As many agents are still working on getting their businesses a jump start here in 2008 I thought it would be helpful to address one of the most common questions we hear when we are teaching internet marketing for Realtors®. 

After learning the concepts of Search Engine Optimization, Content Creation, Google Adwords and more it can seem overwhelming on knowing just where to start to have a successful online presence.  So in that vein of helping everyone determine where they need to start we thought it would be helpful to pose a few questions so you can determine just where you need to begin to start dominating online.  If you go through these questions, you won’t be saying “If I just had enough leads each month I could really do well”, you will be saying “I just don’t know how I can handle all of these leads!”

1.  Do you currently have a real estate website or Blog?
   • It may sound like an obvious question, but we speak to many agents who still don’t have a website.  If you like writing consistently each week then you may want to go with a Blog.  If you want to take more time to write information about your area then a website might be a better choice.
   • If you have both already then you are off to a great start.  If you aren’t generating serious leads from them (at least 50 a month) then you need to pick one to focus on so you can make it a lead generating machine.
2. What is the goal for your online marketing efforts?
   • Did you want it to generate a deal a month for you?  Is it ok if just added 5 more deals on the year?  This is important as it can make you go look to the budget question to ensure you are spending enough on your advertising efforts.  Understanding your end goal will help you to plan your overall strategy.
3. How much time are you prepared to dedicate to your online marketing each month?
   • Be honest with yourself on this one.  If you really can only see yourself spending an hour a month, then you won’t want to do a Blog because it will take more time than that.  For those interested in low time investment you will want to focus more on a website and Google Pay per Click Ads.
4. How much money are you prepared to invest in your online real estate marketing?
   • One of the big benefits of marketing online is that it is affordable, but to get huge results it isn’t going to be free.  If you have invested in a magazine ad or a farm before try putting those same dollars to work for you online.  Dedicated as little as $50-$150 a month can help you to start generating leads.  Set aside some budget for your Blog or website and then some to advertise it (like through Google Adwords, Yahoo Search Marketing, or MSN Advertising).
5. How are you going to measure your results?
   • Online advertising is like any advertising medium in that you need to measure the results to determine if you are going to continue investing in it.  Luckily you have lots of data to track online so you can see how you are progressing.  Think about judging metrics like number of visitors, number of subscribers (if you have a Blog), number of leads, and most importantly number of deals you have closed! Give yourself time to see the results.  Track your numbers on a monthly basis so you can see the improvement

I know it can be difficult, but understanding where you currently are in regards to your online real estate marketing can help you the most to determine where you need to be.  If you want to know even more about where you should start, at Online Real Estate success, we provide a FREE 20 minute consultation to help you determine where your need to start to succeed online.  It’s not a disguised sales call, it is designed to help you understand where you are at and what you need to do to get going.  Fill out the easy form and e-mail or fax it in to reserve your time.

To your success online!
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