There are certain things that your real estate site must have to be successful in keeping Users. Not that this guarantees success. What it, in fact, does is help to eliminate one potential roadblock to goal success: Users leaving your site to satisfy their needs. These "guidelines" boil down to 10 main must haves in order to be successful:
1. Listings
Listings accomplish two purposes. The first is the one that we all know, it markets the properties that you represent. This is always important because it lets your sellers know that you are doing everything you can to represent them and it also can potential sell the home.
The second reason is one that is often overlooked and it is the psychological impact of listings. Think from the Users perspective for a second and you will see why. How would you feel about two Realtors, one with many listings on their site and one with one or none? Exactly, you would expect that the one with all the listings was busy which then means that their service is good and their contacts wide. Now, who would you be more likely to use for your next house transaction?
2. Testimonials
The Golden Rule "if you can't say anything good don't say anything at all" applies to your site. Think of a visitor to your site, she has seen 10, maybe 20 sites for Realtors so far. Now, how do you think she sorts through the masses?
One of the easiest ways to ensure that you stay in the running to represent the client is to show that your previous clients "loved" your service. Remember what the impact will be if your visitor can't find anyone to say anything good about you.
3. Non-Form Contact Information
This may seem absolutely obvious and it is. So why do so many sites not have something as simple as an email address on them?
A lot of sites revert to a contact form where users can fill in the information easily and then simply zip it off so that the real estate professional can answer the question, get the work, close the deal and make money. It would be nice if it worked!
Did you know that a majority of people refuse to fill in forms because they believe that their privacy may be compromised? Did you know that most forms ask for personal information that people aren't willing to divulge?
If you are planning to use a form, give your User an out by also offering a clickable link to an email. If you have nothing at all for contact information then do something!
4. Information Forms
There is a difference between "contact forms" which I discussed above and "information forms". In the latter case you give the User a new option to seek information from you. Through a contact form you force the User to use a method to contact you that they might not appreciate.
An information form gives your User the option to seek specific information that you want to give such as a relocation package or a list of homes available in the area.
5. Mortgage Calculators
The highest traffic generators of web sites are free services and tools that you offer to your clients. Because of the industry you are in, the simplest and most basic of these services is a mortgage calculator.
Providing this service while also presenting listings allows your clients to determine whether your listing fits within their financial abilities. Every time a client leaves your site the possibility increases that they will not return. By ensuring that they don't have to leave your site you are negating this possibility.
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6. Articles and Information
Can you guess what search engines like the most when they index a site? It's relevant information relating to the topic you want to be found for. Nothing accomplishes this quite like articles on real estate topics. Needless to say, Users love it too.
7. Community Links
One of the most important aspects of the Internet is the ability for you to draw on potential clients from a world wide market. In fact, that is one of the absolute, key reasons for widespread search engine positioning.
When you consider that a large number of your potential Users will be moving to your service area it becomes obvious that they will likely need information on the area itself. It is also likely that they will start researching the area well before they move. By providing this information, your site may become their source of information over this period.
8. Moving Information
Again, when you understand that a large portion of your Internet clients will be moving to your area, it becomes vital that you help to provide this information. Whether it comes in the form of actual information or links to that information is up to you. But it is vital that you do this. Save your Users time and you will have a larger percentage of them become clients.
9. Links to Local Real Estate Services
You are a real estate professional in an complex industry. When you provide links to complementary services you save your User time and effort. This saving will be rewarded in two ways. First, your User will likely return to your site to find more information or other services. The more times a User comes to your site the more likely they are to use your services.
Second, by providing these links you leave the impression that you are professional and that you work tirelessly for your clients. The likelihood of you being selected for services is thereby increased.
10. Glossary of Real Estate Terms
How long did it take you to understand the lingo of your industry? Do you know the educational level of all of your clients?
When you deal with clients face to face it is easy to get a feel for what your clients do or don't know. The Internet changes this. The only face you get to see is in the form of an IP address which doesn't really tell you very much. The people visiting your site may know a lot about real estate or may know very little.
By providing a simply glossary of real estate terms (and links to it throughout your site) you help to educate your User if needed. The result is that your User will understand your services better and, if they use your service, will be easier to service because of the knowledge you helped them obtain.
These 10 items serve to create what would be a very complete web site for a real estate professional. There will always be additional, new, progressive tools that can be added. Adding new items and services will always be an important part of staying ahead of your competition. However, if you don't do the basics right then you probably should be correcting those before adding bells and whistles.
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Ron Thibeault is a retired real estate lawyer and contributing Editor to ThinkRelo.com. His extensive experience in real estate law gives him valuable insight into the needs of clients, realtors and all other players in real estate transactions.
