In the past, real estate agents had to advertise properties locally to attract buyers. While this is still useful, you need to source online buyers (you need to learn all about online lead generation!). With many potential buyers spending their time on the internet, it is the likely place for them to begin their search for properties. That means you need to create a website to establish an online presence.
However, a standard website is not going to do much for your real estate business. You need to invest in a robust, well-optimized site, which allows you to integrate IDX listings, known as an IDX website. When building a website, keep in mind that you are not selling real estate property but a lifestyle. Read on for tips on how to create an ideal real estate website to attract more buyers.
Set Up the Website Foundation
As a real estate agent, you may not have the expertise to build a website from scratch. Therefore, you can hire a web designer or use a real estate website builder. With both options, you have to come up with a domain name and choose a quality website hosting service.
Therefore, you should use a unique domain name to stand out from your competitors. It is also wise to keep the domain name short and include location. The location is useful for customers searching for properties in a specific area.
Related: Improve Your Real Estate Website with 7 Local SEO Tips
When choosing a web hosting service provider, ensure it has all the features you need. Instead of shared hosting, you need to consider dedicated hosting like VPS hosting provider, which provides better web performance.
Optimize Your Real Estate Site
After setting up the foundation, a real estate website requires several features for the best customer experience. You have to incorporate the following elements if you wish to attract quality real estate leads:
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Incorporate search options
While property search is a must-have for every real estate website, the details and method of search will help you break through the noise. What search options do you have? Does it give your customers a seamless search experience? Your visitors should be able to search for any property based on location or draw an area on the map where they would like to view available properties.
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Optimize for mobile
A standard website usually does not work well with a small screen. However, since the majority of your visitors will access your site through their phones, you need to optimize the website for mobile. If the site is not mobile-friendly, you are already losing half of your guests.
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Add property listings
When adding properties to your online listing, dedicate a page to showcase each house. An organized listing makes it easy for visitors to browse through and find the properties they desire. You can also categorize houses depending on types and areas. For instance, you can list all apartments in a category page and bungalows on a separate page. When adding house listings, use high-quality images, and provide comprehensive descriptions to make a good impression.
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Have a trust section
Building credibility takes time, but it is worth the effort. Many customers will not buy a property from you if they do not trust you. However, a trust section on your website can build their trust. Include your credentials and awards you have won. A list of testimonials from your customers can also establish trust.
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Incorporate video and virtual tour
Since you are selling a lifestyle, you need to include a video walkthrough of the property. Videos and virtual tours give potential buyers a feel of the property and how it would be like living in the house. However, the videos should be of high quality.
Related: Keeping Up with New Trends in Real Estate Marketing for Agents
Irrespective of the features you incorporate, the website should work seamlessly. Buyers, sellers, and real estate agents should have the best experience using the site. A well-thought-out and well-optimized site is the best way to attract more buyers in the real estate business, hands down!
Having a website is just 1 lead gen strategy that agents should use! Here are 20 Proven Real Estate Lead Generation Strategies for 2019.
This article has been contributed by Maryn Mcdonnel.