I’ve been watching the new Listing Router roll out across ActiveRain, reading the various explanations and reactions from the community. As a successful real estate blogger and proficient user of AdWords (Google’s Pay-Per-Click system), I feel there are a few aspects that I haven’t seen addressed.
If you’re concerned that you’re buying ‘clicks’ that will never be ‘clients,’ you should address these four issues when you set up and use Listing Router.
Let’s start with the big one that I haven’t heard anyone talking about yet: It’s all about the user.
How a web visitor enters and experiences your site will make or break your web business. If someone types in Tucson, AZ, into the Listing Router, and the click goes to me and I send that person to my IDX site that is ugly, or has a huge form, or isn’t already filled out to search Tucson and not some other city, chances are, I just wasted the money on the click. A web visitor is going to give your site about 2 seconds before they decide if it is relevant to what they wanted. So if a user types in Tucson, AZ and gets sent to my site, then that user better know – in 2 seconds or less – that they’re on the right site to search real estate in that city.
Open a web browser and look at the site that you’ll send your Listing Router visitors to. Give it 2 seconds, close the browser. What did you see? Did it look difficult to fill out, like it’d take a lot of time to actually look at listings? Did you know right away what city that the site was for? Did it load quickly or did it take forever?
A huge reason that we blog and are visible online is to attract clients, and clients often start out as visitors to our site. And when web visitors hit a new site, they don’t spend 20 minutes reading every word and carefully perusing it. They give it 2-8 seconds and move on if they don’t think the site is what they’re looking for. If you’re going to start paying for web visitors, first make sure your site is worth visiting, from the user perspective.
Step Two – Picking your battles.
Step Three - Planning for success.
Step Four - Measuring your results.
That was the most important thing I gleaned from your presentation at REBlogWorld...think about the page that they land on when you get that click; give them exactly what they are looking for without making them have to click around your site to get to it!
I'm interested to see how the lead router system will work, and what kind of results we will see. Good advice to start with, to give the landing page some thought before you start sending people to it....
This is probably the MOST important message that the folks on Active Rain can get, regarding the Listing Router. If you are going to PAY for something ... Make sure you are maximizing it as much as possible.
You inspired me:
http://mykwblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/where-are-you-sending-your-potential-customers/
Kelley,
This has been my dilemma for years, ever since we began our on line marketing efforts. Unfortunately we have few options with IDX in our market due to restrictions placed by the MLS. I wish this were different because I know what you are saying is very true.
Maureen
Your 2 second rule sounds even more important than the 5 second (food on the floor) rule! If you're inviting guests over, make sure they're going to feel at home and know they're in the right place immediately. Perfect, Kelley!
I can't think of a better tip than the 2-second rule, Kelley.
While my expertise is loans, I have been fortunate to learn a lot about onlime marketing through an informatin product I sell. The principles are the same. The "landing page" is the first opportunity you have to "sell" the new found customer; blow it and you're sunk.
When I say "sell" I should also point out that facilitating is part of selling. In the online world, the user experience is paramount. You want to make that experience easy and create stickiness to your site.
I hear about this post on twitter...and I think I have a big job ahead of me.
Sarah's twitter on this post caught my attention. What you are talking about here is really important. I personally thinking the Listing Router is a powerful tool. However, many MLS IDX feeds have limitations on how they can be displayed. As bizzare as it sounds, my Advanced Access site allows you to search the entire US or MI and since the info is framed, there is no static address to link to..
Well, if my IDX feed is perhaps being used as a lead generator for my website provider, that makes sense, but I'm not the one getting the leads from this. Sometimes there are no great choices...
Heather, Mariana - it's true! Sometimes we overlook the basics. If I'm sending someone to a page, and especially if I'm paying for it, then that page ought to not only have a clear goal, but it has to make a fast and fabulous first impression.
Maureen - unfortunately, there are still some MLS systems out there like that. I'll call yours tomorrow and see if there's anyway around it. They're opening up though, slowly.... slowly...
Sarah, Brian - web visitors, and especially pay per click visitors, are incredibly picky. You've got to grab and reassure them, and fast. Unlike the 5 second rule, where mitigating factors like floor cleanliness might extend or shorten that time period... :)
Karen - it can be a big job, true. But do-able. The right help and some smart thinking can make all the difference.
Lola - That's very true. Not all IDX solutions are created equal! When we developed the ARE-Tec IDX stuff, I made it a point to have that search flexible enough that I could seed it with any data that I wanted, so that my pay-per-click and niche sites were showing the right information in my search! Without that piece, you'll convert far less visitors. There are other IDX providers that provide that functionality as well. It's important to shop around and make sure your web tools fit your goals.
Kelley,
The more time that I spend talking to agents about what they are finding useful is, ease of use. The easier and more unique the access is to the consumer, the more likely the consumer is to come back or to bookmark the page as useful.
Great advice... I think many agents spend so much time & energy on how to get consumers to their site, but often neglect actually creating a site that's worth visiting. We have to look at the big picture, through the eyes of the consumer.
After reading your AdWords post on AgentGenius I thought I'd give it a shot. Immediately I began thinking this exact thing. Where are we sending them? What will they see when they get there? How will they feel? Will it draw them in or turn them away. I am still tweaking and modifying with the "2 seconds" in mind. I have work to do and with your continued posts here and there I'll be ahead in this new venture.
Thanks Kelley!
I need to read more.
Thanks
Rich
Charlotte NC
Kelly you are completely right. I never thought about directing them directly to a page for the city I am paying for. That is a good idea Im going to go play aroudn more.
Excellent point about paying for the eyeballs but first deciding what they will find when they get to where you want them to be.
Kelley, really important to mesure everything we spend money on - including eyeballs. I reealy need to hone in on this. info@KathyToth.com
Happy Halloween from Ann Arbor, Michigan Kathy Toth and Team
Kelley,
I am looking to see if our company can make the process faster and easier...I hope it can.
You mean it doesn't make sense to pay for leads and send them to my home page? :) I was so disappointed to be moderating another session during your PPC speech at RE Blog World. I am hoping we get to see tapes soon. I know you are actually successful with this type of marketing (unlike many people who just throw their money away) and I am sure the key is making the best landing spot on the back end.
Paying for something we are not using properly doesn't make sense.
BTW- I was totally blown away by the ARE-TEC product when I saw it an Inman this summer. I will be stopping by for another demo at NAR next week!
I think this going to be fantastic. My only suggestion is that they allow you to chhose your budget for each city, rather than the $50 default.
Great information --- thanks.
Liz Loadholt
I haven't set up the listing router yet, but plan to this weekend....sometimes without thinking we may send them to our home page of our website, but really it does make sense to send them directly to where they can search for homes....good reminder...thanks!
Thanks for the info Liz - I'd never heard the 2 second rule. I tried to set up my router today but had some trouble. I've emailed AR. Do you make house calls? Would love for you to eyeball us and give us your 2 cents! Thanks again,
Thanks for the great info. Being new to this type of lead generation your info was very helpful. Thanks again!!
Kelley - Great info here.
It boils down to "If you’re going to start paying for web visitors, first make sure your site is worth visiting, from the user perspective."
2 to 8 seconds? The destination site you send them to better grab them and grab in a hurry!
Are you following me on Twitter?
great post - I have to really concentrate on some improvements:)
Absolutely spot on with your advice Kelly. You have to act like a buyer when your site comes up(if it comes up!) in order to get the most from this! I know that alot of agents are just not thinking about this but a consumer does. You've got 2 seconds before they say 'nah' too much effort and they're gone.
I also wish that AR agents would think about how long their blog loads when they are using the newer customizer. I know when I find things off the newsletter to read, I shouldn't have to wait for the background to load for 3-5 seconds. Took too much time. Just because you like it doesn't mean the consumer will.
We are in an INSTANT society. People get mad if there is a car in front of them at Dunkin Donuts :)
3-5 seconds is generous, it is definitely closer to 2.
This was very informative, I appreciate the post and look forward to the next addition. Thanks again!
Ted
You are so right about capture time, I tell my fellow agents this all the time and they tend not to believe it for some reason until I ask them how long they stay at a site they searched for!!!! Aha moment......
I'll be brutally honest.........
We give incentives (points) for people to link to ActiveRain from their websites. We have to go through every link submitted to us and approve the link for points. I have in the last year looked at THOUSANDS of agent websites. 98% of them are HORRIBLE (98% might actually be generous) . If I was a consumer on one of these sites I would be hitting the back button faster than you can say 'money wasted'.
Agents need to take a long hard look at their site in comparison to what else is out there and think to themselves.......'would I EVER use my own site if I wasn't me'.
A website should be one of the primary investments an agent makes when they start in the business. However, if the thing doesn't serve it's purpose, then that investment was wasted. So......what is the purpose of your site? I would strongly suggest that if the purpose of your site is to CAPTURE TRAFFIC that lands on your site and convert that traffic to a prospect, then your website needs to be able to do that EFFECTIVELY.
If you are using our traffic router, ask yourself if there is ANY way for you to convert that traffic to prospects. Sadly, many of the people sending traffic to their sites have no component of prospect (lead) capture and all you're going to get are visits (and wasted money.....and that's the last thing we want our members to be doing)
That totally makes sence... who wants to pay for leads that do not produce... If the sites don't entice them.. they will move on... Kudos..
HI KELLY!
You've hit on some good points here. Bob says 95% of the agents websites are horrible? Wow, that's something. But I agree, if it take too long to load, I'm out of there. As a consumer, I don't waste time on those sights that take a long time to load.
What a great point you have made. Make sure the end user is getting what they want, and fast. I will go back to my site and see if I can improve on what I have. Thank you.
Kelly, I had no idea you were here until I read Kristals post. I also had no idea your husband programmed ARE-TEC, Mariana had linked to it on my blog.
Yea, so glad you're here, you will have so much to offer since AR is getting into consumers being able to link to listings. I have gone to many web site and IDX searches since this was launced as folks asked me questions about PPC and Listing Router.
You are right, a consumer will make up their mind in 2 sec if it is worthy to be looked at and register and search.
I like it! I have to be very careful where I spend money, but I think the website should not be a place to cut corners...
Great Tip! First impressions are everything.
kelley,
Thanks for the post. This sounds like good sage advice. Good starting point for moving forward.
I certainly understand the concept and am not worried about the revenue model. However, I logged out and am having trouble setting everything up. I'll keep plugging along and figure it out.
Is very interesting but how does it get set up ? Is it something we have to integrate on our web sites ? I sell real estate and am not a tech code person ?
Hi Kelley - I love that 2-second rule! I'll now be having to go back and check out all my stuff to see just what things look like. I try to keep that in mind when I do things, but no doubt there's plenty I need to redo to meet this new rule that I'm going to borrow and put in place.
Ann
If you want the listing router to feed you.. you need to make sure you are feeding attractive information
"...convert that traffic to a prospect..."
I would love to hear comments on how to do this. Some sites ask you to fill out some contact info before being able to use the MLS search tool. How do you feel about that. What other ways do you try to get their info once they get to your site?
Another way os to hope they contact you after looking at some listings in the MLS, but the other agents phone number is always under the MLS listing info on our MLS, so whats maes them contact you and not the listing agent they see in the info?
It seems confusing to me. Youw ant to give them access to the info right away, but you also would like them to fill out a quick contact form.
Kelley - Right you are. It is so critical to actually evaluate your site from a consumer perspective, at least to the best of our abilities. My friend who runs an SEO company recommends giving your friends a gift card just for taking a few minutes to evaluate your site. He gives them a short list of questions to answer, then tweaks based on the feedback.
Kelley ~ I think that you have opened up something much bigger than just the Listing Router. Realistically, all real estate agents should have a Google Analytics account and be keeping a close eye on it. One of the most important things that I look at is the bounce rate. If I have a bounce rate over 50%, then I make a change to the appearance of my website (or that page). A bounce rate of 50% means that half of the people that visit my website, leave before they look at any other pages. This tells me that they don't like what they are seeing and move on. That is a problem!
To apply this to the listing router, agents need to check what their bounce rate is before and after they set up the router. This will tell them how effective they have been and are going to be.
thanks for the insight.... I love your logo........
Keep the focus....
You make some good points, and I have gone back and tweaked my landing sites to be more specific. Thanks for the tips.
Kelley: It always amazes all the time, effort, and energy people expend to get potential clients to their door, only to SLAM it in their face with every conceivable obstacle known to mankind that effectively sends them packing. The new Listing Router is totally useless unless you can link it to a landing page that effectively engages them and offers quick, easy-to-use navigation.
Kelly: I have looked at Missy's IDX.. Did you set up her IDX ? I like what I see.
This is a GREAT tip and one that is so simple but I never thought about it. I did think about our bo-oring IDX when reading Missy's post and that needs to be addressed. Thanks.
I think I need to take a careful look at my landing page. I don't think it'll do all that it should.
Thanks for the great message!
Kelley - what I like about you is that you go out of your way to help people with no ulterior motives - you Rock and so does http://www.are-tec.com/
Kelley, sounds like good advice making sure that there are not a lot of clicks for the user.
It really is a challenge -- my home page looks okay, but I would like to send visitors directly to the home search page (an IDX solution) and it isn't attractive at all. Maybe I will create another page to link buyers to from AR. Thanks for the advice.
Very Good advice - but you've aleardy heard that from all your comments. I know I'm guilty of not having that friendly GUI that would keep buyers longer that 2-5 seconds - But I've purchased canned websites that don't allow too much modification - I'm wondering what you recommend for that interface to keep them there - beyond at least making sure you populate fields they've already given you - not requiring to retype the city - What makes them stay - and not click away ? Do tell!
You offer some great advice on how to impress a new consumer to your website. It's the same as when you meet someone in person for the first time. You usually take about 2 seconds to assess that person. You can usually tell whether you will like that person, and whether you want to continue having a relationship with that person. Your website needs to portray that same impact.
Great information, thanks for the tips.
Have A Great Day
Good point Kelley, it would be a waste of money if your IDX site is not easy to navigate.
Kelley, this is what we need to do on our site. I just filled out for more info on your IDX on your site. Thanks!