Decode Real Estate,
Danielle Nazinitsky
New York, New York
Partnered with Side in 2024
Danielle Nazinitsky built her business on something many agents overlook: search engine optimization (SEO). She started studying SEO years before founding her New York City-based boutique, Decode Real Estate, and treated her website like a storefront that never closed.
After years of investment in her online presence, that long-term bet paid off in dramatic fashion when a seller called, offering Danielle the chance to pitch a $12 million listing.
When she asked how the seller found her, she was told: “Google loves you.”
Build reviews into a flywheel
Danielle’s SEO strategy began with reviews. Early on in her real estate career, she made it a priority to ask every happy client to leave detailed feedback on Google. She even made a point to take rental listings, with lower commissions, just to get more Google reviews.
Over time, those reviews added up. Today she has more than 140 Google reviews, and they don’t just validate her reputation, they also boost her search rankings, making her easier to discover in one of the most competitive markets in the country.
“ChatGPT and other AI tools are pulling from Google reviews,” she explained. “That means the more reviews I have, and the more detailed they are, the more likely I am to be recommended when someone searches that way.”
Create content designed for intent
Danielle doesn’t blog for the sake of blogging. She researches what New York buyers and sellers in the exact neighborhoods she’s targeting actually type into Google and creates content that answers those questions directly. Neighborhood guides, process explainers, and new-development roundups all bring in high-intent traffic.
For similar results, keep track of the real questions your clients ask you, then turn those into detailed articles on your website. Don’t worry about chasing broad keywords like “New York real estate.” Focus on narrower, action-oriented searches where your expertise is clear.
Update and republish to stay relevant
Old content doesn’t have to stay static. Danielle routinely updates past blog posts and guides so they keep ranking and driving leads years after first being published. That’s why one blog post can bring her multiple clients per year.
For other agents, the play is to treat your content like living assets. Every few months, revisit your most-visited posts, add updated market data, refresh links, and expand sections. Google rewards freshness, and so do potential clients.
Prepare for AI search
Danielle has noticed a new layer of discovery: searchers arriving via AI-driven summaries in Google and assistants like ChatGPT. These clients tend to be especially decisive because they’ve already compared options in the summary before reaching out.
Her approach is to treat AI like the new front door of her business. Just as she monitors her Google rankings, she also checks what ChatGPT says about her when she asks questions like “Who are the top agents in SoHo?” or “What can you tell me about Decode Real Estate?” After publishing a new blog post or collecting another batch of reviews, she’ll prompt ChatGPT again to see how those changes are reflected.
Make a habit of asking AI tools about yourself, your brand, and your market. If the answers don’t highlight your strengths (or don’t mention you at all) that’s a signal to adjust your online presence with clearer content, more reviews, or updated site information.
Align your online presence with your ideal client
Danielle also invested in making sure the clients she attracted were the ones she wanted to work with. She first had to define what the ideal Decode buyer or seller looked like.
“Then I asked: When this person Googles me, what are they going to see?” said Danielle. “What would they respond to? And I based everything on that, from the photos on my website to how I wear my makeup.”
That exercise meant that when prospects now discover her through search, they don’t just see another agent, they see a brand: professional, polished, and aligned with their expectations. That makes them more likely to reach out and more comfortable choosing Decode.
Be the first to respond
SEO ensures people find Danielle, but it doesn’t close the deal on its own. Once a prospect reaches out, she treats speed as a differentiator.
“You still have to be responsive,” she explains. “Even if they found you online, the fastest agent often wins.”
By combining an inbound pipeline with quick, personal follow-up, Danielle increases her odds of turning every inquiry into a signed client.
Play the Long Game
Danielle’s $12 million pitch wasn’t luck, it was the result of years spent treating SEO as seriously as any other part of her business. By systematically collecting reviews, publishing intent-driven content, aligning her brand with her ideal client, and responding quickly to every lead, she built a compounding engine that continues to generate opportunities in one of the toughest markets in the world.
Key Side resources powering Decode Real Estate:
- Decode’s stunning Luxury Presence website helps Danielle capture and convert the leads sourced through her SEO efforts.
- Danielle is a strong advocate for Side’s Revenue Share program, through which she has introduced two new founders to the Side community and is receiving a portion of Side’s revenue from those companies.
Be Legendary
If you’re a top-producing agent who has ever wondered what your business could become, we’d love to show you what’s possible.
