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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995.™
austin
Austin Board of REALTORS®
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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995
Chairman’s Column By Cathy Coneway • 2013 Chairman
To be found by relocators, make sure all your bases are covered
I
t goes without saying that Austin is a booming city. According to the City of Austin, there was a 20 percent population growth in Austin from 2000 to 2010. The City is expected to add 750,000 more people by 2039. Based on information from the Internal Revenue Service, Austin is gaining residents from all across the nation. The City of Austin’s Manager of Urban Design Jim Robertson reported that 57 percent of the Austin population is under 35 years old and 72 percent is under 45, making Austin a relatively young city. Still, the number of retirees or those nearing retirement is also growing. There was a 97 percent increase in the 60 to 64 age group between 2000 and 2010. Newly minted Austinites are coming all the way from Alaska and Florida and everywhere in between. The question now remains: How do you reach those moving from out of state? My suggestion is to make yourself easy to find online and— once found— deliver the information home buyer’s will need.
Improve your SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) not only
sounds like a mouthful, but can also be an intimidating task to tackle. It takes research, time and careful attention. The four main items Google recommends for better search rankings are fresh website content, keywords relevant to your industry in your content, quality links to outside sources and a well-designed website. You can learn how to improve your search engine ranking by reading Google’s “Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide” at bit.ly/d29DIc.
Prominently display your contact information Getting found on the Internet is only half the battle. Just as important as your website ranking high in a Google search for “Austin REALTOR,” for example, is making sure your website is effective. This is a simple tip, but the most important feature your website should have is easy-to-find contact information. Attention spans are short for Internet users, so it’s always smart to include a link to your contact information on every page of your website. At the minimum, include your phone number in the header of each page. This
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way, the most straight forward way to contact you is obvious to your website visitors. Including prominent links to your social media accounts offers consumers additional avenues to contact you, so they can use whichever method they prefer.
erly credit your sources, you can repost some of those top 10 lists that Austin keeps showing up on or link to an interesting article from your favorite Austin magazine.
Have an social media presence Having a social media presence is something frequently suggested to REALTORS, but avoided by many because of time concerns. Yet, it is essential to building your business today. Make sure your website includes links to all your social media outlets and vice versa. Announce you’re a REALTOR in your Twitter description and display it on your Facebook page. Disclosing this information not only ensures compliance with TREC rules, but helps develop your brand and lets your connections know you’re someone who can help with their home buying and selling needs.
The World Wide Web is constantly evolving. That’s why it is important to stay proactive in all your online ventures, from blogging and social media to streamlining your website and improving your rank in Google searches. Each of these features plays into the other. Blogging on a regular basis gives you a constant flow of readers who you can convert into clients or advocates for your service. You can share your blog posts on social media to also grow your brand’s reach. All the while you are becoming more knowledgeable about Austin and the area you service through your research, writing and personal brand development.
Share Austin-specific information
Get your ABoR Academy Card now
Today, out-of-staters start their home search online. They want to know what Austin is like— How is the food? The nightlife? The schools? Become an online resource for this information. Share information about Austin on your blog and social media outlets showing what Austin has to offer. Ask yourself what you would want to know about a new city you were moving to, and answer that for your readers. Your content doesn’t even have to all be original. As long as you prop-
Attend an unlimited number of regular mandatory continuing education (MCE) courses between January and Dec. 31, 2013 with the 2013 ABoR Academy Card. For just $99 you can have access to an unlimited number of regular mandatory continuing education (MCE) courses at the ABoR Academy. Only 250 cards will be sold in 2013, so get yours before they sell out. Visit www. abor.com/acard for more information or to make your purchase. RL
Keep at it
ABoR Academy Educational Courses Jan. 24: ZipForm: What You Need to Know Jan. 29: Broker Responsibility MCE Course
More at www.ABoR.com
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