So you have just purchased your shiny, new real estate website. You’ve chosen your layout, entered your contact information, and gotten your IDX feed set up, plus a host of other tools for Internet success. How large or small this success is directly relates to your website marketing. Marketing your website can be as simple as mentioning in your voicemail message or as elaborate as purchasing paid advertisement program on a major search engine, with many levels of participation in between.
Marketing your website begins with simply informing others through conventional means that you have a website. Believe it or not, one of the primary pitfalls that smaller website owners encounter is a lack of simple word of mouth publicity. If an agent’s immediate circle of contacts has no knowledge of their site, it’s a safe assumption that only a few web savvy clients who have sifted through a few pages of Google results have heard of your site. The first step in Internet marketing is to admit that you have a site, and letting your co-workers, family, and most importantly, your existing clients know is absolutely crucial.
Mentioning your website whenever possible (in whatever media possible) will garner a surprising number of new contacts – all for very little additional monetary investment on your part. Add your website name to your voicemail message so that if you happen to be assisting a client on the other line, a new client can be immediately directed to the information they need. On signage you were already going to have made, add your website and email address. For printed materials and promotional items, also be sure your website and email address are featured prominently. And don’t forget to add your website address to all of your social media profiles!
Branded email addresses reinforce your website name and brand with your clients. Not only will your clients remember “you@yourname.com” more than they would an address hosted by a major email provider, branded email addresses yield a more professional appearance. Having your own domain name gives the impression of legitimacy and permanence to your potential clients; it shows that you care enough to purchase a name, and that you might care about a few other things, like selling their home! Additionally, the more often a customer sees or hears your website name, the more likely it is that they will visit.
You may find that by telling people about your site, putting your site on all of your client media, and having branded email may be enough to make some notable results. But why stop there? Consider these options from Homes.com and AgentAdvantage:
Featured Listings
Featured Listings are an excellent way to showcase your listings on Homes.com, and they get 10 times more clicks than basic listings! Featured Listings also include real-time stats, a built-in lead generation form, and larger photos for maximum exposure and impact. For more information, see the Homes.com Featured Listings page or contact a Member Services representative.
Display Advertising
Homebuyers and sellers who click on your display ad on Homes.com will go directly to your real estate website, brining more traffic to your site and more leads to your listings. Plus, you can target your ads in the zip code or city of your choice so your ad will only appear to consumers looking for properties in your service area. Learn more at Homes.com Real Estate Advertising.
Search Engine Marketing
PowerSearch Advantage from AgentAdvantage gets maximum exposure for your website where homebuyers look first: Google! Robust keyword campaigns are optimized continuously to keep your site at the top of Google search results and ensure a steady stream of warm leads to our agents. For more information, visit the PowerSearch Advantage website.
Do you use social media like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to market your services and listings? With over 75 million users on Twitter, 75 million users on LinkedIn, and 500 million users on Facebook these social networks have clearly established themselves as sustainable online communities. So how can you start marketing to these communities after you’ve created your profiles? 
Though the Apple iPhone 4 release certainly taught us a lesson or two about the importance of good PR and solid customer service, it also forces us to think about mobile technology in new ways and redefine what smartphones can do for us. With the advent of mobile video chat, GPS, and hundreds of thousands of smartphone apps, today’s phones are changing the way we interact with each other, and the services we provide as internet marketers. Here are a few tips to keep you ahead of the competition during the mobile revolution.