The Future of Real Estate Websites

So what is the future of real estate websites with all the craze of social media and blogging? Hyper Local Websites!

These sites are used like single property websites, but for your niche. Creating a few hyper local websites allows you to brand a single area without worrying if you are discouraging prospects by limiting yourself by location since you ARE focusing on just one area.

These hyper local websites are great for new home buyers AND current residents. What should you include on your single community, hyper local website:

1. Custom IDX Searches – like ‘Springfield Homes 550 K – 750 K’ and ‘Springfield Golf Community Homes’ or ‘ Springfield Short Sales’
2. Information on local emergency services (talk about the volunteer fire dept) and DPW (garbage/leaf pickup)
3. SCHOOL INFORMATION – duh! Talk about school activities, concerts, important events and meetings
4. The lifestyle in that community – discuss restaurants, local shops, parks, nightlife anything this is going to attract buyers
5. Town recreational sports. Keep you current residents updated with schedules and sign ups
6. Keep the town and buyers updated on local news…pickup the town newspaper and ‘re-blog’
7. Be a resource! Have a QA or FAQ web page, similar to a blog, that allows others to post questions and answers
8. Always make sure you have a page for town pictures and videos – this should go without saying!
9. Be sure you have a page devoted to your listings, open houses and relocation services
10. Get some call to action/lead capture on your hyper local website – something similar to this:

Now even though you are focusing on a community within your niche, instead of having your cumbersome Real Estate Website that covers several counties – be sure you still SYNDICATE your content to Facebook, Twitter or a Blog if you have one. You can even break into Pinterest with your photo sharing. Share, Share, Share!

Have you thought about these hyper local websites? Are you looking to have one/some created? Let us know!

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Branding & Lead Generation – Does Your Site Measure Up?

Branding and lead generation are the TOP TWO reasons real estate professionals create web presences – specifically websites. Social networking websites are great for business but typically the site is branded (take Facebook for instance) over your profile branding; this is why you must be sure your professional site has effective branding and lead generation/capture features. Otherwise what’s the point!

Branding

• Is your name and phone number in the header of your site?
• Is your name and phone number in the footer of your site?
• Is there a link to contact you in your navigation?
• Are there calls to action buttons on each web page?
• Are your social networking links readily visible?

Lead Generation / Lead Capture

Just as RE/Advantage Real Estate Websites have great lead generation features you too should be sure your website makes the cut. What should you website have:

• Schedule a Showing Form – on every listing (and of course this lead should only go to you; never the listing agent or your broker)
• Request More Information Form – branded to you on every listing in your MLS search results
• Listings Teaser Sign Up – allow clients to view a select amount of listings before you capture their contact information
• Prospect Buyer Portfolio Accounts – provides a secure back end system that allows your prospects to save listings, save searches and sign up for auto email alerts of new listings
• SEVERAL lead capture forms throughout your site – these should/could include a CMA form, Pre-Qual Mortgage form, Dream Home form, basic Contact form etc.

Having these features is great but you need to be sure you have – what is called – calls to action on your site as well. Instead of hyper-linking text that says “click here to view listings” — have a designer (or if you’re creative you can do this easily) create a click-able graphic to entice prospects to interact with your website.

To get a better picture:

Call to Action Button (top)  VS.  Hyper-Linked Text (bottom)

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Where Are Your Marketing Dollars Going?

ActiveRain surveyed more than 2,000 Real Estate professionals and concluded that more than 6 in 10 agents have their own IDX website that features listing feeds from a local multiple listing service (MLS). Typically the ‘average agent’ will spend $75/month on their IDX website — so where do these extra expenditures come into play? AND WHY are you paying extra for them??

So let’s look at the numbers:

Software and Technology Tool	Average Agent Usage	Average Dollars Spent (per month)
IDX website	63%	$75
Contact management/CRM	51%	$73
Email marketing	47%	$40
Listing syndication	41%	$48
Virtual tour software	37%	$49
Single property websites	29%	$41

Marketing strategy	Average Agent Usage	Average Dollars Spent (per month)
Blogging and Social Media	45%	$78
Direct Mail	40%	$108
Lead/Capture Generation	32%	$155
Advertising on National RE Websites	26%	$128
Marketing Personnel Costs	17%	$183
Pay-Per-Click Marketing	16%	$140
Paid Training or Coaching	16%	$78

How does this compare to RE/Advantage Web Solutions:

Now I’ve only outlined a few items to make my point BUT –

• IDX Website – typical agent would spend $75/month for this (RE/Advantage Website + IDX $59 or less)
• Contact Management – typical agent would spend $73/month for this (Included in RE/Advantage Website Solutions)
• Lead Capture – typical agent would spend $155/month for this (Included in RE/Advantage Website Solutions)
• Training and Coaching – typical agent would spend $78/month for this (Included in RE/Advantage Website Solutions)

SHOW ME SOME WEBSITES!!

REQUEST MORE INFORMATION ON RE/ADVANTAGE WEB SOLUTIONS!!

Complete ActiveRain Survey Infograph – http://activerain.com/real-estate-marketing

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The Importance of Monitoring Your Domain Name

As a REALTOR®,  much of your time is spent marketing your services to home buyers and sellers. Many real estate agents and brokers spend thousands of dollars each year to attract potential clients including social media, pay-per-click advertising, revamping your Web site and print media. Behind all of your marketing efforts stands your domain name.

Your domain name is your ultimate Internet brand. That being said, I frequently get calls from agents and brokers with issues of their domain name expiring and they have no idea where it is registered or do not know what their username and passwords are.  Recently, a broker phoned me to tell me that someone took her domain name and was unaware that it had expired nearly 6 months ago. She recently spent $2,500 on a marketing campaign that revolved around her name and was deeply upset that her name is no longer hers.

Another agent contacted me to tell me that they had another party register their domain name and learned that the company is no longer in business.

Here are some basic helpful tips:

1. When registering your domain name make sure that you keep all records including where it is registered and also your username and password so that you.
2. Make sure that you are the administrative contact so that you can renew and modify your name.
3. Make sure your contact information is up-do-date with your registrar including your email address, home or business address, and phone number as most registrars will send you a renewal notice prior to domain expiration.
4. To obtain information about your domain name and registrar please visit http://www.internic.net

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REALTOR® Safety Widgets for Your Website or Blog

The National Association of REALTORS® is always posting great information for REALTORS® about new technology and upcoming trends. I’ve done a bit of research and found these great REALTOR® Safety Widgets to embed into your website or blog. Simply give one of these codes to your web master and they can implement it into your website.

1. Dynamic Widget (safety tip changes each Tuesday) Embed Code: <script language=”javascript” id=narsafetytwitterwidgetscript src=http://www.realtor.org/ro/widget/safetytwitter.js type=text/javascript></script>
   <noscript>http://ahref=</noscript>
2. Static Widget Option 1:<script language=”javascript” id=narsafetywidgetscript1 src=http://www.realtor.org/ro/widget/staticpromo.js?promo=safety1 type=text/javascript></script>
   <noscript> <a href=”http://www.realtor.org/about_nar/safety?wt.mc_id=rs0001″><img src=”http://www.realtor.org/ro/images/widget_safety_v1.jpg” border=”0″/></a> </noscript>
3. Static widget Option 2: <script language=”javascript” id=narsafetywidgetscript2 src=http://www.realtor.org/ro/widget/staticpromo.js?promo=safety2 type=text/javascript></script>
   <noscript> <a href=”http://www.realtor.org/about_nar/safety?wt.mc_id=rs0001″><img src=”http://www.realtor.org/ro/images/widget_safety_v2.jpg” border=”0″/></a> </noscript>

You can also get these codes and more on their website!

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Does Your Website Have What it Takes?

Take a look at your own website sometime.  Pretend you are a prospective buyer or seller.  So does your website make the cut?  Ask yourself these simple questions;

1. Where do your eyes go first – When someone visits your website you only have several seconds to make the sale.  The first thing they should see is something that will keep their interest.
2. Is it clear what your website is about right away? – You need to make sure you are clear to your prospects what your website is about.  I know your sell Real Estate but if you specialize or have a niche make it clear.
3. Look ‘Above the Fold’ – You need to make sure your important information is in the area of the screen you do not have to scroll to get to.  This should be clear and concise.
4. Are your services clearly defined? – Did you tell your audience who you are and why they should use you?
5. Where’s Your Call to Action – Does your website have clear call to action forms?  Request more information, CMA, School information, dream home forms.  These should be all on your website and clearly visible in the appropriate areas.
6. The look! – People are visual.  Are your colors and images pleasing?  Don’t skimp here.  Looks are important first impressions.  Don’t clutter your home page with your name and phone number and how great you are.  Put some relevant information that your audience wants to see and establish you are what they need.
7. Social Media – Do you have Social Media links on your website?  Social Media is quick becoming a huge way to gain business for REALTORS®.  Real Estate is all about making connections with people.  Social Media is all about making connections with people, so Social Media has a huge potential to bring you business.
8. Listings – Let’s face it people come to your website to see real estate so you need to have inventory to show them.  If you website does not have IDX listings you are missing out on all of those ready for results buyers.  These are the people who if they don’t see you have something to show they move onto the next website who does.

So take a 15 minute break and check out your website and see if it has what it takes!

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RE/Advantage specializes in Real Estate Website Design, IDX Solutions, and Internet Technology. We have been working with the Real Estate Industry for over 10 years so we understand what makes a site work for you and your buyers and sellers. After all we have been developing real estate web sites, Internet tools and marketing strategies since 1997. No one provides a more comprehensive, well-thought-out site and tool set for your Internet presence. We provide you with not only the tools to manage and customize your site, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are here to help if you need us.

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