real estate online marketing strategy
Regardless of the business you are in, real estate or not, there is likely a large amount of relationship building involved. However, investors in particular need to demonstrate an increased propensity for establishing quality relationships. Whether you realize it or not, every deal will require you to sell yourself as much as your business. One of the best ways to attract and grow your business is through your website. Most investor and real estate websites have the same cookie cutter information that touts how quickly they can close a deal and some of their past or current transactions. While important, it is equally beneficial to make yourself stand out. More often than not, your website is the first impression a potential client may have. Make sure it is sending the right message about you and your business.
As part of your real estate online marketing strategy, your website will serve as a first impression for anyone considering working with you, in any capacity. How your website looks will largely define you and your business. If your website is outdated and nonfunctional, it may convince clients to look elsewhere. You may be a competent and successful investor, but your website could say otherwise. How would they know what you are capable of if your website does not portray your business in the right light? With a few simple upgrades and tweaks, you can immediately change the perception your website viewers may have of you.
Instead of trying to attract business, try to build relationships. Start by trying to get people to know you. Sounds simple, right? Some likeness of you should be located on the home page. Instead of a small picture of you on the heading of the homepage, you should consider posting a brief introductory video about you and what you can do. Most viewers will not spend more than 45 seconds watching a video they have not specifically sought out. Therefore, you need to make it short, concise and to the point. You may not be totally comfortable in front of a camera, but you will get more out of this than any 300 word blog post you can put on your home page. By introducing yourself and providing an idea of you and your business; buyers, sellers, realtors, attorneys and private money investors will feel like they have met you and know what you are capable of. A website void of such a video will come off as every other page. This is your opportunity to catch potential clients; make it count.
In keeping with the video theme, your website should be visually appealing. Carefully place pictures and videos in strategic spots, as most of your traffic will be more inclined to look at pictures than read a blog. To better serve your business, you want to do anything you can to keep visitors on your page for as long as possible. Not everyone enjoys reading posts or scrolling through pages on the web. This means that you need to make your site as interesting for the reader as possible. The focus should be on the homepage, since it may be all they see.
In addition to a welcome video, you can provide a bold announcement of what you do and some of the properties you are working on. Property links should have a video tour accompanied with some information about the home. You should assume that people want to be in and out of your website. By providing as many videos as you can, you make it as easy as possible.
Subsequently, you shouldn’t be afraid to have a profile page about yourself and your business. Again, there is a cookie cutter template you can follow about what you should state and how you should say it, but trying to copy everyone else will prove largely ineffective. On your profile page, you should keep the pertinent investing information, but you should also feel free to add plenty of information about yourself. It is OK to tell people what town you live in, especially if you are established in the community. Additionally, you can add information about the number of children you have, any pets, hobbies and even favorite sports teams. You will be surprised to find that people will actually work with you based on similar criteria. The more information you can provide about yourself on your website, the more comfortable people will feel working with you. They more comfortable they are with you, the higher chance that they will want to work with you.
Everything you do with your website will say something about you and your business. Little, inconspicuous things can reveal something about your personality. It is important not to run from your personality. Let your personality shine if it is something that will help you separate yourself from the competition. If you let your real personality show on your website, the people that want to work with you will be more conducive to business.
Your website can make or break your business. If you use it as a way to increase relationships instead of just putting information about you and your business, you will get much more out of it. The more people know about you, the more likely they will work with you.
