Ten Reasons You Need a Custom Real Estate Website

What ever happened to the Yellow Pages? Of course they still exist, but for most people those bulky yellow books are the last resort. There’s one inescapable truth in the internet age: people search the web for any type of service, and when making any type of purchasing decision. For a real estate professional, if you want to present your best image, or even to be found at all, consider the importance of a top-notch professionally designed website.

These are the top 10 reasons real estate professionals choose a custom website:

1. Branding. Your brand is the message that reaches out to your target clientele. Your website should support your message with a quality, consistent design that does three important things: offers appropriate information, intrigues potential clients, and doesn’t overwhelm the image you want to convey.

2. SEO (search engine optimization). Prospective clients search the web in all kinds of ways – not just for the MLS or real estate agencies. You want to make sure clients find you, and the way to do that is to optimize your site to be found by major search engines. Measurably effective SEO requires the expertise of a professional web designer familiar with your market.

3. Professional design. You need SEO to get clients to your website, and you need good design to keep them longer than a minute. It’s an emotional reaction similar to curb appeal. In order to achieve the impression you want with your website, the web design must be done well, following current web standards.

4. IDX management. By using integrated IDX management on your custom site, you can ensure that the latest listings are available through your site as soon as they hit the MLS. If you send potential clients to your own site with MLS listings, all leads generated go directly to you.

5. Professional image and expertise. Leverage your website to establish your expertise. You can maintain your professional ethos by incorporating a blog or other custom content that sets you apart.

6. Lead generation. A custom website should generate leads and incorporate lead management. In today’s competitive market, personal touch still important, but your website is key in generating leads.

7. Personality. New clients need to feel your personality and style in the design of your website before they get to you in person. Clients should understand what sets you apart from others as soon as they land on your site. From the first moment a client lands on your home page, custom content draws in prospects and sets you apart from others.

8. Time. With a custom website, you spend less time working with technology and more time on your other important activities – working with your clients and personally marketing yourself. Invest your time in what you do best. Real estate professionals often advise sellers not to attempt FSBO for the same reason.

9. Presence. It goes without saying that you need a web presence in today’s market so prospective clients can find you. Your website should also be leveraged as a landing spot where your other marketing – business cards, brochures, email campaigns, etc. – directs existing and prospective clients.

10. Relevance. Your website design should be both timeless and persuasive, but it should be regularly maintained with new content to remain fresh and relevant (and improve SEO).

Whenever you see a beautifully designed real estate website, you can tell that it is both the product and the predictor of success. World Source Tech’s real estate clients are able to see the results achieved by their custom websites, and they absolutely love the results they see. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.