Do You Really Need a Real Estate Website?
This post originally aired as a podcast!
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If you're like many real estate agents, it's probably been some time since you put time and energy into your own agent website. In fact, it's not uncommon for agents to not even have a website, let alone have a strategy to make a website work for them. With the rise of social media marketing, I can see why some agents are ditching their websites entirely.
If you're getting thousands of views on a 15-second Instagram Reel, it's tempting to focus solely on social. On the other hand, if you're buying leads from a search engine, you might not have the ability to invest in your own site's lead generation. This is exactly why I'll be addressing the question that's top of mind for many - "do you really need a real estate website?"
🎧 Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Every year, new real estate marketing strategies emerge, competition continues to grow, and what worked in the past can lose its effectiveness. One form of marketing that has seen much change over the years revolves around real estate websites. I remember a time when it was relatively easy to generate thousands of leads at a low cost. In fact, if we looked at those same sites today, we'd probably laugh about the out-of-date website design and lack of features. Yet, it was still possible to see results.
I'll be the first to admit that over time, it became more challenging to get the same results, and many agents gave up or never even started. And let's be honest, adding your photo to a website template and contact info isn't truly marketing your website.
Now, I want to be realistic before we start today's conversation. Because I understand that getting results from a real estate website isn't easy - but that doesn't mean it isn't worth it. So, let's go ahead and cut to the chase.
If you asked me "do I really need a real estate website?," I'd ask you back - "do you want to be found online, generate your own leads, brand yourself, showcase your reputation, and build off a marketing strategy that's entirely your own?"
So, the answer is yes. Yes, I believe that you do need a real estate website.
Along the way, I've generated thousands upon thousands of online leads, been featured in Inman News for my best practices, and have been a member of national & broker advisory councils for some of the leading real estate website platforms including, Inside Real Estate's kvCORE. But the greatest testaments to my website ability can be seen in the Real Trends website rankings. My work in website strategy, design, video, content, and more has won multiple awards across multiple years!
I share all of this to demonstrate that my experience comes from perfecting leading brokerage websites and hundreds of agent websites. It is entirely possible to get results from your website with the right strategy behind you.
But if you're still not convinced that a real estate website is worth your time, that's what today's episode is all about! I'm sharing 7 reasons why "you DO need a real estate website."
Reason 1: Buyers & sellers can find you online VS you paying to advertise to them
Imagine somebody in your local market has a real estate need. They head online to research buying or selling in your area and come across your website. Once on your site, they're hooked on all of your helpful info. Not to mention, they feel like they already know and trust you based solely on what you shared online. They feel confident that you can help them, so they reach out directly to you to start working together.
Now, that scenario sounds a lot better to me than spending dollar after dollar advertising to people online who might not even have a real estate need. You're not interrupting their lives with an advertisement. Instead, you're there for them when they need you. It's a very different start of a relationship when you're selling your services to someone versus them finding you organically. If you'd like to learn more about how to get people to find your website without paid ads, be sure to check out Episode 42: Approachable SEO for Local Real Estate.
Reason 2: You can generate leads on your own website
I often hear from agents that their sites "don't work because they don't generate leads." If the goal of your website is to generate leads, then it is entirely possible. However, you have to market your site and the lead capture you're focused on. This might mean that you build up your SEO strategy or pay for Facebook or Google AdWords to drive traffic to your site.
If you're currently buying leads from one of the search sites like Zillow, I'd encourage you to consider generating leads on your own site as well. Wouldn't you rather invest time and money back into your own site to generate quality leads that are 100% yours? I know I would! And if you're looking for a creative way to generate leads, check out my free training that accompanies Episode 55: How to Generate Real Estate Leads Through Quizzes.
Reason 3: Your website is the epicenter of your real estate marketing
In marketing, I like to think that "all roads lead back to your website." Instead of creating content for email, writing posts for social, sharing videos on YouTube, think about your website as the home base for all of your content. It's overwhelming to come up with content across all of your channels. Instead, if you use your website as the epicenter of your marketing, you can repurpose everything you do while building traffic to your site.
For example, let's say you film a quick video with '3 tips for sellers in your area.' Instead of just sharing that video on Instagram, let it "live" forever on your site.
Upload your video to YouTube and embed it on a website or blog page, but take it one step further by including a transcript of your video as copy or text (This will help your site's SEO and increase the likelihood of people finding you online!). You can then share the video directly on Instagram and use that same text in your caption (saving you time and energy writing a new post). Then, instead of uploading the video to Facebook or LinkedIn, you can share the link to the video on your site (this drives traffic back to you and helps grow your site). But don't stop there! You can also repurpose the video as an email blast where people click over to watch your content on your site (re-engaging your database or leads). All of these strategies work together to make you more efficient with your real estate marketing.
Reason 4: You can brand yourself as a local agent or in a niche
I often talk about the benefits of target marketing for real estate as a way to attract more home buyers and sellers. And if you're not familiar with the concept, it basically sums down to identifying a geographic area or specific type of customer and marketing directly to your choice/s. The reason this works so well is that you're not marketing to the masses and trying to stand out among what could be thousands of other agents in your local area. Instead, you're narrowing it down and truly positioning yourself as your dream customer's go-to agent.
Your website can be used to further amplify your target marketing and agent branding because you are in complete control of how you position yourself. Let's say you want to be known as a luxury, waterfront agent. From the images you choose on your site to the information your share, you're able to showcase yourself as a luxury agent who works with waterfront buyers and sellers. It all comes down to how you brand yourself on your site. And the good news? You can choose the content and aesthetics that resonate with you and how that works for your target marketing strategy.
Reason 5: You can highlight the experience of working with you
If people are going to head online to check out the reviews of a lunch spot, you can pretty much guarantee that they're going to research you. So, when somebody heads online to look you up, curate why they should work with you. Because on your website, you can not only have a compelling 'about you' page, you can also compile all of your past transactions and customer testimonials. That way, when potential customers head to Google, they find other satisfied customers or information about you that further builds their trust in your abilities. Tip* If you're a new agent, make sure you take the time to work on your online presence and relate directly to their real estate needs (another reason to implement a target marketing approach!)
Reason 6: You won't lose leads on your own listings
If you're a heavy listing agent or are working towards listing your first home, listen up. If you're promoting a property for sale, don't miss out on leads by not sharing a link directly to your website. I see agents time and time again who list a home and share a link to their photographer's photo gallery or worse, a link to the property on Zillow. A potential buyer could head to Zillow, and depending on what you're paying for or more likely not paying for, end up talking to another agent about the listing because that lead can be sold to multiple agents.
Don't let this happen to you! Instead, share a link directly back to your website. From there, you're in complete control of the lead capture settings, how you follow up with potential customers, and who hears from you about your own listings. You're not in control of those factors if you're not using your own website.
Reason 7: Your website is yours
Unlike social media that can change or be gone tomorrow, your website is an ongoing asset that you control. Whether your website is built on a platform you pay for or is provided by your brokerage, make sure you own your URL or website domain name. That way, with planning, you can move your website content to different platforms and be in control of all of your hard work.
Think of your website as an ongoing investment in your business that you can build upon. As time goes on, that investment comes back to pay you over and over again. The more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it.
So, do you need a real estate website as an agent?
Yes! Your real estate website is a wise marketing strategy, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
In fact, I see a website today as an advantage because many agents are no longer focused on them. There's real potential for you to make your website work for you!
So, to recap the reasons why I recommend you spend time on your site:
Reason 1: Buyers & sellers can find you online VS you paying to advertise to them
Reason 2: You can generate leads on your own website
Reason 3: Your website is the epicenter of your real estate marketing
Reason 4: You can brand yourself as a local agent or in a niche
Reason 5: You can highlight the experience of working with you
Reason 6: You won't lose leads on your own listings
Reason 7: Your website is yours
And it all starts with you deciding to make your website a priority in your marketing strategy and discovering how it can further help you reach your goals. Because your website is an asset and not another distraction. It's a way for you to be more efficient and create a long-game strategy that continues to provide results for years to come.
If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend you listen to Episode 63: Why Most Real Estate Websites Don't Work to kickstart your website marketing. I know from experience that your future self will definitely thank you!
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