Real Estate SEO: Schema, LLMs.txt, and the Structured Data Myth

Not a week goes by without me seeing a real estate agent, or one of their marketing persons, say this in a Facebook post or comment:

"I still need to add schema to my website and blog posts so I can show up in AI."

For a couple years now, that's been a big part of sales pitches from the AI hustlebros and GEO/AEO/AIO agencies that have sprung up hoping to make a quick buck. Another big piece of the sales pitch is that adding an LLMs.txt file is a good idea, too. They've cornered the market on AI SEO tactics that don't work.

Well, not long ago, about ~130 of the top search experts* from around the world completed a survey on what factors make a difference for ranking in Google and showing up in Google's AI Overviews, AI Mode, etc.

(*The organizer's term, not mine. I'm one of the ~130 and, as far as I know, the only one who does nothing but real estate SEO and AI SEO.)

On the AI side of things, note the bottom two factors on the attached image: structured data and LLMS.txt.

There have always been a lot of myths in SEO and local SEO. Structured data and LLMs.txt seem to be taking the early lead in the AI SEO myths department.

If you liked this article, you'll love my newsletter. Marketing Unlocked arrives in your inbox every other Sunday at 6:00 a.m. ET. You can unsubscribe anytime, but 500+ of your industry peers are reading it and raving about it. Click here to learn why and subscribe.