Website review please!
Posted in Real Estate Bloggers By Christine Moscinski, Chicago Area Realtor, Thursday, October 16, 2008.Looking to make possible changes to my site colors graphics, info.
Please review.
Your input is appreciated!
Christine in Chicago
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Submitted by Christine Moscinski, Chicago Area Realtor on October 16, 2008 - 12:35pm.
Looking to make possible changes to my site colors graphics, info.
Please review.
Your input is appreciated!
Christine in Chicago
Submitted by Deb Agliano (AKA DebOnTheWeb) on October 16, 2008 - 12:55pm.
Hi Christine,
First of all, let me say that I think you're very brave to ask us to review your website!
I think your colors are fine, but personally I think that you have too much information on your front page. It feels overwhelming.
You have very nice message "YOU NEED SOMEONE ON YOUR SIDE TO NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU", but it isn't above the fold (what people can see without scrolling down). I would move that up above the areas you service.
Your header takes up a lot of space (I know that's how Point2Agent headers are), but there are 4 GMAC logos taking up valuable real estate on what I can see of your front page without scrolling. The photo of the couch doesn't add much, either, but it is in the spot that a person's eye goes to first.
Lastly, see what information you can move onto separate pages to make it easier for prospective clients to make sense of all of the information you have.
Good luck!
Deb
~~~
Deb Agliano (AKA DebOnTheWeb)
ERA Andrew Realty, Medford, MA
www.DebOnTheWeb.com
Deb@DebOnTheWeb.com
Submitted by Christine Moscinski, Chicago Area Realtor on October 16, 2008 - 1:42pm.
I am brave! Thank you very much for your feedback, I do appreciate it!
Submitted by Glenn Ginsburg on October 16, 2008 - 3:15pm.
Christine - Deb makes a good point about the "real estate" above the fold. On my site I remove my company's logo to move up what the visitor sees.
You do have some very good information on the homepage, so you should concentrate at this time on reworking the homepage. As you rework the homepage, give the changes about 7 to 10 days to see how the search engines react to it.
Also check out your stats to see if you have a better click-thru from your homepage links. You do have a number of hyperlinks for a site visitor to click on, too many links can confuse a visitor and they will leave for another site.
Glenn Ginsburg
A Delta Realty
Bonita Springs Florida
Bonita Bay
Submitted by Brett Young | Real Estate Keyword Tool on October 16, 2008 - 3:40pm.
The comments above are accurate. There is a lot of wasted vertical space on your header. Too many GMAC logos. Too much information below the fold that user will never scroll down to. The navigation links are in unpredictable areas. I've found that a simple interface with links that remain in a consistent spot, no matter what page on your site, tend to work better. You can organize your site pretty well using a a simple left navigation area (which you have) and a top navigation bar which allows for drop down menus.
Also, you should probably have your own domain. You're at the mercy of Point2Agent if they ever decide to take your website down.
I hope that helps.
Brett Young
Real Estate Keyword Tool | New Paltz Real Estate
Submitted by Mac C on October 27, 2008 - 10:30pm.
Hi Christine (from sunny Australia! :)
Gee, you Americans have websites that are sooooo different from ours 'over here'.
It's a cultural thing, I s'pose.
Perhaps my views might be useful as a first-time visitor to your site who hasn't been 'conditioned' over many years of looking at USA websites. (I am also a professional marketer of many years standing in large multinational firms. With my partner I founded Australia's online real estate industry many moons ago - and so we have developed and seen developed many, many websites through the years and from around the World).
When 'we' look at your (US) websites we find it very difficult to stay focussed.
In general they seem to be designed like Readers Digest direct mail letters.
They have information all over them and don't seem to direct the viewer. Granted, you have some good locality info, valuations calculators and the like, but any developer can link these features in.
US broker web design seems to be a 'hit and miss' approach where a lot of information is presented in the hope that the visitor will be 'grabbed' and 'stick' with something on the site.
Just because technology is possible, doesn't mean it should be used. And if it is used, then let's try to do it cleanly and smartly (professionally) - We should always look to improve our industry's image rather than give naysayers a reason to deride us, and branding and design is very important here. If you are going to put your photograph on a page then you want that page to be as smart as you are yourself!
It is also difficult to believe that people list their multi-million dollar$ homes with brokers only to have them presented like every other multi-list property. no matter what the price.
Check-out some Ozzie sites and see whether you can notice any difference from US styles.
(And the beauty is, if you would like us to help you build along these design lines - including your functional requirements of course, our dollar is only 60c to yours at the moment!!)
www.uniquehomes.com.au
www.websiteezy.com/home/Content.asp?regID=14617&id=80375 (use the whole link)
www.hockingstuart.com.au
Ps We respect that your industry is culturally different from ours to a degree but perhaps we might assist each other like a breath of fresh air.
Best wishes,
mac :)
Submitted by Glenn Weilbacher on November 3, 2008 - 11:43am.
Christine,
Here is a quick commentary from an expert with ten years experience providing Internet marketing services to Realtor.
When a home buyer clicks into a website the first thing they look for is an indication that the site covers the area in which they are planning to buy a home. It is not immediately apparent that your site covers Chicago. When one scrolls down he can see that you are attempting to cover the western suburbs as well as downtown. You must be wearing a cape to cover that much area. You will generate more leads if you focus on a smaller area.
In terms of SEO you should place more keyword phrases at or near the top of the page..use phrases such as Chicago Condos, Chicago Lofts, Lincoln Park condos, Rogers Park lofts etc.
An importnat keyword phrase would be "Chicago real estate" or "Downtown Chicago real estate" I would put one of these phrases right at the top where you have "GMAC Real Estate"
In the source code your page title should be a combination of the important keywords including Chicago real estate, condos and lofts. Your description should emphasize access to the MLS listings and repeat your keyword phrases.
Oh, don't worry about colors and such. First you need to attract website visitors.
Glenn
Submitted by Christine Moscinski, Chicago Area Realtor on November 3, 2008 - 3:38pm.
Thanks Glenn and everyone! I appreciate your feedback very much. I will make some adjustment as suggested.
Christine
Submitted by Christine Moscinski, Chicago Area Realtor on November 3, 2008 - 3:39pm.
Thanks Glenn and everyone! I appreciate your feedback very much. I will make some adjustment as suggested.
Christine