New WordPress websites for agents
Zillow has announced the launch of “Premier Agent Websites1” which are customizable template websites for real estate professionals. The cost is $10 per month, or is free for Zillow Premier Agent program subscribers. The company touts ease of set up, alluding to agents not being required to be tech savvy.
Now making full use of their 2011 acquisition of IDX company, Diverse Solutions, agents can add an IDX feed from the MLS to offer site visitors real estate search, and while some MLSs charge a fee, Zillow says IDX comes standard with their sites and they do not take a cut. The company says the acquisition of Diverse Solutions “allowed Zillow to accelerate this important initiative to help real estate agents better market their business online.”
“It’s incredibly important for real estate agents to have a Web presence, but building and maintaining a custom website with local IDX feeds is often time consuming and complex,” said Jay Thompson, director of industry outreach and social media at Zillow. “We created this product for the tens of thousands of agents in our Premier Agent program, as well as any agent who wants an easy and affordable website for only $10 a month.”
Domain names, customization, and widgets
Zillow notes that the websites are designed for agents that do not have their own websites, and add that it could be an option for agents who wish to improve their current website. They also offer a personalized domain name at no additional cost, and the ability to add custom content through widgets, such as a blog, videos, mortgage widgets, school information and photo slideshows.
This announcement puts Zillow one step closer to being a complete marketing solution for real estate professionals which appears to be their goal, after announcing a free customer relationship management (CRM) platform that manages leads coming from the website, acquiring Postlets and Diverse Solutions, and now putting a pretty bow on the package by offering agent websites.
While this will not be a solution for all agents, and it is ideal for an agent to own and control their own web presence with no third party involvement, it is an inexpensive option for agents just starting out. It is unclear what kind of data Zillow will collect from these sites or what they could potentially do with it, but it is a smart long term plan for the company looking to compete more directly with Move, Inc., operator of Realtor.com and Top Producer.
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