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What Does Your Real Estate Website Need to Succeed?

May 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Build a successful real estate website. What your website Must Have!A successful website needs many things. Consumers are very internet savvy. If they do not find what they want/need . . . EASILY . . . on your website, they will close out of your site and move onto another. 87% of consumers begin their home search online. (NAR) There are millions of websites out there competing for the same clients.
So what does your website absolutely need to have just to keep consumers engaged?
A successful website has several elements.
• Easy to Navigate
• Hyper-local Information
• Unique Theme
• Unique Selling Position Statement
• Links to Local Services with Reciprocal Links to Your Website
• IDX Solution (Visitors can search for listings, save their search criteria and be notified automatically by email when new listings come on the MLS)
• Lead Generators (forms for visitors to fill out for information your website offers)

Build a successful real estate website. What your website Must Have!Here are some examples of information that should be included on your website:

• Featured Listings
• Free Reports and Information for Buyers and Sellers
• Relocation Package
• IDX Links for Neighborhood Search Results
• Neighborhood Descriptions
• Market Updates and Reports
• School Information
• Transportation Information
• Local Utilities
• Drawings and Gift Giveaways
• Virtual Tours
• Floor Plans

Consistent website updates will bring the Search Engines back to your website more often. Change the content periodically, especially on your home page. Update more than just your listings.

Sanity Begins with Systems!Your Favorite REVA!
Kathy

Kathy Goldman
Assistance For Agents
…where “location” finally doesn’t matter!
www.REVAonline.com
www.Facebook.com/AskAREVA
www.Twitter.com/kathygoldman
www.LinkedIn.com/in/kmgoldman

Services include listing coordination, website content and maintenance, social media planning and implementation, virtual tours, lead management, Realtor.com enhancements and more.

Filed Under: Agents, Brokers, Building Your Real Estate Business, Featured, Real Estate, Real Estate Website, Website Content Tagged With: , , , , ,

QR Codes for Real Estate – Explore the Possibilities

December 15, 2010 By 2 Comments

So now you know what the QR code is, what do you do with it? What good is it? Why should you use it?

The QR codes are quickly becoming more popular everywhere you go. They are an effective shortcut to disseminating information quickly and with little effort from the intendee. Go to any Best Buy store. You will see every product in the store has its own QR code. If you scan that code, it takes you directly to more information about whatever it is you are looking at.

Here are some nifty ideas for you to use in Real Estate.

QR Code Generator, URLS, Phone Numbers, Text, SMS - QRcode.Kaywa.com See this code? Scan it and it will call me! Cool huh?

1) Put a QR code on your business card for all your information. Now it is not just your address and contact information, but it could go to an online Busienss Card with all your information and additional links to search for homes, information about you, neighborhood information and so much more.
2) Use a QR Code for a listing address. Link directly to the listing page with your QR. If you are really innovative, you can use this code in the newspaper and save advertising space!
3) Put the QR Code for the listing directly on the sign. If you run out of listing brochures, your sign has all the information anyone needs.
4) Use a QR code in sharing information quickly. Share photos, news, neighborhood information and more.
5) Google uses QR codes for maps, and allows merchants/vendors to display the QR Code right in their office window.
6) Put it on a shirt and let others guess what it’s for! Think of the attention you will get!

QR Code Generation Website, QR Code Reader, www.QRcode.kaywa.comNow you want to know how to get your personal QR Code? I love www.QRcode.kaywa.com. You can make a QR Code for just about anything there. Here is how to do it:

- Go to www.QRcode.kawya.com. Use the radio buttons to select the code you would like to generate:
1)  URL
2)  Phone – office or cell
3)  Text – you can use this for any type of text that would allow others to view info fast, like your contact info, or information about a listing
4)  SMS – Use this option to generate text for a text message

- Kaywa will prompt you to enter the information that coincides with your choice. If you are choosing a URL, be sure to enter the http:// prior to www.

- Next, select the size you would like to generate. The size of the area you choose to display the code will dictate the size you should use. You can always resize it if you need to.

- Click “Generate Code” and Ta Da!!! You have your very own QR Code! Use the html link they provide to place your code on a website or email.

Think about the marketing possibilities. Use the QR Code on giveaway items and challenge the user to go to the website to register. Use it for all your business information on frisbees, towels, etc. Toss them out at football, baseball games, etc.

QR Code Generator, URLS, Phone Numbers, Text, SMS - QRcode.Kaywa.comKathy Goldman
Real Estate Virtual Assistant
Assistance for Agents
www.AssistanceForAgents.com
Ph: 414.235.9101

BTW, the code to the right is my contact info!!!

Filed Under: Agents, Brokers, Featured, QR Codes, Real Estate, Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Social Networking, Stuff I Like, Website Content Tagged With: , , , ,

Top 10 Blog Directories

November 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Gaining exposure for your blog is critical to building a following, readership, and revenue. Besides the basic SEO steps of adding compelling and keyword friendly titles, URL structure and descriptions (along with the basic WordPress SEO plugins) basic link building for blogs begins with listing them in blog directories.

Simply being a brilliant blogger is not enough. You may have the best content in the world, but if no one knows it’s there you’re just talking to yourself. One of the most effective ways to get exposure for your blog is to list it in multiple blog directories.

Blog directories allow you to create a listing for your blog, tag it and categorize it for easy search. That way, anyone who is looking for a blog on a specific topic will find yours in their search results. Each directory is different, but they all operate in basically the same way. When you go to list your blog on them, make sure you spend a few minutes to fill out as much information as you can so that the listing is as comprehensive as possible.

Here is our list of the top FREE blog directories that your blog should be in:

http://technorati.com/

Technorati is more than just a directory; it allows you to search content for all its listed blogs based on specified subject matter. It also has a hierarchy and assigns a ranking to each blog in its network and a free service which lets you list all your blogs and update the listing automatically, or manually as often as you want. Technorati tracks over 50 million blogs, making it the largest blog listing site in the known universe.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/

Blog Catalog is actually a social networking site and a blog directory. You can create a profile and make friends on the site; and when you place new content on your blog, you can quickly notify your contacts about it. Blogs can be added to the site, but must be approved before they go ‘live’ in the directory.

http://www.blogarama.com/

Blogarama is a massive index of over 100,000 blog sites, but its beauty is that it is so simple to search and use. Listing your blog is a cinch, too. Just a couple easy steps and voila! You’re in. You will have to create a free account to add a blog, however.

http://www.blogflux.com/

Blog Flux allows you to search blogs alphabetically. It’s a huge directory but it is easy to use and has a large, active community on the site to engage in.

http://www.bloggernity.com/

A super clean site offering blog hosting, a forum, and a live blogger chat.

http://www.globeofblogs.com/

Globe of Blogs is a well organized site that allows you to search by topic, blog author, or blog title. The site owner personally checks and approves all submissions so there may be some lag time between registration and going live in the directory; but the upside is that only quality content gets on this directory.

http://www.blogexplosion.com/

Blog explosion is a blog promotion website and community. There is a highly interactive component to the community which allows you to earn ‘credits’ the more you use the site. This is one of the few directories which gets its listings to show up in regular search engine results.

http://www.superblogdirectory.com/

Super blog directory has an excellent system for categorizing the blogs on the site; and it is easy to navigate. It also allows site users to rate your blog (1-10 stars); and it has some of the most professional blogging resources of any directory.

http://www.bloggeries.com

Bloggeries is a simple site, but it does provide excellent written reviews of the blogs it lists. It also has a ranking tool and a forum to interact with other bloggers.

http://www.spillbean.com/

Spillbean is a minimalist directory. It has few graphics, but it is easy to navigate. This is an up-and-coming blog directory so you may see changes to the format; but it has grown quite a bit in the past year and shows no signs of slowing down.

Keep in mind that some of these directories require a “link back” to the site, and you’ll have to place either a graphic or text link on your blog with their name on it. You also need to keep track of you membership info and check back regularly to make sure your account status is good and your listing stays updated. If you use site meter (http://www.sitemeter.com) to track the traffic to your site, you can see which sites are referring readers to you and then tweak your tags and blog description if you don’t think your listing is effective.

Filed Under: Agents, Brokers, Facebook, Featured, LinkedIn, Real Estate, Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Social Networking, Twitter, Website Content, You Tube Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The benefits of using Photos to enhance your real estate listings

October 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Any home, even cluttered or vacant, has selling features that make it attractive to the right buyer. If those features are skillfully photographed, they can help draw buyers in.

Now what happens when most interested buyers run across a listing with no photo? The first thought is that there is something wrong with the home.  I’d rather see a cluttered room than nothing at all.

Here’s an example: When working with out of town buyers; there are so many listings for them to consider. Normally they choose to limit the numbers to the listings that offer photos. This is why, like you, I would encourage listing agents to offer at least a few additional photos, and get a competent person to take those photos.

Consumers are looking for exterior and interior photos. Why? So they can move into the home mentally, and determine by a visual graphic image if the home is what they are seeking. Why would we not use what the public is looking for most? They are certainly not looking for text descriptions!

Since text fields for an MLS description of the property are limited to a bare bones basic description, multiple photos or virtual tours could enhance and expedite the sale of listed properties greatly. They did not develop the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words” for nothing! If that is the case, then the more photos online the better! In plain English that means… your listings should sell quicker for higher prices, and your stats should improve greatly. You should have fewer days on market, and higher LP/ SP ratios. From a satisfied client’s viewpoint, this should translate into great testimonials, and referrals!

One thing that irritates me about pictures is the darkness. You don’t want your clients having to take the time to save the photo on their computer and then lighting it up with a photo editor, just to see what the room looked like. Listing agents are doing a great disservice to their clients if they don’t include good pictures.

Here are some suggestions to improve your listing photos:

  • If you do not own a digital camera… buy one.
  • Always use an online virtual tour of the home.
  • Take several photos of each area, and choose only the best shots!
  • Accentuate the homes positives. Hot buttons: Kitchen, family rooms, master suites, and yard views.
  • Remove clutter from the home before shooting pictures. Stage your photo shots.
  • Have room colors neutralized before shooting photos.
  • Take photos on sunny days and have all the interior lights on.
  • No personal marketing or branding in your online IDX photos.
  • Post the maximum amount of photos into your MLS system that you are allowed.

Contact: Kathy Goldman
Real Estate Virtual Assistant

Filed Under: Agents, Brokers, Facebook, Listing Coordination, Real Estate, Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Social Networking, Website Content Tagged With: , , , ,