Build it and they will come.
...well, not really. A website that remains stagnant (regardless of how great it looks) is nothing more than a glorified business card. In order to start getting recognized in organic search engine results, it's important for you to remain vigilant, promote your site, and add new content on a regular basis. We will do our part by providing solid education and support, but it's important for you to remain part of the process by adding custom content and finding creative ways to drive web traffic to your website. After working with hundreds of real estate agents, we have learned a thing or two. Our staff has compiled a list of awesome and creative ways that can help you bring visitors to your website. As always, it’s really important for you to have great content in order to keep visitors on your site and convert them into solid leads and ultimately sales!
- Sponsor a coloring contest. Post a coloring sheet on your website, advertise to your engageRE contacts, and offer a gift card to the winner.
- Sponsor a small scholarship for a local college. Ask the college to provide a link on their website to your website site (having a “.edu” incoming link to your site is a bonus!).
- Have a monthly raffle drawing for home décor/fun new items.
- Offer a raffle for local baked goods: hand deliver the goodies to the winner.
- Sponsor a contest or raffle offering tickets to a popular community event (theater, ballet, concert, etc).
- Partner with a local animal shelter to sponsor a pet naming contest. For every entry, donate a small amount ($1 - $5) to the shelter. The winner of the pet naming contest gets bragging rights, and the shelter gets publicity and a small donation.
- Promote a $100 gift card giveaway. Add a button that links to the registration form, and draw one name per month from those who register (may be MLS or region dependent).
- Offer a $5 Starbucks gift card for everyone who registers on your site (may be MLS or region dependent).
- Partner with other agents who reside in a “vacation” location – promote each other’s listings.
- Offer weekly contests geared towards prominent sports teams and offer game-day giveaways (tickets, memorabilia, etc.).
- Post a photo each month of a location within your market area – visitors register to guess where it is, those that are correct could be entered into a prize drawing.
- Link all of your social media accounts to your site, and be sure to post things frequently and consistently. Don’t post too often – once or twice a week is ideal. Post new listings, open houses, or simply thanking everyone for their support. This would also be a great place to announce new contests or giveaways.
- Sponsor a local recreational youth sports team. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have all of the spectators see your brand on the back of those uniforms?
- Advertise your website in local media such as newspaper, magazine, or radio.
- Offer a raffle for a locally sponsored restaurant.
- Join a local business association. Many of these will offer a directory on their website that will link to your site. Examples: local Chamber of Commerce, Visitor’s Bureau, Rotary Club, etc.
- Offer for a discount on home staging.
- Develop a top-notch buying/selling guide. Advertise it on your social media sites. Set up a Squeeze Page on your website that requires someone to register to receive the document via email.
- Above all, don’t forget about traditional marketing methods such as local advertising, flyers, signage, etc.
- Have a door-to-door campaign with a small gift and flyer advertising your website.
