Avoid Website Jumble

Agents will often want to know how their website looks. Many agents opt for a template site – and that can be okay, as long as the site has a few key elements. We like to see that the agent has some control over the site, too: content, placement, headers, page titles and link structure – but mostly content. You can have the most search engine optimized site out there but, if you content stinks, the consumer won’t stay long. Bonus for fresh content, because we know how much Google loves fresh content.

Here is our “must have” list:

“Search For Homes” or something similar on the first page, right in front of us.

Consumers see so many sites that bury the home search behind pages and pages of pointless content. Consumers expect to be able to search for homes on your real estate website. Keep it front and centred. Two other things that would be so great: keep your home search unencumbered.

Market Snapshots

There are tons of cool tools that will help you do this … Altos, Top Producer, or do your own through your MLS data. Consumers want to know what the market is doing in the area where they are buying or selling. Give them data.

Identify yourself.

They don’t need to see a photo, but your contact information should be prominent on your website. Consumers also like to see social media links – LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (or whatever else you happen to use) so they can stalk you online to see if you are the right agent for them.

Fresh, Good and Interesting Content.

Plus content that is spelled correctly would be nice, too. Depending on how much control you have over your site, the ability to change around your home page every so often or, better yet, blog on your home page would make them very happy. As consumers, we have a ton of questions. When one of your consumers asks a good question, put the question and your answer on the home page of your site.

Keep the design Clean and Uncluttered.

You don’t need page after page of content about real estate procedures and practices. Let them get what they need and get out. If you can control your page titles and text headers on each page, keep them simple and direct. Community information on your real estate website can be great when it’s done well. Keep the content fresh, give them links and relevant information about the area and include photos and videos whenever possible.

Those are the items on our must-have punch list for your agent website. They probably seem pretty basic and obvious, but we can’t tell you how many times we’ve had to unearth a search box, dig for an e-mail address or smile through stale, tired content. Put your consumer hat on … what would you want to see?