How to Keep and Convert Millennial Traffic on Your Real Estate Website

Millennials are the largest segment of homebuyers and the largest segment of first-time homebuyers, according to the National Association of Realtor's 2014 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report. While we previously discussed How to Drive Millennial Traffic to Your Real Estate Website, there is still the question of how to retain and convert Millennial traffic once they're there.

Offer content that allows them to customize their online experience

The first step is pretty simple; offer them the information they're looking for. Millennials are accustomed to having all the information they need in the palm of their hand. So be sure to offer the information that's most important to them. For example, our Points of Interest and Community Information are great for letting potential home buyers know what life is like in any given area by detailing data points such as nearby transit, nearby shopping amenities, cost of living index, and local crime rates. To make the information even more compatible to Millennial needs, offer enhanced search capabilities, such as our Lifestyle Search Engine's ability to search for communities based on nightlife or pet friendliness. All of these search functions and datasets insures increased time on site and enhanced possibilities of a Millennial reaching out.

Millennials don't want to be spoon-fed information. They grew up on the internet. They want to navigate through a sophisticated interface and actively seek out the information that's most important to them. Your site must be engaging and interactive. Having an online brochure or a static site won't be enough for this demographic. Offer them a wealth of information and allow them the opportunity to tailor their online experience based on their personal wants and needs.

Automate your outreach

Even the most optimized user interface can't retain the traffic forever. With the proper tools, though, you can ensure your Millennial traffic returns and converts. Millennials are used to being notified every time something new happens, whether it's a text, a tweet, or a friend invite on Facebook. So, offer them the opportunity to sign up for email notifications when listings that match their search criteria enter the market. This is an easy way to differentiate yourself, keep your Millennial traffic informed, and ensure when a good listing is on the market, they will return to and convert with your brand.

Go mobile

As for those who really wish to maximize their mobile presence among Millennials, perhaps creating a mobile app is the way to go. Our client JP Morgan Chase was recently identified as the best publisher in listings syndicationin the 2014 WAV Group Road Map to Listing Syndication for their My New Home App. So if you're looking to optimize a mobile experience for retention and conversion, reading more on their app may be a great place to start.

Converting Visitors to Clients on Your Site

Keeping Millennials on your site involves a more sophisticated user experience and targeted follow-up once they've left your site. Create an online experience that becomes habitual for the Millennial user. This means up-to-date content and allowing visitors to customize their search.

Onboard Informatics can help create that experience through our local data platform. Contact us today for information or to schedule a demo of what our technology can do for your business.

To view the original article, visit the Onboard Informatics blog.