10 Real Estate Web Site Myths Debunked

A personal web site is an essential part of most successful agents real estate marketing toolbox. There is plenty confusion out there concerning web sites. Questions abound over how to promote web sites, search engines, the quality of Internet leads and generally the why and how of web sites. This quick report addresses 10 of the more common myths.  

1-If you have a good web site people will flock to you

Even the best web site needs you to promote it. A large percentage of real estate web site visitors come because of something other than search engines. 

2-If you don´t have listings you don´t need a web site.

If you don´t have any listings all the more reason to get a web site. The public expects real estate sales agents to have web sites; lack of one could be a reason not to use a particular agent. Good web sites properly promoted give you the opportunity to pick up new clients. 

3-If you don´t have any listings; a web site won´t do you any good.

That many people come to web sites for listings is a fact. With IDX and company sites there are ample opportunities to get listings on your site. Also, if you offer information that will truly help potential clients and it is information that clients actually want, potential clients are very likely to do business with you. 

4-Internet leads are no good.

Real estate sales is a numbers game. No one closes every lead they get. A lead is an opportunity. Internet leads often come into the market earlier than traditional leads. The key to converting the leads is understanding that they may take a little longer but you have a real chance to develop a relationship if you understand the process because most of your competition doesn´t. 

5-You must be high up in the search engines to have any success from your site

Search engine ranking is a fickle business. The most important factors in web site success are your promotion, great content on your site and quick and persistent follow up on your leads. 

6-If you build it they will come

After reading this far, you have probably gathered that having a web site is no guarantee of a flood of leads or any for that matter. You must promote your site. 

7-You must to have a web site to be successful in real estate today

There are many successful people in real estate who don´t have a web site or if they do it is pretty bad. Real estate is still a business of relationships. Not having a web site, makes it more likely that you will miss out on leads and increasingly people are relating to their agents on the web, but a web site is just one of the tools in an agents business.

8-The high school kid who is an Internet genius is going to build me a great site

Your high school kid may build you a site with all the bells and whistles, but the most important things you can have are listings and great content. If you don´t have great content, no matter how pretty or flashy your site is, it has little value to the average buyer or seller in today´s market. 

9-All this web site stuff is way too complicated

Real estate is constantly changing. It wasn´t that long ago when agents carried around listing books, which were then replaced by online listings. The situation was complicated then but the majority survived and even flourished. The key for today´s agent isn´t designing web sites but using them as a tool to give your clients great service. There are people to do all the technical work, all you have to know is what is offered on your site and the benefit for your client. Almost all business runs on the Internet, so it really can´t be that complicated. 

10-(Fill in a name) has the best web sites

Which company builds the best web site? All of them for one client or another builds the best web site. The most important thing is to get started, use your web site as a tool to build your business, to be the best agent you can be. Each company that builds web sites has some great features. Choosing the right one is sort of like choosing an agent, do your research, compare features and price and find the one that is right for you. 

You don´t have to be an Internet expert to succeed today but a little understanding of how web sites work is important. You don´t have to be the web site builder but you should understand how to use your site. Once you have the basic understanding, a lot of the frustration with web sites disappears and commissions will follow.