23 Oct Why Your Website Should Speak to all Levels of the Buyer’s Journey
Marketing professionals are fond of “the funnel,” but when it comes to websites a buyer’s journey more accurately resembles a staircase. Each buyer’s staircase includes steps that emerge onto a variety of paths that are as unique as each user. A website is an important tool to help industry professionals reach prospective buyers and clientele, and inspire them to fill out a form, pick up the phone or schedule an in-person meeting.
A strong lead-generating website incorporates content that speaks to all levels of the marketing funnel, and strategic content mapping results in a custom blend of content that successfully nurtures qualified real estate leads.
ULA offers clients a full team of experienced copywriters and programmers who are well-equipped to develop content that speaks to all levels of the buyer’s journey. We’ve helped break down each level, the associated content, and its importance below.
Casual Visitors
Casual prospects are defined as users who are interested enough to visit the website and may be at the very start of their real estate search. This type of prospect enjoys splashy interactive features, editorial-style blog posts, and information about the surrounding neighborhood. It’s important to incorporate this introductory content on the website and quickly appeals to this group, encouraging them to continue their journey down the desired sales path.
Qualified Buyers
This type of user is likely to be attracted to digital elements such as floorplans and renderings. They’re already interested in the project – maybe they’ve already been pushed through to the website via paid search ads or retargeting, or maybe they’ve been following along through social media or editorial coverage – and have a better idea of what they are looking for in a home. They’re detail-oriented and are captivated by descriptions and imagery of unique residential features such as soaring ceilings, high-end appliances, spacious terraces, private club rooms, state-of-the-art gyms, resort-style pools, and more. Beautiful floorplans, renderings and virtual animations provide this qualified user with a glimpse of what they can expect from this new address.
Tours
When a user is ready to make a purchasing decision or commit to an on-site visit, it’s important for them to be able to get in touch with a member of the sales team or learn how to access the sales gallery as quickly as possible. An effective navigation bar should include a “contact” button that jumps directly to a clean, concise and informational page with a phone number, email address or contact form, and the sales gallery location and hours of operation.
Reservations and Contracts
Those who have purchased, or reserved interest will find construction updates and project news of importance. They engage with content that speaks to what’s new and exciting, as anticipation for their future address rises. Real estate content may include a live camera feed of construction, video segments that include updates, and invites for events hosted at the sales gallery or leasing office.
Owners
Real estate owners are enticed by content that shows value in their purchase decision. They are drawn to features in the news or publications that highlight their address. They also enjoy learning how they can make use of their current amenities. Consider including content that tells owners how to make use of their added benefits such as golf course memberships, boat slips, private concierge, or private aviation.
What kinds of deliverables can we create?
Free Content
Blogs
Blog posts are a great way to add free, easily digestible content to a website page and enhance search engine optimization (SEO), helping websites move up the ranks in search results. These informative, editorial-style posts provide users with more insights about the individual residences, the project as a whole and interesting or relevant things to do in the area.
Blogs give you an opportunity to dive deeper into the sales offering and help prospects visualize themselves in the context of the project, whether they’re imagining the quick drive to the airport or strolling around the nearby shopping district. Real estate topics and keywords can also be heavily used throughout these posts to support SEO, and trending local events and news can be highlighted on the blog as well to bring increased public attention to a website.
Social Media
As a rule of thumb, experts recommend including links to your social feed in the footer or upper navigation bar of the website. The nature of social media allows individuals and projects to generate engaging content that sparks consumer interest – in real estate marketing, social is a great way to provide prospects with visuals of the product offering and highlight the surrounding neighborhoods and unique lifestyle opportunities.
Remember to always link social posts and pages back to your website. This effectively builds a bridge that guides social followers into the site as real estate leads and continues to move them along their distinct sales paths.
Freemium
This content is stored securely behind a password gate. “Freemium” content is provided in exchange for identifying data, like when a user provides their name and email address to in order to receive a downloadable lifestyle guide or access to an exclusive webinar.
Premium
Premium content is shared with real estate prospects after they express a deeper level of interest in the project, such as such as signing up for an interest list, scheduling a tour, visiting a sales gallery, or providing a mailing address that can be used for direct mail.
This type of content may take the form of exclusive packages and material such as incentivized pricing, custom design selections and more.
The Buyer’s Journey Converts Prospects into Contracts
An effective website will help increase customer conversion rate, particularly when the proper elements are in place that appeal to the prospective buyer on each and every step of their journey.
Remember, a helpful and informative website is a good website. Provide your consumers with everything they need – and then some! – to make their purchasing decision.
Take Your Website to the Next Level
ULA can help you reach your target audience and achieve your digital goals. To learn more about our web design, programming and other digital services, call or visit UnitedLandmark.com
United Landmark Associates is a full-service agency that offers an array of complementary capabilities – jaw-dropping creativity, cutting-edge digital expertise, technical flair and, above all, a deep understanding of luxury real estate and hospitality.
A tenacious commitment to each client’s success is at the core of everything we do. That’s why we have a track record spanning more than three decades, delivering results that have transformed city skylines and consistently surpassed the clientele’s most vivid expectations. Contact us today to enter a new era of luxury marketing.