According to research, there are over 1 million licensed real estate agents nationwide. And thanks to innovations in technology, consumers have an endless amount of listing data at their fingertips. So how can you stand out from the competition?

Also, how can you prove that your expertise is still needed in this information-rich society? The answer is simple–establish your online presence. Let’s discuss a few reasons why every real estate agent should have a website.

1. It Offers a Real Introduction

Successful real estate agents use a variety of marketing platforms, including email marketing, direct mail postcards, and even print ads in magazine. It connects you with new clients, the results are easy to track, and it’s affordable. However, many people still struggle with their real estate marketing postcard campaigns. Though their clients are highly targeted, their response rates are still extremely low.

The problem is, they fail to make a significant impression on the customer. They never learn why they should call or email the agent. In most cases, this is due to a lack of information. Sure, the postcard may include all of the typical contact information such as the agent’s name, phone number, email address, and a call-to-action. But the customer needs to know more about the person they’re contacting.

The best way to introduce yourself is to include a link to your website. This way, the customer can learn more about your company, your philosophy, how much experience you have, and what makes you stand out. If you’re working on direct mail for real estate, remember that a huge part of getting people to take action is formally introducing yourself.

2. It Showcases Your Expertise

No matter what industry you’re in, there’s hardly anything more valuable to a company than authority. The more authority you have, the more people trust you. And the more people trust you, the more clients you get. So how do you gain authority in the real estate industry? You need to start a blog.

Your website is more than just a place to store your personal details and background information. It’s also a space in which you can share all of your knowledge with those who are eagerly searching for help.

Your blog may include topics such as “What to Look for in a Real Estate Agent” or “The Ultimate Home Inspection Checklist.” Starting a helpful blog is a great way to showcase your expertise and let your current and future clients know that they’re in good hands.

3. It Generates Traffic

Many real estate agents have realized the power of social media. It allows you to build a community of loyal followers. Your customers can give you valuable feedback and in real-time. You can use your platform to tap into a segment of the market that you were never aware of. Also, it helps to build brand awareness.

But where many agents fall short is that they don’t have a digital space that they can call their own. While it’s beneficial to sign up for these major platforms, you still need a website for your customers to go back to–a home base where they can get the information that they need and straight from the source.

This logic applies to Adwords and CRMs as well. These are two sources of traffic that you need to send to your own website. Sure, combining PPC and social media can be extremely powerful, but if you want to measure your results easily and efficiently, send the traffic to your landing page.

4. It Keeps You On Their Minds

Research shows that the average attention span is getting shorter with each passing year. There’s so much information available, but very little time to consume it. So it’s no surprise that brands are doing everything that they can to stay on their customer’s minds.

The companies that are the most successful at keeping people’s attention are those that have an online presence. One of the best things about a website is that it’s constant. Unlike a brick-and-mortar store, it has no business hours.

Customers can visit your site at any time of the day and get the information that they need. Not only is this useful to them, but if you’re always creating useful content, then you can become an ever-present part of your customers’ lives. Ultimately, when they think of real estate, you’ll be the first person or company that comes to mind.

5. It Builds Your Brand

Another great way to stand out from the competition is to create a unique brand. Your brand determines the way your customers feel about you. Whether they get that feeling from your color scheme, logo, infographics, or the way in which you tell your story, your website is an essential element when it comes to creating your brand identity and voice.

While business cards, flyers, signs, and referrals are great marketing options, nothing can make your company come to life in the same way that a website can.

Conclusion

There are several benefits to working in the real estate industry. This career gives you the opportunity to be your own boss, salaries are extremely competitive, and you get the chance to network with people from diverse backgrounds.
However, in order to reap these benefits, you must be willing to establish an online presence. Specifically, you need to create a website that allows your future customers to learn about the value that you can offer them.