Buyer Services Online: Capturing Prospective Buyers through Internet Promotion
Numerous surveys indicate that both buyers and sellers are increasingly turning to the Internet as a natural part of the realty process. Realtors initially balked at the need for web sites and Internet usage. The ease with which information can be accessed by clients has made Internet converts out of most realtors.
A successful realtor web site generates client leads, and keeps prospective leads returning to the site. When listing a home online, it's important for the realtor to remember that information is main focus of most Internet users. A home listing should include as much information as possible: photos of the house, asking price, and lot size are obviously important, and should be easy to access. Additional information, such as amenities, neighborhood demographics, school zones, and local property values, should also be included: the more information provided, the longer the site visitor spends on an individual listing.
Multimedia can increase the "stickiness" of a house listing. Realtors may include video tours of the house, or organize multiple pictures of the home in a slideshow. Adding a 360° picture that pans around a room is also possible, and gives the prospective lead the sense of "being there."
Offer site visitors the option of receiving email when new houses are listed on your site. A simple approach is a subscription based email sent when any house is listed. More interactive (and more helpful for the client) would be software allowing the client to set up search parameters on the site. For instance, if a buyer was interested in a two bed room ranch house, email notifications would be sent to the buyer only when listings that match his or her search criteria are posted on the site. By informing clients of listings that closely match their needs, a realty web site is priming them to take the next step and contact the realtor.
Partnering with large realty sites such as Realtor.com or Yahoo! Real Estate helps promote your listings to a much wider audience than most web sites can hope to reach on their own. While it's possible to build a successful online realtor site without partnering with the giant sites, it's much easier to successfully promote homes online if you list with some of the industry giants. The goal of Internet promotion is to generate as many leads as possible: by listing with the giant realty sites, a realty web site will enjoy more exposure, more leads, and ultimately, more sales.
More Articles:
More Real Estate Trends in the News Articles »
|
|
