Every real estate professional is sure to be well-served by maintaining a strong online presence. Now that search engines have effectively taken the place of the Yellow Pages, new clients are far more likely to find you via Google than through traditional forms of advertising. That being the case, if you’ve yet to establish a solid online presence, there’s no time like the present to get the ball rolling. Even if you’re a relative newcomer to online marketing, carving out a place for yourself isn’t nearly as challenging as you may think. Realtors looking to use the web to their full advantage would do well to consider the following measures.
Your personal website is the online hub for all things pertaining to your business. As such, this site should feature a clear rundown of the area(s) you serve, the types of properties you typically work with and your preferred business practices. Additionally, sharing testimonials from satisfied clients on your site can be a great way to offer firsthand accounts of your professionalism to potential clients.
However, in order for your site to grab the attention of search engines, you’ll need to update it on a consistent basis. This entails producing new blog posts, articles and other engaging content. When putting together search results, some of the web’s most prominent search engines tend to favor sites that are regularly updated over those that receive irregular updates.
When crafting new content for your site, take care to incorporate relevant keywords that are likely to serve as search criteria. Using keywords that are specific to the area(s) you serve can prove particularly helpful. For example, something along the lines of “two-story homes in Dearborn, MI” or “dependable realtor in IL” is likely to get your site noticed in local searches.
It can’t be denied that we’re living in the age of social media. Now that virtually every brand and enterprise under the sun is active on the web’s most popular social platforms, it’s only natural that individual realtors should seek to carve out a presence for themselves on said platforms. As you’ll quickly find, social media outlets provide ample opportunities for realtors to keep existing clients in the know and elicit attention from prospective clients. For best results, make sure to be an active poster. Going days – or weeks – between new posts is practically guaranteed to result in diminished interest and lead to low engagement numbers. At the same time, however, you should also avoid posting excessively, as this may spur some followers to mute or unfollow your accounts.
In addition to crafting informative, entertaining posts, you’ll need to regularly engage your audience. This means responding to any questions, comments or concerns that come your way in a timely and professional manner. For example, if a question is posed to you via social media during normal business hours, make a point of responding in an expedient fashion. Furthermore, try to be as affable as possible in your social media interactions. The more approachable you are, the more comfortable potential clients will be placing their trust in you.
Composing guest posts for popular real estate publications and websites can be a fantastic way to get your name out there and enhance your online presence. So, if there are any sites you feel would benefit from your expertise, don’t hesitate to reach out to their editorial department. When doing so, make sure to clearly outline the type of piece you wish to write, as well as the ways in which your perspective on the subject is unique. For instance, if you have an interest in learning more about real estate syndication, working with Gatsby Investment can significantly increase your understanding of the subject.
These days, a solid online presence is essential for any realtor who wishes to maintain a steady client base. While there’s still merit in utilizing traditional forms of advertising, none of them are likely to get you as much attention as being active online. So, if you’ve been putting online promotion on the backburner, now is the time to rectify this. The sooner you enhance and expand your online presence, the sooner you can grow your client base and bolster your professional reputation.