Why Do Real Estate Agents Need IDX Websites?

May 7th, 2009

If you buy and sell real estate, you need an IDX website to compete in a constantly changing marketplace. IDX stands for ‘Internet Data Exchange’, which is commonly referred to as Broker Reciprocity. Real estate agents have the ability to put Multiple Listing Service (MLS) results on their websites to offer the latest choices to potential buyers.

The majority of people shopping for homes today use the Internet to find their new house. According to the National Association of Realtors®, 73 percent of homebuyers viewed a home or drove by it as a result of using an Internet site and 57 percent walked through a house they viewed online. If you aren’t harnessing the power of the Internet to sell homes, you’re losing potential sales to the competition.

Buyers demand modern search tools from their agent and their brokerage. Further, sellers expect the agents who represent them to use the Internet to effectively market their homes. IDX websites give MLS participants the tools to display each others’ listings on their own websites. Without these critical tools at your fingertips, you lose both home buyers and sellers.

To realize full success as a real estate agent, you need an interactive website. The days of depending solely on a storefront office and newspaper ads have gone by. Reliable web hosting is the foundation so customers have 24/7 access to real estate listings. A navigable website design ensures ease of use for your visitors so they don’t surf over to the competition. Adding MLS listings makes you a valued resource providing the most updated information about the local real estate market.

Let the experts at Southern Web Group provide these powerful tools on your website for a very affordable price. For a $50 setup charge and just $50 per month, you gain access to an IDX website agent package that includes property search, featured properties, sold/pending properties, open homes, property organizer, email updates registration, mortgage calculator, home valuation request (CMA) and contact form. With this package, 1 agent gain up to 5,000 uses per month and one MLS Board. Other packages are available for larger brokerages.

Southern Web Group will also perform a comprehensive website design review for a small additional fee. Ensure you’re making the most of your online real estate when you let the professionals at Southern Web Group analyze your current website.

Is SEO Emotional?

April 6th, 2009

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Basic search engine optimization (SEO) tactics get you noticed. If you present quality content with the right number of keywords, people find you. But will they take action? Profits aren’t about traffic, you need visitors to make a commitment. Much like personal relationships, emotions are involved to create productive business connections.

Recently we discussed the ‘personality’ of your website and custom blog. As a webpreneur, you need to reach out your target market and speak their language. Visitors should understand and relate to what you say. If you’re unclear, visitors simply move on to another website.

While we know personality gets you noticed, it still may not convert visitors into profitable clients. Using the right keywords gets you recognized by the search engines. The mechanical aspect of SEO means using enough keywords to boost your ranking.  On the other hand, keyword stuffing  lowers your rankings and makes your content difficult to read.  If people can’t read what you’re saying, they won’t stay.

We can see effective SEO involves more than personality, numbers and search engine rankings. You need to appeal to human beings with everyday emotions and desires. Strong headlines and quality copy offers actual value to your visitors. Know what they want and offer potential solutions. This is this the real stuff that converts website visitors into making a commitment.

Basically, people are searching for answers, entertainment or help. Your business is to fulfill these needs in some way. Make visitors feel comfortable right away with an eye-catching, user-friendly website design. Update your website content and blog often.  Original content boosts your credibility and gives visitors a reason to return.

Ultimately your website content should call visitors to take action. When you get ‘into their heads’ and appeal to their emotions, you’re halfway there. Be short and sweet and give them something worthwhile. Avoid going overboard with boring information and get right to the issues. Use leading statements, links and images to call visitors to take action. When visitors take action, your website design is profitable.

If your website isn’t converting visitors into sales, take it to the experts for help. Are you appealing to your visitors? Is your content valuable? Let the professionals at Southern Web Group do a website design review so you can maximize its potential.

What Type of Personality Does Your Blog Have?

March 26th, 2009

You have a fabulous idea for an online business. You registered a catchy domain name, found reliable web hosting, put together a stellar website design and linked it to an awesome WordPress blog. Now that you defined your target market, you’re ready to take the Internet world by storm, right? Well, maybe not.

Much like people, websites and blogs have their own ‘personality’. The language we use reflects what motivates and interests us. The key is to figure out the patterns that interest various personalities as they relate to your brand, product and content. In other words, if you’re not talking your visitors’ language, you’re not likely to experience major success.

The research surrounding these personality variables is called psychographics. Let’s consider the Wikipedia definition: ‘In the field of marketing, demographics, opinion research and social research in general, psychographic variables are any attributes relating to personality, values, attitudes, interests or lifestyles. They are also called IAO variables (for Interests, Attitudes and Opinions).’

So how can you find out more about the current personality of your blog? Check out a new tool called Typealyzer. The website is dedicated to a research project about how the language reflect our psychological type. By entering your blog address at the Typealizer website, you find out your blog’s ‘personality’. This useful info lets you know if you are reaching your target market or just striking out in another direction.

Now that an increasing amount of business is done online, your website and blog have to speak to people. In days gone by, you would personally make the presentation made on your website today. Think about if you had to speak to your prospective customers face-to-face. What would they want to know? What are their interests? How can you be more approachable and likable?

If your blog doesn’t have the sparkling ‘personality’ you want, let the experts at Southern Web Group perform a website review analysis. We will help you tweak your website design and create a custom WordPress blog to really speak to your visitors. When your blogs speaks in a language your customers understand, you’ll see profits soar.

Southern Web Group News: Latest Website Designs

March 6th, 2009

New Websites!

Southern Web Group was busy developing new website designs for major businesses over the past couple of weeks. Two recent websites posted by Southern Web Group include B&B Building Services, Inc. and Seniors 1st Choice.

B&B Building Services, Inc. is a Dallas, Georgia floor service company servicing the Atlanta metropolitan area. Their website includes large, colorful photography showcasing shiny, attractive floors. When visitors arrive, they immediately know they are at a website about floor services.

The navigable website design includes links for cleaning and maintenance, equipment service and repair, service area and a contact us and home page. B&B Building Service, Inc. customers easily locate the information they want about floor service, areas of coverage and how to get in touch with the company to find out more. In just a few links, everything is at a potential customer fingertips to make closing the deal simpler.

Seniors 1st Choice offers in-home care for elderly and those who wish to remain independent in their own homes from Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA’s). Flashing images of compassion appear in the upper right hand corner of the website design. The home page includes the Seniors 1st Choice Mission.

Links at Seniors 1st Choice provide all the information a visitors needs including About Us, Care Solutions, Caregivers, Employment, Care Assessment, News Room, FAQ and Contact Us located along the top of the site. Listed along the right side are short links detailing Seniors 1st Choice Integrity, Sincerity, Compassion, Kindness, Respect, Joy, Diligence, Thoroughness and Reliability. A large link gives visitors an immediate opportunity to schedule a free care assessment by clicking or calling the phone number clearly provided.

An attractive, navigable website design makes it easier for customers to do business with you. Let Southern Web Group revamp your website design with SEO principals to attract visitors who turn into loyal customers.