1) Remember that you can have the most incredible website in the world, but, it is TOTALLY WORTHLESS if you do not DRIVE TRAFFIC TO THE SITE.
2) The primary purpose of a branded website is to VALIDATE YOU by giving the visitor a ‘place’ where they can learn all about you in a controlled environment and on their own time. Consider it an electronic brochure on ‘you’. The site should be ‘clean and professional’ as well as easy to navigate. Avoid ‘artsy’ and ‘cute’. Let the site talk about you.
3) You want to do as much as you can to KEEP THE VISITOR IN YOUR SITE – don’t let them ‘link’ out. For instance, if you have a link to a City Government, Chamber of Commerce or the many other ‘seeming innocent’ sites – INCLUDING Realtor.Com and your Franchise Brand, remember that most of these types have search engines WITHIN their site that could lead YOUR VISITOR to a COMPETING AGENT!
4) I DON’T recommend that you post ‘your’ listings on your site. Either give your viewers access to ALL LISTINGS or NONE. Today, there are services where you have the capability of displaying ALL LISTINGS in your MLS. If you are going to provide ‘inventory’ for visitors to see, you are serving them better if you show ALL LISTINGS – not your handful of personal listings.
5) When you are ordering or designing your site, avoid INTRO’S (sometimes referred to as FLASH INTROS). Most viewers want to ‘get to the meat’ and want to avoid ‘cute’. Also, if the viewer is at work, they typically have their sound turned down and can’t hear anything. There are many people out there who want to take your money by selling you sizzle, but, at the end of the day, your viewers want STEAK (content).
Carpe diem,
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