Is Your Real Estate Website Good… or GREAT?

As a real estate agent, your website is constantly in competition with larger sites like Zillow and realtor.com. And as homebuyers browse these sites, most of them don’t stop to think about the quality of the content they are looking at. If they see some house photos next to an asking price, they simply won’t think to look anywhere else. But you know that you can offer so much more than a generic real estate database. You have years of expertise, an understanding of local neighborhoods, and the ability to read your clients and grasp their needs. You just need your website to showcase your skills to the world. Here are three ways to create a great real estate website that will impress potential clients and bring in new business.

Use your brand to stand out from the crowd

The real estate industry is an incredibly crowded field. In any given town or city, you may be competing against hundreds of other realtors for client business. And in major metro areas, you’re probably competing against thousands of other agents. So how do you differentiate yourself? By creating a brand that distinguishes you from everyone else. Your brand is your motto, your commitment, and your expertise all rolled into one. Do you pledge to be on call for your clients 24/7? Do you promise to provide unmatched and unparalleled service? Or do you specialize in helping first-time buyers find their dream home? Then your brand needs to reflect those qualities that set you apart. And what about your niche or your area of expertise? Perhaps you know everything there is to know about the historic neighborhoods of your city. Or maybe you specialize in new developments and custom homes. Build your brand around those identifiers to help you stand out from other agents and other websites.

Provide real-world examples

You have something that generic real estate websites don’t have, and that’s a string of success stories. If you’ve sold 10 homes in the last month, don’t just trumpet it on your website; show it! Show examples of homes that you’ve sold, and display glowing reviews and quotes from your happy clients. Pictures are crucial to drawing in visitors and keeping them on your site, so try to include warm, personal photos of happy clients to give your site a personal touch. You can even integrate an Instagram or Twitter feed into your online strategy to help generate buzz and bring in new visitors. Whatever your method, show homebuyers examples of the success they could find if they decide to work with you.

Showcase your local expertise

One advantage that you have over gigantic websites and real estate databases is the fact that you have boots on the ground. You are the expert on everything local and you can provide advice that no monolithic website can offer. Perhaps the neighborhoods you represent have the best schools in the city. Or maybe you’re selling homes in a city that was recently annexed, so you can comment on all the new services that residents will enjoy. Whatever the case may be, you should find ways to bring your local knowledge to the forefront and draw your customers in. You can include links to local news stories, or highlight neighborhood restaurants and stores. Homebuyers should feel like they already fit into the neighborhood you are showcasing when they visit your website.

Your real estate website may be good, but it needs to be great in order to compete successfully in today’s real estate market. Pick your niche, build your brand, and show the world why you are the best real estate agent for the job.

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