How a Lisbon Real Estate Agency Dominated Local Search and Increased High-Quality Leads by 155%
Client: a boutique real estate agency in Lisbon specializing in luxury properties for international and local premium buyers.
Project Duration: 12 months (Ongoing)
Services: Comprehensive SEO (Technical, On-Page, Local, and Content Strategy)
Project Duration: 12 months (Ongoing)
Services: Comprehensive SEO (Technical, On-Page, Local, and Content Strategy)
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Executive Summary
Our client had a visually stunning website that showcased their premium properties but remained invisible in Google searches that mattered most. They were heavily reliant on expensive property portals and paid ads, which resulted in a high Cost Per Lead (CPL) and inconsistent lead quality.
Studio.351 developed and executed a hyper-local SEO strategy that transformed their website into a lead-generation machine. Within 12 months, we increased their organic traffic by over 400%, secured top-3 rankings for dozens of high-intent keywords, and boosted their inflow of qualified, commission-ready leads by 155%.
Key Results at a Glance:
Studio.351 developed and executed a hyper-local SEO strategy that transformed their website into a lead-generation machine. Within 12 months, we increased their organic traffic by over 400%, secured top-3 rankings for dozens of high-intent keywords, and boosted their inflow of qualified, commission-ready leads by 155%.
Key Results at a Glance:
- +410% increase in organic search traffic.
- +155% increase in high-quality organic leads (form submissions and calls).
- Top 3 Rankings for 25+ crucial keywords like "luxury apartments Lisbon," "real estate agency Chiado", and "buy property Alfama".
- 50% Reduction in blended Cost Per Lead (CPL) due to the influx of free organic leads.
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The Challenge: A Beautiful but Invisible Website
When real estate agency approached us, they faced several critical business challenges directly tied to their online presence:
- Fierce Local Competition: the Lisbon real-estate market is saturated. They were being outranked by large aggregators (like Idealista) and established, older agencies with stronger domain authority.
- Low Organic Visibility: their website ranked on page 5 or lower for valuable commercial keywords. Fundamentally, for prospective clients looking on Google, they were nonexistent.
- Over-reliance on Paid Channels: the majority of their budget was spent on paid ads and commissions to property portals. This model was unsustainable and ate significantly into their profit margins.
- Lack of Qualified Leads: leads from paid channels were often low-intent "window shoppers". They needed to attract serious buyers and sellers who were actively looking for a premium agent.
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The Solution: A Hyper-Local SEO Strategy by Studio.351
Our goal was clear: establish our client as the digital authority for luxury real estate in Lisbon's most sought-after neighborhoods. We designed a comprehensive, three-pillar strategy:
- Technical SEO Fundamentals: guarantee the website is fully optimized for search engines to crawl, comprehend, and assess its content.
- Hyper-Local Content & On-Page SEO: create and optimize content that directly answers the specific queries of their target audience, from neighborhood guides to individual property listings.
- Local Authority Building: osition the agency as a trusted local expert through Google Business Profile optimization and targeted off-page signals.
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Our Process: The Key Stages of Work
We executed our strategy through a methodical, step-by-step process:
Stage 1: Deep Dive & Technical SEO Audit
We started with a thorough audit using tools like Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and Google PageSpeed Insights. We identified and fixed critical issues:
Stage 2: Hyper-Local Keyword & Competitor Research
We went beyond broad keywords like "real estate Lisbon." Our research focused on high-intent, long-tail keywords tied to specific neighborhoods and property types:
Stage 3: On-Page SEO & Content Creation
This was the core of the project. We systematically optimized the entire website:
Stage 4: Local SEO Domination
We completely overhauled their Google Business Profile (GBP):
Stage 1: Deep Dive & Technical SEO Audit
We started with a thorough audit using tools like Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and Google PageSpeed Insights. We identified and fixed critical issues:
- Slow page load times, especially on mobile devices.
- Poor URL structure and non-optimized metadata.
- Indexation problems and duplicate content issues with property listings.
- Lack of a proper internal linking structure to distribute authority.
Stage 2: Hyper-Local Keyword & Competitor Research
We went beyond broad keywords like "real estate Lisbon." Our research focused on high-intent, long-tail keywords tied to specific neighborhoods and property types:
- Transactional Keywords: "apartments for sale in Principe Real," "luxury villa with pool Cascais."
- Informational Keywords: "best neighborhoods to live in Lisbon," "guide to buying property in Portugal as an expat."
- This allowed us to capture users at every stage of their buying journey.
Stage 3: On-Page SEO & Content Creation
This was the core of the project. We systematically optimized the entire website:
- Property Listing Optimization: We created a template to ensure every new property listing was perfectly optimized with a unique title, meta description, image alt-tags, and structured data (Schema markup) to enhance its appearance in search results.
- Neighborhood Guides: We developed in-depth guides for key areas (Chiado, Alfama, Lapa, etc.). These guides covered lifestyle, amenities, and property market trends, attracting top-of-funnel traffic and positioning the agency as the local expert.
- Blog Content: We launched a blog targeting the pain points of buyers and sellers with articles like "Understanding Portugal's Golden Visa Program" and "5 Tips for Staging Your Lisbon Apartment for a Quick Sale."
Stage 4: Local SEO Domination
We completely overhauled their Google Business Profile (GBP):
- Filled out every section with keyword-rich descriptions.
- Uploaded high-quality photos of the office and team.
- Implemented a strategy to consistently acquire new, positive client reviews.
- Used GBP Posts to announce new premium listings and open houses.
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The Results: Tangible Growth in 12 Months
The data speaks for itself. Our integrated SEO strategy delivered phenomenal, business-changing results.
Organic Traffic Growth:
The website's organic traffic saw a steady, month-over-month increase, culminating in a 405-415% rise compared to the start of the project.
Keyword Rankings:
The website moved from obscurity to the first page of Google for over 50 valuable keywords, with more than half of those in the Top 3 positions.
Lead Generation & Business Impact:
Most importantly, the traffic converted. The number of high-quality leads—defined as direct inquiries for property viewings or seller consultations—increased by 155%. This influx of organic leads allowed the agency to reduce its ad spend, directly boosting their ROI.
Organic Traffic Growth:
The website's organic traffic saw a steady, month-over-month increase, culminating in a 405-415% rise compared to the start of the project.
Keyword Rankings:
The website moved from obscurity to the first page of Google for over 50 valuable keywords, with more than half of those in the Top 3 positions.
Lead Generation & Business Impact:
Most importantly, the traffic converted. The number of high-quality leads—defined as direct inquiries for property viewings or seller consultations—increased by 155%. This influx of organic leads allowed the agency to reduce its ad spend, directly boosting their ROI.
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FAQ
Q: What was the single most impactful part of this SEO strategy?
A: The hyper-local content strategy. Creating in-depth guides for specific Lisbon neighborhoods (like Chiado, Alfama, and Principe Real) allowed us to capture high-intent searchers and establish our client as the definitive local expert, building trust even before the first contact.
Q: Did you only focus on technical and on-page SEO?
A: No, it was a comprehensive strategy. While the technical foundation and on-page optimization were crucial first steps, the ongoing content creation and the complete optimization of their Google Business Profile were what truly propelled them to the top of local search results.
Q: How did you handle content creation? Did the client write the articles?
A: We handled the entire content process from start to finish. Our team conducted the keyword research, developed the content strategy, and wrote all the neighborhood guides and blog articles. We worked in close collaboration with the client to ensure every piece of content perfectly reflected their brand voice and expertise.
Q: Why was Google Business Profile (GBP) so important for this client?
A: For any local business, especially real estate, GBP is critical. It's often the first interaction a potential client has with your brand in search results or on Google Maps. By optimizing it and implementing a review acquisition strategy, we significantly boosted their local visibility and social proof.
Q: How did this SEO campaign affect their spending on paid ads and property portals?
A: It fundamentally changed their marketing budget. The consistent flow of high-quality, free organic leads allowed them to significantly reduce their reliance on expensive property portals and decrease their Cost Per Lead, directly increasing their overall profitability and ROI.
Q: Can these SEO results be replicated for a real estate agency in another city?
A: Absolutely. The core principles of our strategy—a solid technical foundation, hyper-local content, and building local authority—are universal. However, the exact tactics, keywords, and content angles are always custom-tailored to the specific market, competition, and business goals of each client.
Q: SEO vs. Paid Ads for Real Estate: Which is better?
A: These channels serve different purposes and work even best together. Paid ads deliver immediate results, which is great for specific listings or promotions. SEO is a long-term investment that builds a sustainable asset for the business. It generates trust, authority, and a consistent flow of high-quality leads at a much lower long-term cost, making it the most profitable channel over time.
Q: What is the first step to start a similar SEO project with Studio.351?
A: It all starts with a conversation. We begin with a free, no-obligation consultation to understand your business, your goals, and your current online presence. From there, we can conduct an initial audit and propose a custom strategy designed to get you real, measurable results.
A: The hyper-local content strategy. Creating in-depth guides for specific Lisbon neighborhoods (like Chiado, Alfama, and Principe Real) allowed us to capture high-intent searchers and establish our client as the definitive local expert, building trust even before the first contact.
Q: Did you only focus on technical and on-page SEO?
A: No, it was a comprehensive strategy. While the technical foundation and on-page optimization were crucial first steps, the ongoing content creation and the complete optimization of their Google Business Profile were what truly propelled them to the top of local search results.
Q: How did you handle content creation? Did the client write the articles?
A: We handled the entire content process from start to finish. Our team conducted the keyword research, developed the content strategy, and wrote all the neighborhood guides and blog articles. We worked in close collaboration with the client to ensure every piece of content perfectly reflected their brand voice and expertise.
Q: Why was Google Business Profile (GBP) so important for this client?
A: For any local business, especially real estate, GBP is critical. It's often the first interaction a potential client has with your brand in search results or on Google Maps. By optimizing it and implementing a review acquisition strategy, we significantly boosted their local visibility and social proof.
Q: How did this SEO campaign affect their spending on paid ads and property portals?
A: It fundamentally changed their marketing budget. The consistent flow of high-quality, free organic leads allowed them to significantly reduce their reliance on expensive property portals and decrease their Cost Per Lead, directly increasing their overall profitability and ROI.
Q: Can these SEO results be replicated for a real estate agency in another city?
A: Absolutely. The core principles of our strategy—a solid technical foundation, hyper-local content, and building local authority—are universal. However, the exact tactics, keywords, and content angles are always custom-tailored to the specific market, competition, and business goals of each client.
Q: SEO vs. Paid Ads for Real Estate: Which is better?
A: These channels serve different purposes and work even best together. Paid ads deliver immediate results, which is great for specific listings or promotions. SEO is a long-term investment that builds a sustainable asset for the business. It generates trust, authority, and a consistent flow of high-quality leads at a much lower long-term cost, making it the most profitable channel over time.
Q: What is the first step to start a similar SEO project with Studio.351?
A: It all starts with a conversation. We begin with a free, no-obligation consultation to understand your business, your goals, and your current online presence. From there, we can conduct an initial audit and propose a custom strategy designed to get you real, measurable results.
