‘estate agents in Aberystwyth’ and ‘estate agents in Ceredigion’, Aled Ellis & Co Ltd were constantly top 3 on organic (normal) search, but with Google changes, some competitors launching new websites, others adding new content regularly and the portals making inroads, the website has lost a little search ground recently.
Because Google prioritises local businesses for local searches, and favours modern, fast, user and mobile friendly applications that deliver high quality, useful, linkable, content, a top 3 position would return should there be a new website and/or a constant stream of new content added.
In recent years Google has altered the way search results are served, for broader or national terms users might see paid per click (PPC) adverts first, but specific or localised terms like ‘estate agents in Aberystwyth’, will show the top 3 Google rated/reviewed local businesses ahead of organic results.
As the highest rated local estate agent, Aled Ellis & Co Ltd is the defacto first seen estate agent on search, and if a new website were to happen and/or new content added regularly, recovering the above lost organic ground, Aled Ellis & Co Ltd could potentially be page 1, number 1 for both rated business and organic search.
Although this section talks about search in general, there is one thing that worth mentioning in relation to the progressive web app (PWA). If the organic search results are strong, more traffic is delivered to the website and the chances of the app being downloaded will improve, and from that moment organic search is bypassed in favour of the instant engagement the app on a user’s phone provides.
An optimised website and adding new content regularly will help to secure a strong organic search position, but having the website on your mobile home screen, it’s a straight 1 to 1 relationship with no competing agencies vying for attention. However, it needs to be reiterated, the limited Ceredigion market and the user’s phone will have a bearing on app uptake.
Click throughs and AI
With the introduction of AI summaries by Google, some types of websites have noticed a reduction in click throughs, as the AI written overviews give potential site visitors all the they need without having to click on a link. According to the analytics company Authoritas, a site previously ranked first in a search result could lose up to 80% of its traffic for a user query, if the results were delivered below an AI overview. We do not believe this will affect the Aled Ellis & Co Ltd website at least in the short term, as its visitors must click through to specifically learn about a listing, but it is worth noting as AI may well have an impact on visitor numbers in the future.
Portal share
When it comes to countering the portals, as mentioned, Google will skew locally, so they would lose out to a proactive local agent. Although adding regular content will place Aled Ellis & Co Ltd above them, there is an additional way to benefit from their presence.
Should the ideas highlighted in this document lead to an increase in engagement and new clients/listings, it would automatically give Aled Ellis & Co Ltd a larger number of the listings on the portals, which in turn could lead to portal visitors choosing to buy or list with Aled Ellis & Co Ltd over competitors. This is based purely on the idea that some people would equate an agent with the largest share of the market as being the most successful. Basically, to them, size (as in number of listings on a portal) matters.
Please see page 9 for more details.
Analytics
Aled Ellis & Co Ltd has Google analytics embedded onsite, though we do not know if it’s ever been reviewed. But if starting anew, it would be the perfect opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of who visits and how they act on site. This data could then help with business decisions going forward.