By Bernice Ross, Ph.D. MCC
Owner, Teleclass4U.com, LLC and RealEstateCoach.com
Copyright © 2009

1. Avoid this simple mistake many agents make.

Have you ever visited an agent website with great community information, but with no reference to the city or the state? For example, if you reference "Sunny Hills" in Paris, are you referencing the "Paris" in California, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, or Texas? When you describe the market areas you serve on your site, be sure to also reference the city, state, and zip code(s) where they are located. Failure to provide this information means that search engines cannot accurately match your website with visitors who are searching in your area. If Google can't find you, future customers probably can't find you either.

2. Where's your number?

Most agent websites have their phone number posted on their home page. Few, however, post their phone number on every page of their site. The reason is simple. After a website visitor views a listing including a virtual tour and multiple pictures, it can take a substantial amount of time to scroll back to the agent's home page to find the agent's phone number. Consequently, make sure that you post your phone number on every other page of your site, preferably in the upper right hand corner. If you don't, that great website lead will probably go somewhere else.

3. Become an interesting person.

In Paul Zweben's session, he recommended that agents become experts on where to eat and what to do in their local area. Your goal is to stay top of mind in your potential client's thoughts by being an interesting person, not just a REALTOR®. Zweben recommends that the best way to do this is to identify with your web visitor as a person.

Be the resource that helps them find what matters to them.

4. Avoid becoming tone deaf.

The problem with much that is going on in the social media is that most people are speaking without regard to who is listening. Agents need to engage with their client base to determine the challenges are that they are facing. Rather than a monologue, it's better to create a conversation based upon what people in your local market area are saying.

5. Tag your photos.

Many agents post photos and videos online to market their listings. Regardless of the type of photo or video you post, be sure that you include the location, your name, address, as well as several descriptions of what the video/picture contains. A search engine cannot "read" the visual content of a picture or a photo. (Google's search engine can convert the audio portion of a video into searchable text.) Providing this additional data helps you to obtain better search engine ranking. It also allows people who may be searching for your listings in your neighborhood to find your listing videos and photos more easily.

6. Include your contact information on your videos.

If someone finds your listing video on a site other than your website, how will they know how to contact you? Approximately 40 to 50 percent of all listing videos lack the listing agent's contact information. Consequently, regardless if you shoot the video yourself or hire a videographer, be sure to include your contact information in the actual video in addition to the property's street address, city, state, and zip code. Using this approach in conjunction with tagging will help you to improve your search results.

7. Apps are hot – are you using the ones you already have?

Many agents feel they need to purchase new applications (apps) for their phones or computers. There are so many that it can be completely overwhelming. A great place to start is to use the built-in apps that already come with your phone and/or your computer. This includes using the tools that allow you to sync your calendar, address book, and other important information from your computer to your smart phone.

Many associations and Multiple Listing Services have also tailored apps to fit the needs of both agents and consumers. Take advantage of them.

8. Keep your website simple.

People who visit your website are searching for three primary categories of information. They want to know what is for sale, how much their home worth, and what's happening in their local market. Make sure these links are prominently displayed on your home page. You can add other data, but avoid cluttering your home page with too much irrelevant content.

Dealing with all the technology changes can be overwhelming. The key point to remember is to take it one step at a time. Make the changes that are easiest for you to implement. Experiment with new technologies that attract your attention and feel like a good match for your business. Using this simple process is the best way to stay competitive and to keep your business on the cutting edge.