Is your web site generating the traffic and/or actual business
you originally thought it would?
Many Realtors are realizing that just having a web site is not a
panacea to generating sales. Through a very small informal
survey, (that I personally conducted with fifty San Diego
REALTORS) I've concluded that the average Realtor's web site
generates less than 50 unique hits per month. Unique hits are
single page views from one URL within a 24hr. period. This is
very important because many people confuse hits with unique
hits. The problem is that simplistic tracking tools may only
track hits. A hit, within this context, usually includes the
individual visitors and the total number of graphics that load
when that page is visited. So, one visit could show as six hits
if the page visited has five graphics!
Worse, the vast majority of agents have not generated any actual
sales from their sites in over a year.
However, just having a web presence, will in most cases not pay
for your site hosting fees. I have outlined five tips that could
improve your web traffic and client generating potential below.
#1. Name your site to be found. Select a URL that incorporates
some of your keywords. Consumers search by key words, such as
the city or neighborhood they want to live in. Which site do you
think would generate more search engine hits:
www.bobschwartz.com or www.rancho-santa-fe-real-estate.com?
(Interested in owning this Optimized Rancho Santa Fe URL? Now
about one for La Jolla or Coronado? . . . send an email to
sofia@websitetrafficbuilders.com )
Even if you have great name recognition in your local
neighborhood, a relocation buyer considering Rancho Santa Fe
will most definitely find the second site before the first.
Result: Incorporating key words into your URL will increase your
chances of being found in a key word search. CLICK HERE to see
what url can own thru Network Solutions, the 1st. & largest
register of URL's!. #2. Be wary of placing 'Free' content links
on your site. Many site enhancements such as links to weather,
maps, newsletters, etc., take your hard won visitors off your
site, and in many cases they never return. Worse yet, when
viewing off site information, your potential clients have a high
probability of being exposed to your competition's ad or banner.
All of the 'Free' information links earn revenue from selling
ads. The same is true of many banner exchanges. Do you really
want to join a banner program where your competitor's banner is
exposed on your site?
#3. Hire a professional. Unless you have the time and talent to
create a good site, leave it to a professional web designer.
Preview their other sites before hiring them. (click here to
view a $199 web site design special )
#4. Beware of the mass real estate 'cookie-cutter' web site
design packages. Although relatively low cost, many do not give
you up-date control. Plus, except for a page or two of
individualized pages, the content of these sites are the same
for hundreds of your competitors. Your site will never stand out
by going this route.
#5. Use the tricks ISPs use. Try this: in your favorite browser,
type in your URL domain name e. g.,
(http://www.websitetrafficbuilders.com) but, omit the www.
prefix! Could you access your site? If not, you probably
received a "404 URL NOT FOUND" error message and this means you
are losing potential traffic! Top Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) program their servers to access sites without the www.
prefix. If you could not access your site with the above test, a
simple call to your ISP should resolve this immediately. © By
Bob Schwartz, CRS, GRI co-owner of
http://www.websitetrafficbuilders.com For other informative
search engine articles, visit:
http://www.websitetrafficbuilders.com
About the author:
Bob is a Certified Residential Specialist, associate broker with
Century 21 Award in San Diego Ca. & co-owner of
http://www.websitetrafficbuilders.com. web site placement
specialists and distributors of Epson compatible inkjet
cartridges. Bob can be contacted at:
bob@websitetrafficbuilders.com
