inman real estate connect sf 2009 - how to build a killer website from scratch
TRANSCRIPT
10 Steps to a Killer Broker Website
Aman Daro VP, Integrated Marketing
McGuire Real Estate [email protected]
McGuire Real Estate
> 90 year old residential brokerage > Boutique, luxury brand covering the San Francisco Bay Area > 250 agents, 8 offices
Photo: Mapjack
> One of the first real estate websites in SF
mcguire.com
1. Choose Vendors Wisely
> Front-end and back-end not necessarily the same company – 1000Watt + Elevated Rails
> Understanding usability and company objectives can
trump project estimate
> Hope you like working with them
2. Technology Shouldn’t Get in the Way
> Pick technologies for – Ease of development and
maintenance – What will be favorable in the
future > Ruby on Rails allows for very quick
development > Too much Flash can be bad > Open source back end is
preferred by many, but keep security in mind
Photo: abigol
3. Define Your Target Audiences
> Potential clients > Current sellers > Agents > Management
– Understand difference between management’s needs and user’s
Photo: Morten Elbech Sørensen
4. Information Architecture is Underrated
> Rarely used by small/medium businesses, but critical in information-rich websites
Simple structure = better experience = more users = more business
5. Listings Are The Center of the Universe
> The primary reason users visit a broker site
> Design around this objective – Easy to access across site, large photos,
etc.
> Develop content to support this goal – Neighborhood info, stats, user-generated
content, etc.
6. SEO From the Ground Up
> Site structure should be search-engine friendly
> Unique title/headline/tight cluster of keyword phrase(s) for every page
> Pick relevant keywords with Google Keyword Search Tool
> Don’t forget long tail
7. Design: Less is More
> White space lets the message “breathe”
> Home page – Focus on few key
messages – Allocate % of home
page real estate to priority of message
8. Optimize for Conversion
> A “cool” web 2.0 site isn’t enough. Demand ROI.
> Clear call to action – White space – Buttons near images
> Test – Google Website
Optimizer
9. Plan for The Future
> Needs will change and expand
> Site should accommodate those changes
Photo: pigeon pair
10. Evergreen Endeavor
> Project doesn’t end after launch – Maintenance – Adaptation to changing market
demands – Consider redesign in 5-7 years – Need budget and team on call
Photo: Sam Howzit
