What do estate agents need on their website?

06 April 2018 6918 Views

In the modern marketplace – where people live their lives on their smartphones and tablets, social media has a bigger influence than ever and most prospective buyers turn to the internet to start their property search – a good website is incredibly important for an estate agent.

In fact, it’s vital - especially if you’re looking to win the trust and attention of would-be clients. In this day and age, your website is your virtual shop window.

Gone are the days where people regularly browse actual estate agent windows or flick through local newspapers for newly available properties; the first thing many customers will know about your firm will come from your online presence and in particular your website.

What does a good modern website need?

First things first, it needs to look the part. The number of websites competing for people’s attention is staggering, so your website needs to be smart, slick, user-friendly and easy on the eye. Designs, colour schemes and layouts that look like they belong in the 1990s or early 2000s won’t cut the mustard for a 21st century audience used to something much more beautiful.

You’ll also have lots of competition from fellow agents, so offering unique features – such as tailored log-in areas for sellers, buyers, tenants and landlords, innovative designs and a property search function with Google Maps integration – will help you stand out.

At a more basic level, you’ll need all the things that customers will expect to see from an agent’s website, such as listed properties (displayed in a glossy, attractive manner), contact forms, an About Us section and a Contact Us tab.

More and more, agency websites now also feature various calls to action – typically a free instant online valuation tool, or perhaps an online mortgage calculator or instant quote – to drive traffic and increase the chances of gaining instructions.

Another great way of driving traffic to a website is by way of fresh, engaging and topical content, offering would-be customers expert advice, tips and analysis of the latest news stories or incoming legislation to keep them up to speed. It’s wise to make content localised and informal to increase its uniqueness. SEO (search engine optimisation) isn’t as important as it once was, but can still be an effective way of getting your agency noticed on Google’s pages.

Social media integration

An increasingly integral part of modern life – especially for younger generations – social media can play a key part in driving traffic to your website as well as keeping customers informed and updated in an instantaneous fashion. It’s also a great way of positioning yourself as the local expert on given topics, while communicating directly with buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords can help to build trust and familiarity.