1. MLS Search Capabilities
According to RealtorŪ Magazine, the #1 and #2 most important things consumers want are lots of property photos and descriptions and searchable listings. If your site is just an online brochure, you will not likely be visited again.
2. Search Engine
Optimized Content
Optimize Your Site for Al.communities in Your Market, not just the Big One. Instead of trying to throw the widest net possible over a large metropolitan area (like "Denver Real Estate"), you should instead be looking for your little chunk of heaven within the huge metroplex you live in.
3. A Blog
Blogging has many benefits such as adding new, fresh content regularly to your website which keeps you looking fresh to search engines. Blogging also can help you become known as the local real estate expert. See Realtor Magazine's May 2006 feature:
realtor.org/rmomag.NSF/pages/feature1amay06 .
4. Custom design and Personal Branding
Do you look like every other agent in your office, or do you stand out. If your website looks just like everyone elses in your office, why should they work with you over them?
5. No flash or sound
If you make home buyers go through a production number every time the.come to your site, they simply won'.come back. Quick content will impress them, not whiz bang Flash and Sound intros.
6. Map
If you must use Flash, use it smartly with an easy to use clickable color Map of your local marketing area that users can instantly go to th.community listings they seek. There are many map options available now and studies have shown that giving this visual tool for them to search with is a winner.
7. An easy way to request info
Make sure you make it easy to ask for Special Reports on a wide variety of subjects, Relocation information, How Much Is My Home Worth, Listing info for homes. Something will appeal to someone at sometime.
8. A way for leads to be automatically entered into your primary contact database
Depending on what systems you are using, it is not inconceivable that you could have two, three, four or more different online systems running with their own database contact system. This is an administrative nightmare. Make sure all of your contacts are run through just one.
9. Automatic Lead Follow up Plan
It al.comes back to Systems. Make sure your website has automatic follow up plans set up to contact the leads regularly. This should include a mixture of emails, scheduled phone calls and mailings. If you follow the things here, you will have an abundance of leads and you dont want all those leads slipping through the cracks!
Brett Miller is the founder of HoopJumper.com and has created the best lead generating real estate websites in the industry and helped hundreds of real estate professionals make the most of their Internet presence. Call 888-Hoop-Jumper for .complimentary web analysis today or visit
http://HoopJumper.com to see how HoopJumper can help you grow
Your business.
