As a real estate agent, you already know the value of marketing a property on behalf of your seller, and you definitely know the value of having a strong online presence. But if you’ve tried to create a website then you know it can turn into a big hassle pretty quickly, especially if you’re not an expert coder.
Let’s talk about some basic ways to go about real estate website creation and see which option may be best for you.
DIY Platforms
It is very easy to build your own website these days. There is a multitude of drag-and-drop builders to choose from, and they usually start by offering a selection of basic templates. After you pick one that represents you the best, things can start to get tricky.
Before you click “Publish”, you have to address important elements of the site. Here are some of the bigger ones:
- What pages should you create?
- How will visitors navigate between the pages?
- What color scheme complements your brand and logo?
- What kind of buttons should you use, and where should they be?
- What kinds of graphics will be aesthetically pleasing on your pages?
- Which keywords will be best for search engine optimization, and where should they be?
Granted, a do-it-yourself website can be fun in the same way that a weekend home improvement project would be fun. There’s a satisfying feeling of accomplishment in doing something yourself. However, building a website may be more akin to building a dinner table than staining your deck on a Saturday morning. You can do it, but will it look right? Will it work right? Will visitors like it?
Hire a Freelancer
It’s 2016 and people know when they are on a great looking and user-friendly website. As a real estate agent, it is crucial that you project the same professionalism and friendliness online as you do in person. Experienced web designers can help you do that and ensure that your website is more than just an online brochure. Experts will also seamlessly integrate your site to MLS, improve your Google search rankings, and help you capture leads.
The value in hiring an expert isn’t just about creating your website. Maintenance, traffic analytics, and business workflow integration are some ongoing elements that will keep your website in the mode of lead-generation.
If you have plenty of marketing spend available and don’t mind giving the reigns to someone else, hiring an expert will give you peace of mind about your website.
Customizable Platform With an Expert
Even though a DIY platform has some downsides, it becomes much more feasible and effective when built by an expert in the real estate marketing field. A team of experts in marketing and web design can build platforms that have everything you need right out of the box.
Great marketers understand how to present your message beautifully and understand the psychological motivators for your visitors to take action. With an expert DIY platform, you don’t have to worry about messing something up or not having the right elements in place, but you do have the ability to easily plug in the photos, wording, and professionalism that makes your website look and feel like you.
If you don’t have weeks to spend learning about and tweaking a website but don’t want to hand your wallet to an expert, an out-of-the-box product like Agent Site may be a good fit for you.