99% of Agent Websites are Missing This One Thing
You think you have a great website, and you do. You think you have a wonderful IDX, and you do.
So what is the Problem? What's Missing?
*firstname*. You are Missing.
Picture this: A visitor goes to your site. Obviously they already know something about you or want to learn more about YOU. Your website is supposed to be ABOUT YOU.
What do 99% of Agents sites communicate about that Agent?
A Name, a Photo and a generic Bio. that's it. Where's the humanity? Where is your uniqueness? What makes you special? What markets do you specialize in?
Is it interesting to visit such a site? NO!
How do you fix it? Let me show you how.
The two key areas you need to concentrate on to personalize your website are:
- Agent Personalization
- Market Targeting
Agent Personalization:
- Agent Bio: Take the time to tell them about you. Add your experience, your qualifications, certifications, education. Then add your hobbies, interests, causes, charities. This will allow the visitors to connect with you on a personal level.
- Video: Consider doing short informational videos about you as a person. You like baseball, dogs, your church, whatever you can talk about to let them know how special your area is to you.
- Community Info: Add local info that you know someone in your marketplace would like to see such as school info, libraries, parks, great restaurants, etc.
- Your Marketing Plan: Add a page about how you would market their home. Tell them what you would do, how you focus your efforts and your success.
- Testimonials: A good testimonial is like gold for you. Try to get as many as you can. A video testimonial, or audio is even better than a written one.
Market Targeting:
This is my personal favorite. These days buyers and sellers see many real estate websites. 99% have an IDX that covers the entire MLS and beyond. Be a specialist and get more respect and visitors online.
- Create Local pages for your website. Add at least three pages for areas/cities/communities that you specialize, farm or just like to work it. Write about each area and why you are the expert in that area. Include an instant search or gallery of homes from the IDX in that area too. Add community info too. Make that area yours and your visitors will see you as the area’s expert.
- Add Thumbnails to different areas on the home page. Mention the areas in several ways on the homepage.
- SEO for Local Marketing; Add the keywords and metatags needed for Google to rank you highly for your areas, sending more traffic to your website.
So there you have it, a short description on how to raise your website game and your traffic and leads by being more personal on your website.
Read moreBuild a Successful Digital Farming System in 5 Steps
This is a great way to enhance your neighborhood area or farm marketing. If you are currently farming a specific area and are not incorporating a digital aspect, read on. If you are contemplating starting a new farm, then include these tips to generate more listings.
1. Get an Attractive Mobile Responsive Website and IDX: A nice-looking real estate website with lead capture functionality is paramount to your success. Make sure it works well on Mobile devices, has automated Listing Alerts and built in lead capture. A key component is a Polygon Search Tool in the IDX. With this search tool you can carve out your farm area and highlight that market on your website with its own page(s) and SEO.
2. Have a Client Relationship Management System (CRM): Get a CRM in place that you populate with all your prospects, past Clients and incoming leads. Automation is the key and a CRM helps you conserve your most important resource, your time. Make sure you create a separate bucket of Neighborhood owners to track.
3. Localize and SEO Optimize Your Website for Your Farm: As stated in Number 1 above, add unique content about your farm to your website. Create a custom search to show all listed and SOLD properties in your farm. Such detailed information for a relatively small area will allow your website to rank very high on search engines for that area. If your farm area has a familiar name such as “Waverly Estates” then people who search for home and info in that area will find your site and YOU.
4. Engage Your Farm Area: When you walk your farm, announce your website and its great super local info about their neighborhood. Put other community information in there that they would find interesting. Tell them you can send them listings in their area as soon as homes come on the market. Tell them you can send them SOLD home info as well.
Neighbors are naturally nosy and love to know what’s happening in their area. By engaging them with your content, website and knowledge, they will think of you first when it comes time to selling their homes.
Author’s Note: This really works. I personally farmed extensively when I was an agent back in the day. It took six long months of work for me to get my first farm specific listing, but after that happened the floodgates broke and I became the top listing agent in our market leading office.
Read more5 Tips for Real Estate Success!
Look at this list of qualities that a real estate agent needs to be successful and build their business. If you have these skills or you can learn them, then you will easily get a handle on what a real estate agent needs to be successful when first starting out!
1. A Real Estate Agent Needs to be Successful at Marketing.
People in your area need to be aware that you exist. If you are not reaching out to local businesses, creating effective ad campaigns, and making connections with people that can get the word out about your business, then you will end up working longer to become successful. In order to work in this industry, the most important skill a real estate agent needs to be successful is the ability to market themselves. Become adept at this and gain knowledge about your local area and you will gain a reputation for the knowledge that you have!
2. One Important Thing a Real Estate Agent Needs to be Successful is a Great Business Website and IDX.
It may not be your first impression, but a professional website and IDX will keep potential clients coming back for more. You need to have all of your information on it and you need to ensure that there is something eye-catching about your website while also making sure that it looks professional and well made. A real estate agent needs to be successful as quickly as possible and a powerful and professional website will be a great start to building your brand and your business.
3. A Real Estate Agent Needs to be Successful When it Comes to Creating a Sense of Community.
One of the most important things a real estate agent needs to be successful is the ability to create a sense of community. This is a surprisingly hard feat to master. While you can post hundreds of photos on your site of the home you are trying to sell, you will have a much better chance of success if you paint a picture of the environment the home is surrounded by. If you highlight local places of interest, restaurants, and even schools, you will get more people interested. Individual Community/Area pages with unique IDX searches for that area will attract both visitors and Google to place your site higher.
4. A Real Estate Agent Needs to be Successful at Creating Relationships.
One of the most important things a real estate agent needs to be successful is a great personality. You need to be appealing to others so that they will want to speak with you and want to help you build your business. In these early days of your business, it will be crucial for you to be completely successful at garnering relationships, because they could lead to increased business down the line. If people like you, they will want to refer customers and friends to you.
5. If You Want to be Successful as a Real Estate Agent, Focus on a Niche.
While you may think that you should be reaching out and bringing in as many customers as you can possibly find, this may not be the smartest way to go about getting a strong customer base. One of the most important things a real estate agent needs to be successful is a niche. In a larger city where there is a lot of competition, you will quickly find that this will play a large part in the amount of business you get. Maybe you are the go-to realtor for new families or couples with dogs, a particular neighborhood, or type of property — either way, you will be getting a larger amount of business from these customers if they begin to see you at the expert in these areas of their interest.
Read moreEstablished Real Estate Agents, and NEW Real Estate Agents can really supercharge their business with the proper execution of holding Open Houses.
One technique has been very successful for many or our Clients and the best part is that it is easy, automated and essentially ‘free’ as it is included in your RealtyTech website and IDX!
PLEASE KEEP READING BECAUSE THIS REALLY WORKS! (Am I excited for you? Yup.)
Now I’m going to tell you what it is and how to do it.
What is it? Signing up Open House visitors to your IDX’s Listing Alerts System. This simple trick will boost your business with extra business generated all year long.
Here’s How You Do It (The devil is in the details!):
The key to this technique is to be proactive, not passive. When a prospect walks into the Open House, greet then and build some report. After they have walked around a bit, walk up to them with a clipboard and ask them what they are looking for in a home. Take notes.
Once you know what they are looking for and where, tell them something like this:
“Mr. and Mrs. Homebuyers, I think I have an idea of what you are looking for. My new website system has a search and find capability. Anytime a new listing comes on the market that matches your needs, my ‘system’ will automatically email it to you. You will get real, certified listings with lots of photos and information right in your inbox. Just call me if you have any questions or want to see one. I’m here to help you find the home of your dreams! So, what is your email so my system can send you new listings? You can cancel the free service anytime you want, there is no obligation.”
Once you get their email address, go to your website and set up a search for them in your IDX, save the search with their email address and presto! They will be getting branded listing alerts with your photo from that moment on, building your report with them and keeping you in their world, and them in yours.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why shouldn’t I use my MLS’ Listing Alerts program?
Because you want them on YOUR website with YOUR branding. This allows them to be on your site, learn more about you, see your face on pages, and set up their own searches and save homes all on your site of which they are now a member. They will learn that your site has certified MLS listings unlike Zillow and others that often have out of date and incorrect listings.
Can I do this Outside of Open Houses?
Of Course, in fact you should. Every person you know should at least be approached to receive the listing alerts from you. In fact your first signup should be YOU. Why, because you need to see how it works from your prospect’s point of view.
How about looky-loo neighbors? Should I sign them up?
Absolutely! These may be your very best prospects of all! They see you know the area, they have met you and not you have an opportunity to easily market to them for their future listing and move. Just tell them you will sign them up for all activity with about three miles of them, new listings, and recent sales. This way they can keep abreast of the updates in their own neighborhood. What a great service to offer them and they will remember you when it becomes time to sale. Now you have become an expert in their eyes for their neighborhood. Who better to list their most important investment?
Does it work?
Yes, I have direct testimonials from Clients that have made many extra deals by using your website’s IDX listing alerts. One Client from Sant Clarita California told me he made an extra $100,000 in commissions in 2015 from averaging about sixty (60) signups getting emails every day. I’m sure he had comparable success in 2016. Think about it. If you have 60 custom pinpointed emails going out each morning to sixty prospects, you know a few are going to pop over a year period.
Let’s do the math: 60 daily custom email alerts going out each day X 365 days =21,900 automated emails per year. All while you are sitting in your kitchen having the first cup of coffee.
If you are currently working this type of program, let me hear about it!
Thank you for your time,
Richard Uzelac, CEO RealtyTech
Richard Uzelac is a former award winning Realtor and Office owner. He later went on to be the Director of Production for Realtor.com, Homebuilder.com and ApartmentsandRentals.com for Move.com. Richard Uzelac is available for Speaking, Seminars, and Coaching. He is also available to speak during office meetings and at Boards of Realtors.
Read more3 Steps to Getting Real Estate Business Online
Rule#1: The bigger the area and population of an area = The harder it will be to rank for that area.
Look at these search terms and the number of results for each one below. I just did these searches from Thousand Oaks California yesterday:
Look at these search terms and the number of results for each one below:
‘Real Estate’: 1,250,000,000, Over ONE BILLION Results! Do you think you can get on the first few pages of that search: Yes, it would take years or many $$$ to rank for that term.
‘California Real Estate’: This result is 115,000,000, One Hundred-Fifteen MILLION, one tenth the result as above, but still a difficult task to rank.
‘Thousand Oaks Real Estate’: 1,010,000. Down to One Million Results. Much less competition but still going to take time and money to get there, but it is doable. Thousand Oaks has over 130,000 inhabitants, and yes, size of area and population does matter on how difficult it takes to rank highly on Google.
‘Mountclef Village Thousand Oaks CA’: Just 12,400 Results! You can win! Now we have a strong chance to rank. Think you could rank highly for this area? Absolutely! Now let’s see how and why!
You can win this one!
Now let’s see how and why...and the 3 Steps now
Read moreFour Easy Tips to Professional Agent Branding
It always pays to brand yourself as a professional. Buyers and Sellers all want to work with a professional, not an amateur. You can make a great first impression by having a unified image or brand across all your marketing and advertising. Here’s how:
1. Website Domain Name
The first domain name you should always own is SallySmith.com, that is, your actual name. In many ways your name IS your brand in real estate. If your actual name is not available, try using something like Sally4Homes.com or SallySellsEncino.com. If you market exclusively to one market area try to get a name with the market area stated, such as: EncinoProperties.com
Read moreTop 4 Technology Tips For Real Estate Agents
One of the most important things that the real estate industry is learning as we get further into the twenty-first century is this: real estate agents need to build their business through technology. These days, potential customers go straight to Google on their Smartphone to find the latest and greatest real estate agents.
So, if you want to step up your game and remain relevant, then these top 4 things that real estate agents need to build their business through technology will help!
1. A Real Estate Agent Needs to Build Their Business by Creating a Great Website
People, especially Millennials who have started looking for a home, are the biggest emerging market for finding a home nowadays. This means that you will need to have a great website for them to check out, as they practically live online. If you do not put one hundred percent into the look and feel of your website, they will notice, and it will definitely make them less interested in your skills. Real estate agents need to build their business through technology, and if you do not make a great first impression with your website, then you will sink very quickly online.
Read moreDon’t Hate me Because I’m Beautiful
Remember those L’Oreal commercials that had a pretty actress that would say, “Don’t hate me because I’m Beautiful.” And then lots of slow motion video of her hair looking great?
Well, this post has NOTHING to do with that.
I only ask, “Don’t hate me if I speak the truth about being a successful real estate agent.”
Now you can go to one of our $1,000 seminars and learn the technology of real estate, the tools of real estate, how to utilize a website and IDX to make MONEY and all of that. But the bottom line for success in real estate is something that only about 20% of agents ever seem to fully understand.
The top 10 to 20% of agents have all quietly figured this out and they simply do it with little or no fanfare. Maybe that is why this group generates 80 to 90% of the revenue in real estate.
So what do they know and do that most don’t?
The Answer: The top agents simply do that which other agents won’t do. They do that which is hard and uncomfortable. They are willing to sacrifice the little things to put off instant gratification to earn a result that they desire. They commit to hard work, plain and simple. There are no real shortcuts.
Read moreUse Facebook, Get More Leads
In order to successfully generate leads through a marketing medium, the medium needs to have the ability to target the specific market you operate in and do so in an effective manner. Let me introduce you to the wonders of marketing via Facebook.
Why Facebook?
You’re probably thinking: “Ugh! Facebook? That’s for my kids!” or perhaps: “I use that just to connect with family and friends. That can’t possibly be a good place to advertise.”
I will counter with these pretty little statistics: 71% of adult internet users and 58% of the entire adult population are on Facebook. That rounds out to more than a billion people!
Let’s compare this to other social media sites:
Read moreLocalization Webinar: Long-Term Success for Realtors
In today’s hyper-connected marketplace, it’s important that realtors distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack. Focusing on localization and strengthening your local SEO, or search engine optimization, will increase the likelihood you will be noticed and chosen to work with.
Focus on SEO and Localization
As a realtor, it’s all about “location, location, location,” you are wasting your time, energy, and resources if you are not being seen by consumers in your territory.
If you market and optimize yourself correctly and effectively, you will have far more online exposure and presence online.
Tips To Increase Your Localization
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Tags and Meta-Tags
Understanding how SEO works is crucial to increasing the likelihood people will see and visit your site. Looking at and adjusting tags and meta-tags, as well as your site’s title and snippet, to contain
keywords relevant for your territory will make it easier for online users to see your site in searches relevant for homes in your areas.
