Your website is the cornerstone of your digital presence, and in a world where being seen on the internet is more imperative than ever, that means something. Websites are, and continue to be, your competitor’s go-to marketing strategy and tool, this insight is here to get you caught up and started on your web journey so you can outrun them. A successful website plays a massive role in your ability to engage with your audience and fulfill your ultimate goal as a real estate developer: convert visitors into tenants or buyers.
Your property website can act as a passive marketing tool, so you can continue getting your name out there and getting inquiries from customers without having to do much beyond keep it updated and maintained, which we talked about in an earlier insight.
Make your audience’s experience impressive and worth it, they’ll keep calling, and we believe they’ll turn into the leads you’ve been looking for.
The first step is deciding what kind of website is right for you. There are several options, each with pros and cons, but let’s think about the three types AOR offers: Templated, Hybrid, and Custom.
Template Website
A templated website provides you with pre-designed layouts and offers minor customization options like color palette changes or where your logo is placed. Aside from that, these websites are built and ready to go with just a few tweaks and the addition of your content. This option is great if you’re looking for a quick, easy, cost-effective way to get word out about your property.
Check out our newly established AOR property templates! This exciting new option will work for you if you’re interested in a website development process that is turnkey and speedy. We wanted to provide an option for our real estate clients that encompasses intuitive designs, security & speed, easy admin, and proper accessibility all in three simple steps. After selecting a starting template, and sharing your assets for us to populate the site, you’ll be live before you know it and filling your funnel with quality leads.
This option is great for small projects or developers.
Hybrid Website
Like the name suggests, this type of website is the compromise between templated and custom, which we’ll talk about in a second. This option combines the cost savings of template solutions with customizations to help elevate your brand and stand out. Another phrase for a hybrid site is a modular or component-based system. These websites are designed to appear like custom, from scratch websites. These sites, although still templatized to an extent, are more flexible, and provide a high-end aesthetic at a fraction of the cost.
This option is great for small or medium-sized projects or developers.
Custom Website
Custom websites are the pinnacle of online branding, the digital foundation of your property’s success. Customization gives you the complete flexibility to make your website your own and stand out from competitors. It is one of the best ways to bring your brand through to the public, elevate it, and show off your property’s best features.
This option is great for developers looking to give audiences a true taste of what it’s like to live at your property. It is tailor-made for you, from the ground up. This makes it so you have endless options for both design and functionality including custom interactive maps, CRM integration, interactive calendars, photo galleries, social media feeds, custom targeting, blogs, etc. We want to ensure you’re highlighting what makes your development unique, so we’ll work to bring everything from your brand colors to photography to on-site amenities to life.
Although custom websites take longer to build, the time and effort are truly worth it to create a website crafted to cultivate leads. Our custom property websites are developed with strong SEO and top-tier UX to fill homes fast.
This option is great for larger projects or developers.
We share our insights, latest work, industry trends, strategy, and more in each issue. You can also learn about our industry-specific solutions and get a behind-the-scenes peek at our unique approaches, new research, and collaborative processes. Sign up below!
If you’re looking for maximum brand differentiation and user engagement, a custom website is where you’ll achieve those goals. Template and hybrid solutions are a more affordable and time-sensitive option for developers looking to get the word out quickly. You’ll really need to consider your product, your audience, and your budget when deciding which of these three website options is the right one for you.
What’s your strategy? What do you have time/room for? How crowded is the market where you are? Do you need to stand out? How large is your company? What are the long-term goals of the site?
Consider how this website will support you and your goals and go from there.
1. Improved SEO & Online Presence
By showcasing your property online, you’ll increase the chances of someone finding your listing. When thinking strategically about SEO, updating your Google Business Profile, and introducing keywords on your site, you’ll see more and more people finding your property listings through their search engine results page (SERP). Having a website opens up a clear channel of communication for users, allowing for an easier exchange of information.
2. More Leads
Speaking of continuing conversations, having an informative, clear, and impressive website will bring in more and more leads to your listings. Many buyers or renters’ first stop is online. In fact, 97% of homebuyers or renters use the Internet to find their next home or property (via NAR).
3. Valuable Exposure
With a website comes the opportunity to do so much more than talk to your customers — you can show them things too. Take advantage of visual storytelling and post photos, walkthroughs, and matterport scans of your homes or buildings. You’ll also have the opportunity to share your website link across any other platform you may want.
4. Building Your Brand
Your website is another extension of your overall brand. Your brand sets you apart from your competitors, so it’s important that it comes through in your online presence as well. Building desire for your brand is important in real estate development. Desire = Buyers.
5. Higher Selling Prices
The more you show up, the more competitive your listings will become. Buyers will see you up against others and prices will have the opportunity to continue rising.
The key is to select a property website that meets both you short term and long term goals. Think about everything. The complexities of digital solutions and the digital world in general can be overwhelming, but we’re always here to help. We will work with you and workshop through which website direction is best for your business. Look through our website solutions to see what else we can do for you and your goals.
In the end, what matters most is putting together a well-crafted website to establish yourself in the digital space, stand out from your peers, and turn those possible buyers into definite buyers.