Over the course of 2008, I have been in the process of launching a new website. Getting A Home in Charlottesville up and going has been a year long endeavor, primarily because, for a bunch of reasons not worth going into, I chose to design and build the site myself. This is definitely not an approach for the faint of heart, but the reason I bring it up is that I have spent a good portion of the last year learning about web design, standards, graphics, technical writing, and all sorts of related topics with the goal of making my website as good as I possibly can. I have also spent a great deal of time looking at other agent's sites and to this day, I tend ( when reading on AR for example ) to click through and check out everybody's primary website! With all that in mind, I thought I would take the opportunity to share some thoughts with you.
Have You Really Looked at Your Website Lately??
I know you are working hard to build SEO: you're blogging, you're commenting, you may even be TWITTING ( or is it TWITTERING ) !!
But what's the point of working so hard to build website traffic, if the website itself isn't up to par? If your website is so "2005" that it immediately turns the visitor off, you may be wasting your time focusing on "click through" when you need to focus on Quality. Now, there are certainly some very fine real estate websites out there in cyberspace and what works for and appeals to me might not work for or appeal to you....tastes vary.....But I can also tell you for nothing that there are many agent websites that are begging for a re-design. I do not say this to be mean! I say it because the reality is you only get one chance to make a first impression!
A website visitor is only going to take a few seconds to scan your site to establish the following:
1. does this site have the information I am looking for?
2. will I be able to find the information on the site?
3. will the information be presented so that I can understand it?
4. does this site have other information and services I might find useful?
4. is this Realtor competent? professional? and personally appealing?
5. do I want to spend any more time on this website and would I ever consider a professional relationship with this agent?
6. do I want to bookmark this website?
or
am I just going to hit the BACK button now and move on to the next agent on the list !!
So get a fresh cup of coffee, clear your desk, shut down the myriad of windows open on your computer, open one browser window and have a fresh look at your website.
Ask yourself the following questions -
1. What is the initial impression my website creates?
- is it up-to-date in its appearance and visually appealing ( nice colors, easy to read )
- is it frantic and confusing or welcoming and professional
- is the point/subject of the site immediately apparent
- are the graphics and photos high quality
- is the load time reasonable
- in short, could this site make a visitor want to choose me as their Realtor
2. Does the site communicate effectively?
- Are the spelling and grammar correct
- Is the navigation of the site user friendly
- is the information up to date
- is it apparent to the user how to contact me to ask a question
3. Is the content of the site meaningful?
- am I providing interesting, relevant and in-depth and correct information
- am I providing the types of information a potential real estate client expects on a real estate site ( such as a property search )
- am I providing the visitor with a web experience and content that differs from my competitors enough to distinguish me in the visitor's mind
- am I providing cause and opportunity for a visitor to contact me whilst leaving the process in their control
- am I enabling a visitor to use my site in anonymity ( this is very important to web uses today: they do not want to be compelled to "register )
- do I have pages for the "terms of use" of the site and a privacy policy
- do I feature my listings in a manner which my listing clients would appreciate
- is the overall effect of the site the one I want: does it portray me as a professional in the way I want to be portrayed.
4. How does my site compare to those of the other top realtors ( or top real estate websites ) in my market.
( by the way..you have to answer these questions yourself. Don't ask your mom her opinion: she is not objective...)
If you are here on Active Rain, I think I am safe in presuming you see the value and importance of web promotion in building your business. If you are an active participant on Active Rain, you are also probably ahead of the tech curve relative to many of your colleagues. WIth that said, it is important to realize that on the web, if you want to project a positive image, you need to keep up with what is current, not only in terms of blogging, SEO and other business building activities, but also by keeping your website up to the latest design trends and standards, with content and a browsing experience which meets the expectations of the consumer and makes the best possible first impression!
If you enjoyed my post, I invite you to subscribe to my blog!
Amy Bender Webb
Real Estate III
Charlottesville, Virginia
visit me online at A Home in Charlottesville
Licensed to sell real estate in Virginia
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