The Happiest Agents In the Northwest

 

Web Sites and Domain Names

According to the National Association of Realtors 80% of home buyers use the Internet to shop for a home. Can you believe that 70% of them use agents they found through real estate websites.  Internet home buyers take an average of about two weeks with an agent to buy a home while traditional buyers take an average of 46 days.  Internet buyers are younger, have higher incomes and buy higher priced homes than those who are not connected to or do not use the Internet.  How do we stack up as real estate agents?  75% use e-mail for their business (what I've found is that most of them are using AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo accounts or those provided by their company). The amazing statistic is that only about 40% actually have web sites.  WOW! What an opportunity for agent in the know!

Welcome to the first of our series of setting up websites and getting onto the Internet and World Wide Web. What we're going to cover today are: what you need in a web site and how to select a domain name or URL. That's what's at the top of the bar where it says http://www.yourwebsite.com - that's a URL or domain name.

Domain names:

  1. Simple
  2. Accurate description
  3. .com
  4. Memorable

One of the biggest mistakes that I've seen over the past couple years is that a lot of a agents try to use their own name in their URL, such as www.JoeSmith.com. Why is this a big mistake? Well unless your name is Martha Stewart nobody knows who you are and nobody, quite frankly, cares who you are. Here is a litmus test when you're choosing a URL: if you put a one line classified ad in the newspaper - whoever saw it would know exactly what your site was about and remember it. It would require neither tagline nor a description to let people know about the subject of your site.

If you were searching for a home and saw two ads side by side: the first was www.JoeSmith.com and the second was www.DenverRealEstate.com - which would you visit? No contest - you would visit www.DenverRealEstate.com !Why? for two main reasons: 1) the name actually tells you what the site is all about; and probably more important 2) it was not associated with a salesperson. Remember that public views real estate agents right there with used car sales people by reputation. It's well deserved unfortunately and that's what we are here to change.

I recommend http://www.realestatesitenames.com/ for URL (Domain Name) registration. It is $8.35 per year (there are some that are less expensive) and there are so many options and free services attached that it makes it worth it!

Now that you have a Domain Name - what do you need in/on your website?

Web Site Key Ingredients

  1. Information
  2. Homes
  3. Free Reports
  4. Automated follow-up
  5. Auto responders
  6. IDX or VOW
  7. Easy Name
  8. Promotion/Marketing

You simply MUST have ALL of these ingredients or you will not have the most successful website that is possible.

What we at RE/MAX Connected recommend is the online course created by Michael Russer, the guru of real estate web sites. The course is titled, Online Dominance and it is thorough and complete and not for the feint of heart or commitment! Michael stresses that the only web site that work are those that are targeted to a specific group of buyers and sellers, such as move down buyers and sellers or luxury home buyers and sellers.  His course is only $400 and walks you through chapter by chapter, first teaching then, through your own work and research, create all the content that you need on your web sites.  He walks you through creating email campaigns, getting your web site designed and every possible vendor you will need to create a website designed for your niche in the marketplace.

Give me a call and I can give you more information if your commited to building a winning website.

Next topic:

How to host SUCCESSFUL Open Houses and get new clients EVERY TIME!

 


This Market Got You Frustrated?
I'm going to ask you a serious question,
think carefully to yourself as you answer.

What is your single biggest frustration
in your real estate business RIGHT NOW?

The more specific your answer, the more
helpful I can be. I will personally take your
answer to the most successful real estate
agents I know, and reply next week with
the answers to your frustrations.

There are no strings attached to this, it is
my gift to you on this wonderful day.
Name
Email
Phone
Comments:


 

Eileen Tefft
 425-444-8338
 222 Wall Street #100, Seattle
Washington 98121
Office Website
View Listings
Contact Me


All Inquiries are Kept Strictly Confidential


   
Copyright 2008 RE/MAX Connected, Each office independently owned and operated 3125. 222 Wall Street #100 Seattle, Washington 98121
Phone 425-444-8338 :: Email eileen@eileentefft.com
Broker Login | Sitemap