Creating a real estate website can be challenging, especially if you’re skilled at selling homes but not as great at internet marketing. Here’s a list of five ways you can optimize your website to convert leads into clients.
1. Use transparency to earn trust.
Since your clients are trusting you with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives, it’s important to be open and honest about your specific skills and what they can expect in their journey.
Here are some ways you can develop trust through your website:
- Have a well-developed “About Us” page with photos, your mission, your backstory and what you’re passionate about now.
- Provide a bulleted list of the steps they can expect from start to finish when it comes to buying or selling a house with you.
- Create a website that looks current and professional.
2. Pay attention to the user experience.
In the early days of the internet, it was common to come across broken links and missing pages, but that is definitely a no-go today. People want websites that load fast and are intuitive to use. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this. Create a professional looking website for free using a service like WordPress or Wix.
3. Focus on the SEO basics.
Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a full-time job—it’s something dedicated professionals spend their careers understanding. You might not be able to master SEO, but you can learn a lot about it for free on the internet. You can definitely learn enough to lay a good foundation so that, if you ever decide to hire someone to help you take it to the next level, they’ll have something to work with.
4. Measure everything with analytics.
You’ll have no idea whether your digital marketing strategies are worth your time and money unless you measure everything you do. This is a very important element of your online marketing strategy. Familiarize yourself with Google Analytics and set up goals to measure your progress.
5. Always be testing your website.
You want to make sure your real estate website is working. Always. Check the links, pages, videos—everything on your website. Make sure you’re checking it from the most popular browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome and Safari, as well as from mobile, since a majority of online traffic has switched to mobile in recent years.
Focus on Providing Value
No matter what elements you have in place to create a beautiful and functional website, the most important aspect of all is the value you’ll provide to your readers. This will keep them coming back for more and will create top-of-mind brand awareness when they’re ready to buy or sell real estate.
Every real estate professional does this differently depending on their own personal style and skills. Some opt to become a resource for community businesses and events, while others provide helpful videos and advice on the real estate market. Whatever route you go with, just make sure you’re developing content that is helpful, actionable and concrete.
Yazir Phelps is the chief marketing officer at Real Estate Express, a national leader in online learning for pre-licensing, continuing education and professional development. Phelps has over 18 years of experience in marketing fueling growth at Fortune 500 organizations and over five years of experience working directly with real estate professionals. Her extensive background in generating demand for products and services encompasses crucial strategies to a successful career in the field. To learn more, please visit www.RealEstateExpress.com.
