Building a Real Estate Website (2014 WordCamp Raleigh, NC)

PRESENTED BY EDDIE BURROUGHSWordCamp 2014 Raleigh, NC

BUILDING aReal Estate

Website

Session Outline:

Real Estate Web Express (REWebExpress.com)

01. Choosing Your Audience.02. Building Out Your Content.

04. What Plugins Must I have?05. Let’s Build & Setup Your Site.

03. Theme or Custom Template?

06. Now What To Do With Your Website.

Something About ME


I began building websites in 1999Started using WordPress in 2004 (it was a

year old)

Became a REALTOR in 2007Built www.KwikPost.com in 2008

Started building websites for real estate professionals in 2008

http://www.kwikpost.com/

Let’s Get STARTED


This is your last chance to leave with your sanity!

I will provide a link for you to download the slides at the end of our session.

CHOOSING YOUR AUDIENCE


o What sets you apart?

o Why choose you?

o MLS Listings

o Market Reports

o Community Statistics

o School Districts

o Opt in check list for

buying a house

SELLERS / LISTING BOTH / COMBOBUYERS

o What sets you apart?

o Why choose you?

o MLS Listings

o Home Valuation

o ToM Statistics

o Info on Closings

o Opt in check list for

selling your house

o Look at Buyers column

o Look at Sellers column

As a real estate professional never forget you give clients time.

BUILDING OUT YOUR CONTENT


Where to find your content?

o Write it yourself. Pull from your experience. (This is important – Your Website needs YOU)

o Look within your office / Broker in Chargeo Local Association (http://www.rrar.com/)o State Association (http://www.ncrealtors.org/) o Your Franchise (RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Keller Williams, ERA Real

Estate)o National websites: Realtor.org/com, Zillow, Trulia, Inmann, ActiveRain,

BiggerPockets

o Double Down On #1: Write Your Own Content, Blog about what is going on in the area.

If you use another persons content make sure you credit them

http://www.rrar.com/

http://www.rrar.com/

http://www.ncrealtors.org/

http://www.ncrealtors.org/

Cookie Cutter THEME or CUSTOM?


1.Cost is typically less upfront2.It takes more work for you to turn that theme into something unique, can be done within theme and CSS 3.You are dependent on a support team you have no relationship with.4.You are tasked with adding all the content and styling that content.5.Could be time consuming

1. Typically cost more upfront2. They will take the design you like and create the theme around your brand.3. You have a relationship with a support team because they have been with you from the beginning.4. You can give them the content and images and they will add it for you.5. This typically doesn’t consume your time.

CC Theme

Custom Theme

THEME LOCATIONS


01. Theme repository at wordpress.org or within your WordPress install

02. http://themeforest.net/category/wordpress/real-estate

03. http://www.elegantthemes.com/gallery/elegantestate/

04. http://www.agentevolution.com/

05. http://my.studiopress.com/themes/

You could also take any theme that fits your look and feel and add an IDX solutions. Which typically needs

to happen if you want to add your MLS listings within your site.

WHAT PLUGINS MUST I HAVE?


This is 100% Opinionated1. Akismet – Spam filter2. iThemes Security (formerly Better WP Security) / Wordfence 3. Limit Login Attempts4. WP-DBManager5. Duplicator6. WP Smush.it7. Disqus8. All in One SEO / WordPress SEO by Yoast9. Gravity Forms / Contact Form 710. Google XML Sitemaps

CHOOSING AN IDX SOLUTION


Real Estate IDX Options

First of all, there may be free IDX solutions available to you, or paid ones.

Secondly, each IDX solution works differently within each MLS. There is no blanket statement, “XYZ works best”. In the end, the IDX solution that works best for you is going to be partly based on your budget, and partly based on your location (MLS).

Third, most IDX solutions can be incorporated into any theme. Restrictions sometimes come from your local MLS that state you can’t use this there, or you must link out to that.

Fourth, IDX can bring to your site two important things. The traditional “Search the MLS”, and/or Listings. Not just your Listings, or the Office Listings, but all Listings. I emphasize the CAN. Not all do.

CHOOSING AN IDX SOLUTION


Real Estate IDX Options

FREE:Check with your local MLS to see if they offer a free IDX solution. Not all will offer a free solution. Generally speaking if they do it is a trimmed down, minimal features, iframe-able snippet of code, that you copy and paste in with little to no customization.

PAID:Diverse Solutions (owned by Zillow) http://www.diversesolutions.com/

IDXBroker http://www.idxbroker.com/

http://www.diversesolutions.com/

http://www.diversesolutions.com/

http://www.idxbroker.com/

http://www.idxbroker.com/

LET’S BUILD A SITE


First, login to your cPanel account and find the Softaculous icon under the "Software Services" section. It should be located in the lower part of your cPanel page, right under the "Domains" section.

STEP ONE



Once you click on the Softaculous button, you will be redirected to the page where you have to chose the application you want to install. On the left side of your screen locate the "Blogs" category, click on it and then click on the "WordPress" link that will appear.

STEP TWO



On the next page, press the Install button at the top of your screen to specify that you want to perform a brand new WordPress installation.

STEP THREE



Finally, enter the required fields for your site - title, description, administrative username and password, administrative e-mail etc. and click on the "Install" button. Please note that by default Softaculous will install the application in a "wp" sub-folder. That being said, if you would like to be able to access the website only via your domain name you should delete the wp string from the "Directory" field. If you want to install the application in another sub-folder you should simply type it in the field..

STEP FOUR

LET’S SET-UP OUR SITE


9 Quick edits after install

o Remove the default “About Page” as that is all that is left from the examples that WordPress installs on your site. You will create a new about page, but this time with your own title and page url other than /about/

o Change permalinks, my favorite option for permalinks is to use the field “custom structure” and then use /%postname%/ or /%postname%.html. This will give you search engine friendly URLs with the title and keywords in place.




o Remove or rename the default post category. The standard post category in WordPress is set to “Uncategorized” with the same for the Slug. You don’t want that, you should have the main topic of your site reflected in that category.

o Activate and Configure the Askimet Plugin to protect you against comment spam. You can get a free Askimet key from www.wordpress.com, but check out the Askimet site first..

o Check privacy settings to make sure you don’t block search engines to index your website.o Install “must have” plugins. See previous slides.o Install a new theme. See previous slides.o Choose and configure your widgets. Once you have a new theme you can change the

behavior of your sidebar and other elements by placing and configuring those widgets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jheIpwoNDcs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jheIpwoNDcs




o Start writing! This is the most important part as you now have nothing left to show on your website… create your first posts and pages and start building your website!

Here is a youtube channel that may help (it is a little old but still good info)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxNQHjSMrS_A6IMBQl_TYeg

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxNQHjSMrS_A6IMBQl_TYeg

NOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR WEBSITE


LET’S GET SOCIAL

o Create a Facebook Business Page and Link your Website to this page. You can set it up so that you post to your website and it automatically updates your Facebook Page.

o Link your Twitter account to your WordPress site. So you can send out a tweet every time you update your site.

o Link your LinkedIn profile to your WordPress site. So that you can…. You guessed it update your profile every time you update your site.

o Create a Youtube Channel and start posting video tours in your Youtube channel. You can also do some self promotion and create videos teaching buyers or sellers about the process.

Don’t be a Consumer in your Social Marketing. Be a GIVER!

THANK YOU!!


Questions if we have time.

If not you can always reach me at

www.REWebExpress.com

919-229-4920

Slide are located at:http://bit.ly/wc2014-re

http://www.rewebexpress.com/

http://bit.ly/wc2014-re

http://bit.ly/wc2014-re

Date post:	13-Apr-2017
Category:	Real Estate
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