Becoming Relevant to the New Generation of Home Buyers
As a child of the Internet generation, I’ve never been without a computer in my home. Whether it be an $8,000 IBM purchased in 1989 or the machine I use now, a custom built computer that cost me $600. Computers have always been a part of my life and I have never known the world without them. With the advent of the Internet and social networking, people my age are spending more and more time on their computers, socializing with friends and getting up to the minute news and information from around the world.
Now more than ever, people are turning to the Internet for their information. Why should the real estate industry be any different? People want to be able to find a new home without ever having to leave their current one. Do you have the tools available to make your online presence known?
Here are some helpful tips to get your listings, and yourself seen on the Internet:
Have a Virtual Tour of every home - Virtual Tours are a huge part of the home buying experience now-a-days. Being able to see the inside and outside of a home lets me know if I want to waste the time touring it.
Get a website - Have some place on the Internet where people can get in touch with you and can also see more of your properties. Start up a blog and post your ideas about what’s happening in the real estate world. Updated and dynamic content are going to keep people coming back to your site.
Advertise your site - Put your website address on your business cards, put it on your yard signs. Most traffic to websites comes from seeing the website address on some type of advertising. Whether that be a billboard, a for sale sign, a bus stop bench. Get your website address out there so people know it exists.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - This is a project that you have to constantly be working on and keeping an eye on. Many people find their homes by searching through a search engine. Search Engine Optimization, helps to get your site at the top of the search engines. I would recommend reading my friend Ben Kaeding’s blog for some good information on SEO.
Understanding the needs of your market is an essential part of any business. Knowing where your next client is going to be looking, don’t you want to be there ready and available with the perfect home?
