Be Active Online: Tip #7 of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #7 of 100 - Be Active Online

Prospective clients can find you online via your website. But there are plenty of other ways to "spread yourself" over the Internet.

If you're active online, you'll be easier to find online. On the other hand, inactivity can lead to invisibility. So be active to be visible.

Ways to Be Active Online

• Publish press releases online through services like PRWeb.com
• Publish articles online through services like EzineArticles.com
• Submit articles to niche websites like Home Buying Institute
  
• Blog on a regular basis
• Participate in forums, and link to your website from your forum signature

Think of each action you take online as an investment in future visibility. The more investments you make, the more visible you'll be to your target audience.

Look for real estate Internet marketing tip #8 tomorrow!

Until then,

-Brandon

Create a Resource Section: Tip #6 of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #6 of 100 - Create a Resource Section for Your Website

Any website can benefit from having a "Resources" section. Real estate websites, marketing websites ... websites about basket weaving. You name it!

When you add quality articles, resources or tools to your website, you're improving your real estate Internet marketing program in three major ways:

1. First, you're making your website more visible to search engines, because search engines love content. And by developing content around your website's key phrases, you'll improve your search engine ranking for those phrases.


2. Secondly, you'll be positioning yourself as an authority in your subject. Everyone knows you have to understand a topic well to write about it well. So by building a resource section, you'll demonstrate your expertise.


3. Also, by adding useful content to your website, you'll keep people on the site longer. It's logical that the longer people stay on your website, the better chance you'll have of getting a response or capturing a lead.

Look for tip #7 tomorrow!

Until then,

-Brandon

Forget You Own Your Website: Tip #5 of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #5 of 100 - Forget You Own Your Website

If you're as familiar with your website as I am with mine, then you may be blind to certain weaknesses. It's only natural. When you see something on a regular basis, you begin to not see it after a while.

Just the other day somebody pointed out a spelling error on my home page (in a bolded sentence no less). I had probably looked at the sentence a thousand times. But because I knew what it was supposed to say, I was blind to the mistake.

What does this have to do with real estate Internet marketing? Everything. From a marketing standpoint, we all have flaws with our websites. That's okay, as long as you work to identify them and improve them. But identifying them is the hard part!

Internet Marketing Exercise
This little exercise will help you "step outside" of yourself and see your website with fresh eyes. Pretend for a moment that your website belongs to a stranger, and you're being paid to evaluate it honestly. Now print out the following questions and visit your home page:

• Is the navigation logical? Can you immediately find your way around?
• Within the first ten seconds, do you see anything of value to you?
• Do you see anything worth digging deeper for?
• Does this website give you confidence in the owner?
• Does the website suggest professionalism and attention to detail?
• Does the website make you want to learn more? Why or why not?

I hope this exercise helps you find areas you might improve. Once you've done it with your home page, you might even want to visit your other important pages and ask the same questions.

Better yet, ask a friend to do it for you ... somebody known for their brutal honesty.

Look for tip #6 tomorrow!

Until then,

-Brandon

Minimize Distraction: Tip #4 of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #4 of 100 - Minimize Distraction

On a real estate marketing website, the goal is usually to lead visitors down a certain path. You can't control where people will go or what they will click on, but you can at least offer your preferred path and make it easy to follow.

But when you overload your web pages with too many items, you end up dividing the reader's attention, creating unneeded distraction, and increasing the likelihood visitors will leave your site altogether.

I see this a lot on the home pages of personal marketing websites. Often, agents participate in real estate link exchange programs that require them to put logos with outbound links onto their home pages. The only problem is, when you take this to the extreme, you dilute your own brand and invite unnecessary distraction.

You're also giving people plenty of things to click on that will take them away from your website. Is that the best strategy for a home page? Distraction is the enemy of real estate Internet marketing.

Visit your home page and ask yourself, what is the most desirable action you want people to take? What is the second most desirable action? From a visual standpoint, does the placement and prominence of these two paths support their importance? Or do they battle for attention with a dozen or more distractions?

Recommended Reading:

• Web Style Guide: Home Pages


• Biggest Mistakes in Web Design


• Home Page Goals


• Real Estate Websites: Your Home Page

Look for tip #5 tomorrow!

Until then,

-Brandon

Increase Website Usability: Tip #3 of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #3 of 100 - Increase Usability

Picture this...

You're standing behind your website, eager and ready to take on a new client. A potential client stands in front of your website, eager and ready to hire a friendly, professional agent just like you.

The only thing is, you don't know the potential client is there. How could you? They haven't contacted you yet. So in order for you to connect with them, they first have to enter your website, navigate through it, like what they find, and then contact you in some fashion.

But what if they can't use your website? What if they find the navigation confusing? Or they can't find your listing information?

That's right ... they'll leave as quickly as they came. After all, there are plenty of other real estate websites to look at and other agents to consider.

Earlier in this Internet marketing series, I talked about the importance of lead capture. Website usability is equally important, because if a person can't use your website, you have no chance to connect with them. You don't have the luxury of personally guiding them through your website. They're on their own.

Usability Hot Spots
Entire books have been written on website usability (like Don't Make Me Think). So for the purposes of this post, let's just cover some usability hot spots. Here are some areas that can always use improvement.

1. Navigation. Label your navigation in a clear way. Don't be cute or clever.

2. Home page. Keep your home page clean, inviting and uncluttered.

3. Action paths. Define the actions you want people to take, and present them in a clear way.

4. Calls to action. People will go where they want on your site, but it helps to offer direction.

5. Interactivity. If you have listing data and searches, be sure to offer clear and ample instructions.

6. Web conventions. Following web conventions (like making your logo a link to the home page) helps visitors get around by using things they're familiar with.

Related Links:

• Real Estate Websites: The Usability Factor
• Usability Equals Visibility

Look for tip #4 tomorrow!

Until then,

-Brandon

Focus on Lead Capture: Tip #2 of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #2 of 100 - Focus on Lead Capture

I firmly believe that the average business website gets enough traffic to support sales goals, but does a terrible job capitalizing on that traffic.

When a client or potential client says they want to increase the amount of traffic to their website, I ask two questions right off the bat:

1. How are you measuring your traffic now?

You'd be surprised at how many people say, "Well, I don't really have any way to do that." If you don't measure your traffic, how do you know you're not getting enough? Most website server logs will give you basic info on traffic volumes, traffic sources, etc. More advanced programs like WebTrends and NetTracker will tell you everything you want to know about your website visitors.

2. How are you capturing leads or prompting a response?

Once again, you'd be surprised at how many people offer blank stares at this question. That's a poor way to play a numbers game that's based on attrition. What's the point increasing traffic if you're just going to hope that people contact? Hoping will not deliver results.

Real estate Internet marketing is a process of attrition. You start with a large number -- qualified prospects who use the Web. Then the number gets smaller, because only a percentage of the first number will find your website. The number shrinks yet again as people visit your website (statistics show the majority of website visitors leave without taking action).

Two Sides to Internet Marketing
Getting people to your website is only half of the real estate Internet marketing equation. Once they get there, you need to offer some form of reciprocation to get them to "raise their hands." This is the essence of real estate lead generation. Maybe you'll offer access to exclusive listings or virtual tours in exchange for signing in. Maybe they'll get a detailed 12-page report on local schools in exchange for joining your newsletter.

Whatever form it takes, you need some way to capture leads and encourage action. Without that, your website is merely a reference source -- helpful for readers, but not very profitable for you.

Look for tip #3 tomorrow!

-Brandon

Real Estate Internet Marketing: Tip #1of 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Internet Marketing - 100 Tips in 100 Days

Tip #1 of 100 - Overcome Skepticism

We are all naturally skeptical online. The reasons for this are obvious. The Internet can be an anonymous and scary place, used for deceitful purposes by everyone from con artists to pedophiles.

Of course, these shady characters represent the minority (or so I'd like to believe). But it still poses a challenge you must consider in your real estate Internet marketing program.

I encounter a lot of "faceless" websites that use a lot of pronouns like "we" and "us" ... websites that make it nearly impossible to find a person's name. You've seen websites like this, yes? What's your first reaction when encountering a mystery website?

Distrust? Uncertainty? Fear?

Yeah, me too.

Take a look at your own website right now. Go ahead ... I'll wait.

Are you done? Good. Now tell me what you've done to make the visitor comfortable in who you are? How have you demonstrated integrity? How have you encouraged trust and confidence?

Better yet, why not ask a half-dozen friends to visit your website and navigate around like a potential client would. Have them jot down on paper anything that makes them uncomfortable, uncertain, or just confused. Correct these things immediately, and keep them in mind through all of your Internet marketing endeavors.

Internet marketing is marketing with an extra dose of uncertainty. It's your job to remove that uncertainty every chance you get.

Until tomorrow,

-Brandon

Real Estate Internet Marketing: 100 x 100

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

I'm posting today to introduce a new blog series I'll be publishing over the next few weeks. It is exactly what the title says, 100 real estate Internet marketing tips in 100 days (non-consecutively, of course ... what am I a masochist?).

I thought this might be a good way to help you entertain new (and hopefully productive) marketing ideas as we march into the new year.

100 Tips in 100 Days:

1. Overcome Skepticism - 12/22/06
2. Focus on Lead Capture - 12/23/06
3. Increase Usability - 12/24/06
4. Minimize Distraction - 12/26/06
5. Forget You Own Your Website - 12/27/06
6. Create a Resource Section - 12/29/06
7. Be Active Online - 12/31/06
8. Share Your News Online - 1/3/07
9. Bulk Up Your Website - 1/4/07
10. Advance Your Internet Knowledge - 1/6/07
11. Publish Articles Online - 1/9/07
12. Avoid Data Blindness - 1/10/07
13. Blog Regularly - 1/13/07
14. Blog on Your Own Website - 1/13/07
15. Add Your Blog to Directories - 1/15/07
16. Integrate Your Marketing Channels - 1/16/07
17. Combine Postcards with Website - 1/18/07
18. Put Keywords In Your Hyperlinks - 1/19/07
19 - 23. Generating Website Leads - 1/23/07
24. Minimize Marketing Attrition - 1/25/07
25. Experiment with Pay-per-Click - 1/29/07
26. Collaborate with Others - 1/31/07
27. Paint Your Cow Purple - 2/3/07
28. Write One Page Per Keyword - 2/5/07
29. Design for People - 2/7/07
30 - 40. Eleven Marketing Tips in One - 2/11/07
41. Use Your Most Powerful Tool - 2/14/07
42. Brush Up On "Do Not Call" - 2/16/07
43. Acquire Inbound Links - 2/21/07
44. Hunt for Links Wisely - 2/21/07
45. Launch Website #2 - 2/27/07
46. Keep Your Integrity - 2/28/07
47. Upload a Sitemap - 2/28/07
48. Get the Real Estate Blog Book - 3/4/07
49. Make Your Website Inviting - 3/4/07
50. Use What You've Got - 3/13/07
51. Know Your Competition - 3/21/07
52. Add Your Blog to Inman Wiki - 3/21/07
53. Grow Your Web Presence - 3/27/07
54. Know Your Web Analytics - 3/27/07
55. Spread Yourself Over the Web - 3/31/07
56. Differentiate Lead Generation from SEO - 4/18/07
57. Practice Real Estate Lead Generation - 4/20/07
58. Think Like a Publisher - 5/2/07
59. Create a Squidoo Lens - 5/16/07
60. Submit an Article to Home Buying Institute - 5/17/07
61. Learn the Laws of Lead Generation - 5/23/07
62. Address Popular Topics Online - 6/22/07
63. Increase Your Onsite Conversions - 1/14/08
64. Experiment With Online Chat Tools - 5/26/08
64. Grant Special Access for Lead Generation - 6/21/08

Real Estate SEO Support Center - Now Open!

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

Dum dee dee dum da-dum!

(That was a trumpet fanfare)

The Real Estate SEO Support Center is now open for public consumption. I've been working on this for quite some time now, and I hope you'll find it useful in your quest for online success.

What's inside, you ask? Excellent question.

Virtual SEO Training
Get expert training on a variety of search engine optimization topics, from the convenience of your home or office computer.

A Variety of SEO Services
Copywriting, link building, online press release distribution, competitor analysis and more.

An SEO Glossary
If you're not familiar with the concepts of search engine optimization / visibility, this glossary is an excellent place to start. It's packed with detailed explanations of SEO concepts.

If you have questions about anything contained in the Support Center, please feel free to contact me.

Happy holidays,

Brandon

Real Estate SEO & Older Websites

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

I recently published a new SEO article through ISEDB.com. You might find it useful, especially if you happen to own a website that's been around for a while.

The article is basically a short case study on my experiences doing search engine optimization on older websites. Particularly, it explains how sometimes the smallest changes can have the biggest impact.

Hope you like it:

Case Study: How Title Adjustments Doubled Search Traffic
Much has been written about the importance of the title element for search engine visibility. But I'm going to revisit the topic, because there's one point I don't feel has been given sufficient coverage.

Until next time,

-Brandon

Real Estate Marketing ... After the Sale

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

I came back to my office after lunch yesterday and found a small package waiting for me. I looked at the label and saw it was from EzineArticles.com, an article distribution site where I send a lot of material.

Inside the box was a thank-you note, some mints, and a jumbo-sized mug with the EzineArticles.com logo on it.

Did they have to do this?
Of course not.

Why did they do this?
Because they did not have to.

What's the result of doing this?
It stands out in my mind, because they did not have to do it.

What are the extended results?
I'm blogging about it, giving them free publicity, and probably sending some new users their way. All because of a mug? No ... all because they took the time to send me a mug when they did not have to.

Now switch gears to real estate marketing. What can you do to pleasantly surprise your clients after the sale? How might that affect your business? Something to think about.

-Brandon

Do You Hate Spam This Much?

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

How much do you hate spam? Enough to condemn a spammer to a duck-hunting session with the always-dangerous Dick Cheney?

If you've ever deeply despised or harbored hatred toward the smut pushers, Viagra salesman and Paris Hilton heralders ... you'll enjoy this creative rant.

21 Things I'd Like to Do With Spammers

Enjoy!

-Brandon

Realtors Online - 5 Ways to Dominate the Web

© 2010, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

I was reviewing the main website yesterday when I came across this article on real estate internet marketing. I would call it an oldie but a goodie, but it's really only a couple of months old. I just never promoted through the blog or newsletter like most new articles.

This article addresses the need for a multi-faceted online marketing program. Sure, each of these strategies can work well on its own, but for maximum effect they should be used together.

Hope you enjoy the article:
Real Estate Marketing Online: 5 Ways to Dominate the Web

Until tomorrow,

-Brandon