Welcome back to Farm Friday! This week, we’re talking websites. Do you have one? Do you need one? Should you build it on your own? Should you hire someone else to build it? The answers to all these questions (and some real estate marketing tips) are in this article.
Advantages of a Real Estate Website
Now, some of you may be thinking: Meaghan, why do I need a real estate website? My Facebook profile is working just fine. Why would I need a separate site for my business, let alone my listings and properties? Who has the time or money? Well, a few reasons make building a real estate website worth the time and effort.
No More Missing Lead Generation Opportunities
First off, if you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on many opportunities. You can reach potential buyers through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., but not everyone will follow you. The algorithms are constantly changing on social media, and it’s no guarantee that you will appear in your target audience’s newsfeed.
If your audience sees you on their newsfeed, they’ll click over to your page. However, they may not understand what services you offer, especially if you’re both a buyers’ and sellers’ agent. It’s essential to get your name out there so people know who you are and what you do.
Also, you don’t have a way of capturing contact information reliably on social media. A website can help you collect data on leads to add them to your email marketing campaigns, call list, and more.
SEO Benefits
A website also allows you to improve your search engine rankings. If you want to rank higher than your competitors in Google results, you need to optimize your website with keywords relevant to your industry. Your website should contain content that includes those keywords and other words that describe your property.
For example, if you’re selling a farmhouse, you might include “farmhouse” or “country home” in a blog post about your new listing.
You can use Google Analytics to see which pages are getting the most traffic, then work on improving those pages. For instance, maybe you could create a video tour of your house and upload it to YouTube. Or, you could write a blog post about how your latest property was built. The reactions to any of these pieces of content will help you determine what content type makes the most sense for your marketing efforts.
Ease of Communication
Having a permanent website allows you to be easily reached by potential leads. When you’re trying to sell a house, you want to be able to communicate quickly with interested parties. Having a website lets you send messages to interested parties via email, text messages, phone calls, and even social media posts.
This means you can keep up with conversations without checking multiple different places. Plus, you won’t lose track of important details because you can always refer back to your notes.
Ownership
Did you know that the company that operates the site owns social media profiles? Your Facebook profile and all of its associated content are at the whim of Meta. You never have to worry about being locked out or having your content deleted from your website.
So now that you’ve decided you need a website, should you hire someone to build it for you, or should you give it a go yourself?
9 Reasons to Hire a Web Developer to Build Your Real Estate Website
There are plenty of reasons why hiring a web developer is a good idea. Here are some of the top ones:
They Can Help You Choose an Appropriate Domain Name
Your domain name is one of the first things visitors see when they visit your website. This is where you want to make sure that it reflects what you’re offering and your brand.
It Helps You Create a Professional Image Online
If you’re looking to attract clients online, you need to look professional. That means creating a website that looks nice and has high-quality images. It’s much easier to do this with professional help.
If you do this right, people will think you’re a real estate agent who takes their business seriously.
They’ll Be Able to Tell You What’s Working and What Isn’t
When you hire a web developer, they will be able to tell you exactly what works and what doesn’t. They’ll be able to point out areas where your website needs improvement.
The best way to get feedback like this is to ask them questions. Ask them what information you should provide on your website, whether certain features are working well, etc.
They Can Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile Friendly
Mobile devices are becoming more popular than desktop computers. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, you might miss out on many potential clients.
Hiring a web developer to build your website will ensure that your site is optimized for mobile users.
They Will Know How to Use Website Builder Tools
Website builders allow you to create websites in just minutes. But if you don’t know how to use them, you risk wasting time and money.
A web developer will know how to use these tools so you can focus on other aspects of building your website.
They Will Have Experience Building Websites Like These
You may not know anything about website development, but chances are you know enough to recognize a bad website.
A web developer knows which themes work well and which ones don’t. They also understand what makes a great design and what makes a terrible one. An experienced web developer will be able to build a website that looks amazing while still easy to navigate.
They Can Save You Time and Money
Building a website can take months and cost thousands of dollars. A web developer can cut down on both those costs by helping you choose a suitable theme and providing advice on how to optimize your website.
They Can Help You Avoid Common Mistakes
Most web developers have seen hundreds of different websites over the years. They understand what works and what doesn’t.
They can spot common mistakes that inexperienced designers often make. For example, they’ll be able to tell you whether you should include testimonials on your website or not.
They Can Help Keep Your Website Up To Date
As technology changes, so does the world of digital marketing. The same goes for websites. As soon as you update your website, you need to share the news with your audience.
That’s why it’s essential to keep up with new trends. A web developer will be able to help you stay ahead of the curve.
The One Reason to Build Your Real Estate Website Yourself
I can only think of one reason to take the time and effort to build your website yourself.
You Have Experience
If you’ve built a successful real estate business before, you probably already have experience creating websites. This means you’ll know what kinds of things make a good website and what types of things won’t work at all.
Honestly, you’re already busy, so anything that can save you time and energy is well worth it. Also, you can always take over maintenance if you feel you have a good enough grip on your site after it’s built.
How to Find a Real Estate Web Developer
There are many ways to find a web developer. You can ask friends and family members who they recommend. Or, you can search online. Here are some resources to get started:
LinkedIn allows you to connect with professionals in your industry. If you know someone who uses a web designer, you might want to contact them first through LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is an excellent resource for finding potential employees. It’s free to join, and most employers post their job openings there. If you want to see more options, you can search through the company pages.
Another popular way to find people is Facebook. Just type “web developer” into the search bar and look through the results. This is especially helpful if you live in a small town where everyone knows each other.
One of the best places to start looking for someone is Google. Type in “real estate web developer” and see what comes up.
Upwork
If you’re willing to pay a little extra, you can hire freelancers directly from Upwork.
Fiverr
Fiverr is another option. There are plenty of web developers available for work.
Local Businesses
Finally, you can check out local businesses. Many companies offer web development services, including real estate agents.
Don’t DIY Your Real Estate Website
So, do you want to build your website? It might sound like a great idea at first, but it could cost you money instead of saving it.
Building a website can take months, even years. And, you don’t want to spend that much time without knowing how effective it will be. If you don’t have any experience designing websites, you may not know what design elements will attract visitors. In addition, you’d have to learn HTML code (the language used to create websites). That takes time too!
Unless you have adequate experience developing and creating websites, I don’t recommend building your own website. Please sign up for The Good Stuff, the Virtuance weekly email newsletter, for more real estate marketing tips.
