Simple and effective Estate Agent website tips from the Connect Conference

Troy Stanley, the Resource Techniques correspondent in New York reports on common Estate Agent web site tips from the Real Estate Connect Conference in New York:

'There are certain techniques that are always touched upon in the Estate Agent web design industry. These are a general mix of common mistakes and the latest techniques that Estate Agents should be nagging their Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and website design company to implement.

Videos of your local area

Video is easy to upload, it has been for years, but now video is finally catching up with the rest of the web when it comes to SEO. The use of video can now place you ahead of your competitors and many Estate Agents forget that YouTube is the world's second largest search engine. Creating a video about the types of property in a local area and uploading it to YouTube will not only boost traffic to an Estate Agent's website but also help towards their website's SEO.

Property related questions

People generally either turn to the internet to answer a question or searching for a service. Estate Agents can use this by placing property related questions onto their website. They will then pick up this extra traffic, and if the website page contains useful information, users will then move onto more profitable areas of the Estate Agent website.

Keep on top of your search terms

Never forget that services such as Google analytics can give Estate Agents website information that should be treated like gold dust. Estate Agents that regularly check the words and keywords that property searchers use to find their website will know a great deal more about their customers. This then reveals the long tail search terms for your website. I suggest setting a date in the calendar to annual review of the performance of the Estate Agent website.

Keep your website balanced

No one wants to go on a website and it to be overly busy or even worse, barren. The difference between a good website and a great website is that they use the space properly whilst using inside industry knowledge such as, when 97% of people that visit an Estate Agent website go straight to property search.

Be wary of SEO companies

Generally we're an honest bunch, but there are some industry cowboys that ruin it. When it comes to SEO, do not trust a SEO company that guarantees a number one listing in Google. An instant number one rank is not possible when using white hat SEO. Instead check or ask for a portfolio and check the website rankings within Google

Don't forget the real world

It is an industry fact that 67% of search is made because of offline influence because property searchers like to check out Estate Agents online before they call them up to market their house. Using the internet for research is now a widely common practice, which puts greater emphasis for having the best SEO in your area.

Proactive social networking

Although possibly sick of being told to use social networking, it is true that actively seeking online people in your area, joining in the conversation and establishing yourself as the local expert will greatly benefit Estate Agents in the real world. Estate Agents that are proactive are already seeing a lot more traffic in their website and their office than before, are you?

These are just a few of the common developments and problems within the industry. To find out more, contact Resource Techniques on 0208 457 477, via our Twitter profile, or Facebook Fan page. - Troy Stanley.