7 Ways To Make Major Real Estate Portals A Thing Of The

Past In Your Marketing

As appeared in The Sold Magazine – The best magazine for real estate professionals.

With the recent outrage on social media regarding pricing increases on the major portals, Lisa B. has some “calls to action” for everyone about how you can drive traffic to your own website instead of someone else’s Portals.

If you WANT to advertise on the portals – that’s ok – Do it. When you HAVE to advertise there – that’s not ok – you need to work on other options. And I know it’s easy to keep doing what you are doing, so to be successful at what I’m suggesting you need to have a burning desire to do things differently.

I wouldn’t recommend relying solely on any third party for the lifeblood of a business.

As we have seen, if they put prices up, or they change the game where it makes it more expensive, then they have you. You are caught. What can you do?

Here are 7 ways to help you on your way to making the major portals a thing of your past:

Have your own dedicated company website that you own You are much better off investing in your own website, a website that you OWN, a website that you can build on and improve. It’s your virtual shop front. Depending on what you want and how big your site is – you should only be paying $10 – $50 a month hosting. This should work out a lot more cost effective than having someone else’s template or platform. You don’t need to give a portal full access to your major data. They are the ones that are getting the benefit from YOUR content on Google.
Don’t point anything you post online to the major portals For example, If you want to highlight a fantastic property you have for sale, something that is out of the ordinary- say a home has a spectacular kitchen. Don’t put the link on social media directing people to that property on the major portals. They do not need your help. Point everything back to your website. You want the traffic – you want the sales.
Look for free / cheap portals that work well in your area There are plenty out there. Devise, plot and plan your whole on line and off line marketing plan strategies. Map it out, have structure and show your sellers. Show them that you are not relying on one way to get the phone to ring. When you believe in your product and your marketing – you will convince your sellers. Make online marketing work for you by blogging.
Promote yourself Have your own personal website. In real estate, the very first sale you have to make is you. Sell yourself, make YOU “Sold”. Dominate the internet in your area.
Become community driven Network like a mad man (or woman!) and keep in touch via social media. Do your local residents know you? Have they heard of you? They should. You need to be known in order to be called out. With social media, videos, websites it’s easier than you think.
Have belief in you A positive mindset and knowing your outcome make all the difference! Some real estate agents say that their sellers want a certain portal for one reason or another. Sometimes the agents know full well that the portal they want is not effective in their area, they get minimal response and they know it’s a waste of time, yet they still go along with the seller and promote properties there. Do you know what works? Of course you do, that’s your business.
Start obtaining proof and statistics so that you can, educate your sellers – and if you have to educate them one at a time. Once you have your solid online marketing plan, you only need to convince the person you are with. The person who is considering selling. Whether or not they listen will depend on you have the sellers TRUST.

How to get buyers to find your listings?

Think outside the square. Consider the thousands of dollars you spend a month advertising. Average spend of a real estate office on the portals, could be upwards of $40,000 a year. Spend that money promoting you and your website to buyers and sellers. Become obsessed with getting onto page one of Google organically.

What if you weren’t paying so much to the portals?

Some agents have said that they will simply get vendors to pay for the increases. If that’s your plan, ok, but why not try something different, like some Google pay per click ads or Facebook ads? You then have the option to target the right people in the right area. Point your pay per click ads direct to your property for sale page on your own website. You get the traffic, you get the benefit, you get the sale.

What would your sellers prefer? Paying to be seen on page one of Google for their property alone? Or lost in with all the other properties for sale on the portals? Food for thought in any case!

Lisa B. helps real estate agents to become superstars online, make more money and work less hours.

Contact us at admin@dominatetheinternet.com.au

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