Busy Agent Solutions

• Archives

February 2007

• Feb. 19, 2007 - Let’s Keep it Professional People

I am often asked by real estate agents to review their MySpace profiles to try and figure out why it's not bringing in any business. I sit down with my coffee and get ready to take notes, and sometimes I am just AMAZED at what I find on some of them!

I understand MySpace is a social networking site, but there needs to be a line drawn in the sand and you really shouldn't cross over it.

Let's learn by example. If you were looking for a good doctor and you were browsing webpages, would it impress you if the doctor showed himself/herself out drinking with buddies? Pictured in their unmentionables? Using profanity? My guess is, no.

It's important to understand that if you are using MySpace to generate business, you should keep your profile business-like. You probably wouldn't put your friends and broadcast what you did Saturday night on your website, so maybe its best not to do it on your MySpace page either. Start a second personal one to network with your friends. If your friends do post to your MySpace profile, ask them to keep it professional. If they don't get the point, send them a message saying "Hey, I've had to create another MySpace page for my personal use, so visit my new one at ______________ .

Lastly, review someone's profile in detail before adding them as a friend. Having "friends" who are either in the same line of business, or have used your business, is better than having random people listed.

Okay, let's go clean off those pages now!

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
View more entries tagged with: Real Estate, Websites, Slideshows, Pictures, Dos And Dont, Website Navigation

• Feb. 5, 2007 - Does Your Website Suffer From Redundant Redux Reflux?

Yes, search engines LOVE, LOVE, LOVE content. Their bots index all your text, and search for keywords/phrases. So what do you do when setting up your site? You repeat and repeat stuff, over and over to make sure the search engines understand that you are a real estate agent working in your area. To bad all your visitors get indigestion from reading your redundant copy.

You have got to find a balance between impressing upon the search engine bots and not turning off visitors to your website. What are some tips on how to accomplish that?

1. Display rather high up on your page what area(s), counties, city you practice real estate in.

2. Display a longer listing of the areas, cities, and town within your coverage area in the footer of your website. Have it displayed on every page on your site, along with your contact information.

3. Develop dedicated community, neighborhood, or subdivision pages. On the page give a description, display pictures, and tell people why they may want to live in this particular area.

4. Give your visitors information relevant to real estate, your area, relocating, and moving.

5. Arrange your website so that information that may be redundant is displayed in a way that is supports each other.

6. Monitor search engine bot hits and your rankings on the search engines. Notice a climb in your ranking, and see if there have been any recent changes that you made that may have paid off.

7. Don't repeat the same phrase over and over. Change up the wording, and/or create different context that will enable you to repeat the phrase.

Remember, your goal is to keep visitors on your website, and get them to come back. Focusing on only impressing the search engines way turn visitors away which negates the whole effort.

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
View more entries tagged with: Real Estate, Websites, Slideshows, Pictures, Dos And Dont, Website Navigation

• Feb. 2, 2007 - Lost In Space

Ever go to one of those websites that's impossible to navigate? A great website is one that visitors can easily find information they are looking for...

On a real estate website, you should have 2 distinct sections, a buyer section and a seller section.

Buyers don't want to wade through reasons why you should be a listing agent. They want to see your listings, search the MLS for homes, and get school and community information.

Sellers may want to see your listings to see how you would display their homes, but they want to be able to easily request a CMA and know why you should be their listing agent and what sets you apart from the other 10 agents who are actively pursuing them.

Use Buttons and links from your main page to easily direct people to pages that are relevant to their situation. Use a sitemap at the bottom of each page, or created a dedicated site map page with a clearly displayed button on the main page. If people have to search for information on your website, they will be less likely to stay on it, or come back again. Create new pages to tie links, articles, and topics together and label each page appropriately so someone will know what they may be able to accomplish or read about by going to that page. Use pictures or different font colors/styles to draw attention to important gateways that you want to drive people to.

Finally, go to your website yourself and test the easy of use. Ask your friends to do the same thing, and give you suggestions on how to make your site easier to negotiate. If you still are unsure, hire someone to independently analyze the ease of navigation and give you suggestions on how to improve it.

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
View more entries tagged with: Real Estate, Websites, Slideshows, Pictures, Dos And Dont, Website Navigation