Custom Landing Pages: The Key to Real Estate Website Lead Generation

Jun 15th 2020 #Marketing#RealEstateSEO#RealEstateLeadGeneration

This article clears the air on landing pages and guides realtors on tips to generate leads. The first step to generating leads for your real estate website is by customizing your landing page. If the first page visitors to your site see is the homepage, then you're not doing things right. So how do you craft high-converting landing pages that ultimately lead to sales? You'll get to know about that as you continue reading. 

What is a real estate landing page?

 

A real estate landing page is the page visitors lands on when they click a call to action. It is not the homepage that gets all the traffic. A landing page is a web page different from the homepage and specially built to get users to take action like buy, rent, or inquire about a property. For instance, when you put up a post on Facebook, there is a link attached to the post that further directs leaders to click. When they click, they find themselves on another page where they are urged to take a specific action. 

It could be that you are offering them affordable houses or running a promotion on your property. Custom landing pages are used by both buyers, sellers, and brokers who need to recruit more agents. Individuals who want to sell their private property can take to social media to advertise it and place a link that redirects prospective buyers to their landing page. 

example of the building landing page

Why are landing pages important?

 

As a newbie reading this, you want to know why and how landing pages lead to sales. Research says that companies using more than 40 landing pages generate 120% more leads than others that used fewer. If you still have doubts about landing pages, think of the last time you tried to make a purchase. You probably did an online search to find a reliable store and more information about the product you want to buy. It is the same with real estate investors. Customers start their search on the internet by inputting keywords related to the property they wish to purchase. Only about 5% rely on offline search for real estate. 

Even if you are skeptical about landing pages, you should know that your colleagues are online and are ready for business. About 70% of realtors have a website and are making it big while using their resources judiciously. 

Types of Real Estate Landing Pages

 

  • Book an appointment landing page

Buyers want to be sure they are speaking to the right agent. Most customers would wish for one-on-one interaction with an agent before they trust you with their money. This landing page makes it easier for customers to reach out to you on a personal basis. They can schedule an appointment with you online at their convenience. This page should give customers the option of texting or calling you, depending on what is more suitable.

  • Home valuation landing page

This page offers visitors a free home valuation report when they provide the required information like their contact details. It uses a two-step form where the visitor inputs their street address, followed by their contact address so that you can send a report. When a visitor inputs their street address, there is a higher chance to include their contact information. 

  • Community landing page

The people that would likely click on a community landing page are those that have decided on a property to buy but need for information about a particular field. This page highlights a specific area in the market that your visitor would be interested in. It is an opportunity to showcase your area of expertise and build confidence among buyers. Community landing pages should be narrowed down to smaller cities like streets, districts, or schools but should be rich in keywords so that the right audience can find you.

  • Buyer guide landing page

A first-time buyer who wants to avoid silly mistakes could need tips on how to purchase a new home. A realtor that knows his onions can direct visitors to a page that offers a step by step guide to buying a new home. This way, buyers are convinced that you wouldn't mislead them and may give you a chance to prove yourself further. 

  • Seller guide landing page

As much as buyers need to be guided, sellers also need insights before selling their homes. In most cases, sellers are underpriced and have no option but to sell because they are desperate for cash. Your custom landing page should provide a step by step guide on how sellers can profit from their sales. 

  • Specialty property list landing page

This page is detailed and contains the list of various properties available. It is also possible that some of these listings exist on the web, but they may not be all-encompassing as much as a custom landing page specially designed for it. The listings include luxury, pocket, foreclosure, and "coming soon" listings. By having a variety of listings, you capture a wider audience who are willing to give their contact so that you can reach them personally. 

  • Home search landing page

You can call it a home page if you will, but technically, it is a landing page. Visitors can search for property around their target area and navigate to other pages on your site. How can realtors get leads through this page? One way to do that is to ask customers to input their contact details before searching for houses or allowing free searches before taking their details. If prospects see a home that interests them, they'll contact you for purchase. 

Landing page best practices that boost conversion rate

While there are no firm rules to landing pages, there are unwritten rules you should abide by. I'll share some of those rules below:

  • Understand the buyer's journey

How can you convince a prospective customer when you do not understand what is going through their mind. It becomes a lot easier if you know the phases buyers and sellers pass through before purchasing a property. The buyer passes through the awareness, consideration, and decision stage, and with these stages in mind, you can fashion a landing page that drives sales. In the awareness stage, the buyer identifies a problem with the status quo and hopes to improve on it. In the consideration phase, the buyer knows what he/she wants and wants to go for it. Online search helps them decide on the property they want and the location. At the decision stage, they already have an agent in mind and are ready to take action. Before you create a landing page, understand the phase your customer is, and tailor your message towards their needs. 

  • Create a consistent landing page

Visitors to your landing page do not arrive there by mistake. A paid ad, social media post, video, or search result led them there. Consistency is critical if you must generate leads. If your online ads say that you are offering a 20% percent discount on all your homes, your landing page should not have contrary information. Visitors were drawn to the page because of the juicy offer, and the moment they see something different, they leave. 

  • Create a value proposition

So, what's in for your visitors? When they visit your landing page, what next? Is it all about you? Well, if it is all about you, your customers would get pissed off. They want to be sure that they can benefit from you before they patronize you. You need to entice them well enough so that dropping their contact details wouldn't be a big deal. A customer would rather trust a realtor that offers a practical solution to their problem rather than the one that is only interested in their money. 

  • Clarity

Few minutes after perusing your site, visitors want to take action after they are convinced they are in the right place. The CTA button does not have to be so complicated or concealed on the page. Avoid cliché words like "submit," "sign up," or "buy" because they are generic and sound selfish. Instead of making your CTA about you alone, you can use phrases like "download eBook" "get home value," etc. An arrow that points to your CTA can also increase the rate of conversion. 

  • Remove distractions

You don't need numerous links, images, and several links on your landing page, except you want to piss your visitors off. I do not know of any realtor that redirects visitors to their page to get them angry. If you are lucky enough to get people on your page, you would maximize the opportunity and go straight to the point. Your real estate landing page should hit the nail on the head by directing visitors to your call to action and nothing more. This keeps your visitors focused on your offer as they complete the form. 

  • Catchy visuals

We all are moved by what we see and give attention to appealing visuals. Although your landing page is a simple one, it should be attractive as well. Design a landing page that draws visitors in because of the visuals. Vibrant colors are preferred over dull colors because they are more appealing. The color of the design should supplement other contrasting colors to captivate the reader's attention. 

  • Share testimonies

You can boost conversion by sharing testimonies from buyers that got homes through you. Encourage your customers to share their experience so that it becomes a marketing tool on your landing page. It doesn't stop at telling people to patronize you; they want to see that you offered quality service in the past and would continue to do that.

Tips to get more leads for your real estate landing page

 

Paid ads

Paid ads are a faster way to drive traffic to your landing page. Facebook ads and Google Adwords are amongst the best platforms to advertise your real estate services. 

  • Google Adwords

With Google Adwords, you can use popular keywords capable of driving sales. There are online keyword tools that help you research keywords relevant to your market. Keyword tools show you how competitive the keywords are and the cost. It is better to narrow your keywords to only the ones relevant to your market and avoid unnecessary words. 

  • Facebook

Facebook allows you to create ads that appear on the news feed of the target audience. It will enable you to choose your kind of audience based on demographics like family status, educational level, interests, etc. Ensure that you select the right demography so that your ad gets to the right people. When Facebook users see your advertisement and click on it, it directs them to your landing page. This is an excellent way to generate leads for your real estate landing page. 

  • Conduct an A/B testing

A/B or split testing is used to send traffic to two landing pages to see which one has a higher conversion rate. This test splits your visitors amongst two landing pages, and when the result of the testing is out, you can make adjustments to improve conversion rate. Instead of an A/B testing, two versions of a Google search ad that leads to a different page is also an efficient way to test your pages. 

  • Follow up with email campaigns. 

Your landing page could have visitors who are not willing to take action immediately but would be interested in your service in the future. One of the best ways to follow up customers like this is through email campaigns. After they have filled a form on your landing page, get their email addresses, and consistently send a reminder to them. These email newsletters should be strategic and tailored towards their needs. 

  • Create a responsive landing page

More than half of the population of internet users access the internet with their smartphone. A customer who wants to access your landing page from their smartphone should not find it difficult. You will lose lots of customers if your page is not mobile-friendly. Did you say you want more leads for your landing page? Get things right with your landing page responsiveness. After designing, you should test the page to be sure it is mobile-friendly.

If you are interested to know more about generating leads - check out our guide here