When it comes to building real estate websites, there are a lot of opinions out there. Everyone seems to know what you need and what will work for you. But the truth is that most of these website “needs” are just “nice to have” or not even as useful as many people think. So before you consider revamping your website, consider these real estate website myths and how they impact your unique business and digital strategy.
Today, we’re going to bust 3 of the biggest real estate website myths we’ve heard so far.
1. Templated Real Estate Websites are Just as Effective
Many agents will be drawn to the idea of a templated real estate website. After all, this solution is inexpensive, fast, and seems to get the job done. However, there’s a real problem with templated websites that no one ever talks about. Mainly that a templated website doesn’t always represent your brand, and, in many cases, consumers can spot the similarity and get confused about your business associations.
One of the most significant problems happens when teams in the same community use the same templated website. In these cases, it’s glaringly apparent that the website is the same and you won’t stand out to your target audience.
In addition to diluting your brand, templated websites can also present a problem with search engine rankings. In some cases, we have seen templated websites with content copied and pasted between sites. This is looked upon unfavorably by Google and will have a massive impact on your site authority and page ranking. Essentially, a templated website is a quick fix that will ultimately cost more in the long run.
2. All Real Estate Websites Need IDX
IDX and other automated listing feeds are popular for real estate agents because they’re easy to use and helpful for clients searching for listings. But, if you read our previous blog on this topic, IDX is not essential for a successful real estate website.
Other solutions might work better for your unique needs. So, while IDX can work for an agent in many situations, it is not entirely essential to the success of your website. It’s better to assess your unique needs and find out if IDX or other automatic listing feeds are right for you. If you want to learn more about using IDX on your website, check out our previous blog all about automatic listing feeds!
3. Once the Website is Done, You Can Stop Thinking About It
Your real estate website is a significant tool in your digital strategy. And like any kind of strategy, there must be some wiggle room for changes or updates.
In addition to this, you have to be prepared to maintain the website and use ads and landing pages to drive more traffic to the site.
Once the site is live is when things like authority building come into play. For example, posting regularly on your blog and updating the actual content on the site to reflect your business goals and unique digital strategy. An active website is also viewed favorably by Google and will help improve your authority and search engine rankings.
Want to drive traffic, build your brand, and engage your target audience? Download our eBook: ‘The Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Marketing’. It’s a collection of some of our best marketing articles, tips, and tricks that we’ve collected over the years.
