What A Real Estate Agent Web Site SHOULD Be!

June 11th, 2009 Allen Hainge Posted in Real Estate Web Sites, Uncategorized, real estate marketing |

Some things just really make you sad if you know how effective today’s technology can be!  I saw a comment on a networking site the other day where an agent was thrilled that she had received her first lead from her site…in two years!  Almost brought tears to my eyes!

This does not need to be and should not be the case!  My view is that if your site does not earn you $20,000+ in closed gross commissions per year, it’s not worth having!!

As my ol’ Pappy told me, “If you want to be successful, do what successful people do!”  When it comes to having a successful agent site, if you study money making sites and incorporate their principles into your own site, it should be successful.

 

Brian Copeland's Splash Page

Brian Copeland

A great place to start is by looking at the agent Web site of one of our newest CyberStars(r), Brian Copeland, CRS, of Village Real Estate, Nashville, TN.  Brian is relatively new to real estate, but he really “gets it” when it comes to marketing to today’s consumer using today’s technology.  He was the Greater Nashville Association’s Rookie of the Year and was selected by Real Estate Magazine as one of the nation’s “Top 50 REALTORS(r) On The Rise” in 2007.  

Talk with Brian, and he will tell you that since 87% of today’s consumers go first to the Web to choose a home or an agent to market their home, an agent must have a strong Web presence.  Brian does.  He has an excellent Web site, a great blog, and he has already staked out his territory when it comes to social networking sites.

Several features I love about Brian’s money-making site:

 

  • Great design and easy navigation
  • “The Buzz Around”: 4 interchangeable testimonials on his splash page
  • Very heavy emphasis on client testimonials with lots of video client testimonials
  • Great listing treatment: lots of photos, maps, request a showing, add to favorites list, points of interest, direct link to inquire about the listing and more
  • Wonderful use of video on his “Resources” page
  • Link to his blog
Another outstanding feature of his site is the fact that Brian realizes that buyers choose a neighborhood first and then a house.  Such a simple concept, but most agent Web sites have no neighborhood information!
Brian combines his expertise with creating marketing videos with the consumer’s need to know about neighborhoods in an outstanding fashion.  Go here for his neighborhood page, and you will see what I mean.  He features great videos on different neighborhoods, including video testimonials from folks who live in particular neighborhoods, a video on communities of faith, an Oktoberfest video and more.
Agents who realize the importance a consumer-oriented Web site and who devote the time to their Web sites reap enormous rewards.  Brian has devoted the time, and it has paid off.  He makes a great living from his site, and he is a known commodity both in his area and nationwide because of it.  Well done, Brian!
Think about devoting one hour a day for the next several weeks to your site.  Analyze it, look at other sites for ideas (start with the CyberStar’s(r) sites here) and begin making your site into the money maker it can be!
It’s a great day here on the lake in Reston…hope it’s a great day wherever you are, too!


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One Response to “What A Real Estate Agent Web Site SHOULD Be!”

  1. Marchel Peterson Says:
    June 12th, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    A pretty, glitzy website is nice but it does nothing if the search engines can’t find it. I see so many website that have not been optimized. My site is a content only site but it has made it possible for me to start my own brokerage from the leads that I get off of it. I have spent YEARS optimizing it though. It is a never ending process!

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