I just returned from sunny Orlando, Florida, home of Disney World. One thing I learned (in addition to how to make my dreams come true) is the importance of globalized real estate terms. As I drove around, I noticed a lot of billboards for “home sites”. I knew exactly what it meant, but we don’t use that term in our area. We say “lots”.
Shoes or Kicks?
For “athletic shoes”, there are regional synonyms such as:
- tennies
- sneakers
- tennis shoes
- kicks
In a global marketplace (i.e. the world-wide web), you need to be aware of which terms are the most effective term to market. Will your target audience search for “kicks” or “running shoes”?
Real Estate Synonyms
Now for real estate… If you sell land that people can build on, which would you advertise?
- Lots
- Land
- Buildable lots
- Home sites
Your answer should be based on three questions:
- What do people search?
- How often do they search it?
- What’s my competition?
Your regional language will probably determine proper usage. However, when you’re dealing with people from out of town (like the freeway near Disney or the Internet) be sure to pick what works. Do some research to find the best terms to market. Don’t assume you know what people are looking for. Get the hard facts. Wordtracker is a good place to start.
And by the way, I don’t think that castle is really for sale. 
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