Having a real estate website isn't right for everyone but for the vast majority of Realtors®, it's an invaluable asset.
Being the proud owner of a sleek, shiny website isn't only about garnering leads. It's also about having a presence that lends credibility to your business and that can be used as a selling point when you're showcasing your expertise.
That said, there are five huge mistakes a significant number of Realtors make with their websites.

REALTOR WEBSITE MISTAKE #1: ME, ME, ME
Sure, your website is about your business and the expert services you offer but what if you turned it around to be more about the buyers and sellers who will be working with you?
Rather than saying, I have 15 years of experience in the Nashville market on your homepage, consider saying something like, You deserve to work with a Realtor who has 15 years of experience in the Nashville market.
REALTOR WEBSITE MISTAKE #2: NOT HAVING A SECURE CONNECTION
You've seen website addresses that start with http:// and https://. So has Google and for the past year, sites that use secure socket layer (commonly called SSL) technology have been enjoying a rankings boost over sites that don't.
That means Realtors with an https:// web address have the chance to show up higher in search engine results than Realtors without one.
REALTOR MISTAKE #3: FORGETTING TO ENHANCE YOUR CREDIBILITY WITH REAL KNOWLEDGE
Nobody knows your areas like you do. You know the neighborhoods, the zoning restrictions and the fun community activities that take place every summer. You also know the ins and outs of different types of financing, where someone can get title insurance (and why they need it), and what turns a lackluster front yard into something with unbelievable curb appeal.
Do the people who visit your website know you're so knowledgeable?
Setting up a blog serves you well in two ways. First, it gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge with potential clients; second, it feeds into the search engines. (Google and the other search engines love frequently updated sites, and they're much more likely to offer them to searchers when they have fresh information.)
REALTOR MISTAKE #4: HAVING OBSCURE CONTACT INFORMATION
It's great when potential clients find you online, but once they do, they need to know how to contact you. Your phone number and other contact information needs to be highly visible. This is usually easy if you're complying with TREC guidelines and Benchmark's own policies, but you can take it one step farther by including what's known as a call-to-action on every page of your site.
Call me at... for free listings delivered straight to your inbox is a great call-to-action that often gets results.
REALTOR MISTAKE #5: FORGETTING HOW POWERFUL OTHER PEOPLE'S WORDS CAN BE
Testimonials are incredibly important. Including proof of real results helps you establish credibility with your clients.
You're not just selling homes. You're giving buyers and sellers an experience, and they know that so when they see another person talking about how you delivered, they're more likely to work with you. In fact, 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as they'd trust personal recommendations, so it's important that you include testimonials on your website.
Are You Working With Benchmark Realty? If you were, you'd already be saving thousands of dollars that would be going to YOU and NOT your BROKER. That's more money in your pocket to build a great website.
WANT MORE INFO?
If you're not already part of the Benchmark family, we want you to know that we believe you should be in full control of your real estate career. Call us at 615-371-1544 or get in touch with us online to learn about our agent plans or to set up a confidential meeting with Phillip Cantrell. We'd love for you to join us.
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