RealtyTech Blog

Understanding Pay-Per-Click Marketing

RealtyTech — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:12:42 +0000

With the release of our brand new Pay-Per-Click Packages (PPC), it’s about time we took a moment to explain how exactly pay-per-click marketing works. There are probably thousands of articles out there that can help elaborate on the ins and outs of PPC, but hopefully this article will shed some light on how it works in general, while also elaborating on the concept of pay-per-click marketing for real estate professionals specifically.

Let’s get started.

What is Pay-Per-Click?
PPC marketing works very much like how it sounds. The advertiser starts by creating an ad then bids on specific key terms that will assure the ad is shown only to individuals that are searching for that specific topic.

(Example: A local sporting goods retailer is having a sale on camping equipment. After extensive research, the retailer will know to advertise within his/her local area and to bid on keywords that are related to camping and sales. The research is key to knowing how to engage the correct market.)

Pricing for a pay-per-click campaign depends on the keywords, ad target area, competition and more. Once the advertiser sets the appropriate bids, the ads are then displayed as search results on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. (The more you pay, the higher the search result ranking) Now, whenever the new ad is clicked on by search engine users, the advertiser pays the determined bid amount for it… hence the name pay-per-click!

Why do We Love Pay-Per-Click?
To start, pay-per-click offers a completely customizable advertising solution that works for literally ANY budget. PPC will generate quality (read: prospective customers) traffic to your website even with a low cost plan, making a great return on investment at any advertising budget. Of course… the higher the budget, the better the result ranking, maximum number of clicks you can receive and usable key phrases.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is great for getting your site increased page rank and reputation with search engines, but sometimes it takes months. In the meantime, pay-per-click allows you to get your website to the top of search engines right away, making it a perfect short term strategy. (Not that it doesn’t have benefits for a long term strategy as well! See below.)

How Can Pay-Per-Click Help My Real Estate Business?
Pay-per-click really has a chance to shine when it comes to marketing your real estate business. We have had a number of clients take their business to new heights by incorporating a PPC campaign into their current search engine marketing strategy. Pay-per-click really makes a difference!

Advertise Locally – You aren’t selling homes all over the country, or even the state. Some marketing strategies take this into account, some don’t, but pay-per-click allows advertisers to precision point their target areas. This way, you never spend money advertising to anyone other than potential customers!

Stay Ahead in a Competitive Market – There are thousands of Realtors in California alone, so to say the market is competitive would be an understatement. Pay-per-click allows you to reach top page rankings on Google, regardless of your area and we know what it takes to get your ad to the top!

Tapping Into a New Marketing Strategy – Pay-per-click is still a young form of advertising and due to its complexity, many realtors have yet to take advantage of it. Most real estate website companies don’t even provide the service! We are confident knowing that with any of our PPC plans, our clients will get increased quality traffic to their websites.

Works as Supplemental Marketing – Many realtors are getting online nowadays and while some don’t take it too seriously yet, some rely on their websites for almost all of their business. If you invest a lot of time into your website, pay-per-click is a great supplemental marketing solution for not only driving traffic, but converting viewers into quality leads!

There are a number of reasons why pay-per-click marketing for real estate is a good idea, but the most important reason is that, simply put, it works. Period.

If you would like to try one of our affordable pay-per-click solutions for your real estate business give us a call, or head to our pay-per-click page to learn more. We also offer a completely custom option that lets you choose your budget, number of target areas and more!

How Much is That Content Worth?

RealtyTech — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:51:58 +0000

With the age of social networking upon us, sharing internet content has become a staple of our lives. An interesting infographic here, a must-read article there… “sharing” really has become an incredible part of our current social culture. And while the internet is home to a seemingly endless supply of content, it’s become extremely important to know how you can use it correctly (read: without getting fined).

Let’s start by getting this out of the way – Sharing is good. With outlets like Facebook, Twitter and more, sharing original content gets page views to the original authors. Linking back to a content creator’s website is exactly what they want – it gives them recognition for their work and rewards them for it. So share away!

Now, when it comes to using this content on your own website, copyright issues come to play. Unfortunately, a vast majority of internet users don’t even realize this is a problem until it’s too late. The most common mistake is simply taking an image from Google’s image search to use on a different website. Remember that all of these images are from someone else’s website and whether or not they choose to come after you, if they own the content, they can (and it can get VERY expensive). It’s also fairly easy for content vendors to track down stolen content.

For instance, using sophisticated web applications and programs, image vendors are able to perform a reverse-search on the images in their inventory to locate all places the image shows up. These searches use precise algorithms to ensure that no matter of image altering will make the image “un-findable”.

So how can it be avoided? After all, there are occasionally those images that would be “the perfect fit” for your website. Get permission (from the original creator), create the content yourself, or buy it from a web vendor. Unfortunately, that’s about it if you want to ensure that you won’t have a mob with torches and pitchforks outside of your house.

Always remember, it may be perfect for your site, but how much is it really worth?

Important Website Information – Urgent to all Users!

RealtyTech — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:27:40 +0000

Just a couple days ago we received a notice in our office mail from the Domain Registry of America. The invoice that we received was to let us know that some domain names of ours were expiring in the near future and to renew them through the Domain Registry of America (see it at the bottom of this post). This isn’t the first time we have dealt with this company but we wanted to take a moment to contact our customers to inform them about notices like the one we received.

While it is normal for any domain registrar to notify it’s users of necessary renewal, please be aware that Domain Registry of America is in no way affiliated with RealtyTech. The renewal process should be started directly through RealtyTech, WildWestDomains (we work with them) or the specific website that you purchased your domain from (godaddy.com etc.)

We know that it may be alarming to receive this information and may cause some concern regarding the stability of your website. We urge you to ignore any notifications you receive from Domain Registry of America and please contact us before making any payment to them. If you are still concerned about your website, please call us at (818) 889-0064 or message us with live chat (top right of this page).

As always, we are here to help you.

[Image of the Expiration Notice]

How Was Your January Business?

RealtyTech — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:16:01 +0000

The holidays are over and people are buying homes again. Hooray!

Looking back, January was a very interesting month for both RealtyTech and our clients. With the release of some new features like Sold-Listings and the Announcement Bar we are really excited for the rest of 2012. We still have a variety of new features in the pipeline which we can’t wait to unveil. Stay tuned!

In regards to our clients, we have had some spectacular jumps in lead generation over the last month with no signs of them slowing down. This makes for happy clients and a happy company! Our SEO specialists really take pride in understanding the constant evolution of search engine marketing and are always happy to deliver great results like this. Search Engine Optimization truly does work and our clients have the leads to prove it!

We encourage all of our clients to consider employing one of our powerful Search Engine Optimization plans to get the most out of their RealtyTech website. We know that it is impossible to expect anyone to micromanage the back-end details of their website month after month in order to maintain rankings on Google, Bing and Yahoo. That’s why we will do it for you!

So if you feel like your website could use a kick in the pants, give us a call at 818-889-0064. Our SMP programs and SEO options are tried and true and we would be happy to cater our service to your budget and area of expertise. We are also available to chat online through our website’s chat support (see the top right).

Let us help you expand your business and here’s to making the rest of 2012 an amazing year!

The Importance of Custom Web Design – and An Amazing Deal to Help Get You Started!

RealtyTech — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:24:39 +0000

Sometimes, all it takes to perk your customer’s interest is a little personal touch. Something interesting. Something a little quirky. Something that showcases your personality.

When visiting any website, the first thing you will notice is the iconic header image. Oftentimes, the importance of this thin image at the top of a website is overlooked though. I know that I sometimes forget to take note of a header image when I am browsing the web, but if it really stands out, chances are it just subconsciously sticks. The ones that do stick are the ones I find myself returning to again and again. They ultimately become the authority on that subject matter to me.

This leads me to my next point.

Would you read a newspaper without first looking at the headline? Would you read the article if the headline wasn’t interesting, quirky or simply demanding attention? The core foundation of modern day websites stem from the form of newspapers and magazines complete with a headline (header), table of contents (site navigation), content layout, ads… the list goes on and on. It’s fairly difficult to drive home the importance of a personal header, but I hope this sheds some light.

Here at RealtyTech, we are always excited when our customers ask to purchase a custom header. This isn’t simply because RealtyTech is a business and the purchase will help keep the lights on, but because our customers actually love the personality that a customized header adds to their website and the real results that it produces. This leads to another reason why we love producing custom designs; our clients that have them simply perform better!

Because we feel that our clients benefit so immensely from custom website design, we are now offering a
50% off Custom Header Special for a limited time. The process is as simple as ordering the deal, submitting a design form that instructs our web designers how to make your header, and watching as we implement your new site design. Make today the day to share your business with the world the way it was meant to!

Purchase a Custom Header for 50% off today by visiting this page or by giving us a call at (818) 889-0064!

Adding Sold Listings Tutorial

RealtyTech — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:42:52 +0000

Yes, the highly-requested Sold Listings feature is now live and available for use to all Agent123 website users. Take a look below to see how to use this great new feature!

How it works – Your sold listings page just got a lot smarter! You now have the option to automatically have your sold listings added to your website for you, add sold listings by MLS#, or to add sold listings manually.

Add Your Sold Listings Automatically

Go to your website and click on “Agent Center” at the very bottom of your page
Choose to log into your “IDX123”. Enter Username and Password and press “Login!”
Hover over “Properties” and click “Sold Properties” on the drop down menu.
Click the drop down menu for “Select System” and choose which MLS board you are with (if you belong to multiple MLS boards, you must add them one by one). Next, click on the letter above that corresponds with your first name. Find your name in the list below and click on “Add Selected Agent(s) to the List Below.”Done! The sold listings available under that MLS# will be automatically added to your website within 24hrs.

Add Your Sold Listings by MLS

Go to your website and click on “Agent Center” at the very bottom of your page
Choose to log into your “IDX123”. Enter Username and Password and press “Login!”
Hover over “Properties” and click “Sold Properties” on the drop down menu.
Type in the MLS# for the property you want to add in the space provided and click on “Add”. If the property is no longer in the available to be automatically added, you will see “Can’t find MLS #”. If you believe that you have received this message in error, please email support@realtytech.com with the MLS# input, and any other information you have on the property, such as the date it was sold. If the data is no longer available, you can still add the property manually.

Add Your Sold Listings Manually

Go to your website and click on “Agent Center” at the very bottom of your page
Choose to log into your “IDX123”. Enter Username and Password and press “Login!
Hover over “Properties” and click “Sold Properties” on the drop down menu.
Click on the “Add Sold Listings Manually” link at the bottom of the page
Fill out the information for the sold property that you would like to add, and click on “Save Property” when finished.
Your listing will now be added to your list of sold properties highlighted in purple. Next, click on the camera icon to manually add photos to the listing. Click on “Add Photo,” then “Choose File” when prompted. Browse your computer for the photo that you want to use, then click “Open” and finally “Upload.” Crop your photo as necessary, and click “Save.” Continue this step and add as many pictures as you need!

Introducing the All-New Announcement Bar!

RealtyTech — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:32:31 +0000

So what’s the deal with the little yellow bar that’s showing up under the Agent123 dashboard? It’s our brand new Announcement Bar! We hope that with this nifty little tool Agent123 website users will be able to hear about our exclusive promotions, keep up on new RealtyTech announcements and to learn some tips and tricks along the way.

A little more about what the Announcement Bar can do:

Feature Releases: As you probably know, we are constantly updating our products to enhance the user experience. The Announcement Bar offers a unique way to let our clients know about new features we are unveiling and how to best use them.
Promotional Offers: Everyone (including us) loves a great deal! With the help of the Announcement Bar, we can make sure to let you know every time we have a special offer. Never miss another opportunity on a good deal!
Tips and Tricks: Not to toot our own horn, but our products are actually very dynamic and have a variety of tools for adding content, making design changes and capturing leads. With our new Announcement Bar we can offer quick and easy tips that will make a big difference in how you use your Agent123 website!
New Tutorials: We understand that learning to build and manage your Agent123 Website/IDX can be difficult at times, especially with a steady flow of new features to keep up with. We try to make it as easy as possible for users by producing step-by-step guides and videos to explain how to use particular features. Now we can share these tutorials and guides with you via the Announcement Bar!

There are so many things we can do with the Announcement Bar, implementing it was a must. We feel that it is the perfect way to easily engage with our clients and we hope you like it as much as we do! Just don’t forget to ‘look up’ when you access your website. You don’t want to miss anything!

The Future Between Google+ and Your Real Estate Business?

RealtyTech — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:51:40 +0000

It doesn’t surprise me that yesterday, Google decided to reveal another new feature to back up their Facebook challenger, Google+. The social network has been picking up a lot of steam since the end of last year, hitting an estimated 150 million active users and still going. It also seems that out-“teching” Facebook is going to be the deciding factor for Google+ in the long run though, so new features were to be expected.
While G+ still has a lot of catching up to do if it means to really contend with Facebook, there are still some wonderful features about it that are worth checking out now. One of which is the new feature I was talking about, referred to as “Search plus Your World.”

Google has implemented a new twist to their search engine, their most famous feature, to create a sort of smart search that understands the user and their relationships with other individuals. This means people and pages you know can populate searches (this feature can be turned off), making Google+ your way to the world’s first true “Social Search”.

So how does this factor in to your Real Estate business? (Forgive me for taking so long to get here.)

Simply put, it’s all about branding and localism. Branding on the web has always meant casting a big net, and focusing on the sheer volume of pageviews, general rankings etc. With the implementation of this “social search” idea, your brand will thrive off of the brands and individuals in your area and within your extended network. With this new feature, having a social standing online with your physical and Google+ community is going to be what recommends your pages to individuals. This means branding your business to your community is going to be an absolute must. Google does a better job explaining how it works here, I am suggesting in the long term here though.

So while Google has gone and traced the Earth and created the most sophisticated search engine in human history, they want to use their new technology to simply make your social world more personalized and ultimately, a little bit smaller.

In the end though, this is all simply my speculation on the new search feature and could, in the end, be very different from the user experience I (or even Google) expect it to be. Google+ might end up tanking in a year as well. We can’t know at this point. I’d recommend making a profile for now though!

Don’t Miss Our Year End Special Before It’s Gone!

RealtyTech — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:40:19 +0000

The new year is right around the corner and we’re already excited! With a slew of brand new features in the mix, 2012 will be an exciting year for RealtyTech and our Clients! This also means that our Year End Special is running out and that this week will be your last chance to secure one of these great deals until next year!If you have been holding out on upgrading your basic website, or have been thinking about treating yourself to a custom website design upgrade, marketing packages or more, now is the time to call!

Call RealtyTech today at 877-832-4428!

Agent123/IDX123 Combo Deals

Our most popular product, and rightfully so! The Agent123/IDX123 Combo is just what every agent needs. Take advantage of this limited time offer and see what the hype is all about!

Regular: $399 Setup – $49 Monthly

1-Year Contract: $199 Setup and $44 Monthly! 50% OFF SETUP!

2-Year Contract: $0 Setup and $39 Monthly! $0 SETUP! 20% OFF MONTHLY!

Click here to learn more about the Agent123 Website/IDX123 Combo!

Mobile IDX

Live GPS Mapped Listings! Nothing for Clients to Download! Automatic Email Alerts! Your Name and Number on EVERY Listing! Sound good to you? Now is the time to act and get your business optimized for the mobile market!

Regular: $50 Setup – $19.99 Monthly

1 – Year Contract $0 Setup and 15$ Monthly 25% OFF!

Click here to learn more about the Mobile IDX

Custom Headers!

Nothing says you are serious about your business more than a customized header. Wouldn’t you love to have an iconic header like the ones you see on your favorite websites? A custom header will help you establish your “brand” and we are happy to offer them to you at a great discount!

Regular: ONE TIME $499

Sale price: ONE TIME $399! 20% OFF!

Click here to view our Custom Headers!

Custom Splash Pages!

It’s time to put your best foot forward! Real Estate is your business, and every reputable business needs a quality webite to represent it. Adding a custom Splash Page is what’s going to give your website both the professional and memorable feel that your business needs.

Regular: ONE TIME $1499

Sale price: ONE TIME $1299! 20% OFF!

Click here to view our Splash Pages!

Success Marketing Packages!

Our Success Marketing Packages, or SMP’s, are our best option – hands down. When it comes to searching for Real Estate professionals on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing, your location within the search results is what’s going to make or break your business. Our SMPs are specifically designed to improve the overall quality of your website as well as equipping it for increased searchability!

Click here to Learn More about our Success Marketing Packages!

SMP1
Regular: $699 Setup – $149 Monthly

Sale price: $599 Setup – $149 Monthly! SAVE $100!

SMP2
Regular: $999 Setup – $249 Monthly

Sale price: $799 Setup – $249 Monthly! SAVE $200!

SMP3
Regular: $1699 Setup – $499 Monthly

Sale price: $1399 Setup – $499 Monthly! SAVE $300!

Announcing the Anonymous Lock-Out Feature! An Excellent Lead Capture Tool!

RealtyTech — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:43:16 +0000

Today marks the release of our latest new feature, Anonymous Lock-Out! We are very excited about this new tool simply because it is a viable option for our many clients that have no problem generating traffic but can’t secure viewers as leads.

With the Anonymous Lock-Out feature Agent123/IDX123 website owners can set a limit on listings that users will be able to see. Once the viewer reaches the designated limit our new tool will “lock them out” causing them to sign up or sign in to an existing account in order to continue viewing your listing details. This not only whets the viewers appetite with some listing details to begin with, but gives them an ultimatum to continue browsing. This function has been tested to be an effective tool in capturing higher-quality leads and in greater amounts!

If you feel like you could benefit from the Anonymous Lock-Out Feature and would like to know how to add it to your website, click here and follow these quick and easy steps!