It’s important for real estate professionals like brokers, agents, and investors to keep up with the times.
As homeowners and homebuyers rely more and more on technology to accomplish their real estate goals, industry experts will need to invest in building a great website.
Here are a few tips for setting up a website that will put your services front and center.
1. Know What to Include on Your Website
Any construction project begins with a blueprint that details the features and overall appearance of the building. The same is true when you are setting up a website for your real estate practice.
Think about the goals you want to accomplish with your website. Whether you are looking to make more people become aware of your services or hire you as their realtor, you will be able to set the foundations for the kind of website you want to build.
Some of the features you can add to your website may include a gallery of available listings, a contact form, a home valuation request form, and a payment portal. Many real estate websites start with these, but you can always look for other features that add value to visitors.
2. Select a Proper Website Builder
Now that you have a blueprint for what your website should look like, you need to choose a platform that can help realize this concept. In this case, you need to pick a website builder that’s customizable and easy to use.
There are several free website builders you can try. Wix is a good start since its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for you to customize your website. When it comes to customization, however, WordPress remains the best platform to use for your website. It provides multiple layout options and enhances the functionality of your website through the use of plugins.
In case you don’t have the time to learn how to make the most out of WordPress, consider using website builders designed specifically for real estate professionals. Look towards Easy Agent Pro or Agent Fire, which offers ready-made web page templates you can modify anytime.
3. Look For a Reliable Web Host
Designing your website is one thing, but to get the most out of it requires getting enough data storage for the features you want to include. In this case, you need to pick a hosting service.
With a reliable web host, you can deliver the best experience to visitors who are curious about your real estate services. In addition, a web host allows you to set a unique domain name for your website, improve the loading speed of every webpage, and secure your website from hackers, malware, and other cyber threats.
When picking a hosting service, consider your budget and the amount of content and features you want to include in your website. A few of the most popular options include HostGator and iPage which come with the features you need at affordable prices.
4. Highlight Customer Reviews and Testimonials
When it comes to building your online presence as a real estate professional, you need to invest in your credibility. The best way to get started with that is to ask for reviews and testimonials from current and past clients.
New visitors will want to know if your services are legitimate, so you should feature reviews from clients you have worked for. House-buying company Nexus Homebuyers, for instance, has a separate web page containing video testimonials from homeowners who needed to sell their homes for fast cash.
5. Opt For a Clean Layout
If your goal is to inform and engage potential clients, you need to focus on a visually appealing web design. While it’s always important to provide visitors with lots of information about your real estate services, this can clutter up your website and make it difficult for visitors to engage with the content.
Look for a website theme that allows for an easy and intuitive interface. Make sure that the theme provides the right amount of white space and check if you can customize the appearance so it matches your brand identity. You also need to find out if the theme adjusts to smaller screens.
When designing your website, you need to strike a balance between text and visual content. Write clear and concise webpage copy and add images or graphics so you can provide visual relief to the layout.
If you’re looking to promote your real estate services online, consider these tips as you structure an online presence that’s bound to grow.
