In my book, "5-Minutes to Maximizing Real Estate Technology," Thomson/Learning, I discuss over thirty tips for making the most out of your web site. Here are ten tips from my book that I believe all real estate professionals should consider when building and planning their web site.

Tip #1
• Have an easy-to-use URL/Web site address. Try to think of something
clever yet easily memorable that the consumer can use:
www.RealEstateTechGuy.com or www.JohnSellsDallasRealEstate.com.
Tip #2
• Capitalize important letters on your Web site address. As we mentioned
earlier Web sites and e-mail addresses are not case sensitive. It is a good idea
to mix and match capital and small letters to help the consumer remember and
read your Web site address easier. www.realestatetechguy.com is harder to
read than www.RealEstateTechGuy.com. In all your advertisements and on
your e-mail signatures capitalize the beginning of new words.
Tip #3
• Avoid using lots of extras. Although music/animation and many of the
latest and greatest technology Web site features are fun for those of us
using high-speed Internet data connections, but for others, such features
make your site slow to load or display and discourages users from viewing
your site. Make sure that your Web site is free from too many extraneous
features.
Tip #4
• Arrange your content by categories. It is a good idea to try to keep most
of your content in categories that the consumer many be looking for.
Tip #5
• Provide local and community events. It is important to use your Web
site in helping promote other activities and local events for your
community. Sometimes your Web site can be a good reference for an
annual community event, provide times and locations for various activities,
and list happenings for local consumers.
Tip #6
• Showcase photos of local attractions and events. You can also use your
Web site to create mini slide shows of landmarks in your area. Displaying
photos of local hospitals, schools, along with shopping districts is an
excellent way to help out-of-town buyers gain more knowledge about your
community. Photos of annual events and pictures of parades and past
activities can also be a great way to drive traffic to your Web site (Note: If
personal photographs of individuals are used, be sure and get a disclaimer
before posting them on your Web site.)
Tip #7
• Add local school activities. Providing a link to the local school activities
or creating your own list of activities around the local school is a good way
to direct consumers to your Web site. It would probably be a good idea to
link this listing to the school's activity page in case activities change. Most
local school districts have this information on their Web site where you
could then link to it.
Tip #8
• Post a homework schedule. As noted in the previous tip, most school
districts provide lots of information for parents. You can take advantage of
these features by including links to homework schedules and other tips on
your Web site. Even though consumers can find this information from the
school district's Web site, offering it may increase your traffic.
Tip #9
• Offer to post sporting team practices and games. Many times if you
have children who are participating in a little league or some other type of
sports association team you can volunteer to post the practice schedule and
performance or game times along with dates on your Web site. It is an
excellent way to get family members from the team your child is
participating on to go to your Web site. It actually can have far-reaching
potential as friends, grandparents, and others who are interested in
watching the child perform go to your Web site for more information.
Tip #10
• Provide link to local weather. Weather forecasts are easily accessible at
many Web sites for consumers, but it doesn't hurt to provide a link to the
local weather site or create a three- or four-day forecast weather box on
your homepage for your local area. Some sites such as www.weather.com
offer Web tools that allow you to add this information to your Web site.
Maximizing Real Estate Technology
Providing customer-specific information is essential. Group information into
categories to make the Web site visitor appreciate your cyberspace office. Put
buyer information in one area and selling information in another to save the
Web visitor much time when looking for those details at your site. Begin to
think about ways you can develop more specific information for buyers,
sellers, investors, and other target markets. For example, you can develop
first-time home-buyer information under your buyer's category along with
information for VA (veterans) with other references that would be pertinent to
this market niche.
By following these simple steps I'm certain you will have great success for driving consumers to your web site and bringing them back in the future. For all of my web site tips and other technology ideas, short-cuts and ways to save time and make money, check out my book, "5-Minutes to Maximizing Real Estate Technology," Thomson/Learning. For more information go to www.5-Minutes.com.

John D. Mayfield