10 Top Tips for Estate Agent Website Design

Given that we've worked with many estate agents including Browns Estate Agency and Northallerton Estate Agency, we thought it would be handy to share our ten best tips to help improve your estate agent website.

1. Search is king

The main reason your users are on your website are to search for properties. Make it clear and easy for them to find what they want or they'll quickly go elsewhere. Think about the filters you have used and whether they help or harm the search process.

2. Speed (and therefore page size) is also important

Your users are not only searching but they are also comparing many different properties so make sure that your page loads are quick and your property images in particular get the right balance between looking crisp but also loading fast.

3. One stop shop

Don't let you users go elsewhere for extra information about the area or local schools - provide it alongside relevant properties.

4. Sell your agency

Many customers don't know the difference between one agency and another - let them know why they should pick yours over all the others. Do you have a more extensive local knowledge base then other agents? Are you cheaper? Do you invest more in customer service? Whatever it is, convince your users to pick you.

5. Use your website to save time

Make sure you answer important questions on your website so you can save time on your staff answering the same questions day in, day out. Information on the selling process, the moving process and mortgage calculators can be simple but effective time savers.

6. Recycling Property URL's

When properties get sold and the listings are redundant, try and either leave the information available for searchers or make sure the address redirects to or suggests something relevant rather than serving up a basic 404 page.

7. Keep your content updated

To stay fresh and relevant in the search engines you will want to provide fresh content. This can mean either blogging or just writing content that is focused on helping housebuyers and sellers. If you get this right you could even kill two birds with one stone and include point 5 ("Use your website to save time") in this.

8. Keep your users updated

Make the most of having regular users by inviting them to sign up to your newsletter. You can then send out targeted campaigns to make the most out of having new listings in the areas they are looking rather than sending them stuff they don't want to see.

9. Be careful with 'Under Offer'

Although the 'Under Offer' technique may work well offline, it can easily frustrate users who are trying to view only the properties that are available. If you do use it, make sure it's easy for users to be able to filter their search to hide them if needed.

10. Sell your advantages over the big guys

Although the likes of Rightmove and Zoopla have meant that alot of property searchers go elsewhere, make sure you highlight the advantages of using your site over theirs. Users will really appreciate finding out about a new property before it appears elsewhere.

Want Us To Help?

If you are looking for someone to help with give your estate agency website a refresh then please get in touch.