Single Property Websites and the iPhone
From the very first time I read about using single property websites on a dedicated domain to market real estate, I thought the idea was absolutely brilliant. Today, I think single property websites can revolutionize the real estate business. The overwhelming majority of real estate agents reading that previous sentence are nodding their heads in agreement – for all the wrong reasons. “Sellers love ’em” – is the reason they often cite for shelling out ten bucks on a subpar pre-packaged solution. Which is to say that the tool itself doesn’t do much, but it’s shiny enough to make a Seller reward your “cutting-edge” marketing with a listing.
They are shortsighted. Single property websites look good but they generate too little traffic too late. By the time the brand new site starts to climb Google rankings, the home has either sold or it has been pulled off the market. Even if the site contributed to the Buyer picking your listing over others, it is rendered useless after the transaction closes. But as negative as all this sounds, they are revolutionary in much the same way the iPhone was to the smart phone sphere. Two words: User interface. Think about this with me for a second: Every other marketing method an agent may use, leaves a prospective buyer unsatisfied and wanting more. See real estate sign on the yard? Call the number to get more info. Picked up a flyer from that finicky box? Three little pictures and a paragraph – call or click for details. Called a 1-800 property hotline? Descriptions sound great but I can’ t see any photos. Real estate agents have the brass balls to call this information squeeze, “lead generation” but it’s nothing but inadequate marketing. Enter a well built, seo optimized, single property website. Think about it from the perspective of a prospective buyer looking in the neighborhood and the price range of your listing. In this one website, they can get every piece of information they need to make a decision on whether they’d like to see that home in person. Thirty high-quality photos? Check. Custom Google Map? Check. Property Specs and Descriptive copy? Check. Extensive School system info? Check. Neighborhood market stats? Check. Embedded Virtual tour? Check. It’s the only marketing medium that puts the consumer in control and you control the medium. You can make sure that those photographs are professional quality shots. You can ensure that the copy sheds a light on every selling feature of the home. You can “set the mood” for the consumer by defining their user interface and that my friends is huge!
Next: I’ll show you how to build a single property website that’s a powerful asset.
