The Internet is influencing how buyers and sellers select their real estate professional. While they
appreciate referrals from family and friends, buyers and sellers are using the Internet to compare the recommended agent to others in the area.
Does your website set you apart? What makes you appear to be more qualified than you competitor?
Your success depends on providing relevant and helpful information. Yes, they want to hear about you and your expertise; but what prospects are looking for is information about the community you serve as well as the real estate industry in general.
While the website visitor wants to see the properties and prices in Anytown USA, they also want to know about Anytown USA. Even locals are impressed when you provide quality information about your city and its neighborhoods.
When you provide quality information in a text format (not links), to your website visitor, you build trust and confidence. When you tell them about the various components in a real estate transaction and how they work, the perception will be that you are an expert that really knows your business.
What are the questions your prospects ask you face-to-face? These are the same questions that website visitors have on their minds. Instead of a generalized "Frequently Asked Questions" page, create a page (or pages) that answer these questions.
Quality content draws the website visitor in and makes them want to stay. The longer a website visitor stays within a site, the more likely it is that they will choose that agent's services.
Whether I am looking for an RV or an iron, I want to know about the product and its advantages. I also want to know what makes that manufacturer's product the best product available. An informative website tells me that the vendor is aware of what the end-user needs and considers important. The websites that impress me the most are the ones that go above and beyond in providing information about the product in general and their product specifically.
Be a Provider: Provide information about the community you serve and its neighborhoods.
Be a Provider: Provide information about real estate and its various components.
Be a Provider: Provide good in-depth and quality information about your community, real estate and you.
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Good points, Pamela. If there is a competitor whose web site displays addresses in your area, your web site needs to display addresses (as long as it is within your IDX agreement). The old days of "Dont tell the consumer everything or they wont have a reason to call" are long gone. If the consumer can not find what they want on your site, they will find it on someone elses.
Excellent post.