Buyers and sellers are looking for information. Property searches or estimating their home’s value may bring them to your website, but providing them with all the information they need will bring them back. The longer a visitor remains on your site and the more times they return increases the possibility of converting them from a visitor to a client. So, give them lots of reasons to make your website their one-stop home resource center. Create a one-stop resource with customized informational pages.
1. Home Page (First Page)
The information on your homepage is your opportunity to grab someone’s attention. Give a brief overview of your community, market conditions and your services. Always include your contact information.
2. Service Page
Tell your prospective buyers and sellers what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and why you are the best person to do it.
3. Contact Page
Even though you have placed your contact information on the home page, you want to make it easy for your website visitors to contact you. This page should contain a “Contact Me Now” button, which will send you an email. Many agents are including a “Chat Now” button both here and on their homepage. This page should include your name, your company name, addresses, mailing address (if different), email address, office number, cell phone number, fax number and your website address.
4. About Us
This is the page that tells your visitors why real estate is your passion. This is the page to toot your own horn by listing your educational accomplishments and industry awards. This is the page where you can also get up close and personal. Include any information, web links, articles or press releases as well as photos of you and your staff. You will also want to include a “Contact Me Now” button on this page. If you work with a team, include a “Meet The Team” page.
5. Testimonials
What other people think about you is important to your web visitors. Post client testimonials which speak to your expertise and knowledge of the real estate industry. Place a photo of the home or the client next to the comment to give it a “real” feel.
6. Buyers Page
Use this page to add relevant buyer information, such as how to make an offer, your personal viewpoint of current market conditions, the importance of a home inspection, mortgage information, the escrow process, title information, inspection and repair negotiations and local or federal tax credit or buyer assistance programs.
7. Sellers Page
This is where you would place relevant seller information, such as home values, your personal view point of current market conditions, negotiating the offer, inspection and repair negotiations, customary seller paid items, the escrow process and capital gains information.
8. MLS Property Search
9. Featured Listings
10. Current and/or Sold Property Statistics
11. Community Information
Offer facts about the communities you serve. Tell people why you love the area and why they will, too. Include large subdivisions and/or neighborhoods, Create a photo gallery of your favorite sights in your town, local landmarks and interesting places.
12. Community Helpful Numbers and Links
Here, you can list utilities, school district, local business, service organizations, entertainment, city and county offices and departments.
13. Community Events Calendar
14. Frequently Asked Questions
Include an inquiry form that will allow someone to contact you with additional questions. Including a “Contact Me” form is a great way to begin a relationship with someone and an opportunity to change a visitor into a client. Just ask for a name and email address. Most visitors do not like to divulge too much information on the Internet.
15. Blog and/or Newsletter Page
16. Subscribe/Feedback Page
Give your visitor the opportunity to subscribe to your blog or newsletter, offer suggestions or submit questions. Allow them to give you feedback through a survey or feedback form.
17. Real Estate News/Articles
You can use a widget that will publish the latest real estate news, such as Inman.com, Rismedia.com or RealtyTimes.com. You can get articles from services and vendors or write your own.
18. Helpful Resource Page (Link page)
Provide relevant and helpful links to outside sources.
19. Site Map
A site map shows visitors how the site is laid out and which sections are where.
20. Privacy Policy
Privacy continues to be a major issue online users. Reassure them that their privacy will always be respected and their information will be kept confidential.
21. Copyright Information
Your website should carry a copyright notice to protect its intellectual property. It is generally in the form of “Copyright © 2009, Your Company Name”. Make a note to yourself to update this yearly.
Hope this puts you on the path to creating lots of new fresh content for the search engines and lots of information for your website visitors.
Pamela Cendejas, Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn’t Enough of You to Go Around!
