Posted by admin in Something new I’m going to start on Upstart Agent is a free blog/website review for real estate blogs that will be published each and every Saturday. The point of this is for all of us to take a look at what other real estate agents are doing with their blogs and websites and share a few pointers with each other for increasing our search engine traffic and lead conversion. In each review I will be going over 3 things: Design/Usability, Content, and SEO/promotion.
Our first review is for VIP Realty Blog, a company representing the Dallas Real Estate Market.
Design/Usability
The main site has a very nice and clean, easy to navigate design. I like the HUGE search for homes feature in the top right header and the featured listings are nice as they offer homes in different areas and price ranges. The top left part of the site is what got most of my attention - where they promote “Sell Your Home in 60 Days Guarantee” and “Flat Fee Listing Service” - if I were a seller, I’d be happy to see both of these options.
As for the VIP Realty Blog I would make a few minor tweaks to the sidebars - I would list pages and categories on the top of the left sidebar (where the current calendar is) and move the recent posts over to the top of the right sidebar and limit it to only 5-7 recent posts instead of that huge long list! I also noticed from the main site, the link to the blog is very hidden (way at the bottom corner) so would considering making “Blog” one of the main pages at the top site in the navigation menu.
Content
The content for this blog is very good, with everything from home selling tips to local real estate news. I would only suggest perhaps including a photo in each post and to either allign it within the post or center it.
SEO/Promotion/Competition
I typed in “Dallas Real Estate” in Google and their site is the first of the results, so that is very good news for them! After looking at the other sites available, I would probably choose theirs over the other designs as the others were very cluttered, not as easy to navigate, and aren’t offering the flat fee listing service or a 60 day home sale guarantee (or if they are, it’s not noticeable!)
All in all, this is a very well planned real estate website, and with a few minor changes to the blog’s sidebars can be an authorative site on the Dallas real estate market.
Thank you Richard for introducing me to your site and being the first to have a free real estate website review on Upstart Agent. Have any ideas for VIP Realty to improve their site? Have a real estate blog you would like featured in our free website review series? Feel free to share it in the comments below.
We are having fun trying new things with our blogs. We are starting to see changes in the way people react to our website
I have noticed the same thing with my blog…We added a blog to our website, and it has been fun to see people’s reactions who have visited the site.
I enjoy a new avenue to blog so your opportunity will/should be well received especially if they are promoted and get seen. Many Realtors and business owners haven’t figured out the power of blogging. Good for me!! I will be looking for your blog and website reviews.