Top Producer Websites Tip - 11/07
Quick tips to help you understand online marketing.
So you’ve launched a website but where’s the traffic? Building the website is only
the first step. Now you must treat the website as the centerpiece of all your marketing
efforts. It is well known that over 85% of home buyers use the internet to research
the housing market. According to a recent 2006 survey by CAR these internet buyers
have spent an average of 5.8 weeks contemplating their home purchase before contacting
a REALTOR.
There are several online marketing tactics that you can
employ to drive business to your site such as search engine optimizations (SEO),
which includes meta tags, keywords, linking strategies, etc. These are all very
good tactics but can be intimidating to the casual user and may require hiring a
professional who can help you make the most of your web presence. In the December
issue of The Topline, we will try to eliminate some of the mysteries surrounding
these online internet strategies.
However traditional offline marketing is something that
everyone can and should employ to help generate traffic to their website. Many marketing
professionals believe that traditional offline marketing is more effective and less
expensive then online marketing especially when working within a very regionally
targeted market environment common to the real estate industry.
Treating the website as the heart of your marketing efforts, your initial marketing
initiatives should now focus on driving prospects to your website - not just picking
up the phone to call you. Consider this is a two-step approach. Step one is to drive
business to your website. Step two is ensuring that your site’s online experience
differentiates you from the competition. Maintain a current and relevant website
with enough compelling content that positions you as the local market expert. We
are confident that
Top Producer Websites augmented by the
Market Snapshot will help position your
website as the central source of information about your area and raise your profile
as the local market expert.
Traditional marketing tips for driving quality
traffic to your site
- Never send out anything without your website address (URL) prominently displayed.
Next to your name it should attract the most attention. It should appear on business
cards, letterhead, flyers, all promotional items, logos on clothing, lettering on
vehicles, For Sale signs, post cards, email signature, sponsorships, all ads, yellow
pages, buses, etc.
- Where applicable create a distinct “Call to action” to your website. For example:
Visit my site to….
- View all listings in the Seattle region
- Learn more about your community
- Find out what your home is worth
- Understand the real estate market
- During personal contact opportunities such as social or networking events, always
promote your website as a very good resource for your contacts and their friends
to use when reviewing the housing market.
- Do not forget to include your URL prominently with any sponsorship or promotions.
- Write articles for other local online or print newsletters and include your name
and URL, with a Call to Action instructing readers to visit your site.
- Propose a topic and invite people to visit your website to participate in an online
conversation through a blog or forum. For example, you might try sending out a direct
marketing piece to homeowners in your area inviting a discussion about local market
trends.
- Promote your website through the relatively affordable advertising offered with
your local community TV cable station. Try to include the Call to Action for a reason
to come to your site.
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