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A Traffic or Lead-centric Objective Is Not Necessarily A Good Objective

While we all strive to increase traffic, it makes me a bit edgey to see that your blog strategy is based solely on the idea that you want to send more people to your website.

Isn't it possible that some people may want to establish a connection with you before entertaining an MLS search?
Isn't it possible that a good portion of people looking for real estate are specifically avoiding agent websites?
Isn't it possible that MSNBC is looking for content about a particular exertise for an interview and the news research assistant has no interest in the content typically found on a real estate website?
Isn't it possible that some people are looking for ways to identify someone they can trust before filling out a lead capture form?

These are each valuable people-related connection points that cannot be established by driving people to your website. In fact, any attempt to optimize traffic to your website will erode the liklihood that such connections will be consumated.

I once said (many years ago) that email is where knowledge goes to die. I sense that websites (optimized for lead capture, marketing, and sales) is where conversations go to die. If you want to stifle the voice of the customer, tell them something interesting and then give them twenty links that point to a form. To make this point a bit more clear...

Imagine you're at a cocktail party and someone strikes up a conversation with you. You tell them about a really nice experience you had recently at new condo resort for which you also represent professionally. The person you are chatting with demonstrates interest in your comments and then you abruptly hand her a business card and walk away. How is that any different from the way we typically use blogs to generate traffic?

As you all know - blogs are uniquely suited for creating better ways to connect with your target audience, but they are best used as a way to participate in the conversational web. If done well, your website traffic will naturally rise.

Posted by Bill French on 10/19/2006 12:32 PM

Comments (13)

conversational web, blogging for business, lead capture

13 Comments on A Traffic or Lead-centric Objective Is Not Necessarily A Good Objective

OCT

2006

I think you may be right. But lets face it the more people you get to your site in the long run the more people there are that you can get as lead and the more homes you can sell. Lets face it the idea is to sell homes, and make people happy.

You make some good points and something to be careful of. But every report I have seen by NAR and others points to the rapidly increasing use of the Internet for research AND to find an agent (for either a buyer or seller). I think that optimizing your website with content that will appeal to these individuals who are researching BEFORE they commit, and getting a good flow of traffic is important to growing your Internet business. If one has a great repeat and referral business then this may be less important.

I've come over to the camp that your blog can be of more use as an open forum where ideas are discussed, where the public can comment and where they can get a better sense of who you are. Attracting clients by being yourself, showing what you know, given an idea of what and how you think, is far more effective in the long-run than the typical pabalum on most websites (and that includes my own, actually.)

Everyone can write a paragraph about what they do for buyers and sellers. Not everyone can intelligently write about issues in real estate.

Interesting post. Gives me something to chew on... There are a lot of NAR stats out there regarding internet usage, though:

Popular Internet Resources for home buyers:
#1: Realtor.com 54%
#2: MLS websites 50%
#3: Real estate company websites 38%
#4: Real estate Agent websites 31%
#5: Newspaper websites 15%

(Home Buyer and Seller Survey SHows Rising Use of Internet, Reliance on Agents- Jan.2006, Walter Molony)

The establishment of a connection is what we are all after but many people visit blogs without ever leaving a comment so there is never a two way dialogue. A visitor can read and get a sense or feeling about a particular person but it is still hard to establish a connection if there isn't any dialogue.

"A visitor can read and get a sense or feeling about a particular person but it is still hard to establish a connection if there isn't any dialogue."

Yes, but is there anyone here who has not lurked on a blog and not made a comment, but remembered that person for his/her remarks. I agree that blogging should offer some type of personal level for a customer to relate to.

The Internet is certainly one of the first places people look and if we all look alike, why would they choose us?

Bill,

You bring up some interesting points. While traffic numbers themselves do have a significant value to any agent striving to grow their presence in the market, the website is only a powerful business tool if the agent behind the site can use it to connect with new clients or maintain new clients.

One thing that I have heard often is that web sites with lots of information will be ignored in favor of sites with pictures, images, cartoons, etc. There has to be a balancing act between initial appeal and a solid backing of industry specific information.

Some interesting points, but the comments flesh out something else. You can't please all the people all the time. If you are losing some people with the content, there are others that want it and will look at it as a representation of the agent. The site can help get clients, it is the agent who will keep them.

Christine -

"... the more people you get to your site in the long run the more people there are that you can get as lead and the more homes you can sell."

Um, no - I don't agree. The position that real estate is simply a numbers game is fundamentally flawed, but I'll let other realtors tell you why - I'm just a geek. (seriously, I am) ;-)

Jeff -

"But every report I have seen by NAR and others points to the rapidly increasing use of the Internet for research AND to find an agent."

Certainly lots of people are trying to find an agent on the web, but the stats are based on historical information which is also based on what realtors have typically (and historically) provided people to discover on the web. If the web had only one type of content, what do you think we would assume people want based on the utilization stats? Don't let your own (or industry) data cloud the possibility of a hidden reality.

Derek -

"There are a lot of NAR stats out there regarding internet usage, though:..."

Indeed, just keep in mind that there are many things that influence that data. How was it calculated? If it was based on popularity derived from search stats, the data may contain significant biases that are simply a reflection of how people search, not the information or sites they ultimately use.

Toby -

"... without ever leaving a comment so there is never a two way dialogue."

Correct - I would agree that dialogue is what you must have - especially to make a sale. However, what's the first step required to get to a dialogue with anyone? Karen is right. ;-) A comment left behind is an indicator of an impression - but for every person that leaves a comment - 99 others have been impressed upon.

Karen -

"... if we all look alike, why would they choose us?"

Bingo - excellent point - you should blog about that! Blogging may be as much about differentiation in crowded markets as it is about traffic and brand building. Reminds of an excellent book on the subject - Blue Ocean Strategy.

Steven -

"... web sites with lots of information will be ignored in favor of sites with pictures, images, cartoons, etc."

Balance - as you say - is the key, and with regard to the use of any binary files like images, podcasts, etc - you have to be carefull because these types of documents carry almost no meta-data that search engines can use for indexing and discovery purposes. Why is TiVo so successful - one reason is that it publishes lots of data about the binary objects you know as TV shows and movies. It leverages that data so that it can record something based on the way you search for it.

While many Internet search engines are just starting to learn how to extract what a video or audio file is about (lacking any textual hints), they are starved for ways to assess a site's content when it is predominantly just big blobs of images that have no words.

There are the lurkers out there that continually read blogs and visit website to learn more about the agents/companies so in essence they are creating a connection with the agent/company. But it is still hard for us to connect with the user (other than blogging about who and what we are) that we haven't met. I guess it comes down to being who you online as well as in person.

OCT

2006

Interesting blog. I believe that the personal connection is what it is all about. And yes folks do receive a sense of what one is about from their website. But the soical intercourse that occurs when a true conversation evolves is one which cna provide a better insight into the potential Buyer, Seller and or Realtor involved in the blog. Forced choice and required data mining tools turn off the majority of folks... so stay away from them. Extract the info the slow and steady way....

Leads are the lifeblood of our business. Data that shows the optimum point to require registration on a website would be extremely useful.

Suzanne -

"Leads are the lifeblood of our business."

As they are with almost every buisiness - I agree.

"Data that shows the optimum point to require registration on a website would be extremely useful."

Yes, that would be idea, but I have a hunch that it's different for each human, and probably related to the unpredictable gut feel that any consumer has about buying decisions. But, it's amazing to see what consumer research data can provide, so maybe there's an answer out there.

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