Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
We are living in a world where online and mobile content is more valuable than that which we see on the television or hear on the radio. Yet there are many small real estate companies that haven't seemed to grasp the concept "digital", or even of the 21st century. As smart phones become more prevalent, it's fair to ask the question; "why haven't these small companies realized the importance of creating a stronger digital presence?"
Here are some basic concepts real estate agents not yet involved in digital marketing and sales, may have missed in the shuffle. Make no mistake, in a very short while, if you're not mobile and digital, you're just simply "not" at all where the property business is concerned.
One - Listings - Although you may get a few results by using a listing agent, you could host the property listing yourself and remove the middle man. There are many ways you can make sure that your listings are easily found on the Internet. Keep your website active with content and your real estate business could see visitors from other states looking to buy into your properties.
Two - SEO is No Joke - Search engine optimization is a very important aspect of keeping visitors coming to your website. Just because you attended a seminar about the importance of SEO in 2002, it doesn't mean you are an expert and know what you're doing. Methods for search have changed dramatically since then and keeping your website with current strategies will mean the difference between having quality renters in your properties or sending them to other locales.
Three - Constant Content Activity - It's not simply enough to build the website and forget about it. Although you may have an influx of visitors for a short time, the traffic will begin to decline with the less activity you conduct on your site. Search engines are looking for regular and fresh content, not websites that pop-up overnight and never see another new posting for months.
Four - Vigilance of Property Availability - Listing what properties you have on your website can give people an idea of what you have available. Constantly updating that information could help someone locate what they're looking for within your site. You should treat your website as an important extension of your business. It needs to be cultivated and developed just like your brick-and-mortar location for continued success.
Five - Ideas - If you are having writer's block about what kind of content to write, then you need to think a little deeper. Real estate and property management have great possibilities for relevant content. You could write content based on home repair, greener living, ways to save money within the home, and far more. You could even include areas around your location that are great for tourist attractions which could generate a whole different level of interest in your real estate business.
Sites like Google and Bing are slowly making the phone books produced by Yellow Pages obsolete. As phone numbers and services are readily available on millions of smart phones all over the country, how often do these users even look at the 3-inch stack of recycled paper sitting on their porches? Creating an online presence is more than giving your customers a website to look at. It is a method to conduct business on a whole new level and could possibly increase your real estate company's portfolio.
Don't be one of those old fashion folk and believe that the Internet is "just a fad." Embrace the technology and increase your efficiency.
About the author: Ken Myers is the founder of http://www.longhornleads.com/ & has learned over the years the importance of focusing on what the customer is looking for and literally serving it to them. He doesn’t try to create a need, instead he tries to satisfy the existing demand for information on products and services.
Photo credit: Digital - courtesy © violetkaipa - Fotolia.com
Excellent Post! Thanks for sharing these invaluable tips.