Here are some of the features that should be evident on a real estate site. Remember that it is all about the user experience (UX).

Disclaimer: We are not talking about a property portal here, but a branded real estate development website.

1) Search

While there are several ways by which a potential client lands to your website, the goal of any consumer is to search for properties to compare and purchase. Of course, they want to see all your listings on different levels (project type, location, and price range, among other filters). The search, which is often termed as ‘Property Finder,’ must be obvious to the user. It should be the first element that the user must see on the homepage.

2) Contact form

Conversion requires strategically placed calls to action that lead to contact forms. That is aside from making your contact details as locatable and clear as possible. Make the calls to action compelling for them to garner clicks. A ‘Reserve Now’ button is hard to ignore. Also, the contact forms should not be intrusive. Perhaps, build credibility first so that it will be easier for you to ask for billing details when the client is ready to reserve, for instance.

3) Layout

Indeed, the homepage is like your virtual reception desk wherein it should be uncluttered. The purpose must be clear to your visitors at first glance. Minimizing err — eliminating bounce rate is your ultimate goal. So, don’t overwhelm the visitors with elements and texts that they will not be looking at or reading. These don’t add up to a great UX. Never include anything that automatically plays – the often unwelcome video, podcast or music.

4) Content

As already mentioned above, there is no need to cramp your homepage with unnecessary contents. Most importantly, update your property selection and include updates on construction of future developments. Users will appreciate the additional information. One way of organizing useful contents is putting a ‘Home Buying Guide’ or FAQ tab that the users can immediately see. Other valuable information can be published on your site’s blog.

5) Link

Putting links on the homepage is inevitable in every real estate website. Think of internal linking as an opportunity for your visitors to explore the site deeper. For one, the menu should be easily comprehensible with obvious navigation to motivate the visitors to explore various pages on the site. Another way to do this is through a sitemap that provides a clearer rundown of the most important pages on your site.

6) Image

A real estate site will not be complete without images of the properties. Sometimes, an image can learn much more than the accompanying description. Not to mention, images of the property and its neighborhood can increase the dwell time of the visitors. Needless to say, images can make the homepage stickier, keeping the visitors engage longer than usual.

It all boils down to the fact that experience matters. As such, any real estate web design must be geared towards creating a great experience for any visitor. Driving users to your site is one thing; making them stay on your site is another. Let this be your guide if you are on the real estate business and you want a website of your own, or you want to redesign your current one.

Image: AvidaLand.com

The post The Best Features of a Real Estate Site’s Homepage appeared first on Internet Marketing Reach.

1) Developing property portals

The global real estate sector is expanding exponentially, thanks to technology. There’s a fit since homebuyers are turning to Google to shop for a new home. Property portals are a great way to find your residential projects as well as industrial, commercial and leisure projects.

MUST DO: Increase the findability of your projects and properties by having your own website

2) Presenting critical information

For some real property developers, they preferred to separate the corporate site from their broker’s sites where most of the for-sale properties are found. Information must be shared to the prospects especially since most prospects favor developers and brokers who are willing to disclose project details.

MUST DO: Provide all the pertinent details that a prospect needs through the website

Thereby, for the first two trends, buyers consider portals as important communication touch points. This is especially true for an industry where the prospects do not expect themselves to do all the legwork. Information including the price list, exact locations, amenities, facilities, layouts, etc. must be readily available.

3) Tapping the sales funnel

Due to technological advancements also, we are seeing a digital form of sales cycle. This requires the real estate companies to create and maintain their own buyer’s list. Customer relationship management (CRM) is now automated so that the database can be properly managed. This allows the staffs and brokers to organize and connect with the buyers who are already in the pipeline.

MUST DO: Connect with the buyers proactively through digital communications so they may eventually perform an informed decision-making

4) Creating online perception

The role of the traditional media for property advertising diminished with the introduction of digital marketing. Projects are perceived differently from one another despite having the same developer. Regardless of the nature of the project though (e.g. township, residential communities, etc.), online is the main touch point of the developers.

MUST DO: Simplify the branding message in a way that emotional connection will remain intact

5) Outsourcing the creative

Like physical marketing collaterals, their digital counterparts are also important. Designing a portal, for instance, requires an expert. Consistency in the creative aspect of the campaign is a must so the desired branding will remain consistent as well. If there is no creative team in-house, outsourcing is the next best option.

MUST DO: Allocate resources to the development of digital marketing collaterals

6) Creating a buzz

Differentiation is the key, thus developers are looking for unique ways to stand out. No, we are not talking about the current double title scandal that presently haunts developers and buyers alike. Not that kind of buzz although the goal is to capture the prospects’ attention. Perhaps, an online open house or a project virtual tour will do.

MUST DO: Think of tactics so the brand will be the talk of the town

7) Boosting referral marketing

Prospects not only researches for the projects online. They also share their plans and ask for the opinions, comments and suggestions of their friends online. Sharing details and images of the prospect property are a common practice which, in itself, is the best marketing tool wherein the project speaks for itself. The property developers can actually track the discussions about the project through some tools.

MUST DO: Put sharing options on the website and use tags to track mentions of the brand, projects and properties

8) Strengthening the social presence

Not only for the developers, but also for the individual agents who are selectively using the appropriate medium to communicate with the prospects. Most developers regard Pinterest as their digital storefront. Brokers, on the other hand, are using Google+ and Facebook to interact with prospects.

MUST DO: Integrate easy-to-locate social media widgets on the website

9) Segmenting prospects geographically

Real estate marketing campaign’s scope should target an audience by their location. Localization is key, so a property management can reach the potential buyers at the time when they are willing and ready to make a purchase.

MUST DO: Geo-target the prospects through native advertising without forgetting the overall branding

10) Going mobile

Mobile usage statistics outpaced the expectations of the industries including the real estate industry. People are using their smartphones to search for information and conduct transactions. Mobile had already happened and becoming responsive on all devices is needed more than ever.

MUST DO:  Make the website responsive to tap the mobile-first and mobile-only prospects

Trends come and go, but the most effective ones stay. What do you think will be the future of digital marketing for the real property industry? Perhaps, we should stop looking at digital marketing as fragments of marketing approaches. Instead, we should think of it as an overall strategy that can drive property sales in the future.

The post 10 Hottest Digital Marketing Trends in the Real Estate Industry appeared first on Internet Marketing Reach.