Web Design Secrets

Web design is the foundation of all businesses who wish to maintain an online presence. With the growth of e-commerce came the business boom of the internet. Today, you would be hard-pressed to find any successful company anywhere that does not have a stake online. Everyone from local florists to hardware stores have a website. Industry leaders such as Coke and Disney also have a web presence, although theirs is a little more commanding, of course.

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Related Article: The Best Real Estate Websites

However, by succumbing to the trends set by Big Businesses, many smaller companies feel as though they cannot compete. This way of thinking is wrong because small companies can compete. The internet allows for your vision to come first, the size of your company to come second.

That’s right: Even the smallest of companies can seem mighty online. As long as your web design is up to snuff.

What Makes a Great Web Design?

There is a myriad of components that factor into what constitutes a great web design. Everything from your site’s layout, imagery, UI (user interface), and content, and more all factor into this equation.

UI & Layout

Your UI is extremely important, as it facilitates the means of navigation and interactivity.

Navigation

Navigation is important for several reasons: To start, it demonstrates a strong internal link profile. Your internal link profile signifies the number of links you have on any given page, that point to other pages of your website. No, your navigation bar doesn’t really count.

This is because the pages most commonly referenced in your navigation bar lead to what are known as, “common” pages. These common pages would naturally be your contact us page, service pages, blog section, etc. A strong link profile will include links to the inner reaches of your website. This is, to speak, the road less travelled. Links pointing to your resource pages or “info” pages add immensely to your link profile, thus, granting you higher rankings in search engines, greater engagement from your site’s visitors, and finally, improves the user experience.

Interactivity

Your website’s interactivity simply means the things in which a visitor can interact with. This can range from media (videos, songs, montages, video tours, etc.), to drop downs, to things that spin or pop out or make a sound when hovered over.

Interactivity, to an extent, is needed on most every website. To put it rather bluntly: People want cool things to do on a website. There it is in a nutshell.

Imagery

Make use of imagery, because it paints a picture and adds depth to any page.

Infographics

Infographics are a great use of imagery that combines aesthetic appeal with informative facts. Infographics help by explaining complex or long ideas in a fun and visual way. This helps visitors by providing them with the information they need in a consumable and fun way.

Pictures

Pictures are worth a thousand words. Do you know why they say that? Because it’s true! Images can evoke an emotion, tell a story, or simply be an object of beauty. While usually used to convey a message, they can also be used to point someone in the right direction.

Content

Your content is the foundation of your website’s overall design element. It should be the first thing your customers see, and the last before taking the desired action. It should be optimized for search rankings and conversions. It should be error-free (this includes misspellings, grammatical errors, and issues with proper punctuation), and written in the tone that is targeted at your audience.

What Makes The Best Real Estate Websites?

When I first got asked the question, what do the best real estate websites have? I initially spoke of the factors that make up a great realtor website, but as I went along this path I quickly came to the realization that I didn’t even know where to start. The fact is, when you start thinking big picture it’s incredibly comprehensive. So where did I begin?

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Related Article: Realtor Websites: Things To Consider
Related Article: Web Design: Secrets of Success

Toronto real estate web developers

I decided that if we were going to create superior websites for realtors then we needed to research the competition to find out what they offered. So I set off to speak with the top 5 real estate web developers in Toronto.

Here’s what I found, and remember you asked for a comprehensive view:

The standard real estate web design company:

If you’ve had a website made in the last few years or are currently looking around you’re probably noticing something, they all look the same. Yes it’s true that colours and format vary from site to site but realtor websites have become VERY cookie cutter, begging this question: If my website is exactly like everyone else, how will I stand out or rank better than them on the ever competitive search engines?

The term SEO friendly:

This means they’ll be found by search engines and while it may be true, they will be found, upon closer review by our programmers (the nerds!) they don’t even come close to being properly optimized, coded or structured. We found improper coding (in fact, horrible) on all five of the top real estate web developer sites and we went over the code on 3 sites made by each developer. They were put together to look good, and they do, they claim they’ll be found by search engines, and they will, but that’s where it ends. To put it simply “it will be very hard to make page one of Google with these sites”, don’t worry you’d be with 95% of the agents out there.

Built into their companies System:

We found several developers that build you into their own network, making it difficult to leave them or have anyone outside of their company be able to work on it. This means they will make money on every change and update, and some may call this genius, but it’s also evil Genius. These are companies that have only have one interest, their own.

Lead capturing systems:

Almost every agent website has MLS search and now the new revolution is lead capturing software which tracks visitors every movement and requires them to give their email address to make different MLS searches, there’s your lead although not a very qualified lead is it. A lead is a lead but it doesn’t compare to SEO (basically Google Optimization) where you have people coming to your site who just typed ‘Toronto real estate agents’ into Google, now that’s a targeted visitor with a clear indication of what they’re looking for, an agent!

Conclusion:

1. We found all the big 5 basically had the same product
2. Their sites would get found by search engines but would be hard pressed to rank on the first page of Google (93% of people never go past the first page and all of the clients goes to the agents on page 1)
3. Not one company had the site properly structured, coded or researched to rank for people looking for agents, AND THAT BLEW OUR MINDS!
4. They were all out to mass produce realtor websites, maximize profit and cared little for the result of their work while trying to sell us every service under the sun.
5. We wish you good luck and advise you to carry out due diligence in your search for the best real estate websites.

What You Should Consider: Realtor Websites

When building realtor websites, you need to consider certain fundamental factors so that you have the right foundation that will enable the website to reap maximum benefits. A real estate website is essentially a niche website hence you don’t want to build it generically and have the same as everyone else unless you want the same results, it must be better. Here are a few things to have in mind to help you build your real estate website the right way.

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Related Article: Pro Designs: Real Estate Websites
Related Article: The Best Real Estate Websites

Select a unique but easy to remember domain name

The process of building a successful real estate website begins with the proper choice of the domain name. The domain name will be like the home of your website in the internet. The name should not be generic, but it should be personalized and if possible, be very relevant to the real estate industry although going with your name is a perfectly acceptable practice. It should also be unique so that it can be easily remembered. Such a name will be engraved in the minds of your potential clients and it will ultimately work wonders when it is time to brand your business.

Mobile friendly

With the immense amount of mobile traffic, you will miss a great opportunity for getting leads and sales in your real estate website if it is not mobile responsive (made to work on mobile devices). Since the number of people accessing the internet with mobile devices increases significantly year over year you must make the website mobile friendly so that potential leads can access your website using their mobile devices. Additionally a mobile friendly website will be ranked higher in the search engines as Google now penalizes sites that aren’t mobile friendly.

Website User Experience

For great results realtor websites it should be interactive and easy to use. Ideally you need to provide a section of the website where you can interact with the site visitors, this is typically done by having MLS search available on your site, which is the minimum industry standard now. You can also implement a blog covering the frequently asked questions of home buyers where readers can ask questions and you can give them responses in dialog boxes located beneath the blog. This will create a placebo effect among your site visitors and as a result they are more likely to visit your website regularly, thus giving you time to convert them into real estate leads. This kind of interactivity is also beneficial for search engine purposes since the site will be deemed to be of good value and you will be rewarded with higher rankings.

Visual Appeal

Aesthetics are vital when it comes to building a real estate website. Whenever someone visits your website their decision to contact and make an inquiry on the properties you have listed will depend on whether or not they like what they are seeing and find your site to be of a reputable quality. That fact is that you must have a beautifully designed website with studies reporting that 78% of visitors will leave a poorly designed site because it ‘lacks credibility’. This in addition to good content will make the site and blog attract regular readers and or subscribers and yes there are seemingly endless factors that come into play with realtor websites to do them RIGHT.

Search Engine Optimization

Even if you have a budget for marketing your real estate website online, it is imperative to thoroughly optimize the website for the search engines. This will make the site rank high in the search engines, where you will get lots of free and quality traffic. Remember, you can use SEO to complement your other marketing efforts, but it is a long term process. Most realtors don’t realize that in addition to a site being SEO optimized it must have a content consistently added and a proper digital marketing plan in place to achieve great results, Google has over 250 ranking factors and they all must be continually addressed with optimization.

Custom Designs For Real Estate Websites

Whether you are an independent agent or a part of a large real estate firm: You need a website that generates leads. A professionally designed website is often perceived in the wrong light. Some realtors believe that it takes a good eye with a knack for writing. This, however, would be an incorrect assumption. A professionally designed website for real estate agents is much, much more than that.

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Related Article: Realtor Websites: Things To Consider

Real estate websites must embody the core principles of A) marketing, B) SEO, and C) sales. However, that is not all, a real estate website for Toronto needs to be more than that. You need a website with a responsive UI (user interface), which is a big ranking factor. Another ranking factor is hosting. Your website shouldn’t just be fast, it should be hosted close to home, and it doesn’t get any closer than this. But why are these things important?

Professionally Designed for Optimal Efficiency

With the above-mentioned qualities needed in order to provide simply the best and most comprehensive web design available, there is still the question of “why?”

Marketing

Marketing is a critical aspect of any website. Its true nature is to generate leads and maximize follow-through. This is why your real estate website should only be designed and written by those who know marketing first-hand. Marketing should be implemented throughout the website; it should be present in everything, from its design and function to its copy.

SEO

SEO, or search engine optimization, is another critical aspect of any web design endeavour. While SEO is primarily relegated to the actual web copy itself in the form of keyword integration, it is nonetheless an area that cannot be overlooked. True SEO gurus will tell you: Content is king. And it is very true. Your website’s ultimate success is hinged upon 1) getting found and 2) converting visitors into buyers. The function of SEO is to get your website found. That is the first step in gaining any footing in the online world of real estate marketing.

CRO

CRO, or conversion rate optimization, is the act of augmenting your website’s design and layout to offer you a higher rate of conversions. Conversions are the leads your website generates. These leads turn into home buyers. CRO should be ever present throughout your website. It should be embodied in your website’s overall design. It should also be encompassed in your website’s text. Without it, your website may look pretty, but it will yield no conversions.

Intuitive Design Interface

Having an intuitive design interface means that your site visitors will be able to navigate your website with ease. Being able to freely browse through the entirety of a website is a ranking factor. This means you have a strong internal link profile, and your website’s users, potential home buyers, will be able to get to where they need to be without experiencing any hassles or confusion.

Local Hosting

Being based right here in the Toronto area, your website should also be hosted locally. This will help you in a myriad of ways, not the least of which will see your website’s page load speed at its maximum.