Most people are getting this wrong when it comes to using the Internet in their real estate business. This goes for investors AND real estate agents alike.
The thing is… it’s not their fault. They don’t know any better.
Let me use a story to illustrate this point…
Last week, a friend of mine wanted to “run something by me” to see if it was a good fit for some stuff we’re doing with investors and agents. In a nutshell, it was a guarantee of a page 1 listing in Google in six months or less.
At first, that sure sounds like a big promise, but there’s more to the story and if you don’t know what to ask, then it could either be a total waste of time or money… OR both!
There are a few things that you want to know the answers to…
#1. Who CONTROLS the Website?
In other words, do you own the website and all of the information? Or are you simply getting a “landing page” on someone else’s site? SO, if you stop paying the monthly fee, is your site wiped off the map, or worse… handed over to someone else?
#2. What keywords/keyword phrases will I show up for on page 1 of Google?
It’s real easy for someone to promise you page 1 of Google, but you’ve got to know what you’re getting to page one of Google FOR!
I could promise you page one of Google for the keyword phrase: “3 ways to find buyers online”. But, is that REALLY going to accomplish your goal(s)? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what you’re looking to do. If you’re marketing to find pre-foreclosure needs, probably not.
But the point is, page 1 of Google is not for anything and everything related to your website. It is for one specific keyword or keyword phrase.
See #1… If you CONTROL the website yourself, you can have dozens, even hundreds or thousands of “pages” come up on page one of Google for specific keywords.
And YOU want to CONTROL what keywords you’re coming up under on page 1 of Google and you may want to come up for SEVERAL keyword phrases.
#3. What is the PURPOSE of the website (or individual landing pages)?
You’ve got to take a few minutes and think about the types of people you want to attract to your website based on your business. Are you looking for:
- Motivated sellers?
- People facing foreclosure?
- People looking for fixer uppers?
- People looking for INFORMATION on real estate investing?
- Credibility to support your marketing campaigns?
- Etc.
Your website, or at the very least your pages, should be very different for each of these types of leads.
#4. Is your site designed for lead capture?
It’s amazing to me to see the number of real estate sites out there that are just plain junk. They do absolutely NOTHING to capture prospects and provide you the opportunity to follow up with them.
According to the National Association of Realtors® 2009 “Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers”, 90% of all homebuyers use the Internet as a source of information.
And of those, 77% drive by the property prior to ever contacting an owner or agent to see the interior. This means, that you’ve got to capture their contact information to follow up with them or risk losing the lead.
#5. Are you actively generating traffic to your website?
Unfortunately, too many people believe the old adage, “If you build it, they will come.” That is simply NOT the case when it comes to the Internet. You must advertise and market the site consistently. The marketing doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming, but you must do it. PERIOD.
Sure, if you set your site up properly from the ground up, you will have “some” traffic, but you simply won’t get enough to build a business.
It’s also essential to understand that your website is really your HUB. There are lots of other spokes, so to speak, that are a part of your online presence including social media, content marketing, classified advertising, and more.
So to recap…
It is CRITICAL to have an online presence if you want to be doing anything in real estate these days. PERIOD.
Over 90% of all homebuyers start their search online (and for motivated sellers, the numbers are also comparable).
When it comes to your website, you MUST:
- CONTROL your own website…
- Understand the basics of KEYWORDS and KEYWORD PHRASES and how to effectively use them in your web marketing strategy…
- DEFINE the purpose of your website (and/or individual pages on your site)…
- Ensure your site is optimized for LEAD CAPTURE…
- Actively GENERATE traffic to your website…
To use this article on your own website, include the following:
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