direct response website, The Dos and Don’ts for a Direct Response WebsiteA direct response website is one of the best ways to warm up leads, and it's also one of the best ways to capture leads.

To have a functional direct response website, you need to know what goes into an effective one. You need to know the dos and don'ts for a direct response website.

If you're unsure of what a direct response website is, check out this article on our website.

If your website can't measure and generate leads regularly, it could mean that your direct response website needs a makeover. It could also mean your website is making one of these 7 biggest mistakes.

Mistake #1. Think Having a Website up On The Web Is the Job, and That Task Now Is Checked off as Completed and Done

Having a website for your business doesn't mean the job is done, and it doesn't mean the leads will roll in on their own.

Your website needs to receive a flood of targeted visitors for your website to generate leads. It also needs to convert that traffic to cash, and it also needs to retain the customers who keep coming back to the site.

If you want all of that to happen, you need to ensure that you have a system in place on your website that can effectively generate Traffic, convert that Traffic, and retain customers.

You need to have a conversion-oriented site that:

  • Captures Leads/Email addresses (opt-ins)
  • Makes Sales
  • Gets phone calls, and makes appointments.
  • Attracts 5 Star reviews
  • Keeps visitors on the site
  • Tracks visitors for retargeting

When your website and business do each of these effectively, it helps you create a system that converts leads and retains them.

Yet many sites are missing conversion tactics, including yet not limited to:

  • The killer reason why copy (headlines, subheads, offers, etc.)
  • Opt-in offers – email capture
  • Videos
  • Reviews/testimonials
  • Popovers
  • Exit pop-ups
  • Chatbox
  • Opt-in slider
  • Online appointment scheduling
  • Call in offers

Simply because your website is up online doesn't mean you can let it run and not concentrate on it; instead, you need to have a conversion-oriented website along with the conversion tactics.

You can see how we help businesses convert Traffic by checking out services on our website.

Mistake #2. No or Non-Functional Opt-In Email Capture System.

Homebuilders should have a functioning opt-in system on and linked to their website.

When there's an opt-in system, it entices people to take action. It appeals to them and their problems, and it helps them solve a problem. However, it would be best to be suspicious of non-functional opt-in email capture systems.

If you advertise something that your target market doesn't want, it can lead to poor results. Your target won't like something on your website if it doesn't appeal to them.

Here are some opt-in forms that don't work as well as they used to:

  • Free Reports
  • Ebooks
  • Newsletters

While they may work in other industries, they don't work in the real estate business.

If you want an effective opt-in lead magnet, consider using these instead:

  • Change of Address Checklist
  • Home Buyers/Sellers Guides
  • Home Renovations With the Best ROI
  • Home Seller's Checklist
  • “How-to” ebooks or videos — how to stage a home, how to increase curb appeal, how to buy foreclosures, and so on.
  • List of Foreclosed Properties in (neighborhood)
  • List of Homes in (neighborhood) under $$$
  • List of Homes in (neighborhood) With (X Feature)
  • (Neighborhood) Calendar
  • (Neighborhood) Guide
  • Real Estate Market Analysis for (neighborhood)
  • Real estate-related ebooks or videos — landscaping, remodeling, investment opportunities, flipping a house, and so on.
  • Seasonal Home Maintenance Schedule
  • Videos
  • Webinars

These lead magnets appeal to the target market of real estate agents, and they are specific and create curiosity for the people looking at your website.

Mistake #3. No Relentless, Ongoing Email Follow-up System

It's important to send regular emails to qualified prospects and customers with helpful, informative, and fun information following simple direct marketing response principles with irresistible & killer offers.

People are more apt to buy from you than any of your competitors if you've created a genuine relationship built on trust and repetitive communication they like getting!

That's why email is a significant part of communication with your target market. It allows you to communicate helpful information without being overly intrusive. You can connect with anybody with an email address interested in buying or selling a home.

It's important to remember, that successful marketing = the right message to the right market at the right time.

You control what you say and to whom you say it. With email, it's essential to understand:

  • Message
  • Market

Your market will dictate your message. Be personal with email instead of trying to oversell your product. Get to know who you're emailing.

You Need to Follow-Up, Follow-Up, Follow-Up

Email is about being consistent in your communication with your subscribers. You don't want your leads to dry out.

Here are some essential things to remember when you have a follow-up system with your emails.

  • Repetitive emails customers find helpful, engaging, and fun should keep showing up.

When you email your target market with helpful information, they will most likely click on it and see what you have for them.

When you consistently email someone, you will continue to nurture them with information and make them a warmer lead.

When the time is right:

  • Your prospect is going to switch from “not ready” to “ready.”
  • You must be on the top of their mind, with follow-up emails, so when they switch from “not ready” to “ready”! You are there.

That's why it is essential to build a relationship with follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!

Mistake #4. Thinking Beautiful Pictures & Graphics Make a Profitable Website

Having a cool-looking website will not generate leads, and Cool-looking graphics will not get them to take action. They won't opt-in because your website looks fancy.

You have to use proven, direct response content that leads them to your goals.

You have to consider some strategies that work in direct response content. For example, your copy can make someone feel connected to your content using emotion.

You want to use emotionally written direct response copy for:

  • The text
  • Videos
  • Opt-In offers
  • Testimonials

Emotionally triggered words and offers usually make sales.

Many beautiful graphics like big headers are proven to either NOT make a difference or much worse.

It can kill conversions per A/B split testing!

We've done hundreds of A/B split tests, and 95% of the time, the better the copy, the better the results – proving graphics either don't help or may hurt.

That's why you need emotional copy that resonates with the target market, that gets them to take action.

Mistake #5. Not Getting Targeted Traffic to Your Site That Converts into Leads!

Whether they have a great or horrible website, most real estate agents have a “traffic problem.”

“traffic problem” is defined as not getting a predictable, dependable, and steady flow of targeted prospects coming into your Online Marketing System. It could be from people not finding your website because you lack content.

That's why you need to consider the best strategies for ranking your website with Google.

The Benefits of SEO

Online Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is STILL the No. 1 traffic source regarding:

  • The Quantity of Traffic!
  • The Quality of Traffic!
  • Highest ROI on the cost of Traffic!

SEO requires your website to show up on Page 1 for search terms, your prospects for which your prospects are searching.

However, you must DOMINATE 25 to 50 relevant search queries on Page 1! As many relevant short and long-tail keywords as possible are a must.

  • Short-Tail Keyword Example: “real estate agent Hillsborough NC”
  • Long-Tail Keyword Example: “real estate agent Churton Grove Hillsborough NC”

The More Keywords on Page 1 = More Qualified Traffic = More Leads!

Organic SEO does not happen overnight; it can take several months to move up to Page 1 for many keywords, and it requires a commitment to growing high conversion traffic.

You can read this blog article that tells you how SEO ROI is explained.

Here Are Some Things to Consider With SEO:

  1. Organic SEO clicks are the highest converting.
  2. Facebook advertising can be great, but it is not a search engine.
  3. Maximum Conversion Traffic requires an extensive number of keywords on Page 1.
  4. Mobile SEO is similar but requires different programming.

You should also know that 50% of all your online searchers will see your search results on a mobile device, and Google has seen a 400% increase in the number of searches on mobile devices.

SEO Critical Tech Skills to Maximize High-Quality Traffic!

  • Off-page keyword optimization
  • On-page keyword density optimization
  • On page coding, titles, descriptions
  • Mobile coding to adjust for differences between desktop vs. mobile
  • Backlinks
  • Google My Business
  • Blog
  • Social media
  • Directories
  • Press releases
  • Page relevance to keywords
  • Short and long-tail keywords
  • Videos
  • Reviews

You may be getting traffic to your website, but is it QUALIFIED Traffic? Does it come from your marketing or targeted pages? Or does it come from overseas, which may be spam robots?

Mistake #6. Using Outdated Online Marketing Technology and Tools!

Today's tech changes can include, but not be limited to:

  • Search Engine Algorithm Updates
  • SEO Technical Requirements
  • Website Look, Feel, and Functionality
  • Opt-in Techniques
  • Email Methodology and Legal Issues
  • PPC Rules
  • Disclosure and Legal Requirements
  • Mobile and Tablet Programming

FACT: Mobile Pop-ups Work Great. Oops, Not anymore!

As of January 2017, Google started to penalize websites that serve up interstitial, pop-up ads to users searching for content on mobile devices. After that date, websites and web pages that use such pop-ups will rank lower in Google's mobile search results.

Here are some other BIG QUESTIONS:

  1. When was the last time you updated ALL of your online marketing tools?
  2. When was the last time you updated ANY of your online marketing tools?
  3. Are your online savvy competitors updating their online marketing? (Hence kicking your butt?)
  4. Are you aware of and reacting to all the fast-moving changes at Google, Facebook, SEO, etc.?
  5. Do your online folks recommend you update your online marketing regularly? If not, why are you still using them?

You must be using the most current version of your online marketing tools and stay abreast of technology to react to all the moving changes.

Mistake #7. Not Using a Website Builder or Real Estate Website Vendor Who Knows Online Marketing and Conversion Processes!

BIGGEST MISTAKE real estate agents make:

  • Using website designers or vendors to make your site look great and awesome but not MAKE MONEY!

They NEED extensive experience with successful online direct response marketing techniques.

Do NOT USE:

  • Free/uber-cheap websites – you get what you pay for!
  • Graphic designers with no proven online direct response experience!
  • Programmers with no proven online direct response experience!
  • Your niece or grandson who has some skill with uploading files!
  • Nice-looking templates without ALL the online direct response tactics built into the programming!
  • Webmasters using outdated and old-school techniques!
  • Online programmers who do not have extensive, proven expertise with successful:
    • SEO
    • PPC
    • Autoresponder email marketing
    • Retargeting
    • Opt-ins
    • Reviews and reputation management.

Most website designers and programmers try to fit the marketing around the design or program concepts. Design and technology must work around the marketing concepts, strategies, techniques, and systems for marketing to be successful.

If you want more real estate ideas that can help you generate leads, check out this blog article.

Now You Know All of the Mistakes of a Direct Response Website

Now that you know all of the mistakes of a direct response website, you should know how to avoid them. But you should also know what to do to help improve your website, to maximize it for lead generation.

When you avoid these mistakes and apply the strategies that work on your website, you're more likely to get the leads you want, and you get more traffic and conversions on your website.

If you want help with your direct response website, you can contact us here.

Need more local marketing tips? Check out our entire Guide to Local Marketing for Real Estate Professionals