Estate Agent Website Design That Wins More Instructions 

We've updated the Calendar tab in the CRM Edition of our software. Packed with new features & functionality and a reworked interface to make appointment scheduling easier, seeing your team's free time has never been easier.

Did you know that estate agents massively benefit from using social media as a part of their marketing strategy? In fact, social media is perfect for generating leads, increased brand exposure and web traffic. What’s more it’s key for impressing the next generation of buyers. That’s why your agency may be missing a trick if you’re not utilizing social media as a part of your marketing activities.

So, the next question you may be thinking is, which channels should your agency be using? Well, keep reading to find out…

1. TikTok

Rising in immense popularity in the last year, Tiktok has become one of the trendiest and most important social media platforms in recent years. So, what is TikTok you ask? Well, in a nutshell, TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing platform whereby users can upload 15-second videos. It’s become widely addictive, and many brands have all jumped on the social media frenzy creating funny, quirky, and engaging videos for all their audiences. They’ve found great success in the platform, generating a huge following, increased brand exposure and improved brand reputation. The platform has done so well that according to Statista, the number of TikTok users is expected to reach over 13 million users in 2021 and 16.8 million in 2024 in the UK. Crazy, right?

But should estate agents really use TikTok as a social media channel? Is it right for them? Without a doubt. Estate agents should use TikTok to show their personality and flair so that they can create a much more connected and personal relationship with their clients. Not only that, but they can significantly boost their brand exposure and impress the next generation of buyers with their social media savvy skills.

Big names in the property industry have also commented on the tremendous benefits for estate agents, The Negotiator has even reported on one case where one estate agency’s TikTok channel racked up to 72,000 likes, and a property tour of theirs exceeded 1 million views. The Evening Standard and Property Industry Eye also offer warm words about the platform commending it as an extremely valuable tool for agents and praising multiple agents who’ve experienced tremendous success with the platform.

But what kind of videos should you look to upload to the platform? Well, here’s some ideas…

• Property tours. You may want to upload property tour videos, or, if you’re feeling more confident, live tours so that your properties in real time.
• Tips and tricks. You should also think about creating tips and tricks videos providing advice for buyers and sellers on their property journey. This will show users you care about them as more than just customers and show your human touch.
• Funny videos. Whilst TikTok is great for property tour videos, consider creating funny, comical videos showing your agency’s personality. This will show that your agency is not just about business but can have a bit of a laugh too. 

2. Instagram

The next social media platform your agency should consider adding to their marketing activities, is Instagram. A hugely visual and exciting platform, Instagram is loved across the world for its video and photo sharing possibilities.

Many brands decide to use Instagram as a way to emotionally connect with their audience and show them they’re more than just a brand; they’re people too. Whether that’s using Instagram Live, or organizing giveaways for their followers, many brands are using Instagram in a fun and interesting way to appeal to their audiences.

It’s significance for SME’s hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Hubspot recommends the platform and commends it for its ability to humanize content, showcase products, inspire target audiences, and grow brand awareness. With such a huge platform like this recommending it, it’s definitely worth considering for your estate agency.

The facts back up it up too. According to Statista, there are 28.81 million users in the UK in 2021. Vast, right? What’s more, Instagram is widely popular amongst the next generation of buyers, too. According to Statista, the largest share of Instagram users in the UK in 2021 were aged between 25-34 years old and 18-24 years old. And so, it’s not surprising that Instagram is definitely a platform worth investing in.

So, what kind of social media activities should you engage in on the platform?

• Q&A’s. Make sure to do Q&A sessions with your clients and prospective buyers on Instagram Live, so that you can give them the chance to ask your agency any important questions. It will help to build trust between you and your clients, as well as show them your agency are leaders in your industry.
• Instagram advertisements. With very specific targeting, Instagram advertisements are great at reaching far more possible clients, building a stronger brand presence, and generating more website traffic. You can be very precise in who you wish to target. For example, you can set the age range, gender, specific interests as well as a location radius ensuring the right people for your property agency are targeted.
• Use Instagram Stories. Next up, consider using Instagram Stories. Instagram stories feature at the top of the feed and a key feature on the platform. They allow you to share photos and videos for a limited time of twenty-four hours on your profile. Even though they’re only up for a day, they’re a superb way to quickly inform your customers of properties. Not only that, but you can also add links to your stories so customers can swipe up and be taken directly to the property on your website generating more social traffic to your website and more leads.
• Giveaways. Giveaways are a fantastic idea for your agency. You can give away prizes for your users with the hopes to draw in more users to your profile and generate more traffic for your agency. Make sure though to set rules such as ‘post to your story’, ‘tag three friends’ and ‘like this post’. 

3. Facebook

And finally, the next platform you should consider adding to your social media strategy, is Facebook. Now you almost certainly know what Facebook is, but do you know how to use it for your business and the benefits it can bring?

Well, let’s delve into this. Firstly, despite new social channels continuously popping up, Facebook is still king. It’s the most popular social media channel in the UK as according to Statista, as of July 2021, there were over 48.5 million Facebook users. What’s more, it’s also widely used amongst many different age groups, with 15.2% of 45-54 year olds using it and 11.1% of 55-64 year old's.

So, how should your agency use Facebook?

• Make a business page not a personal profile. This one is a vital one – your agency must create a business page not a personal profile. When you create a business page you will be equipped with some key tools to help grow your business. For example, you can allow people to send your estate agency private messages to ask questions about properties, invite your customers and contacts to connect with you, click on insights to see how people are engaging with your business, and much more. Make sure your profile is fully complete. Whether that’s a fully optimized ‘about us’ section, calls to actions on your profile, a clear banner image or profile photo, make sure your profile is ready to go and a true reflection of your company.
• Giveaways. Exactly the same as Instagram, make sure to do giveaways for your followers. With a giveaway on Facebook, you may even be able to reach more followers and an even higher brand exposure.
• Facebook Live. Now, if you’re not on Instagram or TikTok, you can equally do many of the same activities on this platform. One such activity is Facebook Live. With Facebook Live, you can participate in Q&A sessions, property tours, and much more, and with the added bonus of being able to reach a greater array of audiences.
• Facebook Advertisements. Similar to Instagram, you can create ads on Facebook whereby you can also be very specific in your targeting. You may decide to have ads promoting your agency or recent properties, either way, it’s a great way to reach more people and elevate your brand’s presence.

In conclusion, these three social media channels couldn’t be more important for your estate agency. With their ability to elevate a brand’s presence, boost your website’s traffic as well as increase your business’ lead generation, it’s the perfect addition to your marketing strategy.

Already using these social media channels but need a tool to manage them? Well, look no further. Here at Webdadi, we can provide your business with our Social Media Manager for estate agents. Automate all your social media channels through VIA. Just hit the link below to book a conversation with us.

We are very pleased to announce the launch of a stunning new website for our latest client, Milestone & Collis.

Founded in 1890, Milestone & Collis are one of the oldest, and most successful estate agencies in Twickenham, London. Run by their two highly skilled directors, Antony and Albena Robson, as well as being supported by their outstanding team of staff, the business has built a very strong and ever-growing client base in the area.

However, with a website that was restricting the business from landing more leads, the agency approached our team for a brand-new website. After several consultations, the Foundation Package was selected, and the Development Team quickly began working on a sleek new site.

In only a matter of eight weeks, the new Milestone & Collis site was up and running. With a new site that is fully editable, they can provide the ultimate website experience for their users, as well as having full control of their website even after we put it live. But that’s not all though. The innovative content management system behind the website (VIA), streamlines all their marketing activities allowing them to win more instructions for their business, impress the next generation of buyers as well giving them a competitive edge over their rivals.

In short, Milestone & Collis are very happy with the new site and are looking forward to all the possibilities this will bring to their business.

To view their fantastic new site, just click here.

Who are Webdadi?

Webdadi delivers the website and CRM package that drives opportunity, builds reputation, and delivers outstanding customer experience. All their website designs and CMS solutions for estate agents empower users to continually evolve their websites even after it’s put live, allowing you to edit your website's content and build new website pages so grows with your business.All Webdadi’s website packages are powered by dedicated CRM software for property agencies and small businesses; streamlining the day to-day-running of your business and maximising the potential of your leads.

With the world changing so much in the last year, there’s been some long lasting and considerable effects for estate agents. New challenges have emerged as well as old issues from the past cropping up, and so it’s vital that your business prepares and protects itself. 

So, to help your estate agency identify which ones to look out for, we’ve rounded up our top four challenges of 2022 so that you can futureproof your business and build your resilience.

1. The Growing Demand For A More Exceptional Digital Experience

Arguably the most important challenge being faced by estate agents in 2022 and beyond, is the growing demand for an exceptional digital experience. According to Estate Agent Today, the need of an innovative customer experience on estate agent websites has never been more important, and those businesses that invest in innovative technology, will be the ones to attract, engage, and retain the 2021 consumer.
 
But where does this need come from? Well, much of this is down to the greater reliance on technology as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. Whether that’s having to shop online in the last year or scanning a QR code for the test and trace app, consumers have had to adapt to the growing digital world at a very rapid rate.

As a result of this, a stronger confidence with technology is spanning across all age groups, and quite significantly, the older demographic, in particular gen X (40-55 year olds). In fact, GWI reports that 36% of baby boomers feel more confident using technology in Q1 2021, a notable increase of 10% on the Q2 of last year. This age cohort are also expanding their tech portfolio and investing in a greater range of tech products for the first time.

So, what does this mean for estate agents? Well, there’s simply no escaping technology now. Digital marketing for estate agents has become even more important, and there’s even more of a reason to have a website that provides an exceptional digital experience and is responsive for all types of devices and screens. Moreover, if estate agents don’t evolve with this trend, they may face being left behind and could lose instructions to their rivals. In summary, the time is now for estate agents to ride the technological wave…

In need of a website that can deliver an exceptional customer experience? Just click here to find out more about our award-winning estate agent websites.

2. The Rise In Cyber Crimes

However, despite consumers becoming much more tech-savvy in the last year, across the world, cyber criminals are taking note and planning their next cyber-attack. According to Interpol, cyber-attacks are growing at an alarming rate with cyber criminals exploiting the fear and uncertainty created by the Covid 19 pandemic. A whole range of crimes are increasing in activity with online scams, phishing, disruptive malware and malicious domains a few examples from a long and exhaustive list.

What’s more, cyber criminals are specifically targeting companies which have switched to remote working. According to Statista, of the companies that were victims of cyber-attacks in the last year, over a quarter of those that switched to remote working experienced a cyber security breach at least once a week – scary, right?

And unfortunately, estate agents are also becoming victims of these crimes too. Estate Agent Today reports that estate agents are becoming particularly vulnerable to cybercrimes, specifically remote-working and small independents, with much of this is down to a very obvious reason – a weaker IT system.

So, how can you protect your business?Well, firstly, make cyber security a top priority for your business; it’s vital that you acknowledge the threat cybercrimes face to your agency. Secondly, invest in a strong defensive cyber security system to help protect your business. SSL certification offers another line of defense, this authenticates a website’s identity and enables encrypted connection. In short, they’ll make your website safe and secure.

3. Impressing The Next Generation Of Buyers

The next big challenge estate agents must face in 2022 and beyond, is the need to impress the next generation of buyers. According to Estate Agent Today, it’s the younger generation that are driving the big changes across the property industry; in particular, what we spoke about already - the growing demand for an exceptional digital experience.

This of course makes perfect sense because, if you think about, this demographic is the only group to grow up with technology. From smart phones to laptops, gen z has only ever known technology in their lives and have formed an even greater relationship with it as a result of remote working and learning in the last year. That’s why your agency should seriously consider marketing to gen z. Quite simply, they’re the group who are going to be the future buyers, walking into your agency and asking for your expertise, so it’s vital for the future of your business that you understand this.

However, what you should also be aware of, is that this generation aren’t just tech-savvy, they’re money saving-savvy too. According to Forbes, 57% of gen z say they would rather save money then spend it immediately. What’s more, this generation make sure to check their bank balance at least once a day. So, take note estate agents, this generation will be ready to buy a property before you know it.

Want to find out more on how to impress the next generation of buyers? Just click here to read our blog.

4. The Rise Of Social Media For Estate Agents

And finally, social media is a very important issue estate agents must in 2022. According to Statista, the UK was home to 53 million active social media users in January 2021. In other words, 77.9% of the population. But that’s not all. Statista reports the UK is culturally a social media savvy nation sitting above the global average of 45% and placing it in 22nd position worldwide for social media usage.

So, how have estate agents responded to this? Well, with the pandemic restricting the activities of estate agency businesses in the last year, lots of agents resorted to social media instead to advertise their properties and experienced a great deal of success off the back of this. Gaining hundreds and thousands of views from their property tours and virtual viewings, many estate agencies have landed more leads as a result of their new social media strategies. The Negotiator has even hailed social media as an essential part of an estate agency’s marketing strategy, in particular Tiktok for estate agents.

So, why TikTok you ask? Well, only short clips can be uploaded to the platform making them more impactful and providing estate agencies with a greater degree of exposure. Property tour videos have grown immensely in popularity as well as advice and tips and tricks for prospective buyers which has resulted in millions of buyers watching, following, and liking estate agent videos. In fact, one estate agency exceeded over one million views of their property tours on the platform with their gen z marketing style.

But social media doesn’t appear to be a short-term trend either. With many more workers returning to the office environment, prospective buyers have had less time on their hands to go to in person viewings of properties, and as a result, have continued to view properties via social media. Subsequently, many agencies have decided to implement social media into their marketing strategy for 2022 and beyond.

Moreover, linking back to our earlier point of estate agents needing to impress the next generation of buyers, well, social media is one such way to do this. According to Statista, 88% of 16-24 year olds and 89% of 25-34 year old’s had a social media profile in 2020. What’s more, Statista also reports that 24% of 15 to 24 year olds used TikTok in 2020 - the largest age group to use the platform. Therefore, it’s even more important that your business recognises the power of social media for estate agents.

But after you’ve begun your social media strategy, how can you measure and analyse it? Well, with an integrated social media manager application, of course. Webdadi’s Social Media Manager will record and analyze how well your social media channels are performing whether that’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. It is extremely effective at examining your overall social media performance such as which posts are a hit, which need improving, as well as pinpointing the exact posts which are generating the most leads for your business. The planning and automated management of your social media strategy you can handle all in one place.

Interested in making social media work for your business? Just click here to book a meeting with us.

In summary, we hope your agency has a better understanding of the current issues facing your estate agency. Knowing what these issues are and how to prepare yourselves for them is vital for futureproofing your business and building your resilience.

Have a question about this blog? Or perhaps your property agency is looking to generate more quality inbound leads? The Webdadi team is on hand to help – just hit the link below to contact us today.

We are pleased to announce the launch of an incredible new website for our fantastic client, Compton Reeback.

Founded by the talented and experienced team of directors, Brian Compton and Julian Reeback, in 1995, Compton Reeback has become of the most successful and popular estate agencies in Maida Vale, London. Branding themselves ‘the no ordinary agency’, the group of property experts are incredibly focused on providing the best possible experience for their clients and will make sure they’re nothing less than delighted with their service.

As a client of ours already, the agency approached us for a website refresh so that they could continue to stay ahead of their rivals and land more leads for their business. After several consultations, the Professional Package was selected, and the Development Team quickly began working on a powerful new site for the agency.

In only a matter of eight weeks, the new Compton Reeback site was up and running. Their new fully editable website provides the ultimate user experience and clearest navigation for their users, as well as allowing the business to have full control of their website so that they can continually evolve their website even after we put it live. Moreover, the innovative content management system behind the website, streamlines all their marketing activities allowing them to win more instructions for their business, and to have a competitive edge over their rivals.

In summary, Compton Reeback are delighted with their website refresh and are looking forward to all the possibilities the new website will bring to their business.

To view their amazing new site, just click here.

Who are Webdadi?

Webdadi delivers the website and CRM package that drives opportunity, builds reputation, and delivers outstanding customer experience. All their website designs and CMS solutions for estate agents empower users to continually evolve their websites even after it’s put live, allowing you to edit your website's content and build new website pages so grows with your business.

All Webdadi’s website packages are powered by dedicated CRM software for property agencies and small businesses; streamlining the day to-day-running of your business and maximising the potential of your leads.

Does updating your social media take up too much of your time? Is posting new content a challenge for your business?

Well, now it doesn’t have to be with the new Social Media Manager tool from Webdadi. Automate all of your social media activity directly through VIA. Save time, money, and effort, and get real time data and analytics to grow your business and improve your digital marketing - a must have for any digital marketeer.

Here’s what your business can enjoy with our innovative new tool:

• Auto publish to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, YouTube and more!
• Run your Facebook and Google ads directly through VIA
• Live feed of your blogs to automatically post them to your social media accounts. Simply add once in VIA and they’ll be posted everywhere!
• Reports and analytics on your social media performance and ads
• Save time and improve your strategy by planning your social content
• See how your website & social networks are evolving
• Analyse the performance of your online ads
• Monitor your competitors’ strategies
• Consult your data anytime you want
• A must have tool for any digital marketeer or any smaller business without a dedicated marketing resource

Want to see how it works? Just scroll down to watch a tutorial by our CEO, Oliver Chapple.

 
Need a Social Media Manager for your estate agency? The Customer Success Team is ready and waiting to answer any questions you may have – just hit the link below to book a conversation with one of them today.

We are proud to announce the launch of an amazing new website for one of London’s leading luxury estate agencies, Garton Jones.

Founded by the husband and wife duo, Charlie, and Miranda in 2003, the agency has become one of the most popular and well trusted agencies in London. The business has accumulated nearly twenty years of experience in the property sector and takes great pride in their best-in-class boutique service with a friendly local agent approach. Not only that, but as an independent estate agency, they recognize that their dedicated and talented team of staff are their businesses’ best asset with each of their property experts having an extensive knowledge of local areas, so that they can provide first-class service for all their clients.

However, with a website that wasn’t fully editable, and one which was preventing the business from winning new instructions, Garton Jones approached the Webdadi team. Of course, we were delighted to take them on board as our new client, and with the Executive package selected, quickly began working on a new powerful new website for the agency.

With a quick turnaround period, the new site was up and running, and was able to achieve everything the agency wanted and more. Their new fully editable website and innovative content management system allows the business to have full control of their website so that they can continually evolve their website even after we put it live. What’s more, the CMS streamlines all their marketing activities allowing them to generate effortless leads, win more instructions for their business, and have a competitive edge over their rivals.

In summary, Garton Jones are delighted with their new site and are excited for all the possibilities the new website will bring to their business.

To view their fantastic new site, just click here.

Who are Webdadi?

Webdadi delivers the website and CRM package that drives opportunity, builds reputation, and delivers outstanding customer experience. All their website designs and CMS solutions for estate agents empower users to continually evolve their websites even after it’s put live, allowing you to edit your website's content and build new website pages so grows with your business.

All Webdadi’s website packages are powered by dedicated CRM software for property agencies and small businesses; streamlining the day to-day-running of your business and maximising the potential of your leads.

We know that there can be so many different elements to website design and knowing what to include in your estate agency’s website can be daunting to say the least. So, to help out your business, we’ve rounded up everything your website needs to stay looking fresh and ahead of your rivals with our ultimate A to Z guide. So, without further ado – let’s begin!

A is for Area guides 

Informative and inspiring, area guides provide prospective buyers and tenants with all the relevant information needed during their property search. They’re packed with local school information, transport links, local hospitals, as well as the local attractions and events, all with the aim to help buyers decide whether they would like to move to their dream location.
 
Fancy knowing a bit more about area guides? Just click here to read our blog.


B is for Blogs

Next on our list are the all-important blogs. Discussing the latest property industry and community news, blogs are a brilliant way to show your customers that you are in touch with and at the heart of your community. You can also update all your customers about how your business is doing whether that’s charity work you’ve taken part in, fun competitions or even perhaps the great reveal of a new website for your agency. Either way, they’re definitely an essential part of any estate agent’s website strategy.

Moreover, they’re also a fantastic way to boost your website’s search engine rankings as by continuously uploading new content to your site, Google will propel your brand up the rankings and boost your brand reputation – what’s not to like?

C is for Call To Action

Moving on, we have calls to actions. Calls to action buttons couldn’t be more important as they’re crucial in guiding your user through your website in the smoothest way possible. They’re especially key on property pages as they provide the next step between applicant and agent with CTA’s including ‘enquire about this property’ or ‘book a viewing’.
 
Note: Make sure your CTA buttons are highly visible, placed where they will be seen, and using colours that make them stand out on the page.


D is for Data Security

With cyber-attacks on estate agent websites becoming much more common these days, a strong data security system is definitely worth considering for your website.
SSL certificates are one line of defense to think about as they authenticate a website’s identity and enable an encrypted connection. In a nutshell, they’ll make your website safe and secure! Additionally, they’ll also make your website better trusted by users who will be more likely to fill in enquiry forms and payments on your site making your business a greater success.

Not having an SSL Certification is now also seen as a big negative by Google and other search engines impacting estate agent's search engine rankings.

E is for Editable Website Design

Next up is editable website design. Now we hate to break this to you; but a great website is never truly finished. Estate agents should have an ever evolving relationship with their website and should have the ability to freely edit and manage their website as they so please.
 
This is because you may need to make changes to your website such as new images, video and blog uploads or even creating new content and pages. Therefore, it’s vital that you have a powerful, innovative CMS to manage this – which of course, we will go into in greater depth (just scroll down to letter P)!

But anyway, another excellent advantage of editing your website continuously is that you’ll boost your website ranking considerably with a greater chance of landing on page 1 of Google - impressive, right?
 
So, if you’re keen to seek the rewards of editable website design, just give us a call today and we’ll be pleased to have that conversation with you.

F is for Filters

Next on our list are property filters. Filters are incredibly important as they allow prospective buyers to be much more specific in their property search. Advanced filters are also becoming increasingly popular amongst estate agents as they narrow down the search even more with additional filters such as’ ‘Newly Refurbished’ and even ‘Historic’.
 
But what’s also great about this feature is that it significantly boosts the agency’s search engine ranking. With so many more filters, their website will come up with all the possible searches associated with them to help score them more leads and more business.


G is for Google Analytics

A platform your estate agency should think about is Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a web analytics service which is completely free of charge. In this platform, you can view the number of visitors on your site as well as get much more specific like the number of visitors on your site in a specific time frame, the bounce rate of your site and which pages visitors spend the most amount of time on. Useful, right?

The Webdadi platform integrates with Google Analytics with key data presented to you using our reporting function, so you don’t need to be an ‘Analytics’ expert to benefit from this powerful tool.

H is for Homepage

Homepages are normally the first page users will see on your site and so it’s vital that you leave them with a good impression. What’s more, according to Microsoft, users will leave your website in 10 seconds if they don’t find it interesting. So, time really is of the essence!

That’s why your homepage should be beautifully and clearly laid out as well as encompass everything about your brand identity effectively (see below for an example!). What you really don’t want is a disjointed and disorganized design which will turn off visitors and make them leave your site.


I is for Instant Valuation Tool

With the acceleration of digitalization, especially in the last year, it’s vital that your property agency has an instant valuation tool on your website. Instant valuation tools provide prospective seller’s an online estimate of their property’s value. This is particularly useful if they’re in a hurry and don’t have enough time to fill in a form and receive a call back from an agent. So, if your website doesn’t have this tool, it’s definitely worth investing in.  

J is for Joined-up

Your website should be fully joined up with the other activities on your site whether that’s from a sales or marketing point of view so that your business can save time and be more effective. For example, your site should sync up with your CRM and Lead Manager ensuring you website leads can be automatically saved as records, marketed to with property alerts, send newsletters, send emails and SMS directly.

K is for Keyword Research

As we spoke about already, you should be uploading blogs and content to your website on a regular basis. However, it’s also important to make sure that the content you decide to upload includes key words people are already searching for. This is because the top key words will enable you to rank higher up the search engine, and of course lead more visitors to your site and land you more leads.

That’s why you should continuously research the top key words whilst you blog, to ensure your SEO game is strong.

L is for Lead Generation

Arguably one of the most important aspects of estate agent website design, is lead generation. Ultimately, your website is there to generate a higher number of quality visitors and effortlessly convert them into new opportunities for your estate agency. With a smooth user experience and one that includes many of the features covered in this blog, your website should be able to do this.

However, if you feel that your website isn’t up to the task of generating enough leads, book a meeting with us today and we’ll be happy to have that conversation with you. Alternatively, download our free lead generation presentation for our lead gen tips and tricks.

M is for Mobile Responsive Design

Having a website that is mobile responsive is absolutely essential. According to Statista, in 2021, 92% of people in the UK own a smartphone and between 55% and 75% of estate agent website site visits are now made through a mobile device. Subsequently, if your website isn’t mobile responsive you may risk losing out on possible leads and business opportunities.  


Arguably one of the most important parts of your website design is your navigation menu. A navigation menu is the menu at the top of your website and allows users to easily navigate across your site and find the content they are looking for. On your estate agency website, you may decide to include (see below an example) separate drop downs for sales and lettings or even one button that takes the user to your instant valuation straight away. Either way, a navigation menu is imperative to your website design.



O is for Opportunity

Estate Agents website are fundamentally built to drive opportunity and ensure you don’t miss any of value.  Converting visitors into leads is critical and you need to be able to capture information about your visitor before they disappear back into the ether.

Signposting and calls to action take the visitor through a meaningful experience that improves this conversion rate, convincing them that you can help them market their property. Webdadi has innovated its technology to capture this information so you can react quickly to all enquiries and ensure the opportunity doesn’t pass you by.

P is for Powerful Content Management System

As we spoke about already, editable website design is crucial– but what will deliver this? Well, it is indeed a powerful content management system.
 
You should have a CMS that is flexible for both the design layout and content of your site so that you can build brand new website pages and edit existing ones anytime.
But that’s not all it should provide for your business; a good content management system should provide reports and statistics to convey how well your website is performing as well as easy integrations of third party providers such as Google Tag Manager.

Not sure if your current CMS is up to the task of managing your site? Just click here to get in touch with us today.

Q is for Quality traffic

Whilst an amazing and sleek looking website is desirable, does your website have enough quality traffic?
 
Website traffic is the number of visitors which are engaging on your site. It’s essential that enough of them are visiting your site so that they become possible clients for your business. One such way to increase your traffic is by boosting your search engine rankings so that you’ll be on the first page of Google. This will ensure a greater visibility to prospective clients and more clicks to your site.

Moreover, as spoken about already, you can view your traffic numbers by downloading the innovative platform, Google Analytics.  

R is for Responsive Website Design

Next we have responsive website design, and what’s responsive website design you ask? Well, it’s a type of design that renders your website to fit different screen sizes and remains functional for the user. This could be your phone, tablet, or laptop for example, but either way, it makes sure that your website design layout is proportionate to the screen and laid out correctly to ensure the smoothest and most streamlined user experience.


S is for Search Engine Ranking

According to Hubspot, 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. This isn’t surprising considering the digital age we’re in, and therefore it’s even more important that your agency ranks highly on Google. Moreover, if you’re not on the first page, you’re more likely to have less visitors to your site, and down the line, less leads for your business -basically, it’s a domino effect.

If your website isn’t ranking highly enough, book a meeting with us today and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help you fix it. Or, alternatively, download our free SEO guide for estate agents.

T is for Testimonials

It’s all very well and good having a company vision and about us page, but can you prove to your customers that you can truly deliver your impeccable customer service and unparalleled expertise? Well, one such way to show this, is by having testimonials on your site.
 
Testimonials are reviews of your agency by your previous clients and they are very helpful for prospective applicants when deciding which agency to go for. You may decide to lay them out in a moving carousel so users can get an overall opinion of the agency and integrated on your homepage.

U is for User Experience

It may sound like an overwhelming and confusing term, but user experience is critical to the success of your business. This is because if someone has a drawn-out and difficult user journey they’ll be more likely to leave your site and click on your rivals instead – scary, right?

So, you must be thinking now – how I do stop this from happening? Firstly, review the overall navigation of your site and ask yourself - was it easy to navigate across to different pages? Were certain pages easy to find? Or did I take a lot of time trying to find it or to fill in that form? Secondly, decide whether the website provider is best for your agency - is it preventing you from winning from instructions? If so, perhaps it's time for a refresh...

V is for Value data

Now, what would the property search journey be without value data? Value data such as schools’ information, and transport links, is vital in helping prospective buyers to choose their dream property. Whilst we have already covered their importance in area guides, valuable information on property pages is equally vital. This is because this information is specific to where properties are located and is very helpful for applicants when deciding between properties.
 
Perhaps more importantly, your prospective vendors and landlords will also recognize the value in providing this information with their properties; this could be the difference between winning and losing their instruction.



W is for Website Design Trends

In terms of maintaining your sleek and modern website, make sure to research and implement current website design trends. By staying on top of the latest trends and innovations, it shows your customers you’re a thought led business which will make them place more trust in you as their agent. Not only that, but you’ll be the chosen agency instead of your rivals.

Keen to know the top designs to integrate into your website? Just click here to find out more.



X is for eXperts
 
Whilst we were running out of ideas for letter X (we did indeed check the dictionary), this is still a crucial one.
 
With so many different elements to estate agent website design, from a lead generation or design perspective, we know it can feel overwhelming at times for businesses.
That’s why it’s important to talk to website experts whenever possible, so that they can provide you with their knowledge and expertise when you’re looking for solutions to your current website challenges.
 
So, if you have any issues with your website, book a meeting with us today and our website consultants will be happy to help your business.

Y is for You’re In Control

Your estate agency should have full control of your website. You should be able to freely make the changes you need to your site when and so you please. Websites shouldn’t restrict nor hold your business back from reaching their true potential but rather allow you to flourish and generate an effortless number of leads and opportunities.  

Z is for Zero Costs

Last but certainly not least, is zero costs. As we’ve already emphasised, your website should be flexible, editable and should grow with your business. But making such website changes, shouldn’t have any added costs. It’s crucial that you are able to make content changes easily, without being charged every time, so that your website can reach it’s true potential and continue to land more leads for your business. You’ll be pleased to know with our websites and CMS, this is certainly the case.

In summary, we hope our ultimate A to Z guide has been able to help your agency so that your website can be high performing, innovative and with the potential to grow your business. Keen to have a website that is fully editable with a powerful content management system? Just hit the link below!

According to Estate Agent Today, estate agents should keep an eye on the younger generation as they’re the group who are driving the big changes across the property industry. One of which is a very significant change – the growing demand for a more exceptional digital experience.

So, you may be thinking now – how can I create an exciting digital experience on my estate agency’s website? Well, look no further. We’ve rounded up our five top tips to help your agency impress the next generation of buyers so that you can futureproof your business and protect your brand reputation. So, let’s begin!

1. Integrate a Social Media Manager into your website’s CMS

Across every age group in the last year, social media has become much more important - it’s how we stay in touch now, right? Whether that’s uploading family photos, messaging friends, or just sending those all-important memes, either way social media is the most important digital communication there is.

However, it’s particularly important to the younger generation of buyers. With millennials and generation Z the only groups to have grown up with social media, it plays a bigger part in their lives than all other demographics in society. And the stats don’t lie either – according to Statista, in 2020, 88% of 16-24 year olds and 89% of 25-34 year old’s had a social media profile.

That’s why your estate agency should recognises the importance of social media and integrate a social media manager into your website’s content management system. Social media managers are there to record and analyze how well your social media channels are performing whether that’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. They’re extremely effective at examining your overall social media strategy like which posts are a hit, which need improving, as well as pinpointing the exact posts which are generating the most leads for your business - helpful, right?

What’s more, by identifying the hits and misses, you can improve your social media strategy and digital experience for potential customers making your agency more appealing to the younger generation of buyers.
 
Need a social media manager for your website? Just click here to book a conversation with us.

2. Make sure your website is mobile responsive

Our next top tip is to make sure your website is mobile responsive – it’s couldn’t be more important. According to Statista, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 54.8% of global website traffic in the first quarter of 2021. What’s more, the company also reports that 98% of 16 to 34 year old’s in the UK own a smartphone.
 
So, what image does this tell? Well, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that if your estate agency’s website isn’t mobile responsive, you may be in trouble.

If you think about it, what device do you search and scroll on the most? Of course, it’s your phone. So, if these younger buyers have to navigate a site which isn’t mobile optimised, zooming in and out each and every time they want to click a button, well, it’s simply not an option; they’ll leave your site in a matter of seconds. And what does this mean? They’ll potentially land on your competitor’s site instead.
 
So, if there’s one crucial piece of information you can take away from this blog, is that this generation in particular is used to quick loading times, a sleek user experience and a mobile responsive site.

In need of a website that’s fully optimized for all screens? Let’s futureproof your business with our award-winning estate agent websites – just click here to find out more.


3. Keep up with the latest website features for estate agents

So, how else can you create an innovative digital experience for the new generation of buyers? Well, one such way is by keeping your website up to date with the latest website features and proptech tools for estate agents. Here’s a quick list of the ones your agency should look to incorporate into your website:

• Instant valuation tool. Gone are the days of valuation request forms but instead here is the moment of the instant valuation tool. What’s an instant valuation tool, you ask? Using seller’s postcodes, instant valuation tools provide sellers with an online valuation of their property. They’re very quick and easy to use; especially appealing to the younger generation who are looking for time-saving devices. Moreover, they’re also a fantastic way to generate leads for your business. With users interacting with this tool on your site, your business can see exactly who is interested in your agency and how to market to them next - useful, right?

• Virtual valuations. Growing immensely in popularity in the last year, are virtual valuations. As you can guess by their name, virtual valuations are a valuation conducted by your estate agent over video. They are definitely worth considering for your agency, as they’ll please tenants who are perhaps nervous about agents entering their house given everything in the last year, or even just tenants who are in a rush and with a busy work schedule. Either way, virtual valuations are a key proptech tool worth investing in.

• Area guides. Moving on from virtual valuations, are area guides. Area guides are a fantastic addition to your property agency’s website as they inform, educate, and inspire prospective applicants about the locations they are considering moving to. They’re packed with the latest schools’ information, transport links, local amenities, and exciting events specific to that area all with the aim to help clients decide whether that location is best for them.

• Chatbots. And finally, consider having chatbots on your website. Quickly rising to become the new must-have automation tool, chatbots are transforming the world of digital transformation and marketing. With the ability to work 24-hours a day, 365-days a year, nor limited by time or a physical location, chatbots are especially appealing to the younger generation who are used to convenient and timesaving devices.

4. Research the latest website design trends

Given how tech-savvy the younger demographic is, they’ll almost certainly notice if a website looks out of date. That’s why your agency should regularly research the latest estate agent website trends as well as the wider design trends whether that’s the latest user interface designs, website trends which have emerged in popularity this year or the newest user experience innovations.
 
You may want to keep a tab on sites such as Dribbble and Behance to get an overall scope of the latest designers out there. These companies are the largest creative networks for showcasing and discovering creative work; all the hottest trends begin on these very platforms and so it’s good to keep an eye on them for the latest innovations.

But as a website design company, we also like to keep up the latest trends, and of course like to continuously update our customers with them – just click here to read our blog on the top design trends of 2021.


5. Make ethics a part of your brand identity

And finally, think about the ways in which your estate agency can show younger buyers that you’re much than just a business.
 
It’s not enough these days to just show people what you sell, but rather who your business is and the positive impact your agency can make. This is because according to Forbes, social issues are at the top of the minds of gen z’s and millennials minds, and they believe businesses should do their part a build a better future.
 
That’s why you should make it known on your site the initiatives your business takes part in whether that’s charity work or sustainability pledges.

You may want to think about a community promise page, similar to that of our client, the Pedder Group. On this page you can talk about what your agency has been up to recently, what’s going on in your community as well as all your relevant blogs. This will create a more engaging and personal user experience on your site and prospective customers will be much more likely to pick you as their estate agency of choice.


Keen to know more about the Pedder Group? Just click here to read the case study.

To conclude, by integrating a couple or if not more of these website tips and tricks, you can deliver an outstanding and exceptional digital experience on your estate agency’s website; the perfect formula for winning over the next generation of buyers, futureproofing your business and protecting your reputation.

Have a question about this blog? Or perhaps your property agency is looking to generate more quality inbound leads? The Webdadi team is on hand to help – just hit the link below to contact us today.

We are very pleased to announce the launch of a fantastic new website for one of Edinburgh’s newest estate agencies, Cadzow.

Branded one of the best letting agents in Edinburgh, Cadzow is set to be a hugely popular and well liked agency in the area. The business owners have accumulated over twenty years of experience in the property sector, and so with that and the hard work of their dedicated and talented team, has been able to build an impressive reputation and client base.

But yet with a website that didn’t reflect these strengths and one which was preventing the business from winning new instructions, Cadzow approached the Webdadi team. We were delighted to take them on board as our new client, and with the foundation package selected, quickly began working on a new site for the agency.

In only a matter of eight weeks, the amazing new site was up and running and was able to achieve everything the agency wanted and more. Their new innovative content management system streamlined all their marketing activities allowing them to generate effortless leads, win more instructions and ensure a high google ranking. Moreover, with the site’s focus on delivering an initiative and exceptional digital experience, Cadzow now has a competitive edge over their rivals and the ability to attract the next generation of buyers.

In short, Cadzow are delighted with their new site and are excited for all the possibilities the new website will bring to their business.

To view their new site, just click here.

Who are Webdadi?

Webdadi delivers the website and CRM package that drives opportunity, builds reputation, and delivers outstanding customer experience. All their website designs and CMS solutions for estate agents empower users to continually evolve their websites even after it’s put live, allowing you to edit your website's content and build new website pages so grows with your business.

All Webdadi’s website packages are powered by dedicated CRM software for property agencies and small businesses; streamlining the day to-day-running of your business and maximising the potential of your leads.