As you decide to build your own website or revamp your current one, you should take some time to think about the domain name you'll use for the site.
Many real estate professionals like to use their own names, "JaneDoeRealtor.com" for example. This can be both good and bad.
The Good:
- It brands you as a real estate professional.
- Your name as your domain allows you to "take" your domain name with you should you leave the area in which you now serve clients. (That would be harder to do with "ShermanOaksRealtor.com" for example. Although you could sell that domain name for a pretty penny should you ever move....)
The Bad:
- Most people search for homes using area-specific keywords ("homes for sale Sherman Oaks," for example). A domain with just your name does you no favors as a result.
Many Realtors will set up websites for the different towns in which they list. Or, at the least, will buy different domains and then direct anyone who comes to a particular sub-domain/URL to their main site. ("ShermanOaksRealtor.com" automatically directs someone to "ShermanOaksHomesForSale.com," for example.)
Keywords in your domain help you in many, many ways. For example, if you run a PPC campaign for the search term "Sherman Oaks Homes for Sale" people are more apt to click on your ad when they see that the domain matches their keywords. Search engines also will rank your site higher in organic searches.
Try to get a domain that uses .com. Most people will click on the .com site rather than the .biz or .us or another domain name when the names are otherwise identical ("ShermanOaksRealtor.com vs. "ShermanOaksRealtor.biz).
A word of caution: many of the best real estate names have already been taken, particularly in highly competitive real estate markets. Does someone already own a domain that you really want? You can always try to buy that domain directly from its current owners at sites such as www.buydomains.com, www.fabulousdomains.com and www.sedo.com. Existing real estate domain names can cost you a pretty penny, but they could be well worth it.
Wondering what to name your real estate website domain? Contact RealtyTech.com for help. We'll discuss your real estate business goals and challenges at length and then help you create a domain name for your new or current website that will help you get more traffic and, as a result, listings. Contact us today!
Be Sure To Read Some Of Our Older Blogs!
The Four Basic Elements of SEO
How "Getting Listed" Helps You "Get Found"
Choosing Keywords For Your Real Estate Website
Top Real Estate Website Mistakes
How Using Videos Can Get Your Real Estate Business Found on the Web
Is Article Marketing Right For You? - Yet another SEO tool that gets you more traffic!
Improving Your Real Estate Website's SEO ROI
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