Real estate SEO · Malibu and the Channel Islands, CA
Back to #1 in Malibu after the Palisades fire, and a new office at #1 too.
A Sotheby’s International Realty team competing with national brokerages, rebuilding after a devastating fire, and opening a new office. Here’s how they won the searches that matter.
43
searches where they’ve reached #1 on Google
#1
for “Channel Islands real estate agency” every month since Feb 2026
#1
organic result for “real estate agent Malibu” in Malibu
Work delivered by our team through 805 SEO.
At a glance
The O’Herlihy Group, Sotheby’s International Realty
Luxury coastal real estate
Malibu and the Channel Islands
Weak authority, thin content
Technical SEO, content, links, Google Business Profiles
The client
A trusted Malibu team with 30 years of results.
Led by Cormac and Wailani O’Herlihy, the team has helped clients buy and sell exceptional coastal properties for more than 30 years, with recognition from RealTrends, Los Angeles Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. They’re good-hearted agents who serve their community and support local non-profits.
The challenge
Tough competition, then a devastating fire.
Malibu is one of the most competitive real estate markets in the country, with national brokerages spending heavily for the same buyers and sellers. The site was held back by weak authority, thin content, and technical issues, and the team needed far more reviews to compete in the map pack.
Then the January 2025 Pacific Palisades fire devastated the community they serve. They had to stay visible to Malibu clients while building a brand-new presence in the Channel Islands.
What we did
Technical SEO and authority
Fixed the technical issues blocking visibility and ran a steady link campaign that grew the site’s authority score by more than 50%.
Expert content
Rewrote thin community pages into in-depth neighborhood guides that show the team’s local expertise.
Local and AI visibility
Optimized Business Profiles for both offices with regular property posts, and tracked how the brand appears in AI answers.
The results
#1 on Google in Malibu and the Channel Islands.
Searching from Malibu, the team’s site is now the #1 organic result for “real estate agent Malibu,” and they’ve held a top-two spot for “best real estate agents Malibu CA” every month since December 2025.
The new Channel Islands office went from no visibility to #1 for “Channel Islands real estate agency,” and it ranks #1 for 93% of local “real estate agency near me” searches. The rewritten Faria Beach guide ranks #1 for about half of all Faria Beach searches.
Where they rank today
| Search | Google position | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| channel islands real estate agency | #1 | Every month since Feb 2026 |
| channel islands real estate agent | #1 | Every month since Feb 2026 |
| real estate agency near me | #1 | 93% of searches, Jul–Oct 2026 |
| real estate agent malibu | #1 organic | Searched from Malibu |
| best real estate agents malibu ca | #1–2 | Every month since Dec 2025 |
Growth
| Metric | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic sessions from Ventura County cities | 57 | 105 | +84% |
| Organic sessions from Malibu | 50 | 72 | +44% |
| Website authority score | 16 | 25 | +9 |
| Average Google position, all searches | 20.5 | 13.0 | 7.5 spots higher |
“Professional and attentive. We highly recommend Jason. He pays close attention to what is happening online.”
The team on this project
Jason Vaught
Strategy
Filip Marić
Content
Miloš Lepotić
SEO and links
Ivana Eror
Google Maps and reputation
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