An online presence needs more than just a website
Many custom home builders are realizing they need a better presence on the web. After the downturn of the real estate market in recent years, builders across the country are rethinking how they market themselves, and getting a better handle on an online presence. Many are having their websites built from scratch; others are opting into free template websites where they can create their own site. Yes, having your own home builder website is important, and the site does need to reflect your business’s message and value. However, your website alone isn’t enough.
I’ll explain why in just a moment, but first let’s frame an analogy to help you better understand why you need more than a just website to develop a strong web presence. The analogy isn’t perfect, but I think you’ll get my drift:
Let’s pretend you’re a commercial fisherman. The ocean is huge and full of many fish. There are other fishermen out there competing for the fish you want. You want to catch a few hundred pounds of fish so you can cash in with the local vendors. To catch as many fish as possible, you’re going to use a single fishing pole. Wait . . . what? Correct me if I’m wrong, but my guess is you probably won’t use just one fishing pole to catch a few hundred pounds of fish. That doesn’t make sense. Not many fish will find your single line, and it’s only one source for catching fish. Of course you won’t use a single pole. What you’ll do, if you’re smart, is cast a large net with appropriate bait for the specific type of fish you are trying to catch. Using a net, your chances of catching many fish have way more than doubled because of the broad reach and area you are covering.
Now consider your home builder website. Think of your site as that single fishing pole with bait on it (value). Your line is cast out there in the ocean, (on the web) but not many fish can even find it. Not to mention, you only have one way to catch (interact and engage with) your fish.
When it comes to your business’s web presence, think of it as a net. You need to cast a large net (online presence) so people can ultimately find you through multiple channels and engage with you. You need your website, but that alone is not enough. Using things like social media and blogging are two great, simple ways to start casting a larger presence online.
Don’t be one of those builders out there that says, “I have a website, why do I need social media? Why do I need anything else?”
Have your own home builder website, but think big. Think progressively.
The fact is that most builders are not accustomed to using the web for business. Not many have a strong online presence. This is why now is the perfect opportunity to cast your net.
STATS AND AN EXAMPLE
Let’s remember it’s 2014. The Internet has been around a while. The majority of the population—including your potential customer—is already looking for builders online. The Millennials and younger generations—the next set of home buyers—are online before they pick up the phone or even think about reaching out. They will do 95% of their research on the web before they even think to come into your office or give you a call. Check out these stats from early last year on consumers, the Internet, and social media:
• 46% of online users count on social media when making a purchase.
• 52% of all marketers have found customers via Facebook in 2013.
• Social media produces almost double the marketing leads of trade shows, telemarketing, direct mail, or pay-per-click.
• Social media lead-conversion rates are 13% higher than the average lead-conversion rate.
If those didn’t get your attention you can check out a few more stats via Hubspot & Mediabistro. But let’s keep in mind those were from EARLY last year...imagine what they are now!
Now let’s look at an example. If you have a website, a facebook, a twitter, a pinterest, and a blog, you now have five channels for people to find you on the web. You also have five distinct opportunities to engage with your target audience and prove your value to them. Doing these things, you’ve created a significant online presence that will get your message out faster and enable you to engage with multiple customers at once. Not only can you engage them, but they can share your value with their friends and family.
An additional benefit is that all of the above-mentioned websites have aggregated the users—all you have to do is present a great message and you can get in front of a lot of people interested in what you have to offer.
I think you get my point. You need to have multiple channels on the web where home buyers can engage with you and find your value. They want to see your photos, your floor plans and your content. They want to hear from your raving fans. They want to see who YOU are and what YOU can offer before they call or stop by your office. Your website might be great—revolutionary even—but if people aren’t seeing it, it’s worthless. You need a variety of online mediums to attract as many people as possible and convert them to qualified leads.
THE REALITY OF IT ALL
Ultimately, you need your own home builder website, but you need to take some time to “cast your net” out there and get some content on other platforms. Maybe you’re a builder with no website. That’s okay. You can get started with social media sites, or new construction platforms like Hoodle. These simple websites allow you to achieve a strong web presence in just 5 to 15 minutes. Most sites have point-and-click features that are simple to use. All you have to do is get started. If you know where your photos and floor plans are, you can quickly create a tremendous tool for attracting new buyers. Next thing you know, you, an assistant or even a family member is posting content, and you are seeing more traffic to your website and more access to buyers.
I’d like to leave you with a few final thoughts. You don’t use a handsaw to build your homes—you use a circular saw. You don’t always use a hammer—you use a nail gun. You don’t use a screwdriver—you use a drill. These tools are all advances in technology that have made your job easier and more efficient. Take a chance on the new web tools out there. They, too, can make your job easier while making your business grow. Start your pages. Get your content out there for buyers. They’re already looking for you.
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