I've spent much of the past month in Long & Foster offices giving classes on "Building a Web Presence." A fundamental part of that class is discussing how to maximize the free agent website that every Long & Foster agent is given by the company. The sites themselves are customizable, but the URL uses a naming convention that is awkward for the consumer: "yourname.lnfre.com." So it makes sense that as part of a branding and marketing strategy, a domain name be acquired with a ".com" or ".net" extension that simply points to the Long & Foster URL. In fact, more than one domain name can be purchased and pointed to the agent site, and at roughly $9 a year in cost, it's an effective and inexpensive marketing strategy. There are many registration sites where domain names can be purchased and forwarded: NameCheap.com, Yahoo.com and GoDaddy.com just to name a few.
The possibilities are endless, but there are several things to consider when choosing a domain name. It needs to be fairly short, easy to remember and easy to spell. That might mean using your own name, which can be a powerful form of branding. When you train people to go to your website for information, you are also "training" them to refer other people to you that way: e.g. "My agent is Gail Hayden - GailHayden.com" Many names are unavailable at this point, but you should search for your name with "realtor" after it. "REALTOR®" is a registered trademarked of the National Association of Realtors and there are guidelines regarding its use. It can be used with a proper name, but not with a descriptive term such as a place name. "ChrisRussellRealtor.com" is acceptable but "FairfaxRealtor.com" is not. A recent article in Inman News regarding RealtorGenius, which the NAR deemed an improper use of the term, went over the rules of its use.
Domain names that target certain geographic areas by region, town or even community can be very effective, and since you can have more than one, it might make sense to own domain names for the areas you target or farm and direct your URL advertising to those communities. "SellingAshburn.com" or "SellingMcLeanHomes.com" and "FallsChurchSales.com" can be used on sign riders or directionals when marketing in specific areas. You can also leap-frog off corporate branding using location such as "LongandFosterFairfax.com" While search engine placement is important, there are many other ways to direct consumers to your website like having it on your business cards and putting it in your email signature information. Recent research has shown that "low tech" marketing such as yard signs and word of mouth still generate the bulk of good quality leads in real estate.
Some agents choose to use a slogan, such as "GottaHavePav.com" which can be an excellent foundation for branding. However I still recommend buying your own name as a domain name and pointing it toward your site. There's always a possibility that someone will search for you by name instead of your advertised slogan, and it takes that domain name out of play so that someone else can't take "your" name and use it for purposes that are not in your best interest. The domain names WesFoster.com and PaulFoster.com are both owned by someone other than the Founder & CEO of Long & Foster and his son who is a Regional Vice President. There's a valuable lesson in protecting what's yours.
I also suggest buying domain names that are misspelled in addition to having it spelled correctly. If you are determined to use your name but there are two letters that are frequently transposed, or people keep trying to add a "c" or an "e" or spell it with a "k," then simply buy it spelled that way. A frequent misspelling is "Reality" for "Realty" so buy your domain name in its commonly misspelled form and consumers will still land on your site.
Use upper and lower case letters to break up your domain name into easily recognizable words that people will grasp quickly - like when they are driving past a yard sign. Longer domain names like "HouseHunterDan.com" and "PamSellsFineHomes.com" benefit from using upper case letters. Teams should also keep it short and simple with "BernieandRita.com" being purchased as "RitaandBernie.com" as well. The key is to think like a consumer might think and be one step ahead of the consumer experience. Your domain name is an important part of your overall branding and marketing strategy, so consider carefully what you are trying to convey and how you want to be perceived as a real estate professional.
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