How ongoing SEO for apartments protects against Google’s algorithm shifts

Ever found yourself overwhelmed by Google’s algorithm shifts? You’re not alone. We’ve talked to lots of apartment marketers, and many feel the same.

After all, how do you stay on top of what’s changing — and keep your website ranking high in search results?

Ongoing SEO is a big help.

Two of our wicked-smart search experts, Monica Oprea and Bianca Timis, are here to share more. First, they look at some data from Google’s core algorithm update in March. Then, they answer common SEO questions and dive into how ongoing SEO for apartments is one of the best protections against search volatility.

(This article is packed with SEO wisdom for apartment marketers, so we recommend reading through when you can. But feel free to jump to a specific section if you’re looking for quick highlights.)

A peek at the data

To demonstrate the power of ongoing SEO for apartments (and how they protect against search volatility), we looked at 220 properties using REACH SEO during Google’s core update in March.

And the data was telling … we found that 72% of those properties showed improved average positions across all queries.

Here’s more of what we saw:

• Branded queries saw lower average positions, plus drops in clicks and click through rate, but increased impressions
• Non-branded queries showed improved average positions, increased clicks and click through rate, but slight decreases in impressions

In terms of which SEO strategies made these improved positions possible, the study revealed a few interesting findings.

In addition to effectively using title tags, meta descriptions, and H1 and H2s, these properties had optimized internal linking and content strategies. They also had Google Business Profiles with high ratings and reviews, and they prioritized compliance with Core Web Vitals.

Q&A with search experts

Need help making sense of that data? Let’s hear from Monica and Bianca. In this extensive Q&A, they explain the impact of Google algorithm shifts, how ongoing SEO works and what our data means for apartment marketers.

For apartment marketers new to SEO, what’s the biggest misconception you often encounter?

Monica: That SEO is a one-time fix. You add some content and keywords to your homepage, and your job is done. In reality, that’s just scratching the surface. SEO is a long-term investment that requires regular monitoring, updates and improvements. Search engines and user behavior evolve … so should your content and technical strategy. Just look at everything that’s happening today with the global rollout of AI overviews, and the shift to semantic search.

What does ongoing SEO look like for a property website?

Bianca: Ongoing SEO for your website means consistently maintaining and improving performance. This includes regular SEO audits to catch technical issues and uncover new opportunities, updating keywords based on Google Search Console data, reviewing and refining content, and ensuring everything aligns with Google’s best practices. It also involves regular reporting, testing and optimizing Yext listings and Google Business Profiles to stay competitive in local search results.

How do Google core updates reinforce the need for a consistent SEO strategy?

Monica: These updates often reward websites that follow best practices and maintain healthy strategies. They also tend to highlight the volatility of rankings for websites that may not have fully addressed areas like content quality, relevance or user experience. We’ve found that an ongoing SEO strategy focusing on content that answers real questions, a fast and mobile-friendly website, and earning trust through reviews and accurate local listings helps build a strong foundation. When updates roll out, sites that have been steadily following best practices are more likely to maintain or improve their rankings.

What’s the biggest missed opportunity you see when reviewing property SEO setups?

Monica: One area that’s often overlooked is the potential of non-branded search. Many properties focus heavily on branded terms, but queries like ‘apartments in downtown Dallas’ or ‘apartments near Georgetown University’ drive discovery … and when integrated with relevant content, tend to improve performance.

What metrics should marketers pay close attention to when evaluating SEO health over time?

Bianca: The most important SEO metrics to track are clicks, impressions, click throughs and average position from Google Search Console, along with engaged sessions, views and engagement rate, both year over year and quarter over quarter. It’s also important to monitor the number of organic keywords and backlinks from referring domains. Ultimately, leads and leases generated — especially during peak season — are some of the clearest indicators of how effective your SEO efforts truly are.

Why analyze this data after the March update? What did you hope to learn or confirm?

Bianca: The purpose was to evaluate its impact on our websites. We reviewed 220 properties — selected based on changes in average position before and after the update — to assess how rankings shifted. The analysis focused on whether branded or non-branded queries were more affected, which community types (conventional vs. luxury) saw the most change and which states experienced the greatest impact. Through each post-Google update analysis, we want to reassess if our SEO strategies are effective … or if there should be changes made.

Which optimization factors had the biggest correlation with improved rankings in this update?

Monica:   

• Well-structured metadata including clean, full-length title tags and descriptions, plus strategic headings aligned with user intent
• Optimized Google Business Profiles with proper categorization, high ratings and review volume
• Strategically structured, highly relevant content
• High compliance with Core Web Vitals, especially on mobile
• Avoiding intrusive elements like pop-ups or autoplay videos

Why do you think branded queries were hit harder than non-branded ones during this update?

Bianca: Branded queries were likely hit harder due to increased emphasis on content quality, relevance and site authority. Many branded queries point to individual floor plan pages, which have thin or templated content. Many also return results from multiple ILS platforms, which have higher trust signals than property websites. In contrast, non-branded queries often involve more intent-driven, locally optimized content, which may have better aligned with Google’s updated quality signals. Additionally, March marks the start of the seasonal upswing in apartment search activity, which may have contributed to a boost in organic impressions and clicks for non-branded queries.

Were there any surprising trends or takeaways from the data that marketers might not expect?

Monica: While the results aligned with our expectations, the data provided strong validation that our SEO strategies are working effectively. Over 70% of the analyzed properties saw improvements, and even properties with weaker post-update rankings or short-term fluctuations still showed year-over-year improvements. One interesting finding was that properties with strong Google Business Profile optimization, higher ratings and more reviews often saw greater gains in non-branded performance, even if their branded metrics declined.

Final takeaway

Well, the details are in the data. We know that ongoing SEO isn’t just great for low-cost leads — it also offers brand stability and protection against search volatility.

Want to chat through the data and your SEO strategy? Now’s the perfect time, since Google just released another algorithm update. Reach out for a free consultation to see how our experts can help you with ongoing SEO (and much more).