Customer satisfaction gauged by increasing return visits (fewer first time visitors), increasing pages per visit, and increasing time on site.

Lot of real leads! Folks who buy or sell property through me. And I'm getting them from my website!

The most important thing is SEO.  I didn't know enough to look for this when I bought my expensive website design.  It's pretty, and it does help my business, but now they tell me it will cost $12,000 for SEO.  hahaha.  I think I'd change companies before I pay them another $1000.

Larry:  Thanks, Customer Satisfaction is always a key ingredient for a website--well its a key ingredient for everything actually!, Page visit counts are important too--keeping track of them, and modifying your page to hopefully keep peopel coming back!

Laura:  Real Leads!  so true--I like how some clients just want a website, post it on the internet--do absolutely NO marketing for it (or any other marketing) and wonder why they have no leads---if your going to have a site--you have to work it!

 and Margaret!   we were talking about this the other day in your office--SEO is extremely expensive-if done properly--if someone will do it for $500 or less--you are not getting a good product.  but in the defense of your web developer--SEO is time consuming and complicated...but $12,000 is a tad high!

"if someone will do it for $500 or less--you are not getting a good product"

David, Everyone who charges less than $500 is not giving a good product? I understand there's a lot to do with SEO, but there are plenty of things that can be done fairly cheaply. In all fairness, I don't do SEO, so I don't know what someone might charge, but can you really assume that someone is not getting a good product for that price.

Margaret, if you do a search here for SEO, you will find tons of resources. If you don't want to do it yourself, there are companies out there that can help you for way less than what you were quoted.

I think ease of use/updating is important. Property search and viewing is what most consumers seem to want, so that has to be placed first.

I'm with Joe M.

I want my IDX feed on top, and easy simple navigation.

The site traffic is looking for homes, and a little insight into who I am.

"Who I am," is not justification for a mammoth ego-gratifying personal introspection "look-at-me" site.  They just need a good glimpse and contact information.

Crystal,  when Margaret & I were talking, and when i was talking to someone on another blog, we were talking about the companies and people that contact agents, and the emails that come in or websites that advertise that they will get you to the top of all the major search engines for $99  or $395, (or I've even seen them at $500-800)  and they are all junk.  They are either spam, or they don't get you on the top of google and such--they put you on 2nd and 3rd rate search engines (usually the ones that pop up on your computer when it's infected with spyware--you know those junk websites)   Thats what I meant--however that IS not to say that you couldn't hire a college kid or something to work on it for a few hundred bucks....

--Thanks for your view so I could clarify--hope to talk to you again soon!

 Joe...  Thanks for your comment!  Yes, ease of use, and ease of updating is very important!  That's why with the web site product that we have been working on the last 6 months or so developing allows the front end (what the client see's) to be custom & unique, but at the same time--very easy to use, we don't want people searching around looking for something!  They will just leave and google it!!  Our backend system is incredibly easy to use!  It allows you to add/edit/delete listings with extreme ease (its much easier than adding a listing to most MLS systems) add/delete photos are very easy, and add/editing content on each of your webpages is like working in MS. WORD!

Mike...Thanks for your view as well!  Your right on the money with "They just need a good glimpse and contact info"  They don't need your life story on your website to read.  Give your resume, a quick glimpse at what you enjoy personally, and a little bit more info.  Have a contact e-mail form, and all your contact info...and thats sufficient!

Joe & Mike!  IDX is very important--you both were right EASY SIMPLE NAVIGATION!  Make a easy button that says Search All Homes Or something of the similar (that is easy to find)  have it go directly to your IDX MLS page  and don't require LOGIN  make it optional, allow people to search--if you require login, people necessarily don't want to give you their contact info, and they know that they can get the info for free elsewhere....keep them on your page--let them search for free...when they are ready to buy or sell, they will contact you!     We use an excellent company for IDX  that is very affordable.   If you look at my blog that I just posted last night, It should give you all a lot of info that will help you guys if you are looking to get a new site!   http://activerain.com/blogsview/178841/The-Big-Question-Custom

David, I need to apologize to you. I spoke too quickly. You were right.

I did some SEO/SEM research yesterday and found out from a highly respected SEO expert that a good SEO programer will charge no less than $50/hour (she charges $100/hr) and you need at least 15 hours to do things correctly.

After my conversation yesterday (we talked for like 2 hours about this), I think I'd be worried about hiring a college kid who may not know what black hat is, and may end up doing something unethical accidentally.

Besides herself, this woman only recommends one other person that she can guarantee will not do anything black hat or unethical or rip you off. The first woman is Tawnya Sutherland of Mediamage and the second is Karri Flatla of snap!. Tawnya has a 2 month waiting list and typically Karri has a one month waiting list, but she's about to give birth so she's taking medical leave. (These are not affilate links, they are women I talk to weekly online.)

Crystal, I'm glad you were able to look into some companies---it takes a good bit of research to find someone who is reliable and good...as you can see--good SEO programmers are expensive (and quite busy!)  Now you see how people can easily get ripped off!   Now as far as a college kid goes--I wouldn't hire just anyone...I have a good bit of friends who are college students who I would never hire to do stuff for me  (I am 23 myself)  I would hire someone who is a licensed Realtor, who is in college and is taking web development or a similar course....THOSE are the type of college kids or college students that would be worth hiring--yes you need to keep an eye on them for ethical reasons...but if you know what you want, and can explain it (somewhat)  then hiring someone to actually do it (college student or not) it's not a bad idea!

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it.  Also if you get a chance, take a look at my newest blog, its kind of lengthy, but I am having a hard time getting people to read and comment it!  http://activerain.com/blogsview/178841/The-Big-Question-Custom