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Creating a Web Presence on a Shoestring Budget (updated 1/8/2009)

By Stacey McCarthy

Real Estate Agent with McCarthy Real Estate PA# RS294585

April 04, 2008 02:54 PM

It all started with MySpace. From there I got invited to ActiveRain. I resisted for quite some time before joining, but I am glad I finally did. Here I learned how to bulk up my website, I learned about SEO and I even got a referral!!! After being here for a while, I discovered Localism.

Updated 1/8/2009 - Now I'm a Facebook fanatic and most recently discovered ning, but I'm not sure what to do with that yet. Most of the ideas and websites I know of I can attribute to reading blogs on ActiveRain.

I have my own blog and approach to online networking. I conduct a class at my office called "Creating a Web Presence on a Shoestring Budget." I have been "bulking up" my web presence just by posting here, so that's half the class right there.

Here is my list of free, or almost free, websites that can exhibit your profile, your listings, or are just plain helpful in this business. These are a fraction of the business basics... there are 1000's more. Let me know if there is one you'd like to share!

Submit Your Site:

*www.google.com/addurl - submit your site to Google

http://www.google.com/local/addxplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit - display your business on Google

http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/local/business.php - display your business on Yahoo

*https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit - submit your site to Yahoo

*http://search.msn.com.sg/docs/submit.aspx - submit your site to MSN

Listing Syndication:

*www.point2nls.com - Ads, website, virtual tours, PLUS listing placement -- free for 6 months ($9.95 a month thereafter) Great value, and shows up high on Google searches.

www.Trulia.com - post listings, answer questions, blog - definately post your profile here!

*http://www.trulia.com/tools/ - Free widgets and cool downloads to place on your website.

www.Zillow.com- free profile and listing ads - can link right to IDX and pull your listings onto your Zillow profile.

www.1031NetEx.com - free profile and listing ads for investors

www.backpage.com - free ads

*www.craigslist.com - free ads - if nothing else, post your listings on here and you will see traffic to your site.

www.postlets.com - free ads, free listing placement, and HTML for craigslist, etc.

Social Networking/Blogging:

*www.facebook.com - online networking - just about everyone I know is on here.

*www.twitter.com Update your status and it will update on Facebook, link to ActiveRain and send blog postings to Twitter and Facebook. Link to Blip.fm and send songs to Facebook. It's cool.

www.myspace.com - online networking and blogging

*http://www.ning.com/ Create your own neighborhood social network for free

*http://activerain.com/action/referrals/sellwithstacey - online networking for Realtors, blogging community. Join Twitter and Facebook - blog on here and reach 100's of people you know and don't know.

http://www.localism.com/ - offshoot of ActiveRain - post listings and news

www.youtube.com/sellwithstacey - free video hosting

www.linkedin.com - professional online networking

www.realtown.com - blogging

www.plaxo.com - online networking, connect to all of your online networking sites and contact management

www.wannanetwork.com - online networking for Realtors

www.naymes.com - online networking

*http://www.blogger.com/ - blogging - can also connect to Twitter.

Helpful:

www.godaddy.com - domain names ( .info is sometimes cheap)

www.mlsfinder.com- Wolfnet (NOT FREE - IDX search for website)

http://www.realbird.com/ - widgets, listing ads

http://www.clearspring.com -widgets

www.circlepix.com - sometimes can catch good specials - it used ot have a link for free virtual tours, but it's not there anymore.

http://www.eagentc.com/ - If you're at KW, this link is invaluable.

www.voicecloud.com - voicemail to text transcription - not free, but really cool.

Good Freebies:

*http://www.realestatetechnologyonline.com/widget/ FREE text message widget for your website - VERY cool.

*www.flyinside.com - free virtual tours - can connect them to Realtor.com for a measly $25 or to the MLS for $10.

www.animoto.com - cool virtual tours - you can't use them on the MLS, but they look cool on Facebook.

www.realtyjuggler.com - database - free 90 day trial ($99 a year thereafter)

http://www.alamode.com/products/Agent/xsites/Default.aspx - Free real estate websites

www.freebielist.com - free stuff in general

https://www.lowesrealtorbenefits.com/ - free coupons for Lowes for clients

http://www.mypersonaladvantage.com/about/pricing.aspx - free 30-day trial of drip email marketing campaigns ($9.95 a month thereafter, print and mail is additional cost)

www.verticalresponse.com - 25 free email drips when you sign up.

www.jott.com - free reminder service, not free anymore, but very helpful.

www.leadtoclose.com - free in beta - lead/contact management

News/Info:

http://www.morningstarmultimedia.com/html/dlreguide.asp - free marketing guide

http://www.hobbsherder.com/current_enews.asp - free monthly newsletter - marketing help

http://www.rismedia .com/ - real estate news

http://www.inman.com/news - real estate news

*www.housefront.com - real estate valuation tool for text messaging

http://www.stumbleupon.com/ - learn more about other websites and promote your own

MORE...

http://www.zadzoo.com/

https://www.trexglobal.com/partner

http://www.freerealestateads.net/

http://www.rehablist.com/

http://www.submitawebsite.com/blog/2006/05/use-google-base-to-list-items-in.html

http://www.wordpress.com/

http://www.seodiva.net/

Thanks,

Stacey McCarthy

http://www.bigjoemccarthy.com/

http://www.smartgirlsown.com/

* = personal favorites

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Lynn Johnson

Coldwell Banker Home Connection - Owatonna, MN

Owatonna, MN Real Estate

Stacey - Thanks for sharing your list. I checked out quite a few of these in the past, and you've given me several new ones to take a look at. One of these days I'll get real busy again with clients and will have to cut back on the web time. But until then...

Apr 09, 2008 03:56 PM

Stacey McCarthy

McCarthy Real Estate - Philadelphia, PA

@SmartGirlsOwn

Lynn- Ditto

Apr 12, 2008 06:02 AM

Dahl Real Estate Group

Platinum Living Realty - Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale Luxury Homes

Very helpful I was not aware of some of these sites. Thanks for the post.

Apr 12, 2008 11:09 AM

LaNita Cates

REMAX of Joliet - Joliet, IL

Wow! What a list you've shared with us Stacey! Thanks. I had no idea on some of these so thanks!

Apr 12, 2008 03:19 PM

Mary Kay Hopkins

Mary Kay Hopkins, LLC e-PRO, GRI, CRS, CRB - Lake Charles, LA

e-PRO,GRI,CRS

Stacey, very much appreciate your list as you offered several that I am not familiar with so will check them out. Look forward to checking out your videos. It will be interesting to hear more about them.

Apr 12, 2008 03:20 PM

Richard Daley

Prudential Page Realty - Medway, MA

Hi Stacey,

Thanks for the info, I get something out of everything I find here on Active Rain

Apr 12, 2008 03:29 PM

Darleen McCullen

Raleigh, NC

Broker - Raleigh, NC Real Estate

Stacey ~ This is great information to know. I will definitely visit some of these Websites.

Apr 12, 2008 05:28 PM

Bob Cumiskey

A1 Connection Realty, Inc. - Sun City Center, FL

US Army Retired, Your Sun City Center, Florida ~ Realtor

Stacey, thanks for the information. That's a pretty impressive list. Thank you.

Apr 13, 2008 07:18 AM

Bob, Darleen, Richard, Mary Kay, and Craig - Thanks for your comments! It's great that this blog is still getting attention over a week later. I keep filling it with more suggestions, so check back from time to time.

Apr 14, 2008 07:00 AM

John Bogucki

Prudential Fox & Roach - Wilmington, DE

You can get a free real estate web site at agentxsites.com through alamode. They host my site and I am happy with it.

Apr 14, 2008 07:20 AM

John Boqucki- Now that's what I am talking about! Learning new things here at ActiveRain. I never knew that and you have opened us all up to a new free website source. Thanks so much! I will add it to the list. Fantastic!

Apr 14, 2008 12:44 PM

Greg Renfrow

Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS - Memphis, TN

What a list. I currently use X-site(al-a-mode) and I love it. I did upgrade to the professional site but I felt it was worth the small cost. I also use Poslets to upload to Craigslist. Another one I dont recall seeing on your site is epropertysites.com. They create a web site for your listing, for $10. I love the sign riders they sell with info for buyers to text to receive information.

Oct 08, 2008 04:18 PM

Hi Greg, Thanks for the info! This is great.

Oct 10, 2008 05:28 AM

Allison Welcher

Charlotte Staged Homes - Charlotte, NC

I've been trying to compile my own list, so this is VERY helpful. I can always count on my KW family to give me great information!

Oct 10, 2008 05:32 AM

Sharon Harris

Keller Williams Keystone Realty - Hanover, PA

Realtor

wow you have it covered. I have to bookmark and check back on some of these sites. Thank You

Oct 10, 2008 06:41 AM

Cristina McBreairty

Century 21 Nortrh East - Windham, ME

Realtor, CDPE, SFR

This is helpful information!

Thanks for sharing!

Oct 22, 2008 09:30 AM

Anonymous

Barbara J. Waldron

Thank you Stacy, Thats some list, great class!

Jan 13, 2009 11:59 AM

#45

Carol Clay

Looking Glass Realty - Brevard, NC

Broker/REALTOR, Brevard NC Real Estate Specialist

Holy smokes! I'm always so blown away by Rainers who take the time to research and post such good info.

Thanks!!

Jan 14, 2009 05:55 AM

Johnathan Mullaney

Village Land Shoppe - Flagstaff, AZ

Broker, Flagstaff Real Estate

Good post, nice links, I have bookmarked for coming back to. Thank you.

Jan 14, 2009 01:59 PM

Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807

HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ

Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

What a great resource. I too have learned a lot about blogging, SEO, maarketing and sales through AR. I have become a member of many of these sites through my readings on AR, and now have some more to review. Thanks for sharing!

Jan 18, 2009 01:46 PM

Creating a Web Presence on a Shoestring Budget (updated 1/8/2009)

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