9 Elements of a Great Website Homepage

Your real estate website homepage: it's usually the first thing site visitors see and probably also the first page you created. But when was the last time you took a critical look at it?

It's important to review the content on your site from time to time, to make sure it's still doing what you need it to do – capturing leads, of course!

Today we're taking a closer look at the humble homepage. Here are nine elements that your homepage should have:

1. Headline

Quick: what is this website for? Keep it simple. Your name or real estate agency name will do.

2. Image

Don't forget to include a picture of your smiling face somewhere! Include your team or agent headshot so customers know who they will be meeting when they take that next step. Adding a high-resolution image of your selling area or one of your listings is a good idea, too.

3. Value Statement

Be sure you tell your visitors about the value your services will bring to them. Use the copy to say how they will benefit from your specialized skills. Say what you do, why it matters and how you will save them time, money or stress (or all of the above).

4. Call to Action

What do you want site visitors to do? Get in touch with you, right? Make sure you tell them! Include a primary call to action near the top of your page so there is no confusion. "Call me today to sell your house quickly" or "Click to see our newest listings" or "Contact us for a free consultation" are all solid examples. You can have multiple calls to action on a page, but you definitely need at least one!

5. Branding

Do you have a logo or a slogan? How about fonts or colors that you use on your business cards and other print materials? Be sure to use these same branding elements on your homepage as part of a cohesive marketing strategy.

6. Navigation

Keep visitors on your site by providing a clear navigation path from the homepage into the "meat" of your site. Make sure navigation buttons or links are at the top of your page and keep title simple. Think "For Buyers," "Local Information," "About Me," etc.

7. Resources

First time visitors may not be ready to buy or sell a house just yet, but they are thinking about it, so make it obvious that you have helpful resources where they can learn more. You can include it in your navigation or offer a free download.

8. Contact Information

None of the rest of this matters if clients can't figure out how to contact you. Make sure your phone number and email address are easy to find, preferably near the top of the page so viewers don't have to work to find it.

9. Social Media Links

Are you active on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or some other social networking site? Don't forget to include social links to make it easy for prospects to find and connect with you.

Bonus: Customer Proof

Demonstrate that you are a trustworthy real estate expert by including client testimonials or industry accolades on your homepage. Were you voted the best agent in your area? Do you have a few great one-liners from real people? Give yourself a shout out – you deserve it!

There are a lot of other elements you can add, but these are the necessities to make a good impression on today's online buyers and sellers.

To view the original article, visit the Point2Agent blog.