{"id":11970,"date":"2018-10-16T13:34:41","date_gmt":"2018-10-16T19:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virtuance.com\/?p=11970"},"modified":"2018-10-16T13:34:41","modified_gmt":"2018-10-16T19:34:41","slug":"real-estate-web-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/blog\/real-estate-web-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 27 real estate website design ideas & tips from the pros"},"content":{"rendered":"

By J Gurner | Source FitSmallBusiness<\/a><\/p>\n

The most effective real estate websites present information clearly and concisely. We asked 27 top-producing real estate agents, brokers, and website designers for their best real estate website ideas and tips to do so. These experts were willing to share real estate website tips from site design to content inclusion that will give your business an edge.<\/p>\n

Here are the 27 best real estate web design ideas and tips from the pros:<\/p>\n

1. Use WordPress to Build a Powerful, Easy to Edit Website<\/h3>\n
\n
Jeremy Marsan, FitSmallBusiness.com<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Did you know The New York Times, The Huffington Post, BBC America, and Sony Music all use WordPress as the foundation of their websites? There\u2019s a great reason for this. WordPress is a powerful, flexible, and easy-to-update platform, making it particularly appealing to all kinds of businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, you don\u2019t need to know how to write code to create your own WordPress site. You can learn how to set up an IDX-integrated real estate website in our\u00a0step-by-step WordPress guide<\/a>. In it, we recommend\u00a0Bluehost<\/a>, which lets you create a professional WordPress website, host a personalized domain, and get a business email address, all for as little as $2.95\/month.\u00a0Click here to get started<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Target Long Tail Keywords to Increase Conversions<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Marieke van de Rakt, Yoast<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

When planning the content for your website, long tail keywords may get fewer searchers, but those searchers are much more likely to convert. Long tail keywords are usually three- or four-word-long searches that are very specific to what the user is looking for (like \u201cnew home construction Lancaster\u201d), and they can offer fantastic results.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe longer and more specific the search terms are, the higher the chances of conversion are. I am currently looking for a cottage in France to spend our next summer vacation. I started my search with the term \u2018vacation France.\u2019 I quickly discovered I wanted to go to the <\/span>Dordogne, and preferred a house in the countryside. My search still continues, but now I use terms like [vacation house countryside Dordogne]: a long tail keyword. Using this keyword, I found new sites, which more closely resembled my vacation wishes. Chances for me to book my vacation largely increased.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Build a Landing Page That C.O.N.V.E.R.T.S.!<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Beth Morgan, COO, Twine Data<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Landing pages are those stand-alone web pages made specifically to advertise\u2014<\/span>one that a potential client might come to after clicking on one of your paid ads. Whether you build one yourself or have it outsourced to a place like Real Geeks, chances are that as a Realtor, you want to have one that speaks to your potential customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

While many online <\/span>talk about \u201csecret landing page strategies,\u201d Morgan reminded us that there are no real secrets, and the fundamentals usually convert the best. While we show you\u00a0how to construct the perfect landing page<\/a>, Morgan came up with a simple mnemonic device to keep in the back of your head when designing a new page:<\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/strong>\u00a0= Clear Call to Action<\/span>
\nO<\/strong>\u00a0= Offer<\/span>
\nN<\/strong>\u00a0= Narrow Focus<\/span>
\nV<\/strong>\u00a0= VIA: Very Important Attributes<\/span>
\nE<\/strong>\u00a0= Effective Headline<\/span>
\nR<\/strong>\u00a0= Resolution-Savvy Layout<\/span>
\nT<\/strong>\u00a0= Tidy Visuals<\/span>
\nS<\/strong>\u00a0= Social Proof<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Add Real Estate Agent Schema Markup<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Fathi Arfaoui, Trustiko.com<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Some real estate website ideas just take your site to the next level. Arfaoui offers one of those ideas by introducing Schema, a semantic markup language that describes elements of your site so Google\u2019s search crawlers can better categorize it, giving you a leg over competitors who aren\u2019t using it. Arfaoui talks about the importance of having your website speak Google\u2019s language.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo provide search engines, especially Google, with more information about your site and listing, you should use the proper schema markup elements. I highly recommend the official real estate agent schema markup plug-in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Schema helps you get those snippets when Google shows search <\/span>results, and helps your site to rank by assisting Google on the back-end with a plug-in that won\u2019t slow down your page. For more real estate website tips on how to get your site to rank on Google, we published a guide to the\u00a0three primary ways to rank<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Get a Free Website by Purchasing Exclusive Leads<\/span><\/h3>\n
Marc Prosser, Fit Small Business<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Companies that offer turnkey real estate websites are a dime a dozen. Getting these websites to integrate with your lead gen and contact management software is another matter altogether.\u00a0Market Leader<\/a>\u00a0sells exclusive leads, which means they only sell one lead to one agent. What\u2019s more, when you buy leads from Market Leader, you also get a free CRM and branded website designed to collect leads and capture searches.\u00a0Click here to get started<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Take Advantage of Listing Integrations like IDX or Nestio<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Alex Tseng, CEO, REMY<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Tseng offers useful advice to anyone needing real estate website ideas during the construction phase. Real estate agents and brokers require websites that have listings integrated, and while this looks like a monumental task, it\u2019s actually fairly simple.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to design every part of your website; in fact, you don\u2019t even need to design the workhorse of your website: the listings database. Listing management tools such as dsIDXpress and Nestio allow you to insert a simple line of code into your website, enabling your customers to pull up all the relevant listings.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Obviously, every real estate agent wants a website that is going to offer listings, but not every Realtor has the money to hire out for this. If you want to learn how to build your own IDX-enabled real estate website, grab a cup of coffee, settle in for the afternoon, and\u00a0learn how to build an IDX real estate website<\/a>\u00a0with our easy, step-by-step guide.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Choose a Theme with a Simple Search Bar to Put Listings Front & Center<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Jarad Hull, CEO, Blueroof360<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Most people are coming to your website to search for listings, and Hull offers some solid real estate website tips that address that. When constructing your site, be sure to select a WordPress theme that allows you to have a simple and outstanding search bar front and center. According to Hull, this decreases confusion and increases the time they spend on your site.<\/span><\/p>\n

For proof this strategy works, start examining the homes pages of places like Zillow, Realtor.com, or Homelight. Choosing the right WordPress theme to build out your site makes all the difference in the world to <\/span>giving your potential customers what they\u2019re looking for. If you need a great WordPress <\/span>theme, or want to learn more about choosing one that converts,\u00a0check out our guide to choosing a template here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

8. Update Your Website (Including Blog Posts) Frequently<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Aalap Shah, Co-founder, SoMe Connect<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

Updating your website (including blog posts) regularly will help you rank better in Google. While you might want to update your website every few months, updating your blog posts every week is optimal. Shah states that updating regularly helps from a marketing perspective as well:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d recommend keeping the website updated frequently, whether it\u2019s pictures or testimonials. Think about the buyer\u2019s journey. A client chooses an agent based on referral or <\/span>Google search. They\u2019ll most likely come back to your site a few times, and having fresh content shows activity and brings more life to the brand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Shah, your website should reflect an active agent. While it can be tough to come up with real estate website ideas to refresh your site, think about adding new testimonials or images of happy buyers or sellers. If you are stuck for real estate blogging ideas, check out our article on\u00a025 killer blogging ideas for 2018<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. Focus on Quality Over Quantity<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
Julian Blakeston, Style Agent<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

In 2018, people are bombarded with information. To stand out, focus on quality over quantity. A website with five pages of rich quality content is far more effective than a website with 20 pages of generic information and an empty, unused blog.<\/span><\/p>\n

Blakeston offers truly useful real estate website ideas when he suggests keeping quality high by cutting out fillers that just take up space. If you can provide truly useful information specific to your potential customers, in your specific market, clients will appreciate your expertise. Also, by keeping your information specific and useful to your geographic area, you\u2019ll have an easier time ranking on Google to look like the authority you are.<\/span><\/p>\n

10. Focus on Social Proof by Adding Client Video Testimonials<\/span><\/h3>\n
Emile L\u2019Eplattenier, Fit Small Business<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n

If you\u2019ve ever looked up reviews for a restaurant or looked at what others had to say about a product you\u2019ve considered buying, you understand the importance of social proof. One of the most powerful ways to give it to them is to include candid video testimonials from former clients on your site.<\/span><\/p>\n

When a potential client sees the genuine words coming from a family, couple or individual just like them, it feels far more personal.\u00a0BombBomb<\/a>\u00a0is a video marketing tool that lets you easily create professional video testimonials. Upload them to YouTube and add them to your website, or insert them into social media posts and emails.\u00a0Click here for a free 14-day trial<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read all 27 tips here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By J Gurner | Source FitSmallBusiness The most effective real estate websites present information clearly and concisely. We asked 27 top-producing real estate agents, brokers, and website designers for their best real estate website ideas and tips to do so. These experts were willing to share real estate website tips from site design to content […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14503,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4,47],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11970"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14503"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11970"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11971,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11970\/revisions\/11971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}