8 features that make a great property website.
Property website design is a very specialist industry and making sure your website performs to the highest level requires that it meets several criteria.
1) It must be mobile friendly
Now more than ever it is imperative that your website is responsive and viewable on every device. A report by the BBC watchdog has shown that in the UK mobile internet browsing has overtaken desktop browsing. People browse their phones everywhere and if they land on your website and can’t browse your properties then they will not come back to you. Having your website accessible on every device will increase the number of visitors to your site and therefore increase the likelihood of you getting those precious leads that everyone wants! Having a mobile website will also boost your SEO profile as Google see it as best practice.
2) It has to be well designed
In the website world, looks do matter. Trends come and go but it is important to make sure that your website is up to date with the current trends. For example at the moment an emerging trend is the use of big imagery and videos. As large corporate companies adopt these practices, the average consumer will get used to seeing this features and if your website isn’t up to date then it can effect your brand image. Creating a nice design isn’t the be all and end all of your website but it is a very important building block for success.
3) The user experience should be well considered
Having a nice design is all well and good but the user experience of the website has to be considered. Sometimes design has to be compromised for functionality but in most cases if you are working with a professional website design agency they should be able to find ways to manage the functionality and design to create a very positive user experience. Google are all about user experience, when you find a website using their search bar in their eyes it should all about designed around the user. For example on a property website having the search function with different filters as one of the first things you see on the homepage considers the users needs and creates a positive experience.
4) It has to have CTA’s that stand out
Much like any website that is trying to sell a service, Estate Agents websites need calls to action. These basically are the boxes or buttons that attract people into signing up for a
valuation of registering themselves for property alerts. They are how you get a return on investment from your website and if not used correctly could be costing you good leads every month. As a property website specialist Technicweb know exactly how these CTA’s should be used and where they should be placed to engage the end user. The language, colours, size and shape of these CTA’s all make a difference. If your website doesn’t effectively use CTA’s then you are missing a key component for success.
5) It must integrate social media and blogs
Social media and creating content on your blog is so important in the modern day for several reasons. One being that it keeps your users engaged and lets them see that you are more than just a bunch of people that sell houses, it adds a personality to your team. Two, it massively boosts your SEO profile. Being ranked highly on Google can be the difference between a good month and a bad one as often people wont look past the 3rd result in Google. Regularly posting content and creating back-links to your website will gain you massive brownie points with Google and you will start to see yourself move up the rankings.
6) Fast page loading speeds
There is nothing more frustrating than finding the right website and waiting 10 seconds for a page to load. How impatient the modern consumer has become! Ideally you dont want your pages to be taking any longer than 2 seconds to load. If you have large images it can often take a little longer but should be no more than 3 seconds. If your website is old, then it is likely the code will be slowing down your loading speed. Check your website on Google pagespeed tester to see if you meet their standards: https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
7) Informative and engaging content
I’m afraid when it comes to content on your website you are at the Mercy of Google. Your content should be engaging but not spammed with loads of keywords. You have to think, if you landed on your site as someone looking to sell or buy a home, what would you want to see? Don’t waste the valuable space on your website, be honest with your users rather than just posting something generic that they will never remember you for.
8) Applicant capturing software that work for you
Lead capturing software is very important for your site because it gives you a return on investment. At Technicweb we created our CIP applicant capture software which effectively prompts users to fill in their details when they make a search so that they can be sent properties when ones matching their criteria comes on the market.
Conclusion
If you can get all of these features in your website then you are well on your way to having one of the best Property Websites in the country and you will reap the rewards. If you are
looking at your website and thinking ‘I don’t know if we have any of these features’ then it is probably time to give Technicweb a call! Our website consultants would be happy to discuss your needs and requirements in order to get you the best website possible.
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