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The
End
of
Real Estate...
as We Knew It
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I cannot
believe I wrote so much! The first issue of this newsletter, at least the first
one that I have saved, is dated 02/02/00.
That equals 6 years and 7 months worth or about 550
editions of this newsletter.
And what were we all concerned about at the time?
Well, some early topics dealt with choosing a
domain name, the role of Meta Tags, the difference between
Web hosting and Web Promotion and whether or not the
Internet had just put an end to Real Estate as we knew it.
AGENTS
ARE SINGING
A DIFFERENT TUNE
Back then most agents resented the Internet.
It wiped out their control over access to MLS data
and it forced them to learn about Email and Spiders and
HTML and other foreign sounding stuff. In addition to
having to learn all this new technology on top of
everything else they had to do each day, agents and
brokers had to listen to all the talk about how much money
the Internet was going to save them, how much they were
going to make and how easy their life was going to become.
Most didn’t believe it!
But today, I’m hearing something different.
THE
COST OF DOING
BUSINESS OFFLINE
Today agents and brokers are telling me that they
no longer want to work with clients that are not online.
This is especially true of relocating buyers who
want agents to send them MLS data via snail mail.
One agent I spoke with recently explained, “By
the time the prospective buyer gets the information I send
them, the house will be sold.” Another agent adds, “I haven’t got time to gather up,
package and mail information to clients, especially when
they can find everything they want on my Website.
I refer these people to agents who don’t use the
Internet. Let
them work it out.”
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Things
Change and Stay the Same |
When it
comes to Web design elements, what was true in the year
2000 is true today.
WORDS
THAT SIZZLE
Here is an excerpt form our October 11, 2000
Newsletter.
“When it comes right down to it, the words on your
Website will make it or break it.
When visitors click on your Web does your heading
compel them to read further?
If it does not, they will be out of there in a click.
If your heading is compelling they MIGHT just read every
word on your page. However
don’t bet the farm on it.
It is better to break up your copy with Sizzling Sub
Headings and graphics because most people don’t read every
word on the page.”
Find out just what your Website needs to do in order
to bring you the promised rewards of saving time and making
money. Visit me
online at http://www.sellrealestate.net/FreeWebPlan.asp
and I’ll provide you with a FREE Custom Web Plan.
CHANGES
IN WEB DESIGN
The biggest differences in Web Design from the year
2000 to today are in the use of graphics, position of links
and the use of interactivity.
More modern browsers support a wider use of graphics
than what was possible in the past.
This makes today’s Website more attractive.
In the early days when Web users were unfamiliar with
Websites it was best to keep links down the left sidebar
where people expected them.
Today’s more sophisticated user is used to links in
a variety of positions.
Unfortunately, most real estate Web templates are not
up to par when it comes to including interactive Web pages
but then that is why the modern agent has marketing and
design experts like us to design with the latest-greatest
technology.
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Probably
the biggest or most significant change from 2000 to 2005
is in the area of search engine usage.
Back then only a few brave souls used search engines
to find real estate information and now over 70% of all real
estate buyers rely heavily on the Internet for their
research.
TARGETING
BUYERS IS EASIER
Back then no one really knew what prospective buyers
might use as a keyword phrase to find real estate or any
information for that matter.
Would someone search for Austin homes for sale?
Raleigh property? San Francisco real estate? Or Long
Island waterfront home?
Of course, some people typed in the word “Home”
in their favorite search engine and quickly learned that
they would need to be more specific.
Today we know what terms people use to search for
property or we have the tools to find out so there is no
excuse for poorly targeted keywords. If you need help getting your site ranked well on the major
search engines, we can help.
Call me toll free at 888-814-5347.
PAID
ADVERTISING PROBABLY WON’T GO AWAY
From everything I have heard, paid advertising is a
rip-roaring success for the search engines and it is
unlikely to go away. This
type of advertising lets anybody, even those with poorly
designed Websites, get top placement for any keyword phrase.
Budgets run high for this kind of advertising but if
the market is there, even high budgets can be cost effective
so there is no reason to shy away from paid advertising.
FREE
SEARCH ENGINE PLACEMENT
It is still possible to obtain good search engine
placement without spending hundreds or even thousands of
dollars a month for the privilege.
The route to free placement depends on setting up a
Custom Website that is optimized for search engine placement
and all that that means.
Call me toll free at 888-814-5347 or visit
http://www.sellrealestate.ne
t/FreeWebPlan.asp if you want all the benefits that the
Internet has to offer without paying an arm and a leg for
it.
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