The page on your agency’s website that could be your instruction killer

Something happened to me last week which made me realise the power of a single page on agencies websites.
Let me explain.
I was with my cousin Gerard who is looking to instruct an agent in Hertfordshire.
He had asked me for some advice about picking agents to come round for valuations as a starting point in the process.
He works in IT and is no mug but this will be the first home he’s sold and he’s smart enough to get some advice from others who are more experienced.
Over a Starbucks I explained what I felt he should be looking for – recommendations, good testimonials, track record etc etc.
He seemed to take it on board then we began surfing, online obviously as sadly Watford isn’t well known for its rip tides and rolling waves.
His mission was simple. Gerard wanted to get three valuations and the first two agents stood out pretty clearly as ones to get round.
However the third proved trickier.
We looked at websites together and I made suggestions. He knocked back the first two for the same reason and one that genuinely surprised me although I’ve heard it before.
He didn’t like their About Us pages and more interestingly and more decisively he dismissed these two agents due to their News / Blog pages being out of date – in one case the news section featured an article from late 2015!
His rationale was a sound one. “If they can’t be arsed to update their stuff online they might not give a shite about keeping me updated once I instruct them (I had mentioned that regular communication from agents was important when selling).” Little thing – big impact.
He selected a third agency. Job done. Ball rolling.
So there you have it.
Three agents will visit him this week. One will be chosen and potentially land a nice commission.
Gerard has a lovely apartment (IT pays better than PR obviously) in a central location and the property should sell quickly if priced honestly.
And two agents missed out on that opportunity – for such a simple thing.
Maybe it was because, like many agencies, they had set up a news / blog page on their website with all the right intentions (or maybe simply because their web designer said it’s a shiny must have).
But all importantly took their eye off of it and left it dormant.
What kind of message does that send to potential clients?
For Gerard it sent out a strong negative one. An instruction killer.
If you fall into the ‘my news is actually olds’ bracket contact me.
I can help.
Thanks for reading and here’s to your next instruction.
Jerry
PS: Bespoke blogging is cheaper than you might think. Talk to me.

Jerry Lyons

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Clarity on energy efficiency rules for commercial property needed

Propertymark has written to Martin McCluskey MP, Minister for Energy Consumers at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, urging the UK Government to provide urgent clarity on the future of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for non-domestic property. The letter follows the publication of the UK Government’s Warm Homes Plan, which confirmed that…
Read More
Breaking News

English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025

English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: headline findings on housing quality and energy efficiency The latest findings from the English Housing Survey on housing quality and energy efficiency. This is the second release of data from the 2024-25 survey. This report will be followed by a series of more detailed topic reports in the spring…
Read More
Breaking News

Propertymark responds to latest HMRC property transactions report

Nathan Emerson, CEO at Propertymark, comments: “Based on December 2025’s figures, it is encouraging to see that property transactions remained stable following the Autumn Budget. At a time when many households were concerned about rising living costs, this stability suggests that the Budget provided enough clarity for people to continue progressing with plans to buy…
Read More
Breaking News

Mortgage activity dips in December

Property industry reaction to the latest mortgage approval data from the Bank of England. The latest figures show that: – Mortgage approvals on house purchases for December sat at 61,013 down (-4.8%) from 64,072 in November. Approvals are down (-8.4%) when compared to the 66,634 seen in December 2024. This decline was expected due to…
Read More
Breaking News

£19.9bn of PRS refurbishment required

£19.9bn of refurbishment investment required to bring England’s private rented homes up to EPC C by 2030 Jonathan Samuels, CEO of Octane Capital, believes that despite the Government extending the deadline for all private rental stock to meet an EPC C rating from 2028 to 2030, refurbishment finance will remain key in helping landlords meet…
Read More
Home and Living

10 budget patio ideas for beginners in landscaping

Creating an inviting outdoor space doesn’t have to break the bank. With a bit of creativity and some elbow grease, you can transform your backyard into a relaxing retreat. Whether you’re looking to build a brand-new area or revamp an existing one, these budget-friendly patio ideas will inspire you to create a stylish and functional…
Read More